Rite Tech Click Tech Review: A Retractable Fountain Pen That Keeps Things Fun

Introduction

Some pens are engineered for performance. Others are engineered to be fun. The Rite Tech Click Tech falls firmly into the second category, and that is exactly its charm. Sold at around $22.50, this is a retractable nib fountain pen with a clever click mechanism, a very fine 0.38 mm nib, and enough quirky design choices to keep you fiddling with it long after you should have put it down.

What Is the Rite Tech Click Tech?

The manufacturer bills this as the world’s first retractable nib fountain pen. That claim comes with a very visible asterisk, since established retractable fountain pens have been around for years, but the marketing bravado is part of the personality here. The Click Tech is roughly the same size as a Pilot Metropolitan, so it is a comfortable, full-length pen rather than a pocket-sized curiosity. It is available in several colors, and the finish on many versions leans into a spacey theme that gives it real character.

It ships with five blue cartridges, which are a proprietary shape rather than standard international, and the presentation box is genuinely thought through, with a dedicated cradle for the pen and a placeholder cartridge in the base. For a pen at this price, the packaging feels complete rather than an afterthought.

The Mechanism and Build

Click the push knob on top and a whole trap door opens and swings off to the side of the pen, revealing a small tubular nib. The spring inside is hard and rigid, and the section does not taper but does have facets, giving your fingers something to hold onto. The metal clip is another highlight: it is quite rigid and feels like aluminium, which is a smart choice since a plastic clip at this price would likely snap quickly.

Not everything is polished. The push knob feels a bit loose, which means some noise when handling the pen. The overall feel is plasticky, and not the luxurious kind. This is thin, cheap-feeling plastic. You get what you pay for at $22.50, but it is worth setting expectations before buying. The internal mechanism can be accessed by unscrewing the section, which is useful if you ever want to tinker or adjust the nib flow.

Writing Performance

The 0.38 mm nib is genuinely fine, arguably closer to extra fine. It is also very feedbacky and, frankly, pretty scratchy, even on smooth Rhodia paper. At one point the nib was sharp enough to lift paper fibers. Reverse writing is theoretically possible but gets even finer and scratchier, and there is little natural line variation, so do not treat this as a flex nib.

Here is the genuinely impressive part, though: after two solid weeks of deliberate non-use, nothing dried out. The airtight trap door seems to do its job, which is a common weak point for retractable fountain pens. The pen writes solidly with no skips or dry starts, and the included blue cartridge is a nice deep blue that is pleasant to use. If you tend toward broader nibs, this one may not be the most pleasant daily writer, but it gets the job done reliably.

What We Like and What We Do Not

On the plus side: the click mechanism is genuinely cool and a real conversation starter, the metal clip is sturdy, the box and cartridge bundle show real design effort, and the pen writes solidly without drying out. It also feels like a great gift for a kid of an appropriate age, especially one who likes space themes.

On the downside: the plastic feels cheap, the nib is scratchy and very fine, the push knob rattles a bit, and the cartridges are proprietary rather than standard international. The mechanism feels slightly over-engineered, a bit like the cuckoo clock of fountain pens, but it works.

Buying Advice

At $22.50, this is a low-risk purchase for the right buyer. If you want a refined writing instrument, look elsewhere. If you want a fun, inexpensive retractable fountain pen that survives two weeks unused without drying out, and you do not mind a very fine, feedbacky nib, the Click Tech delivers surprisingly well. Consider picking up a converter-friendly mindset or planning around the proprietary cartridges, and you will have a genuinely enjoyable desk companion.

Conclusion

The Rite Tech Click Tech is not a perfect pen, but it is a fun one, and sometimes that is all that is required. It writes solidly, the retractable mechanism works, and the whole package feels thoughtfully assembled for the price.