Best Multi-Function Pens 2026: Three Everyday Carry Picks Compared

Introduction

Multi-function pens are one of those everyday carry categories that either feel genuinely useful or like a gimmick in a metal tube. We looked at three popular options to see which ones actually earn pocket space: the True Utility multi-function pen, the Nitecore NTP31, and the Tact Rey MP1 titanium pen. Only one of them left a strong enough impression to recommend without hesitation.

True Utility Multi-Function Pen

The True Utility pen packs a bolt-action pen, ruler markings in both Imperial and metric, a bubble level, and a carbide scribe into a single barrel. On paper that sounds like a solid utility lineup, and the pen does feel like a surprisingly quality piece.

The execution is where it stumbles. The barrel runs well past the bubble level, which makes it far less pocketable than it needs to be, and the carbide scribe sits exposed at the top, extending beyond the pocket line. That is a real problem for something that rides in a pocket all day. The ruler and bubble level also have minimal day-to-day use unless they work as a depth gauge, which this does not.

It is a cool gadget and worth keeping around, but as a daily carry it is hard to recommend.

Nitecore NTP31

The Nitecore NTP31 shows how to integrate a carbide scribe properly. Its glass breaker, which doubles as a carbide scribe, hides inside the tool rather than protruding past the pocket line, and you simply switch direction when you want to use the pen. It is a much cleaner design than the exposed-scribe approach.

The NTP31 also includes a ruler and a bubble level. As with the True Utility, those are not majorly useful in everyday situations, so the real appeal here is the hidden-scribe construction and overall build quality rather than the extra features.

If you want a multi-function pen with a protected scribe, this is the better-designed example of the format.

Tact Rey MP1 Titanium Pen

The Tact Rey MP1 is the standout of the three, and the reason is the collar at the back of the pen. This is the first design we have seen that integrates a full quarter-inch bit driver into a pen body, done with a collet that you tighten to hold a bit. When empty, it works as a compact bolt-action pen; when loaded, the bit never becomes uncomfortable to carry.

The bolt-action mechanism doubles as the clip, which becomes your point of rotation when driving a bit. It is not a replacement for a real screwdriver under heavy torque, but for quick tasks it works well. The pen ships with a useful bit set, including a T6/T8 Torx combination for adjusting folding knife screws, a Phillips and flathead combination, a pencil bit, and a fabric-tipped stylus bit that actually works, unlike common rubberized stylus tips. There is also a package opener and carbide scribe bit, though that one is iffy for pocket carry; it makes more sense in an organizer.

At around $40 for a titanium pen, it is a decent price point, and the deep-carry pocket fit genuinely works. Two improvements would make it excellent: more spring tension in the slightly over-thinned titanium clip, and a full-sized body that accepts a standardized refill such as a G2 or Parker-style, replacing the included LAMY-style refill that is not a great writing experience.

Buying Advice

If you want a pen you will actually carry every day, the Tact Rey MP1 offers the most genuinely useful function here with its quarter-inch bit driver and titanium build. If a protected carbide scribe matters most, the Nitecore NTP31 is the better-integrated design. The True Utility pen, despite its quality feel, is worth skipping because of the exposed scribe and oversized barrel.

Conclusion

Multi-function pens work best when the integrated tools are genuinely practical and safely packaged. The Tact Rey MP1 gets that balance right, the Nitecore NTP31 handles its scribe intelligently, and the True Utility pen shows how good specs can be undermined by poor integration.