Today I review what might be my favorite special release of 2023: the “Vice” Seasonal Edition from Tactile Turn, which features two different Cerakote finish options (“Night” and “Day”) in 1980s-era Miami-inspired colorways. Some of you already know this about me, but despite being born in Tennessee, I spent a large portion of my childhood in Florida (in the late 80s to boot) so this one spoke to me. After the busyness of the past few months getting our new shop and physical space up and running, and the fact that I didn’t buy a single thing for myself at the D.C. Pen Show, the timing was ripe for me to take the plunge and buy both of these!

Tactile Turn Vice Day Packaging — The Vice "Day" finish in standard length.

I will typically buy one or two of the Tactile Turn Seasonal Releases each year, depending on whether or not the particular finish speaks to me. Last year I picked up “Deep Space”, the Winter 2023 edition inspired by galaxies and nebulas, and you can read my review of that pen here. While I’ve enjoyed the 2024 releases, “Vice” is the only edition that I’ve actually acquired this year. I don’t plan to fully re-review the Side Click as a pen, as my “Deep Space” review already goes into a fair bit of detail on the build and the mechanism, which is essentially a click-pen where you release the knock by pressing a button on the side. Nothing in that review has changed since I’ve published it. The Side Click has served as a reliable, convenient pen as well as a fun fidget toy.

Tactile Turn Side Click Vice Night Edition — The Vice "Night" finish in the "Short" format.

What I will talk about today are (1) the particular Cerakote finishes on the Vice edition pens, and (2) refill options, because this time I opted for two different lengths - one of the “Short” (Parker-style) pens and one of the “Standard” (Pilot G2) pens. This release was ripe for experimentation, because Tactile Turn tried something new with two different finish options. While both pens feature a synthwave/outrun-style design aesthetic with gradient fades and 80s-vibe colors, the two finishes are as different as, well, night and day. (Sorry. Not really.) The “Night” edition adopts more of a “South Beach nightlife” look, with a black Cerakote base accented by neon pink splatter, a neon blue knock, orange side-click button, and a purple-to pink gradient fade on the clip. The “Day” edition features a gradient barrel that evokes the beach itself, with a sand to sky-blue fade, a neon pink knock and button, and a white clip. Despite being vastly different, the two pens pair well and I have no regrets buying both. Like “Deep Space”, this edition means something to me and makes me smile when I look at it, so it’s staying in the collection.

Close up of the Palm Tree engravings on the Side Click Clips — A close up of the Palm Tree engravings on the clips, as well as the signature Tactile Turn texture.

What Is Cerakote and How Durable Is the Finish?

When it comes to everyday carry, I’m neither overly hard on my pens nor especially careful with them. Honestly, I’d argue that I represent the “average” user, which gives me a solid baseline for predicting how well pens will hold up over time for most people. Tactile Turn uses Cerakote on its special release pens, which is a ceramic coating that’s about as durable as you can get without adding weight or disproportionate cost to the pen. It also comes in a range of different colors, allowing makers to exercise their creativity with the finishes, as Tactile Turn has done here. With respect to durability (a question I sometimes get about these pens), here’s what Tactile Turn has to say:

“Cerakote is a thin coating of ceramic that’s applied to the surface of our titanium pens. It’s abrasion, chemical, temperature, and scratch-resistant but not proof. Hard wear will still show on Cerakote but we love that it gives us the ability to put colors on our pens without adding serious weight or thickness.”

— Tactile Turn "Vice"

In other words, the finish on your Cerakote pen might scratch if it takes a hard drop, is carried in a pocket with metal objects like knives or car keys, or is kept loose in a drawer as opposed to a pen case. That said, I’ve not experienced any visible dings or scratches on any of my Tactile Turn pens, and I’ve dropped the Deep Space on a hard floor at least once.

Tactile Turn Side Click Vice Edition Gradient Finishes side-by-side

Refill Options for the Tactile Turn Side Click Pen

The Tactile Turn Side Click comes in three different sizes - Standard (5.8”), Short (5.3”), and Mini (4.6”) - each of which ships with a different refill: Pilot G2 (standard), Schmidt Easyflow 9000 Parker-style (Short), and Pilot G2 Mini (Mini). When I reviewed last year’s Deep Space edition, I commented that I felt the Standard pen would be too long and unbalanced for my hand, so I opted for the Short. This time around, I picked up the Vice “Night” in the Short format, and the Vice “Day” in Standard, just to experiment because I suspected I would want to load up “Day” with a more colorful gel refill. As it turns out, while the Short version does fit my hand the best, the titanium construction of the longer Standard absolutely makes the pen usable for me, and I’ve had no issues with hand fatigue.

Tactile Turn Zebra Sarasa Cassis Black Refill Writing Sample — Out of all the gel pen color options I had on hand, the Cassis Black seemed the most fitting.

What refills have I used? So far I’ve kept the stock medium Schmidt Easyflow 9000 that shipped with the Night edition, but I will eventually swap it out for a Jetstream SXR-600, which is my Parker-style refill of choice. I did swap out the Pilot G2 refill in the “Day” edition for a Zebra Sarasa Grand Vintage refill in .5mm “Cassis Black”. I’m currently enamored with the Sarasa Grand Vintage Gel Pens and their black-infused refills, and have successfully swapped these refills into several other pens. (I’ve had very good luck with the Sarasa “JF” refill fitting most G2 compatible pens, including the Tactile Turn Side Click and my Sunderland MK1s.)

A close-up image of the knock and side-click button on the Tactile Turn Vice Edition — Contrasting colors on the barrels and knocks/buttons

Takeaways and Where to Buy

These pens were an insta-buy for me the moment I saw them. Tactile Turn releases four seasonal/quarterly editions of the Side Click each year, with the pens made available for a period of time before rotating out of stock in favor of the next edition. As I mentioned above, I don’t buy all of them, but I do keep an eye out for each release and always end up grabbing at least one each year. There are a couple that I sort of regret passing on in retrospect, but the fact that I purchased these two pens without thinking twice confirms I probably made the right decision. I am after all trying to make my acquisitions more meaningful!

Tactile Turn Night and Day Pens Side by Side — The "Day" and "Night" pens, side by side.

You can order your own Tactile Turn “Vice” Side Click here (you get a 10% discount if you buy both) and also see their archive of past seasonal releases. The pens are priced at $149, which I find more than fair for a titanium pen with this build quality and level of artistry. Each pen ships witha. sticker and a pair of 80s-vibe sunglasses, which is a nice touch for packaging.

I purchased the pens featured in this post with my own funds, for my own personal collection. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content, we greatly appreciate your support!

Though I remember when they launched their first kickstarter back in 2015 or so with their “Mover” and “Shaker” pens, Texas-based Tactile Turn has expanded over the years to become one of the more popular makers of machined retractable pens and pencils, renowned for their unique texture and wild finishes. For the past two-plus years, Will Hodges and his team have released their “Side Click” model in a series of limited quarterly finishes based around a specific theme, ranging from the latest, “8-Bit” (video games), to the pen I’m about to review here, the Winter 2023 release “Deep Space.” I’ve used most of the various Tactile Turn pens over the years, and for reasons I’ll explore more fully here, the Side Click is my favorite model.

Design and Build - Quality You Can Feel (and Hear)

Of all the models in their currently lineup, the Side Click is the one that reminds me the most of the “Mover” pen I originally reviewed. While I enjoyed the Mover for a time, I ultimately found the combination of the metal construction and length required to accept a full-sized Pilot G2/Juice refill too top-heavy for my taste. Specifically, the pen was too long and somewhat unbalanced in my hand. Since then, however, Tactile Turn has made all of their pens available in three different sizes: Standard (5.8”), Short (5.3”), and Mini (4.6”). The Standard still accepts the G2 gel refill, the Short is designed to take Parker-style cartridges, and the Mini takes only the G2 mini refill, making it the least versatile of the three. Personally, the mid-sized “Short” pen fits my hand the best, and it’s likely what I will use going forward. Because this pen takes Parker-style refills, you have a wide range of refill options available, ranging from Schmidt Easyflow 9000 and P900 ballpoints to Caran D’Ache Rollerball refills to Ohto Needle-tip gel cartridges, all of which I’ve used.

Tactile Turn Deep Space Side View — The milled clip, designed for a deeper carry, is one of my favorite design elements of the Side Click. So far, I like it much better (both aesthetically and functionally) than the folded metal clip that Tactile Turn used on the Mover and the Bolt Action pen I’m currently using.

Tactile Turn uses an in-house mechanism that they describe as “extremely satisfying in both feel and sound.” I agree. To deploy the refill on the Side Click, you depress the knock, which locks the tip in place. To retract the pen, you press a small button on the upper part of the barrel. The release mechanism is well-designed in that it requires the right amount of pressure to work- it would be difficult to accidentally hit the button and retract the pen while you’re writing. For a demonstration of how the mechanism works (and sounds!) check out this YouTube video.

Tactile Turn Side Click Retractable Pen — You press the button on the side to retract the refill. The Cerakote finish is applied over a titanium base, allowing the pen to remain relatively lightweight given the machined metal barrel.

Per their website, all Tactile Turn pens are designed, machined, assembled and shipped in-house from their shop in the Dallas, Texas area. Each pen comes with a lifetime warranty, so if you run into any problems, they’ll try to make it right.

Tactile Turn Deep Space Refill Assembly — The front of the barrel unscrews, allowing you to drop in a refill. Tactile Turn uses an o-ring to ensure a snug fit, and you cannot see the seam.

The Cerakote Finish Is the Star of the Show

I’m not sure exactly how Tactile Turn achieved the desired effect on the finish of the Deep Space Side Click, but it’s gorgeous. Apparently, they started with a dark purple-blue Cerakote coating, then added layers of different colors to create the appearance of galaxies and nebulas. I can’t really overstate how impressed I am with this pen, as the finish is stunning. Cerakote is also durable, and I’ve personally experienced no chipping or scratching on either the body or the clip despite carrying it in my pocket at times and not being especially careful with the finish.

Tactile Turn Side Click In-Hand — The “Short” size tends to fit my hand perfectly.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

In a move I now deeply regret, I passed on acquiring earlier Tactile Turn seasonal releases, but after carrying the Deep Space as my primary retractable pen option for the past few months, I plan to set aside some money in the pen budget each quarter to add to the collection. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Side Click, and I currently have one of the Bolt Action pens in the queue pending review.

Tactile Turn Deep Space Pilot G-2 Comparison — The “Short” version of the side click is roughly the same size as a Pilot G-2 gel pen.

As I mentioned, the “Deep Space” Side Click pictured here is one of the quarterly releases, and is no longer available, but if you enjoy the periodic themes, check out the current model, “8-Bit.” The pen is priced at $149 (standard for all lengths), and you can even get a matching mechanical pencil (same price). For those of you who would like to add a pocket or utility knife to their everyday carry kit, visit Tactile Knife Co., where they sometimes releases a small batch of Rockwall models in matching seasonal editions. (8-bit isn’t available, at least not yet!)

The pen featured in this review was purchased at full price with my own funds for my own use. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not include third-party affiliate links or paid advertising.