Couple of thoughts: a Monte Blanc will can run $200+ and has the sole purpose of expelling ink and showing mother of pearl. A 24k gold plated Cross set is around $75, so...
I travel cross country, about 4-6 times/year and generally have something as you describe. Cross pens are really too small in diameter to be comparable; a $6 stainless Parker from Walmart is decent, but not as durable as the BM or Lightfoot.
The Sharkie is really poorly executed; I expected better. You can rub off the Charging Woodie monogram with fine sandpaper, but the marker inside is a
small sharpie. Clearly, it's a small club. May fly, may not. Kind of like putting wig-wags on your Chevy Astro, unfortunately.
