Tactical pens are the perfect example of a somewhat expensive niche accessory that quickly become almost a household item that most of us are familiar with, often owning more than one and carrying it daily.

A tactical pen is essentially a common utility tool, that is small and comfortable enough to be carried everywhere and built to be sturdy enough to be used as a close-quarters self-defense tool, dubbing essentially as a Kubotan, or as an emergency escape tool, replacing a glass-breaker.

The idea behind a tactical pen is to have such a tool packaged in a design that will make it legal to have on your person even in those environments – such as aircrafts or public buildings – where other self-defense tools are generally frowned upon or outright illegal.

Ever since the first tactical pens were launched, around a decade ago, the global market offer for these items skyrocketed. Nowadays, the market is flooded with tactical pens manufactured by European, American or Asian companies, at any price, although most – if not all – sporting a markedly “tactical” design that Police and security personnel is now trained to recognize for what it is.

Nitecore is mostly known for its top quality utility and tactical flashlight, and is quite a newcomer in the field of tactical pens, but already offers a solid line, recently boosted by the launch of the Nitecore NTP30 rechargeable tactical pen and the Nitecore NTP40 rechargeable pencil.

What tells Nitecore’s tactical pens apart from most of the competition is the design and the manufacture. While the vast majority of tactical pens out there are manufactured out of aluminum alloy, Nitecore’s tactical pens are CNC-machined out of TC4 titanium alloy.

This makes definitely lighter than most of their competitors – the NTP30 weighs in at barely 27 grams (0.95oz), while the NTP40 pencil is even lighter at 23,9 grams (0.84oz) – as well as more resistant to impact, wear, and corrosion.

The Nitecore NTP30 tactical pen is 13,3cm (5.2”) long overall for a diameter of 9,5 mm (0.4”), and sports a streamlined, elegant and ergonomic design that makes it very comfortable to carry and use – and virtually unrecognizable from a standard pocket pen.

The body of the Nitecore NTP30 pen features a set of anti-skid serrations to increase friction and avoid sliding, for precise writing even when wearing gloves; a rigid lightweight titanium alloy pocket clip is secured to the pen body by two removable Torx screws.

Nitecore dubs the NTP30 a “bolt-action tactical pen” – and all it takes to understand why is to take a look at the design of the opening mechanism. A slider runs bidirectionally in an L-shaped groove with forward and rearward indents for a stable lockout that’s sturdier and more durable than a classic retractable click-pen. The design is clearly bolt-action rifle inspired, and a gun enthusiast definitely can’t help but love it.

When the pen tip is retracted, by pulling fully backward the side bolt, a tungsten steel tapered tip protrudes from the rear – and this is the element that makes the NTP30 usable as a self-defense instrument or as a glass-breaker, and effectively so. The NTP30 uses Schneider Gelion 39 0.4mm refills, available in black, blue, green or red at a relatively low price mostly everywhere.