Pilot B2P Retractable Gel Pen

Pilot B2P (Bottle-to-Pen) BeGreen 0.7mm Retractable Gel Pen

Today’s pen, much like Tuesday’s redux Sarasa SE, is just a redux of the Pilot G2 in an eco-friendly format. However, unlike the Sarasa, I can say that I actually could enjoy using the B2P. While there’s no grip to speak of, the grooves in the side of the pen (reminiscent of the grooves in a water bottle) make the pen easier to keep ahold of.

The ink refill is simply a 0.7mm Pilot G-2 Gel Refill (which is most likely why only 89% of the pen is recycled content), which writes relatively well, but is a bit bolder and smears a little too easy for my liking. As I mentioned above, most of the features of this pen revolves around the fact that it’s the first pen to be made from a recycled water bottle, not around the inventiveness of a new ink system or any other new features. While it was slightly enjoyable to write with, I’m not going to go out and purchase a 20-pack to use at school, work, or just while writing at home, since it’s basically just a Pilot G-2 in a recycled shell. But maybe I can replace the G-2 refill with something more to my liking? Hmm…

Zebra Sarasa SE Model 0.7mm Retractable Gel Pen

Zebra Sarasa SE Model 0.7mm Retractable Gel Pen

So today, for the first time in this blog’s history (at least to my knowledge), I have managed to be one step ahead of both Dowdy of PenAddict.com as well as Brian of OfficeSupplyGeek.com. Neither of them have yet to review this fine writing instrument, so I shall claim first on it (unlike the 101, which OSG reviewed just hours before I went to post my review).

The pen we are looking at today is basically a standard Zebra Sarasa gel pen which has had several modifications (all which were wanted/decided upon by the consumer, based upon over 50,000 people who were surveyed). The new features include a textured (small raised dots and three liens) grip, engraved metal clip, and the brand and size are painted on the barrel, rather than on the clip (see side-by-side comparison of an original and an SE in the gallery below.

Other than those minor changes, it’s still a Zebra Sarasa. The only things that have truly changed are purely cosmetic. The ink is still the same, and although I like Zebra’s ink, it smears a bit too much for me (being a leftie). The new grip is relatively comfortable, although I’m not perfectly sure about long-time use. Otherwise, I’m not sure I can truly see the point of paying $6.99 for 4 souped up Sarasas. Sorry Zebra, I’m gonna have admit that I don’t really like your Special Edition Sarasas. Better luck next time…

Pentel Tradio Gel Pen Body/Back From Vacation

So, I’m officially back from vacation (one day later than planned)! We had a great time at North Myrtle Beach, even though it was cold. We stayed in the Prince Resort, which afforded us a 3 bedroom/3 bath suite for little more than $100 a night (November – February is the slow season for the beach, and you can even rent suites by the month for as little as $500-600), and we had an awesome ocean-front view. Click here for tons of sunrise pictures.

Now, for today’s review, we have the Pentel Tradio Energel Body. While the ink refill is one that we know and have grown to love, the body is a different critter altogether. The Tradio brand is originally a fountain pen with a plastic nib, allowing you to create various line widths, but in this instance from JetPens.com, the Tradio body has been redesigned to fit the Energel refills.

The body is smooth, and while the color is listed as grey, it’s really more of a slate or grey-brown. It literally is still the same as the original Tradio body, down to the window showing what normally would be the plastic fountain tip. The grip is a semi-transparent plastic which is grooved and actually relatively comfortable to use, even though it’s hard and not gel.

Pentel Sunburst Metallic Pink Medium Gel Pen

Pentel Sunburst Metallic Pink Medium Gel Pen

Today, I have a pen that I received in a Thanksgiving Giveaway from Pentel. While pink is not at all my color (I usually give all my pink and purple pens to my girlfriend), I thought I might at least give this gel pen a quick look and tell you guys what I thought.

As I mentioned the pen writes with a glittery metallic pink ink. The pen body itself is actually (as far as I know) a RVSP in pink with a gel refill. The grip is comfortable (and looks just like the RSVP), and the only problem I really had with this pen (other than the pink) was the fact that it was a little scratchy, especially for a medium (about a 1.0 mm) pen. Still, pretty decent, since it was a freebie… 😉

Guest Review over at the Pen Addict…

So, I was going to write a review today (and I still may), but for now you’ll have to satisfy yourself with a guest review that I wrote for Dowdyism over at the Pen Addict. The topic of today’s review? The Jetstream 101 Gel/Ball/Roller…

Guest Review (PenAddict) – Uni JetStream 101 1.0mm Blue Ball/Gel/Roller

Uni-Ball Signo MF2 – 0.5mm Gel and 0.5mm Mech. Pencil Multi-Pen

Pen#66.
Uni-Ball Signo MF2 – 0.5mm Gel and 0.5mm Mech. Pencil Multi-Pen

A random find at my college bookstore (and slightly surprising I might add), the Uni-Ball Signo MF2 has found its way into my “To-Review” box, so here we go…

The Uni-Ball Signo MF2 features a 0.5mm Signo Gel refill as well as a 0.5mm mechanical pencil which you select by twisting the cap/clip. While this pen is a little thicker than your ordinary Uni-Ball, it’s still not humongous and ranges in the size category of your cheap dollar store ballpoint (y’know the ones that were made so that they will fit in a bear’s paw, should a bear ever learn to write).

The Signo refill write as expected as does the pencil. Not horribly impressed, but not miffed about it either. My main qualms lie in the quality of it’s manufacture. Firstly, as I mentioned before, the pen is huge… There’s room enough inside the barrel (had Uni-Ball been a bit more intuitive) for another refill or may be even two, if they were small. Secondly, the mechanism could have used a little work. While the mechanical pencil is firm and works relatively well, the Signo refill tends to bounce up and down in the body (possibly because the mechanical pencil plunger makes not only the pencil advance, but also causes the whole mechanism to raise/lower in the body). Thirdly, and most minor, is the itty-bitty eraser. In my college classes, I would use that in a couple days…

I didn’t fill out a review sheet for this one, since I was at home and don’t have any of my paperwork with me (which also accounts for the horrible lighting), but to be honest, I was pretty disappointed. While I’ve come to expect quality from Uni-Ball pens (such as my Signo bits), this definitely falls below the bar.

Final Score: 3/5

Pentel Slicci Gel Multi-Pen 0.3mm and 0.4mm – Blue-Black, Golden Orange, and Red

Pen #65.
Pentel Slicci Gel Multi-Pen 0.4mm and 0.4mm – Blue-Black, Golden Orange, and Red.

Sorry about the pause in between reviews guys (I actually was alerted to the fact that it had been a while by Dan’s comment on the Noodler’s post)… I took a bit of a Sabbatical from work and everything for a while, and I just kinda decided to take a break from blogging for a bit too…

Here we have another one of the pens from my last JetPens purchase. While I wasn’t particularly impressed with the last Slicci I reviewed, I must admit that these fulfill my expectations much better. The pen barrel itself is actually a little uncomfortable, since it features no type of grip other than the gnurled plastic, and the body style is thicker than that which I normally use, causing my hand to tend to cramp.

The ink refills, however, are amazing… The 0.3mm red and 0.4mm black-blue and golden orange lay down a thin, yet vibrant ink line and are relatively smooth for such fine tips. I must admit that I am rather impressed with these, and there is a distinc possibility I may buy some more refills for this pen in the future…

41/45 = 4.5/5

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto 0.5mm Gel Multipen – Brown and Apple Green

Pen #63.
Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto 0.5mm Gel Multipen – Brown and Apple Green

First pen out of my new JetPens order that gets reviewed is this Hi-Tec-C Coleto. I was a little leery of purchasing this at first, since I didn’t really have a wonderful experience with the original Hi-Tec-C I purchased, but I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I purchased the two-cartridge body and one refill each of 0.5mm brown and apple green ink.

The pen body is rather plain, featuring no grip other than a gnurled plastic, and is designed so that the refills themselves are the plungers, rather than having them attached to the pen. It also refills in an odd way in that a small hinged “door” at the top of the pen opens and you slide the refills down into the pen barrel. My issue with this is how durable it will be. Will this “door” break off if I happen to drop this pen? Will the plastic “latch” dull down after a while and pop open on its own, causing my refills to go flying every which way? Well, we shall see…

As for the ink itself, I was very surprised and pleased with how it writes. It is still a little scratchy compared to some, but whem compared to the last Hi-Tec-C I purchased, it write like a dream. The brown and apple green ink are very bright and vivid, and I must admit that when I chose them, I meant to pick out a “tree” theme…

The notes section on my review sheet mentions that I didn’t know what the difference was between the regular Hi-Tec-C’s and the Coleto, but I did discover what it was… There isn’t one. The Coleto brand refers to the multi-pen series.

41/45 = 4.5/5

Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.7mm Gel Pen – Black

Pen #62.
Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.7mm Gel Pen – Black

Honestly, I must admit that the Signo RT easily makes it onto my “Most Favorite Pens” list. Available in 0.7mm and 0.38mm (at least in most US office supply stores), the Signo RT is a staple pen in my daily arsenal.

The Signo RT features a slim body style with an extremely comfortable foam rubber grip (not too thick, not too thin, but just right). Being a college student, taking notes is not a perogative but a requirement, and these pens are a necessity for anyone writing for long periods of time.

The ink flow is extremely smooth (not unexpected, since Uni-Ball has perfected their line of gel pens, including the 207 series of smooth-writing gels with “Super-Ink”), and there is literally no skipping or scratching… At all… Even with a gel pen, that is almost an unheard of experience.

I heartily reccomend this pen as a beginning to a pen obsession… If you don’t own one yet, go buy one… Now… 🙂

NOTE: Also, discovered the other day that if you’re a fan of the 207 Series from Uni-Ball, the ink cartridges are the same size, so if you’re like me and prefer the Signo RT body style, you can swap them out easily!

49/50 = 4.9/5

Staples Brand Delta Elite 0.7mm Retractable Gel Pen – Black

Pen #61.
Staples Brand Delta Elite 0.7mm Retractable Gel Pen – Black 

Another one of my recent Staples grabs, I decided that perhaps picking up a store-brand pen might be worth a try… I’m usually pretty leery of store-brand pens, since they seem to be relatively low quality, but I must admit that the Delta Elite performs almost as well as some top-line gel pens. 

The Delta Elite came in a two-pack (blue and gray) and features a transparent barrel with a blue background (paper perhaps? I didn’t really feel like totally deconstructing the pen). The grip is slightly triangular in shape and thin, but still generally comfortable. My main beef with this pen is the fact that it’s a little bulky. I’m more of a fan of thinner pens (think the Uni Style Fit single body “chopstick”), cause the larger ones seem to cause my hands to cramp up more quickly. Still, a rather decent pen for the money… 

40/50 = 4/5