Field Notes Brand Clic Pen Review

I picked up a six-pack of Field Notes Brand Clic Pens when I ordered a set of their notebooks from Huckberry . I really wasn’t too interested in the pens themselves, but was saving some money by ordering the package.  As Field Notes is a relatively well-received brand, I thought I would carry one for a bit and type up a review.

Essentially, the Field Notes Brand Clic Pen is a Bic Clic with the Field Notes logo printed on the barrel.  There isn't much else to it...

Materials: 1

The barrel is plastic.  It’s not particularly sturdy; using the G-2 I reviewed a couple weeks back as a metric, it’s more prone to flex and perhaps breakage.   I don’t expect the barrel to break during normal use, though.  In the grand scheme of things, I've had less durable pens but also far more durable ones.

Fit: 1

There’s nothing particularly poor about the fit of the parts on this pen.   The barrel screws together tightly without any play.  There is, however, a bit of play between the point, when extended, and the barrel.  This can result in some movement of the tip when writing.

Mechanism: 1

Following the name “Clic,” the pen utilizes a click-type mechanism.  It works, but it’s nothing special.  The plunger doesn’t return to the upright position when the point is deployed.   Also, there is significant play between the sides of the barrel and the plunger.

Line: 1

The included cartridge is a medium point black ball-point.   As far as ball-points go it’s average.  The line it lays down is relatively smooth and doesn’t skip.   The point does feel like it drags a bit on the page, though.

The ink itself isn’t as black as a black should be, in my opinion.

Writing Comfort: 1

The dragging feeling of the point causes my hand to fatigue quicker than it normally does.  It almost feels like I have to fight the pen a little bit.  Instead of gliding through through my thoughts I have to pull it around.

Design Concept: 1

Nothing special.  The Bic Clic is a time-tested design but it’s not terribly attractive.  The silver ring around the middle is a nice embellishment.

Markings and Insignia: 0

Emblazoned on the barrel of the pen are the words “FIELD NOTES” and “fieldnotesbrand.com” each on its own line.  The text is pretty intrusive and doesn’t seem to fit well with the pen itself.  Moreover, the printing isn’t stellar; the ink isn’t consistently laid upon the barrel.  The pocket clip has BIc’s Trademarks, the “Clic” branding, and the “MEXICO” manufacturing origin.

If the printing was better executed I would probably give the pen a 1 in this category but, alas, the printing isn’t that great.

Carry Method: 1

A simple stamped and folded metal pocket clip is fastened into the plastic barrel.  The design of the clip causes approximately an inch of the pen to stick out above the pocket line.  Retrieving the pen, when clipped, is simple due to this protrusion.

Carry Durability: 1

After carrying this pen in my front pocket for a couple weeks the clip has loosened slightly.  This isn’t due to bending of the clip itself, but is due to the clip’s mounting pulling away from the barrel.  As such, it’s not something that could be corrected by simply bending the clip back.

That said, it’s not a complete failure.   It holds up pretty well and, unless you’re wearing pants with incredibly thick fabric, there won’t be a problem.

Carry Comfort: 1

The portion of the pen that actually sits in the pocket is comfortable, but I’ve found that the large section outside the pocket to get in the way.  It protrudes just enough to be annoying. I would prefer it to sit a bit lower in the pocket.


Total: 9/20

The Field Notes Brand Clic Pen isn't anything special.  There are definitely better pens on the market, particularly for everyday carry.  I'm certainly happy to have something else in my pocket.