Write On! – The Right Pen pt. 3

What is the right pen for you? How does someone even know where to start when trying to identify the right pen? Is it personal? Is it task specific? We get asked so many questions like this fairly often. This is especially true when a non-pen person decides to splurge on a nice pen and ends up on our website or even when they stop by the shop. It's not cut and dried. There's a decent amount of knowledge you need to possess about the differences in pens, and when you're looking at spending more than five or ten dollars on a writing instrument, you want to be informed. Finding the right pen isn't as straightforward as it should be. In an attempt to make it easier for potential customers, we're going to do a series of blogs explaining our pens, and pulling from our historic sales data, we'll try to identify the type of new pen customer each pen fits best. Up next, the newcomer, the Modal.

You may be yelling at your screen while reading this, telling us that we've skipped so many other pens, but the Modal comes next for one major reason, it's popularity. In the short time since we released the Modal, it has become a bestseller on pace to rival or eclipse the popularity of the Bolt. We expected it to be popular, however, the fact that it skyrocketed to the top of our list in terms of units sold was something we didn't expect. The Bolt still sells quite well, it's still the pen most people are drawn to when they see our pens in person, but the Modal is the pen people gravitate to online. It could be the design or how the Modal functions, but something about it has kept certain styles sold out for months on end, and made it so we are rethinking the standard Modal colorway release. It is our most complex retractable pen which means we have to ensure we're making the correct decisions on what styles and colors to sell in bulk. The manufacturing process for the Modal is about twice as involved as the Bolt, and the assembly process is three times as long as it takes to assemble the Bolt or Retrakt. Making the correct choices on what colors, styles, and combinations we feature in large quantities becomes more and more important when the pen is as involved as the Modal is.

Having said that, the Modal itself came about specifically based on user survey feedback. We've compiled a LOT of customer data as well as non-customer data via multiple surveys, and there was a section on everyday carry (EDC) pens that we used when it came to designing the Modal. EDC pen people really prioritize pens that have a deep pocket-carry clip, something none of our pens had. They also largely utilized a traditional bolt-action with a side button of some kind as opposed to a top mechanism or twist style mechanism. We set about combining those two things in a style that reflected our own aesthetic. A lot of the bolt-action pens on the market skew heavily tactical and the rest end up looking a bit wonky with many resembling kit pens. If we designed a side bolt-action pen, we wanted it to be as streamlined and aerodynamic as possible. It needed to look and feel like a Karas Pen Co pen. The use of the Bolt profile was a no-brainer, the Bolt is popular for a lot of reasons one of them is that it looks good. The clip mimics the Bolt style tip in profile and gives the pen some symmetry. The short, checkmark style bolt-action is much more intuitive than many bolt-action pens on the market. A simple flick of the thumb propels the refill into position, and snapping the bolt back with the thumb is just as quick and easy.

The design and function of this pen has proven to be a hit with the EDC pen community, but it's also started to spread to a slice of our customer base that previously preferred the standard look and feel of the Retrakt. We frequently get Retrakt customers saying they've made the switch to the Modal because it functions as good as a traditional retractable pen, but looks cooler and protects their pockets from inadvertent ink leaks. It appears the Modal is a bit more universal than we first imagined which is great news and validates our own thoughts that the Modal made a great addition to our line up of pens.

So who's the Modal for? If you enjoy fidgeting with your pens, the Modal is for you. If you enjoy a pen that looks different than most on the market, the Modal is for you. Need a pen that is deployed quickly? That's the Modal. Do you love lots of interesting color combinations? Again, the Modal. It's a perfect pen for a conventional office style job where you need a nice pen, because we have the versions in all black or brass depending on the style of person you are. It's also a great option for someone who wants a really nice purse pen that isn't going to damage the liner of their bag. It is our most universal design, it fits more lifestyles than our other pens. It is more user-friendly than a capped pen or even the Bolt because it doesn't require a lot of thumb dexterity. Plus, it can be converted to a Parker style refill with ease or you can simply buy the Pocket Modal if you prefer a small pen. The Modal is for everyone, as long as budget isn't a constraint. Because it is our most complex retractable pen, it is our most expensive retractable pen. But it also comes in the most colorways, grip profile options, and special releases. The Modal is the right pen for most of the people who test out a pen in person when they come to the shop, over 70% of our in shop visitors who are looking for a retractable pen end up leaving with the Modal.

Let us know if the Modal is the right pen for you.