--- title: "Tombow AirPress: Pressurized Ballpoint for Field Notes" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-airpress/" description: "The Tombow AirPress explained: how its click-pressurized refill writes upside down and on wet paper, 122 mm size, BR-SF refills, colors, and where it's made." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 5 products: - name: "Tombow AirPress Pressurized Ballpoint Pen (0.7 mm; BC-APN)" brand: "Tombow" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Elastomer-covered plastic body (clear version acrylic), steel wire clip" released: "2008" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Tombow USA" model: "BC-APN12" mpn: "56065" gtin: "085014560658" url: "https://www.tombow.com/products/airpress/" --- # Tombow AirPress: Pressurized Ballpoint for Field Notes > The Tombow AirPress is a short, thick 0.7 mm oil-based ballpoint whose click pressurizes the refill, so it keeps writing upside down, at speed and on damp paper. Tombow launched it in Japan in 2008. It's 122 mm long and 13.7 mm thick, takes BR-SF refills, and retailers list it as made in Japan. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-airpress/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Tombow AirPress in Full Black drawn to scale, with an inset of a click pushing air into the refill](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/tombow-airpress-16x9.png) *The AirPress in Full Black, drawn to scale from Tombow's 122 mm.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tombow AirPress Pressurized Ballpoint Pen (0.7 mm; BC-APN) | Tombow (by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Tombow USA) | Japan | Japan | Elastomer-covered plastic body (clear version acrylic), steel wire clip | 2008 | $$: $5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Tombow AirPress Pressurized Ballpoint Pen (0.7 mm; BC-APN)): Japan. The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin. Tombow's Japanese product page, press release and Tombow USA's listing don't state it. Source: https://www.thejournalshop.com/products/tombow-airpress-oil-based-ballpoint-pen ### Tombow AirPress Pressurized Ballpoint Pen (0.7 mm; BC-APN) colors - Body colors (6 standard, 0 special edition): Black (Full Black in Japan); Clear; Beige; Blue Gray; Yellow; Khaki. - Per Tombow USA (https://www.tombowusa.com/products/airpress-ballpoint-pen-1), checked 2026-10-24. Six colors per Tombow USA; Tombow Japan lists the same six, calling black Full Black. Tints were sampled from Tombow USA's product photos. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Each click pushes compressed air into the refill, about 1.5 atmospheres (normal air pressure plus about 0.5) per Tombow. - Tombow lists it at 122 mm (4.8 in) long, 13.7 mm thick and 15 g: about 20% shorter and 30% thicker than a typical office pen. - Its 37 mm wire clip opens to 23 mm, enough for belts, clipboards and thick notebooks, per Tombow. - It refills with Tombow's 58 mm BR-SF, a 0.7 mm black oil-based refill rated for about 500 m of writing. - Tombow USA sells six colors (Black, Clear, Beige, Blue Gray, Yellow and Khaki); Japan's list price is ¥770 (about US$4.90). ## What is the Tombow AirPress? **It's a pressurized ballpoint: each click compresses air behind the ink so the pen keeps writing where normal ballpoints skip.** Tombow Pencil of Tokyo launched it in 2008 and won a Good Design Award for it that year. Tombow calls it the pioneer of pressurized ballpoints and says sales have been strong since 2020 with the boom in outdoor activities. Tombow pitches it for standing-up notes, writing overhead, damp paper, sports scoring, field surveys, fishing logs, camping and hiking. In the US, Tombow USA lists it for warehouses, outdoor work, offices, retail and school. ## How does the AirPress work? **A click drives a piston into an air chamber that pushes compressed air, about 1.5 atmospheres, into the back of the refill.** Tombow says that's normal air pressure plus about 0.5 atmospheres. The extra pressure keeps ink reaching the ball when gravity doesn't help, as when the tip points up, or when you write faster than ink can flow. Retract the tip and the pressure releases, so the refill goes back to normal. Tombow notes that very wet paper can still cause skips or feathering. ## Tombow AirPress specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) | | Type | Click-pressurized oil-based ballpoint | | Ball size | 0.7 mm, black ink | | Length | 122 mm (4.8 in) | | Body diameter | 13.7 mm (20.1 mm including clip and strap hole) | | Weight | 15 g | | Clip | Wire, 37 × 12 mm (1.5 × 0.5 in), opens to 23 mm (0.9 in) | | Refill | BR-SF: 58 mm (2.3 in), stainless tip, about 500 m of writing | | Colors (US) | Black, Clear, Beige, Blue Gray, Yellow, Khaki | | Japanese price | ¥770 (about US$4.90); refill ¥88 (about US$0.60) | | US item (Black) | 56065, UPC 085014560658 | | Launched | 2008 (Japan) | | Made in | Japan (The Journal Shop) | All figures are from Tombow's May 21, 2026 press release and product page. The three earth-tone colors (Beige, Blue Gray, Khaki) went on sale in Japan on May 28, 2026. ![Tombow AirPress outline drawn to scale against a typical office ballpoint](https://stationerytimes.com/images/tombow-airpress-size.svg) *Tombow's own comparison: about 20% shorter and 30% thicker than a standard office pen.* ## Why is it so short and thick? **Tombow made it short for quick clicks in tight spaces and thick for a firm grip with gloves.** At 122 mm it's about 20% shorter than a standard office pen, which Tombow puts at around 150 mm. The 13.7 mm body is about 30% thicker than the usual 10 mm, and its elastomer skin grips with wet hands; the Clear version is acrylic instead. Tombow also says the extra contact area helps you press firmly, which makes carbonless forms easier to fill in. ## How does it compare to a Fisher Space Pen? **Both write upside down; the AirPress pressurizes a standard refill each time you click, while the [Fisher Space Pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fisher-space-pen-bullet/) uses a refill sealed under pressure at the factory.** | | Tombow AirPress | Fisher Space Pen Bullet | |---|---|---| | Pressure | From each click | Factory-sealed refill | | Body | Thick, rubbery, clip | Slim metal, capped | | Length | 122 mm | 96 mm capped, 136 mm posted | | Price band | $$ | $$$ | For waterproof field notebooks to pair it with, see [Rite in the Rain No. 135](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rite-in-the-rain-no-135/). ## Where is the Tombow AirPress made? **The Journal Shop lists the AirPress as made in Japan.** Tombow's Japanese pages and Tombow USA's listing don't state a country of manufacture. ## How much does an AirPress cost? **In the US it falls in our $$ band, $5–20 per pen.** In Japan, Tombow lists it at ¥770 (about US$4.90), so the US price includes import costs. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does the Tombow AirPress write upside down? Yes, that's what it's for. Tombow says the pressurized refill keeps ink flowing when you write overhead, write fast or write on damp paper, where an ordinary ballpoint can skip. ### How does the AirPress pressurize the ink? When you click it, a piston squeezes an air chamber and sends compressed air, about 1.5 atmospheres, into the back of the refill. Retract the tip and the pressure releases. ### What refill does the Tombow AirPress use? Tombow's BR-SF refill: oil-based, 0.7 mm, 58 mm long, black. In the US Tombow sells it as item 55586; in Japan the black refill is BR-SF33. ### Is the AirPress the same as a Fisher Space Pen? No. Both push ink with pressure, but the Fisher refill is sealed and pressurized at the factory, while the AirPress pressurizes a standard refill each time you click. ### Can I use the AirPress with gloves on? Tombow designed it for that: the 13.7 mm body is covered in elastomer to stay grippy with wet hands or gloves, and the clip opens to 23 mm. ### Is the Tombow AirPress made in the USA? No. The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin; Tombow Pencil is a Tokyo company and sells it in the US through Tombow USA. ### How long does an AirPress refill last? Tombow rates the BR-SF refill at about 500 m (1,640 ft) of writing. Tombow USA's copy says one click pressurizes the refill for 492 feet of overhead writing. ## Sources - [トンボ鉛筆: エアプレス (Tombow Japan product page, read in full: knock pressurizing, elastomer body, 122 mm, six colors BC-APN, ¥770, BR-SF33 refill, 2008 Good Design Award)](https://www.tombow.com/products/airpress/) - [加圧式ボールペンのパイオニア『エアプレス』に新色「フィールドギアカラー」追加 (Tombow press release, May 21, 2026: 1.5 atm, 122 mm, 13.7 mm, 20.1 mm, 15 g, 37 × 12 mm clip opening 23 mm, BR-SF 58 mm and 500 m, 2008 launch)](https://www.tombow.com/press/260521/) - [Tombow USA: AirPress Ballpoint Pen (six colors, item numbers and UPCs, 492 ft overhead per click)](https://www.tombowusa.com/products/airpress-ballpoint-pen-1) - [Tombow USA: AirPress Ballpoint Pen, Black Ink Refill (55586)](https://www.tombowusa.com/products/ballpoint-refill-for-airpress-pen) - [The Journal Shop: Tombow AirPress Oil-Based Ballpoint Pen (122 mm, PMMA resin, country of origin Japan)](https://www.thejournalshop.com/products/tombow-airpress-oil-based-ballpoint-pen)