A good writing utensil is a small but important piece of gear for a search and rescuer. SAR people are constantly taking notes for coordinates, subject descriptions, team lists, gear inventories, map doodles, and anything else we can fit in our notebooks. Such utensils must be durable, for as soon as they’re clipped into our radio vests, they’re dragged through the mud, smashed on rocks, and tossed around with the rest of our equipment.

While the space pen is certainly a fad that has caught on with plenty of people, the pencil still remains a favorite tool for use on the various waterproof notebooks available on the market, mainly because it’s a cheaper alternative. I carry a contractor’s pencil in my kit because I can sharpen it in the field with my knife. But, it does not carry a fine point, making it hard to get a good press into the pages. That can be an issue when you’re trying to fit a rope rescue gear inventory on a single pocket book page while in a downpour. To top it off, the odd shape makes it a pain to take detailed notes when wearing thick winter gloves.

CRKT seems to have solved this issue for me. New to the market in 2017 is their Bolt-Action Pencil, part of their collaboration series with Ruger. It has a 5 1/2-inch anodized aluminum body and uses .5 mm mechanical pencil lead. It takes the pain out of having to fumble with small mechanical pencils or a contractor’s pencil, while also having far more durability than its plastic cousins. In a pinch, it can also function as a non-lethal self-defense tool.

My only ding for this pen is the thickness of the lead. It’s .5 mm, whereas the still-common .7 mm would be a bit stronger. While a pencil may seem like small, even silly thing to rave about, it can make plenty of difference for those who need durable goods to do their jobs. Check out the Bolt-Action Pencil HERE. If you’re on the space pen train, CRKT also makes a Bolt-Action Pen. The pen is available for $50.

Check out more CRKT Ruger products HERE.