Gel Ink

Review: Zebra G-301, Gel Pen, 0.7mm

by Andrew

ZebraG301-3

There’s no doubt that Zebra’s got a hit with their 301 series of retractable stainless steel pens. There was a stretch of time when the F-301 – the original ballpoint version – was my everyday, go-to pen. While I’ve since moved on, there seems to have been an explosion of the 301 series. They’ve got the M-301 (mechanical pencil), the H-301 (highlighter), and even a fountain pen they’ve called the V-301. Because I’m more of a gel pen user, I was pretty excited to pick up the gel version of this pen called – you guessed it – the G-301.

I feel no shame in stating that I love the design of the 301 pens. It’s the kind of pen a cop would use to write your speeding ticket. Like the others in the series, the G-301 has a thin, stainless steel body with a black, hard-plastic grip. The thinner barrel design is not something that everybody would enjoy, but I find that it suits my grip-style very well.

ZebraG301-2

Unfortunately, while I loved holding the pen, I really didn’t like writing with it. Its gel ink runs so quickly that it feels very slippery while writing, and though it’s a 0.7mm tip, the line it dispenses ends up looking like a 1.0mm or higher. I like the darkness of the ink, but it smears like crazy. I also had problems with the grip frequently becoming very slightly unthreaded from the barrel, causing the ink cartridge inside to rattle around when writing.

The design of the barrel is great, but the innards leave something to be desired. Luckily, there are plenty of other versions of this pen, and I hope one of those will work out better.
ZebraG301-1

Extra Links

Review: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica, Gel Ink, 0.4mm

by Andrew

Pilot_HiTecC_Maica-3First and foremost, the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica looks pretty darn slick. The fancy logo, the jewel-like moulding on the cap, and the smoothness of the barrel combine to create a very beautiful pen. Somewhere along the line in the design process, however, they decided to replace the clip of the pen with a small loop, which I suppose is meant to attach to a lanyard or bracelet. In practice this loop really only acts to prevent the pen from rolling off tables, and I personally would just prefer a clip stuck to the side.

Pilot_HiTecC_Maica-2

While I’m usually a bit wary of 0.4mm tips (or anything  smaller), as they can sometimes feel like I’m about to cut through my paper, this Hi-Tec-C gel refill writes very smooth. In fact, I’d even consider going to the 0.3mm tip, a size I typically avoid. And though I’ve had issues with the ink skipping temporarily, necessitating a few scribbles on scrap paper to get it flowing properly, it hasn’t happened enough to become an annoyance.

It’s a pretty good pen overall, and I think minor improvements could make it a great pen: a slightly thicker barrel, a slightly more comfortable grip area, or – what the hell – I’d love a retractable retooling of this pen design while they’re at it. Regardless, the Hi-Tec-C Maica looks cool and writes well, and it’s a pen I plan to keep handy.

Pilot_HiTecC_Maica-1

Extra Links

Review: Pilot Frixion Erasable Pen, Gel Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

PilotFrixionPen-2

My first thought after coming across the Pilot Frixion was, “Why have I never heard of this before?!” My second thought: “I need to tell EVERYBODY!” As far back as I can remember, erasable pens were nothing but garbage. Not only did the eraser leave detritus all over the paper, but it also left a big ink smudge. The Frixion, on the other hand, leaves no eraser debris and erases better than even most pencils I’ve used. It’s almost something you have to see to believe.

It not only works well, it has a nice design too. There’s something about the white eraser on the black 0.5 mm version that looks especially cool to me. And I like that the clicking mechanism is on the clip, which works better with the end of the pen reserved for erasing. The Frixion is also refillable for a little over $1 per ink cartridge, which isn’t an amazing deal but still cheaper than buying the pens brand new. I’ve tried the 0.7mm version, but prefer the 0.5mm, though it can be a bit scratchy sometimes.

PilotFrixionPen-3

It’s definitely not a pen for all uses. You wouldn’t want to sign a check with it, for example, or use it in a journal you plan to save. But quickly taking notes, sketching something out, or anything you might have done with a pencil, the Frixion does a great job. I’ve been using mine almost every day at work, and I’m sure I’ll be using and recommending this pen for years to come.

PilotFrixionPen-1

Extra Links