Long ago I had a Zebra Pocket Pen which I kept in my wallet. Lately I’ve been trying to slim down my pockets so I went looking for another. Unfortunately they were discontinued several years ago. My search for a replacement yielded some interesting results so I thought I’d share.
The Wallet Pen
Apparently this is one of Oprah’s favorite things. Hand made of sterling silver, only 3″ long and with a curious action (press end to open, press tip to close) this is the most expensive option at nearly $50. It gets rave reviews from most users but take that with a grain of salt as people who spend more for something often deceive themselves to justify the expense. That being said I still want it and would gleefully accept a gift of one.
Levenger Walletini
Also only 3″ and with a clip very similar to the original wallet pen this one twists to open. Chrome plated instead of silver or stainless steel. The mid-range price of $32 makes me feel like it would make more sense to just get the silver one.
Derringer Wallet Pen
4″ long with a stainless steel barrel, this is actually almost identical to the Zebra Pocket Pen and even uses Zebra refills. A cheaper option at only $8 shipped.
Zebra Mini T3
It turns out Zebra Japan (and Zebra UK, and maybe every region except US?) still sells the pen I used to have. This and the remarkable similarity of the Derringer makes me wonder if there is some kind of licensing deal going on here. I’ve seen them for as little as $5 + shipping.
PicoPad Wallet Notes
This is a credit card sized notepad (15 sticky notes) with a tiny pen (really a pen refill with some wings stuck to it). I rarely need a note pad and the pen looks uncomfortable but maybe you feel differently. $3.
Conclusion
I’m quite happy with the Zebra T3. Zebra is well known for quality, the price is fair, and the 4″ barrel fits nicely into my wallet. They also sell a mechanical pencil, the TS3, of the same dimensions.
I still want to own “The Wallet Pen” some day. Please send me one.
