(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
With the St. Louis Pen Show coming up next week, I am once again going through the ritual of pre-show packing and thought I’d share what I end up dragging along. I won’t bore you with the details of how many pairs of pants to bring or what sorts of skincare items I need but will try to limit it to stationery-related items as well as things to get me through the show. Also, this is geared more for folks who are traveling to a show and spending at least one night, not driving for just the day.
Must haves. These items are non-negotiable for me.
— Comfy shoes: When I’m working behind the table and standing all day, my ride or die shoes are my black Danskos. Yeah, they’re not the most attractive shoes but damned if my feet haven’t been saved because of them (shout out to Ana Reinart for talking me into them). I even wear them when I’m not working at a show because I can walk around all day, several days in a row. I also recommend bringing a second pair of comfy shoes to give your feet a change of pace (pun intended). My second pair is usually a pair of sneakers.
— Large Rickshaw Soho Tote: This is probably the largest purse I own and I take it on every trip I go on. I’ve had many friends tell me “that’s not a purse, that’s luggage!” and with how much I can put in it, I don’t disagree! It also fits (albeit barely) under the seat in front of me on an airplane, even in economy. I routinely fit two 48-pen binders in it (cuz they sure as heck aren’t getting checked), along with my battery, charger, headphones and a water bottle.
— Show bag: While my large Rickshaw Tote is my ride or die travel purse, that is not what I use when I want to roam the show floor. I will either use a small or medium Soho when I want to do some shopping, and I carry it cross-body style so the bag isn’t in the way behind me.
My Rickshaw totes are must-brings for pen shows.
— Face masks: Yeah, I don’t love wearing them but it’s a minor inconvenience versus getting sick, whether from Covid or regular pen show crud. I bring a combination of reusable cloth masks from Rickshaw Bagworks as well as disposable ones.
— Inked Pens: Truth be told, I bring inked pens everywhere, not just to pen shows, but it’s a must-have for pen shows after dark when folks get to try other people’s pens. Plus, I do try to squeeze in my own writing, so I need pens for that!
— Pens to get worked on: Sometimes, I have nibs that need work (and that I couldn’t fix myself), other times, I want a grind on an otherwise ho-hum nib. Or maybe a pen needs to be restored and you can hand-deliver it instead of mailing it. Whenever I use a pen that could use some tuning or a new grind, I write it down in my bullet journal and then I can pack them when a pen show is coming up.
— Pen Storage: My currently inked pens are always in one binder and I make sure I have room either in that binder or a pen roll/case for any pens that are coming home with me.
— Notebook(s): I usually have at least one notebook with me, usually one or two Tomoe River notebooks that I scribble in (one is an A6 Hobonichi with 52gm and another slim A5 with 68 gsm). This is helpful during pen show shopping if you need to dip test a pen or want to swab an ink; it doesn’t matter what paper it is, as long as it is the paper that you like to use. I also use this when playing with pens during pen shows after dark where I get to try different pens and especially inks.
— My pen show lists: Yes, I have multiple lists when I go to a show. There is always a research list (stuff I want to check out in person, like inks and pens), sometimes a buy list, a “look for” list (sometimes for me, sometimes for friends), muling list (for things I buy at the show for friends or for things I need to bring with me for friends going to the show), pens to fix/grind list. I usually have this list in my bullet journal, but if I don’t want to bring the bujo, I take pictures of those lists ahead of time, or write a short version in my scribble notebook.
Food and Drink
— Reusable water bottle: I carry a plastic water bottle which I can refill at airports or in the hotel or gym. It’s great for carrying ice around if you end up with a not-cold-enough soda or drink.
— EmergenC: When I go to pen shows, I do them hard. Like wake up early (ish), work all day, maybe hit the gym, stay up late into the night/morning and do it all over again. This is a recipe for wearing oneself out and I don’t recommend it on a regular basis but I make exceptions at pen shows. So, maybe it’s a placebo but taking EmergenC always makes me feel better knowing that I’ve gotten my dose of vitamins for the day and maybe wards off the cooties too. I get these in the mega 3-box pack at Costco and have been known to throw them at friends and vendors.
My fave is Tangerine, then Orange, then Raspberry. Helps with morning dehydration too.
— Breakfast fixings: Eating out while traveling gets expensive really fast and while I’m generally not a huge breakfast person, I need to have something to fuel my day. I bring a large ziplock bag of instant oatmeal, and smaller bags of dried cranberries, nuts, chia seeds (for protein!). I also bring my own metal spoon and plastic tupperware bowl/lid. I use the coffee maker to get hot water (more on this in the next section) and I’m making the oatmeal while I’m getting ready. It’s nice to have a little bit of time in the morning to sit down and eat breakfast before I head to the show floor. I also do this when I’m on non-pen show travel too.
— Beverages: I already mentioned the water bottle, but I like to bring instant coffee and tea bags with me so I can have coffee in my room in the morning, or some tea when I wind down at night. I usually bring Starbucks VIA instant coffee, but recently added some hot chocolate packs to my suitcase too. If you need soda or other beverages, consider scoping out nearby convenience or drug stores, or placing an order for delivery to your hotel.
— Snacks: I usually have a couple of packs of trail mix or granola bars in my purse, in case I get hungry before lunch or dinner. If you find me at a pen show in the evenings, chances are high I may also have some TimTams with me (if you know, you know).
Accessories
— Earplugs: You never know how noisy your hotel room neighbors are going to be or how late they’ll be watching TV so these are a must-have for me.
Masks, earplugs and water bottle are always packed and ready to go.
— Packing materials: I always have a small cardboard box filled with bubble wrap and ziplock bags. The bubble wrap and bags are for making sure inks are protected and the box is for any pen boxes that I don’t want to put in my carryon. I always put the actual pens in my carryon binder/pen case.
— Battery pack/charging cable: this is an absolute must if you’re working at a table, but also extremely use if you’re staying at a different hotel/location (where you can’t just go up to your room to charge your phone) because I guarantee you that your phone battery drains faster at a pen show than anywhere else, lol. I think people also take more pictures at shows and are texting their friends that they are muling for.
I decorated my battery pack with washi tape (yes, Esterbrook washi tape, no less) so that I know which one is mine.
— Optical aids: Even if you have perfect 20/20 vision, chances are you could use a little help when looking at pens, especially nibs, up close. This is particularly useful when inspecting vintage or second hand pens where markings may have partially worn off. For me, this means a pair of reading glasses and a loupe. If I’ve forgotten the loupe, I will use my phone’s zoom feature to get a decent look.
— Layers: Ok, I said I wasn’t going to go into clothing but it’s always good to bring layers at a pen show, regardless of what the outside temperature is. Some ballrooms will try to cook you alive, while others will try to freeze you - and this can be in the same hotel! So even if the forecast says it’s 40 degrees outside, pack a t-shirt (and layers), or if it’s 80 degrees out, pack a light jacket. Better to be comfortable while at a pen show so you can take your time browsing, than be boiling or frozen and wishing you weren’t in the ballroom.
— Favorite Lanyard: This probably falls in the “only Kimberly is crazy enough to make this a must-have” category but I love my lanyard. I have put a ridiculous amount of pins on my lanyard and have stuffed so many name tags in there that I’ve broken one card sleeve and am on another one. I also put my trusty Parker Jotter in there which I use when working behind the table (FPs are pretty impractical for quick notes and I’m not risking any of my VPs). Pro tip: Write your name on both sides of the name tag so that your name is visible even if your badge gets flipped around.
Can you spot the Jotter in my badge holder?
— Meds: I’m not usually one to get headaches and what-not but at a pen show, everything is amped up to 11 and sometimes I need some Advil to fight that headache or some Pepto Bismol cuz I’ve eaten too many things I shouldn’t eat. Doesn’t hurt to bring some Miralax, especially for those shows where folks are busting out wheels of cheese!
— Cash: I’ve said it before but cash is king at a pen show. It’s not because vendors don’t take credit cards or PayPal, but sometimes hotel wifi is a challenge and sometimes you can get a slightly lower price if you pay cash because vendors don’t have to pay the service charges. It never hurts to ask if you can get a lower price if you pay in cash. Plus it might just help you stay close to your budget too.
Optional, but I almost always bring them:
— Workout clothes/shoes: I usually only bring these if I’m not working at a show even though I have been insane enough to actually go to the gym after a long day of working behind the table. I usually bring 2 changes of workout clothes and wash one in the sink since I usually won’t work out two days in a row, but it’s been known to happen!
— Headphones: I usually need my headphones for the traveling portion to watch movies on the plane or train or listen to a podcast on my phone, but they are a must-have if you are working out in the hotel gym.
— Letter writing pack: My gigantic Rickshaw tote fits my A4 clipboard, some letter writing paper, envelopes, stamps and of course, several letters from penpals. This is the perfect activity for me to do while waiting for flights, while on a train, or when decompressing in the hotel room. I often include postcards and notecards in the pack as well.
— Portable Kettle: Yeah, I know, it’s a bit “much”, but I recently discovered that another pen friend brings one to shows and now I’m hooked! I know you can make hot water with the hotel coffee maker but sometimes the coffee flavor still comes through (I’m still swearing at the prior occupant who put the whole coffee pouch INTO the water reservoir). Non-affiliate link to the portable kettle.
Seriously, how cool is this?
— Items to sell/trade/giveaway: Pen shows are a great place to see if you can rehome some of your no longer loved items. You never know when an unloved pen can be sold or traded for something else. And we all have items that aren’t really worth selling or trading for, like a pocket notebook, ink samples or starter pens - those are great to drop off at tables like the Share the Wealth table at the Baltimore show (several shows have something similar) or bring to pen shows after dark and tell folks they’re free (people love free things!)
— Stuff to “show off”: Not that we are a braggy bunch, but who doesn’t want to show off their recent purchases with fellow pen aficionados? Whether it’s a rare vintage pen that you finally found, the latest offering from Leonardo, a cool grind on a nib, an awesome notebook or sheeny/shading/multichroma/shimmer ink, we want to see what you’ve got.
— Empty ink vials, etc.: I bring empty ink vials for sharing inks at shows and along with that, parafilm, baggies to contain any leaks and labels too. I will say more often than not, I’m not the one who needs them but someone will inevitably say that they wish they had brought some sample vials.
I don’t know why I keep bringing these and yet …
— Bullet journal: I love my bullet journal. I use it every day, often several times a day. It helps me plan, keep my lists and other things in order. But it’s big and it’s heavy and I really don’t need to plan anything when I’m at a pen show. And yet, I keep bringing it with me cuz “maybe I’ll need it”. Except I rarely need it.
— Project notebooks: Who am I kidding? When I go to a pen show, I don’t have the time or the energy to work on transcribing Meditations, Hamilton lyrics or work on a a currently inked spread. And yes, I keep bringing those notebooks on the off chance that I can work on them. Be realistic about how much free time you may have during the show and remember that it’s ok to find yourself without them and being a little bored.
— Swatches: Ok, I’ve actually gotten to a point where I no longer bring these because they take up so much room but for a long time I would bring my swatches to a pen show because maybe it would be useful. More often than not, they stay in my room and never see the light of day, or maybe one or two people find it useful. Keeping my FPC account up-to-date does a pretty good job of making sure I don’t buy something I already have and many vendors have their own swatch binders, so I really don’t need to bring mine any more.
— Swatching stuff: Along the same lines, I often will have extra blank Col-O-Ring cards and a paintbrush in case I want to swatch something, but again, I can’t remember the last time I swatched any ink at a show. It’s a nice thought if you plan on doing a bunch of swatching immediately after purchasing inks, but I find that it’s more relaxing to do that when I get home.
I think that’s it. If you couldn’t tell, I’m definitely on the “better to bring it and not use it than to wish you brought it” camp. Hopefully this helps you have a smoother pen show experience! And hope to see you at a show soon!
