It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
The legendary Sharpie permanent marker has been a mainstay in many EDC kits because of its ability to write on a wider variety of surface areas than a traditional pen. The problem with Sharpies usually arises from their cheap plastic construction. The caps are always prone to falling off, causing unintentional marks on pockets. The plastic body is also not remarkably durable, reducing its effectiveness in more demanding conditions.
The Soul Built MARKSMITH is the world’s first solid metal retractable permanent marker, eliminating all the problems associated with the standard Sharpie. Its body is CNC-machined from Ti 6Al-4V (grade 5) titanium. It’s equipped with a bolt action mechanism that isn’t just fun to fidget with, but the integrated sliding pocket clip prevents the marker from accidentally extending while clipped to your pocket.
Once you run out of ink, you can easily replace the empty cartridge with compatible Sharpie retractable permanent marker cartridges, eliminating the need to dispose of plastic markers every time you run dry. An extra Fine-sized felt-tip cartridge is included with each MARKSMITH. You can even turn it into a robust highlighting pen by replacing the permanent marker cartridge with a highlighter one. Multiple highlighter cartridge colors are available from the Soul Built website, giving you several color options.
An all-black DLC-coated titanium case is also available in a matte or satin finish for a stealthier look.
What we like: A durable, solidly-built, write-anywhere marker that doubles as a fidget toy sounds like a winner in our book.
What to watch out for: Measuring 5.5” long and 0.5” in diameter, the MARKSMITH can feel a little large for those with smaller hands, but it shouldn’t be a problem if Sharpies are already part of your trade.
Final verdict: The MARKSMITH takes the valuable functionality of the much-loved Sharpie and gives it an EDC-worthy upgrade with a premium build and materials.
