by Milo Pierwola

$50.00 at TWSBI.com
TWSBI Diamond Mini Clear, Classic in black with clear chamber, & Black
20g,  4.6″ closed / 5.5″ capped

The TWSBI Diamond Mini is an affordable and durable writing tool that is portable, holds lots of ink, and comes apart completely to clean and fix easily.  This fountain pen is perfect for adventure because of its compact size, light weight, and plentiful ink capacity, and the cap screws on for a tight seal.  As one of the smallest pens on the market, it manages not to compensate on comfort in the hand nor shirk on quality.

A little about fountain pens: It takes a little getting used to, but writing with a fountain pen offers many advantages over conventional writing tools.  First, your hand will not get tired because a fountain pen requires no pressure.  Second, fountain pens can use disposable cartridges or be refilled with a variety of inks that vary in color, consistency, and you can even make your own.  Third, you develop a relationship with your pen and it becomes a pleasure to write with it.  And as a bonus, there is an air of sophisticated nostalgia in writing with a classic tool that was used by explorers of ancient times.

With the TWSBI Diamond Mini, there are even more advantages for an adventurous person.  For ultra-light enthusiasts, the pen weighs in at around 20 grams with ink in the chamber and measures a mere 4.6 inches closed – making it one of the smallest pens on the market.  Open, however, the cap posts (attaches to the rear end) to extend the pen to full size and balance the weight.  If you’re worried about the ink drying up, the visible chamber seems to never deplete with my M (medium) nib and you can easily exchange for finer sizes.  Refilling is done simply by dipping the nib into ink and twisting the very end.  This action draws a plunger to create a vacuum that sucks ink into the chamber – all visible through the clear construction.  And the cap screws on tightly, eliminating the possibility that the pen will open and empty its contents all over your stuff.

As far as performance goes, the TWSBI Diamond Mini works in whatever environment you may find yourself.  I tested it on the beach, winter camping, riding bikes on dusty trails, and on a rainy overnight backpack.  It feels coarse, but in every situation the nib draws ink on the first touch of the page and writes continuous lines even when jotting down quick notes.  Since I got it, my TWSBI has spent time in a side pocket of my pack, my pants pockets, the bottom of my bag, and rolling around on the floor of my car.  Despite this, the body feels solid and surprisingly resisted any scratches looking like it did the day I got it.   Over time the clip became a bit wobbly, but it does not feel like it will snap off.

In conclusion, the TWSBI Diamond Mini receives my recommendation to accompany you on adventures and gets a thumbs up from the minimalist in me.  As mentioned above, it comes apart completely and even comes with its own tool to assist you to make for easy cleaning and fixing.

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Check out my VIDEO REVIEWS here and contact me if you’re looking for an adventure at [email protected].