It’s August, which means that the annual “back to school and back to work” season has started for many. You know what else that means? Planner time! I’ve noticed two distinct times of the year when people tend to invest in a new planner or notebook system. The first is during the November-January holiday season, just before the new year, and the second is in August and September, when the summer vacation comes to a close and many people return to work and/or school. In addition to general inquiries about the best planner or notebook system that might fit their specific needs, I receive a lot of questions about pens and pencils that “fit” planners. Usually this means they are looking for a slimmer pen (or multi pen or mechanical pencil) that will fit the often narrow “pen loops” or “pen slots” built into notebook covers. Since I’m already thinking about planners and notebook systems given the classes I taught at the D.C. Pen Show earlier this month, the upcoming planner and techo-heavy San Francisco Pen Show, and my participation in the Chicago Planner Conference this November, I figured this is a good time to update my previous planner pen recommendations.
Current Favorite Planner Pen Recommendation: Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliner. Many people love fineliners and brush pens for their planners and notebook systems, and the Tom’s Studio Lumos allows you to refill this style of pen with your favorite fountain pen inks. The Lumos comes in three different format options: the Lumos Pro has a single tip, the Lumos Pro Duo allows you to have two different colors and/or tip styles in the same pen, and the Lumos Mini works well with smaller pocket-sized options. The slim format fits easily into most pen loops, notably the Plotter system. Read more on how the Lumos pens work here.
Fountain Pen Recommendation: Pilot Capless Decimo. The slimmer version of the Pilot Vanishing Point is an excellent option for planners and notebook systems, especially when paired with an extra-fine nib for writing in tighter spaces. I will also note that for many, the slimmer Decimo body also solves the “clip placement” issue that people sometimes have with the larger Vanishing Point. Read our full review of the Pilot Decimo here (and no, I’m not selling my Harvest Yellow!)
Multi Pen Recommendation No. 1 (Needle-tip Gel Pen): Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto. The Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto is a versatile tool perfect for those who enjoy color-coding their planners and/or notebooks, as you can hold up to four of the Coleto needle-tip gel refills in a single pen body (and even a pencil and eraser insert). The Coleto can also be a relatively inexpensive option for those who enjoy lots of colors - I sometimes carry up to three of these in my bag at any given time. I reviewed the Coleto quite a while ago and likely need to update my thoughts on what continues to be an excellent multi pen.
Multi Pen Recommendation No. 2 (Flexible Option): Lamy 2000 Multi Pen. I say “flexible” because Lamy’s 2000 multi pen is marketed as the “Four-Color Ballpoint,” yet because it uses universal D1 refills, you can transform it into a gel pen, a gel+ballpoint+highlighter, or - as I do - an upscale Jetstream multi pen. You can read my full write up on this pen here and why it’s been a fixture in my rotation for nearly a decade.
Ballpoint Pen Recommendation: Uni Jetstream Prime or Anterique Ballpoint. Many people prefer a simple black ballpoint pen for work. It’s reliable, professional, and most importantly, not distracting. For something like this, I will usually recommend a low-viscosity ballpoint that’s a hybrid between traditional ballpoint and gel ink, meaning that the pen will dry fast, and will neither smear, feather, or bleed-through thinner planner papers. Both the Uni Jetstream Prime and any of the Anterique pens feature a traditional slim “ballpoint pen profile” that slides easily into a planner and fits nearly all notebook pen slots.
Do you have a favorite planner pen? If so, please write in or drop a comment. These are just the five that I’ve relied on recently, and there are dozens of popular options that would also include the entire Fisher Space Pen lineup, the Lamy CP1 fountain pen, the Traveler’s Company Brass Pens, Baux Pens, the Zebra Sarasa Grand, and more.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
