Inka Titanium Pen Review by AficionadoZone.com
Posted on
Apr 9, 2006 |
Product Type: Pen/Stylus
Manufacturer:
Nite Ize, Inc.
Website: www.writeanywhere.com
AZ Product Rating: 5/5
AZ Product Value Rating: 4/5
Introduction
Inka Corporation engineers and manufactures "all-weather writing instruments" in Boulder, Colorado. The company was founded by an engineer, Greg Adelman, who has over 13 years of experience designing equipment for the US military and NATO. If you're getting the impression that the Inka pen isn't your ordinary high-end writing instrument, you're right.
The Inka Titanium is positioned as a tool for use in extreme environments. There are many reviews of the pen that test its ability to be used while hiking in the mountains, after being subjected to freezing temperatures, even while submerged under water. This review is taking a different approach and testing the pen as it will probably be used by many whose need for adventure must be sated vicariously...in an office/metropolitan environment as an every day carry (EDC) writing instrument.
Product Impressions
Inka currently manufactures two versions of the Inka pen: the standard model which is made of 304 stainless steel and the titanium version crafted from aerospace-grade titanium. This review is of the Inka Titanium.
The Inka Titanium is one of those products that was obviously developed by an engineer rather than by a marketing department. Even the blister-pack packaging that is only friction sealed rather than heat sealed is very practical and befitting the quality product it protects and displays.
The first thing I noticed upon opening the blister pack and removing the Inka Titanium was how light weight it is...a mere 0.45 oz! It truly feels weightless.
From the picture, you can see that when the pen is closed, it is about half the size of a regular pen. Once assembled, it becomes a full size writing instrument. Something that is not obvious from the picture is the material of the non-metal part of the pen...it's a carbon fiber composite. Cheap plastic just wouldn't fit a writing instrument like this.
As if fitting a pen in such a small package wasn't enough of an accomplishment, the folks at Inka have another trick up their sleeve:
That's right...the Inka also sports a PDA stylus!
For this review, I've been carrying the Inka Titanium with me for almost a month. It truly disappears in a pocket...to the point I initially would forget that I did indeed have a pen on me. It is extremely convenient to always have a pen for signing receipts, jotting down directions, or noting telephone numbers. For these tasks, I simply used the pen in "quick-use" mode. In meetings where I needed to write more, I assembled the pen into a "full-size" pen. Surprisingly, the pen is very comfortable to write with even for extended periods. It's light weight and ribbed grip make it very ergonomic. Also, be prepared for lots of comments and questions as you assemble this pen in a meeting! It really does seem like a gadget Q would have given to James Bond!
Conclusion
Inka's self-proclaimed mission is to develop a new product category of writing instruments that are specifically designed for use in extreme environments. With their Inka Titanium, I think they've succeeded. Not only is the pen suited to its target "adventurer" audience, but it is just as comfortable living a much more plebian existence in the pocket of a road warrior. It's quality and fitness for use are first rate. If anything, this pen is over-engineered with it's o-ring seals and titanium and carbon fiber construction. It's a pleasure to use a product that was obviously designed and fretted over by someone who is very passionate about achieving perfection. At it's list price of $89.95, the Inka Titanium is expensive, but worth it. For those on a budget, the regular Inka made of stainless steel and carbon fiber is a steal at $25! |
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