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Tom Bihn Maker’s Bag review

REVIEW – One of my resolutions, goals, aspirations, or whatever you want to call it, for 2019 is to completely update my EDC and one of my main upgrades is going to be a new everyday gear bag. The first bag that I’m trying out as a contender is the Maker’s Bag from Tom Bihn. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Tom Bihn Maker’s bag is a messenger style bag with lots of pockets to keep your gear organized.

Design and features

The Maker’s bag is available in a variety of colors for the exterior of the bag as well as the interior of the bag. You can also choose from two different types of material: 400d Halcyon or 1050d High Tenacity Ballistic Nylon. I was sent a Maker’s bag made of the lighter weight 400d Halycon in Nordic blue with an Ultraviolet 200 Halcyon interior and black seams.

The bag has a Tom Bihn-esque diagonal flap which is held closed with a large pinch buckle clip. The flap tightness of the flap can be adjusted but only by about an inch.

I love the classic good looks of this bag. It has clean lines and isn’t gaudy in any way.

If you flip the bag over, you’ll see that it features a flat webbing grab handle at the top. I typically like a padded grab handle, but you won’t be carrying an extreme amount of gear in this bag, so a thinner handle is no problem.

By default, the Maker’s bag comes with a standard shoulder strap, but I opted for their Absolute Shoulder Strap which is a $20 upgrade. The Absolute strap is very comfortable and well worth the upgrade. But if you already have another favorite shoulder strap, you can probably attach it to the rings on the sides of the bag.

Towards the bottom of the bag, you see an adjustable stabilizer strap which you can use to secure the bag around your waist if you ride a bike. This strap is removable if you don’t need it.

When you open the flap, you’re greeted with a happy checkered purple interior. If you’re not a fan of purple, you can choose other options like blue, grey, green, and red. Opening the flap also reveals the first pocket.

The 12 x 8 inch horizontal zippered pocket opens to provide access to a roomy storage area that has 4 open topped 2.5 x 5.5 inch slots. Note that these are rough dimensions. These pockets are narrow but are still large enough to hold a variety of pens, multi-tool, flashlight, cables, etc. The area in front of the slots is plenty roomy enough to hold items as well.

The main compartment of the Maker’s bag is large open “bucket” with open-topped pockets around the sides. The front area has 3 elastic topped pockets. The center pocket is the largest at around 6 x 7 inches and the pockets on either side are narrower. All 3 pockets are roomy instead of tight pockets that can only hold flat items.

On the sides are two stretchy mesh pockets that are perfect for a water bottle or other items that you don’t want floating in the center of the bag.

The on the back wall is a large dual zippered 12 x 9 inch pocket that can hold a tablet or a small laptop. Note that the back wall of the bag and the front of this pocket are not padded so you’ll want to keep that in mind and use a separate pouch to protect it. Luckily Tom Bihn has that covered with their optional Cache which I will show you below. Also in the main compartment are 4 o-rings that you can use to attach items. There are two on the front wall of the bag and two on each side above the mesh pockets.

Let’s load it up!

Here you can see the main items that I carry with me every day (minus the Wildflower calendar – I just had that on hand to take to work at the first of the year when I took this pic). Clockwise: Pixel 2 XL, A5 sized hardbound notebook, Ti Pocket pen, 2019 Wildflower calendar, comb, my Cummins ID badge, a little zippered pouch that holds eye drops, nail clippers, packets of stevia sweetener, and a small Altoids tin of ibuprofen. Then there’s a wallet, tiny click flashlight, Leatherman Squirt multi-tool, Carmex lip balm, DUNU wired earbuds, TicPods Free wireless earbuds, candies, zippered gear pouch that holds cables, micro SD cards, etc.

And here we have everything from the previous image stowed neatly in pockets so that the center area is open (my Pixel 2 XL is just in there to show the space) and free to hold my lunch and other items I might need to take with me for the day.

Now the great thing about the Tom Bihn Maker’s bag is that it is small but still roomy enough to carry a lot more while also standing up without flopping over which is a feature that I absolutely have to have in a bag.

I don’t typically take my 12MB with me to work at my day job or a tablet, but if I did, Tom Bihn’s Cache or Freudian Slip would make perfect accessories for the Maker’s bag to protect those devices and hold even more gear.

Tom Bihn Cache

The Cache is a black neoprene sleeve that has a dual zipper that goes around 3 sides of the sleeve. It’s available in different sizes that can hold an iPad mini up to a 13inch laptop. The sleeve provides just the right amount of padding to protect the tablet or computer without being bulky. The price for the Cache is $30 – $45 depending on the size.

Tom Bihn Freudian Slip

Another optional accessory is the Freudian Slip which adds quite a bit of extra organization and storage in a lift out “bag”. It comes in 4 different colors including the Swift Cloud color (otherwise known as grey) which was sent to me.

It features two large zipped and gusseted pockets that each have 2 open topped pocket slots inside them that can hold pens and other items.

Along the bottom of the Freudian Slip is a long horizontal zippered storage area that can make a great pen holder.

If you flip the case over, there are two flat pockets. The top one which has the magazine in it in the image above can hold your tablet or laptop and the one below it is a mesh pocket that you can use to hold power adapters and other bulkier items. The Freudian Slip is priced at $50.

But wait, there’s more!

Tom Bihn also sent me a bag of their cord zipper pulls which they sell with different colored cords.

What do they do? You can use them to make the zippers on the bag even easier to open by adding a longer pull.

There are different ways to attach them, but you can see what I’ve done with one of them. They are really handy! A pack of 8 pulls is $5.

What I like

  • A medium sized bag that holds a ton of gear
  • Stands up without collapsing or falling over
  • Pockets, pockets, pockets
  • Well made, no Velcro!

What needs to be improved

  • I’d love to see a different flap clip option instead of the plastic squeeze style clip.
  • A bit of padding on the bottom would be nice.

Final thoughts

I have enjoyed using the Tom Bihn Maker’s Bag. It’s a well-made bag that is compact and much less bulky than the Timbuk2 messenger bag that I’ve been carrying for years, but it’s still roomy enough to hold all my gear with enough room to spare for my lunch and other items. It has lots of pockets that keep my neat freak personality happy and it sits upright without falling over. For those reasons, it’s become my new favorite daily gear bag.

Price: $130.00
Where to buy: Tom Bihn
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Tom Bihn.

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Tom Bihn Maker’s Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 11, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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White Tower XL 2 Liter Humidifier Diffuser review


REVIEW – With allergies being a challenge for everyone in my family, solutions like air purifiers and humidifiers are devices that are welcomed in our home. A few months ago I purchased a relatively expensive humidifier/diffuser for my kids’ bedroom and it works quite well, so I was very pleased and willing to accept the opportunity to test and review the white Tower XL 2 Liter Humidifier Diffuser. Here is my feedback.

What is it?

The White Tower XL 2-liter Humidifier Diffuser is an open-top humidifier and essential oil aromatherapy diffuser. It is built with white plastic to ensure no corrosion occurs and includes a well-designed air funnel that creates a nice mist flow. Its 2-liter tank allows you to use it continuously for an extended period of time.

What’s in the box


1 x White Tower XL 2 Liter Humidifier Diffuser
1 x Nozzle
1 x floater Tube
3 x Floaters
1 x Water Tank Cover
1 x User Guide
1 x Cleaning Brush
1 x Accessory Booklet

Design and features

Specifications
Power Input: DC 110-240V
Power Output: DC 12-36V
Water Capacity: 2000ml

On the front of the humidifier diffuser, there is a touch control pad that allows you to turn the device on or off, increase or decrease the mist flow and turn the LED night light on or of. It also controls the LED around the control pad.

On the inside of the water canister, there is a marked indicator to show the maximum allowed water level.

Once the nozzle and the floater and cap are assembled, that assembly is dropped into the humidifier. It can only fit one way.

The company also manufactures aromatherapy oils that are great and work well with the diffuser and I am assuming any other diffuser.

Performance

This humidifier diffuser works very well. Assembly is quick, straightforward and easy, and the water capacity allows it to provide the mist for up to 12 hours. The ability to add the oils makes it a really great diffuser as well. The first time I tried it, I used the Calming Sleep oil, and remarkably, I fell asleep quite quickly and much faster than usual. The next time I tried the Breathe Easy oil and it was a great experience for my sinuses. The ability to use the night light as desired is also great, and it is so sleek and silent that it just about disappears in my room.

Once you plug in the device, you have the ability to control the flow of the mist and the LED lighting:

    • Press the power button once for continuous mode and color-changing lights
    • Press the “+” button to increase the mist. (Mist lasts up to 6-8 hours)
    • Press the “-” button to decrease the mist. (Mist lasts up to 12 hours)
    • Press the “LED” button to turn the color changing LED light on/off.



The following is a video of the humidifier diffuser in action.

What I like

  • The sleek look
  • The double duty of humidifier and diffuser
  • The decent build quality
  • The price

What can be improved

  • Ability to remove the canister from the base and thus separate the electrical system
  • Added feature for remote control and/or app control

Final thoughts

This humidifier diffuser works very well and provides the necessary continuous mist for a relatively long time. I really like the ability to control the flow of the mist and the ambient lighting is quite attractive and a very effective night light. Other than a few minor areas for improvement either for convenience or ease of use, I have no problem recommending this device. I give it two thumbs up!!!!

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Gurunanda Aromatherapy website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Gurunanda Aromatherapy

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White Tower XL 2 Liter Humidifier Diffuser review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 11, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest review

REVIEW – I’m a big fan of Bluffworks.  Several of their clothing items have become part of my office and especially travel staples.  For example, their dress shirts and pants are super comfortable, have just the right amount of stretch, and are nearly impossible to wrinkle, and the same goes for their jacket and slacks.  When I found out that Bluffworks was releasing a vest and that I might have a chance to try one, I was very excited; besides my respect for Bluffworks’ existing clothing, I am also a big fan of vests because if their versatility.  So how did I like the Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest?  Let’s find out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

The Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest is a quilted, lightweight travel vest that has seven (7) pockets to carry your gear and can be dressed up or down depending on your other wardrobe choices or needs.

Specs

  • Available colors: Olive Green (reviewed here) and Dark Sapphire
  • Available sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
  • 100% technical, breathable, quick-dry polyester shell that’s treated with a water-repellent finish.
  • 100g PrimaLoft® synthetic insulation made of 60% post-consumer recycled material.
  • Lightweight travel vest with pockets; 3.95 oz. per yard.
  • Washing machine friendly. Line or tumble dry.
  • 7 hidden pockets designed to protect your wallet, passport, keys, etc.
  • Durable, matte buttons that won’t fall off or stand out.
  • Open armhole for greater range of movement.
  • Full zipper and double-snap stand collar for form and function.

What’s in the package?

  • Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest

Design and features

First impressions: The Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest looked and felt very high quality, like all of the other Bluffworks items I have tried or own.  This is the ‘Olive Green’ color, and I really like it—it could have an almost military look, or a hunting/forest look, or an urban on-the-go look, and the color is such that it can complement many other items.  The materials from which the Horizon Vest are made are also solid.  The “100% technical, breathable, quick-dry polyester shell that’s treated with a water-repellant finish” actually has a really nice look and feel.  Although Bluffworks calls it “technical,” it doesn’t have the “sheen” that a lot of “technical” fabrics have. Also, the “100g PrimaLoft® synthetic insulation made of 60% post-consumer recycled material” keeps you toasty, but along with the shell is quite breathable and very compressible for packing.

One of the first features I noticed was that the Horizon Vest has a zipper as well as a snap-down flap over the zipper, as seen in the image above.   I found that this “snap flap” (see what I did there?) can serve two purposes, both related to the wearer’s temperature.  One is to keep cold air from penetrating the zipper and inside the vest, keeping you warmer.  The other is a way to close the vest without having to use the zipper, which could be useful to allow air inside the vest to keep you ventilated and cooler.  I will say the one downside to the snaps is that they rattle around a lot if you don’t have them snapped, which can be a bit annoying.

Speaking of the snaps, the above photo shows a closeup of them and you can see that they have been color-matched to the vest color (I love this—very subdued) as well as having a custom Bluffworks logo imprinted on them.   The photo above also shows how the snaps are arranged in the neck area.  Bluffworks calls this a “double snap stand collar” and if you snap both collar snaps, it forms and nice seal around your neck to help seal in your body heat, handy if you find yourself in colder conditions without a scarf.

As seen in the photo above, the Horizon Vest’s seams have a bit of a tapered cut, which helps give it a more fitted look when wearing it.  I also really like the quilting pattern.  It’s not straight vertically/horizontally oriented, which would make it look like a grid or checkerboard, it has a slight tilt which gives it a diamond-like pattern.  A great look, subtle but classy.

The front of the Horizon Vest has three zipper pockets.   In the photo above, the zipper pocket located on the top left is shown.  I really like this pocket because it is almost totally hidden—all you can really see is the zipper pull.  This pocket is in a nice location to hold a phone, which I suspect is its main purpose, but is large enough to hold other items for quick access as well.

The Horizon Vest also includes right and left zippered hand pockets, an example of which is shown in the photo above.  I really like that Bluffworks chose to make these zipper pockets as I tend to have thing fall out of my pockets, which is bad and especially bad when traveling.

Next, let’s check out the interior.  You can see in the photo above that there are a total of four pockets inside, which we’ll look at in more detail below along with some other features.  For now, let me state that the Horizon Vest’s lining almost like a microfleece—it is super soft and comfortable, so much so that I actually look forward to putting it on.

Starting at the top of the interior, Bluffworks has included a high-vis, hunter orange strip of strong webbing from which to hang the vest.  This may seem like a minor feature, but is a very useful one and I always appreciate it when a company includes one of these.  Also, I dig the Bluffworks tag sew inside the lining.  Bluffworks has made the exterior of all of their clothing item conspicuously inconspicuous in that they don’t litter them with logos or unnecessary trim.  This gives it a very classy and classic look.

Next, let’s take a look at the inside of the left front of the Horizon Vest.  There is a zip pocket at the top and large open pocket below the zipper pocket, both of which we’ll look at in detail below.

The above photo shows the inside zipper chest pocket on the left inside of the Horizon Vest (there is also a mirror-image one on the right inside).  Like the upper zipper pocket on the outside, Bluffworks has done a fantastic job of “concealing” this pocket and hiding the zipper right in one of the interior seams—if you didn’t see the zipper pull cords with their high-vis, hunter orange tips, you might not ever even know these upper inside pockets were even there.

The photo above shows the lower pocket on the inner left side of the Horizon Vest.  It is a large pocket with an open top, a really handy place for stuffing a pair of gloves or hat, but you may want to avoid placing smallish items in here that might bounce or slide out.

Next, let’s take a look at the inner right side of the Horizon Vest, as seen in the image above.  As mentioned above, at the top there is a mirror-image of the zippered pocket that is on the top of the inner left side of the vest, and below that is a larger zipper pocket which will be described below.

Above, a close-up photo of the lower pocket on the vest’s inner right side.  Like its opposite on the left side, this pocket is quite large, but has a zipper closure.  Because of this, the pocket can be used to hold all sorts of things securely.  It is almost large enough to fit a standard-size iPad, but not quite.

Finally, a few shots of some goofball wearing the vest, to give some idea of fit, sizing and so forth.  The vest reviewed here is a size Medium, which is what I typically wear for most shirts, jackets, and so forth.  I was a bit concerned that it would be too snug due to my build, which is just a bit outside the norm due to fitness activities (weightlifting, etc).  However, the Horizon Vest fit me very comfortably—not too loose (which I hate), and not too tight (which is uncomfortable). 

Full disclosure: I am also wearing my Bluffworks original Meridian Dress Shirt in Highland Grey Check and my Bluffworks Chino Pants in Khaki plus GORUCK Tac Hat in these photos.

One of the design aspects that Bluffworks incorporated into their Horizon Vest is “open armholes.”  This is a useful feature because it helped the vest fit me almost perfectly and also allowed for even wider freedom of movement, plus layering items under it becomes that much easier.

In the above photo, you can see the slightly tapered construction of the Horizon Vest, which I think is subtle, yet helps to produce a bit of a slimming effect.  Nice, clean lines throughout, like all of Bluffworks’ items.

Above, I’m placing my iPhone 6 Plus in the outer zippered chest pocket (located on the left side).  This pocket can easily hold a “Plus” or “Max” sized iPhone (even in a case, though I had removed mine for these photos), or one of the larger-format Android phones.  I like that Bluffworks placed a zippered pocket in this location, but I will say that the angled pocket does make it a bit more difficult to access than a vertically-oriented pocket that most garments have included.

Above, I’m placing my iPhone 6 Plus in the inner, upper, zippered pocket on the left side.  Great spot for a phone, in fact, this is where I typically place mine, rather than in the outside pocket.  These two inner, upper, zippered pockets are snap to access and having them inside the garment provides an additional level of protection.

Above, I’m attempting to show the lower right inner zippered pocket, the really large one.  I found myself thinking about all the different things I could put in here, especially while traveling.

And last but certainly not least, in the photo above I’m attempting to show the large inner left open pocket.  Again, a great pocket that I used to hold my hat and gloves when not using them.

What I like

  • The style is great–can be outdoor, urban, dress up, dress down, and layerable with many other clothing items
  • Color is subtle but rich and can complement many other clothing items
  • Seven pockets total, all but one zippered, provide lots of storage spaces for your gear
  • Super comfortable–soft interior as well as the fit/cut make me WANT to put it on
  • Looks and feels very durable and constructed from high-quality materials
  • Machine-washable?  Heck yeah!

What needs to be improved

  • Might want to think about re-orienting the front pocket to a vertically-oriented one rather than the angled one, but this is still a very useful pocket as-is
  • The snaps can be a bit “rattly” but this is far from a deal-breaker; eventually, I stopped noticing it

Final thoughts

As mentioned above, like all of the other Bluffworks items I have tried, I became enamored with the Horizon Quilted Vest immediately, and I now wear it just about every chance I get.  I’ve basically been wearing the Horizon Vest to the office and around town so far, I plan to do some actual travel with it in the future and I’ll report back here when I do.  If you have been looking for a vest to either wear on its own or layer with other items and you’d like one that can have a versatile look plus is loaded with concealed pockets for all your gear, I would highly recommend taking a look at the Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest.

Price: $155.00
Where to buy: bluffworks.com
Source: The product sample for this review was provided by Bluffworks.

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Bluffworks Horizon Quilted Vest review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 10, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Zanco Smart Pen review

REVIEW – Zanco, the folks behind the Tiny T1 phone are back with another Kickstarter campaign for a unique phone called the Smart Pen. You can use this device by itself as a 2G phone or you can use it paired with your existing smartphone as a multi-function accessory. Either way, people are going to notice it and you when they see it. They sent me a pre-production sample, so let’s take a closer look.

What is it?

The Zanco Smart Pen is a stand-alone 2G GSM phone or when paired via Bluetooth with your iOS or Android smartphone, it becomes a wireless handset with lots of built-in features like a camera, laser pointer, voice changer, a stylus, and more.

What’s in the box?

  • Zanco Smart Pen
  • micro USB charging cable
  • SIM card tool

Hardware specifications

Frequency – GSM900/1800 or GSM850/100
Display – TFT .96in color, 80 x 160 resolution
Camera – Front 0.3MP, Back 0.3MP
Bluetooth – V3.0
Battery – 400mAh

Design and features

The Zanco Smart Pen is shaped like a large pen but the name is a misnomer because the Zanco Smart Pen really doesn’t have a built-in pen. However, it does have a built-in stylus that you can use on your tablet or smartphone display. The Smart Pen has a small color display with a camera and speaker above it and a panel of function buttons and a phone keypad below it along with a microphone down towards the stylus tip.

On the back of the Smart Pen, you’ll find the back facing camera and a speaker.

On one the side is an attachment for a lanyard, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro USB charging port, and a cover for the micro SD card slot and SIM card slot.

One thing I noticed was that the micro SD card slot is not spring loaded, which means it’s a little tough to remove the card once it’s inserted. I actually had to use a sharp pin to pick the edge of the card so I could slide it out of the slot. The SIM card slot, on the other hand, is spring loaded, which confused me even more since included with the Smart Pen is a SIM removal tool which you don’t need.

The top edge of the Smart Pen has a laser pointer which you can toggle on and off by pressing and holding the round multi-function button on the front center of the device.

As a stylus, the Smart Pen works as well as any other capacitive stylus. That said, I would have rather had an actual pen built into the Smart Pen instead of a stylus. Of course, having a pen would mean that they would need to offer refills as well, so I can see why they went with a stylus.

Size-wise, the Zanco Smart Pen is the right length to use as a stylus and the right length to hold up to your ear as a phone.

People will wonder what the heck you’re talking into when they see you using this device as a phone, but it’s actually quite comfortable to use that way.

Built-in features

First of all, the Zanco Smart Pen can be used as a cell phone as long as you have a SIM card for a GSM carrier such as T-Mobile, AT&T, etc. I tested this device with a Mint SIM, which uses T-Mobile. With the SIM installed, pressing any button on the device will wake up the display to show the carrier, signal strength, battery capacity, other status icons, in addition to the date and time. As far as the time and time stamp goes, the device shows the wrong date and the wrong time but you can go into the settings to customize it. I’m not sure why it doesn’t get that info from the carrier.




Other features include a phonebook where you can store your favorite contacts, an MP3 audio player, a sound recorder, voice changer, an FM radio, and a text message app. For texting, you’ll have to brush up on the old school text message typing where you have to press each key multiple times to get the letter you want. For example, if you needed the letter C, you would have to press the 2 key 3 times as the first time would be A and the second press would give you a B.

The Smart Pen also has 2 cameras. One on the front for selfies, and one on the back for everything else. Don’t get too excited though because the image quality will take you back a decade or so. Here are a few example images.



No, these pics aren’t thumbnails that you can click to see the full size. They are full size. Yep, they are 80×160 pixels. There are settings that will let you switch to 640×480 but the setting doesn’t stick. I’m guessing they are still working on the software.

What I like

  • Fun novelty standalone phone or Bluetooth handset for your existing phone
  • Multi-functional
  • Can be used as a real cell phone to make and receive calls or text messages

What needs to be improved

  • Camera quality needs to be improved

Final thoughts

Yes, you can make and receive calls with this phone as long as you have a SIM for a compatible carrier. I used it on the T-Mobile network and it worked fine for my test calls. Would I want to use the Smart Pen as my primary phone? Ummmm, no. Sure it works fine in a pinch, but it ain’t no smartphone. On the other hand, it doesn’t offer all the distractions of a smartphone AND the battery can last for up to 6 days on a charge which is something no smartphone can do. When it’s all said and done, the Zanco Smart Pen is a novelty phone just like their Tiny T1 phone. It’s a fun little conversation starter with a few useful tools built in like the stylus, laser pointer, and the ability to be used as a stand-alone phone or a Bluetooth handset for your existing smartphone.

Price: $49.00
Where to buy: Kickstarter with rewards set to ship in April
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Zanco.

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Zanco Smart Pen review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 10, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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James Brand Benton ballpoint pen review

REVIEW: I firmly believe all EDC bags should start with the basics: a small to moderately sized knife, a nice set of shades, and a reliable/solid writing implement. In addition to the bag itself, these non-tech accessories say a lot about the carrier. I prefer simple, well-made on this front. From that point, many of us add various layers of technology and accessories. For this review James Brand sent me one of their recently released Benton pens to checkout. Let’s see if it finds a permanent spot in my Colonel Littleton 1943 Navigator bag…

What is it?

The Benton is a minimalistic ballpoint pen engineered to survive the road less traveled. This small, lightweight pen is designed to live in your pocket or EDC bag, ready to jot some rouge thought, comical doddle, or notes during a board meeting.

Design and features

The Benton is very well made and has an excellent feel/weight to it. James Brand uses stainless steel to create the barrel of the Benton. The barrel is 3/8″ in diameter, which is thin but not too thin. Overall length is five and a half inches, weighing in at less than an ounce.

Specifications:

  • MATERIAL: 304 Stainless Steel Barrel
  • CLIP: Bent Steel
  • GRIP PATTERN: Laser Etched
  • LANYARD LOOP: From clicker
  • CARTRIDGE: Schmidt 900 M (Black)
  • CARTRIDGE ACCESS: Twist off
  • DIAMETER: 3/8″ (9.4mm)
  • LENGTH: 5.5″ (139mm)
  • WEIGHT: 0.8 oz

The Benton includes a Schmidt 900 M ink cartridge that provides a smooth, flowing writing experience and is easily replaced when needed.

The lower third of the pen has many small circular indentations laser etched into the stainless steel barrel that gives the Benton an excellent feel and grip to it.

The Benton’s pocket clip is made from a PVD coated steel with the James Brand logo monogrammed into its tip.

Like the rest of the Benton, its pocket clip is low-profile and minimalistic yet gets the job done. The steel clip is rigid and strong as you would expect.

The Benton’s clicker has a machined hole/hard point to attach a lanyard to the pen.

James Brand includes a matching monogrammed lanyard with the Benton.

James Brand also includes a wool felt sleeve to protect the Benton.

What I like

  • Excellent build and material quality
  • Nice size and weight
  • Excellent feel and grip
  • Good writing experience

What needs to be improved

  • None

The Benton is available in stainless steel with green/black highlights, all-black, and a limited white ceramic coated LTD edition.

Final thoughts

The Benton is a very nice pen, made from excellent materials and attention to detail. It’s shape, size, and weight is ideal. James Brand has done an excellent job creating a simple, minimalistic design…perfect for anyone’s EDC gear. It is lightweight, well-made, form factor combined with a great writing experience.

Price: $60
Where to buy: The Benton is available directly from James Brand.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by James Brand.

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James Brand Benton ballpoint pen review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 9, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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