BookBond Pen 2.0

Reading with a pen nearby makes it easy to jot notes or underline a passage, but a conventional pen is awkward to carry. It is bulky in a pocket and fussy to keep in a pencil case. BookBond Pen 2.0 approaches the problem by making the pen live inside the book, doubling as the bookmark.

Presented on Kickstarter as a follow-up to the first-generation model, the 2.0 version is described by its maker as more multifunctional and more refined in design. The campaign frames it as an EDC (Everyday Carry) tool meant for reading as well as everyday tasks.

What the maker says it does

• Pen: ink flow is said to be optimized for smooth writing, intended for quick notes as well as longer writing at work or study.
• Bookmark: a thin, lightweight form that the maker says fits pages from paperbacks to hardcovers without getting in the way of reading.
• Stylus: for use with smartphones and tablets, including touch-based note apps and e-book readers.
• Build: durable materials that, according to the maker, resist breaking even in demanding conditions while staying lightweight.

The maker says the shape and balance were worked out so the pen can be pulled from the page and used straight away. The stylus is pitched as a bridge between print and screen: looking something up on a phone mid-chapter without switching to finger scrolling.

Where it fits

Pen-and-bookmark hybrids are not new. BookBond Pen 2.0's angle is consolidation: fewer items to carry while keeping the functions a reader is likely to reach for. That puts it squarely in the minimalist EDC category. How well the individual functions hold up in practice is something the source material does not independently verify.