Gel Ink

Review: Muji, Gel Ink, 0.38mm

by Andrew

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Muji, a Japanese retail company, has been slowly entering the United States from the coasts, with stores in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and California. From across the Ocean, the company has brought its sense of frugalness, selling “no-brand” items like this gel pen that has no proper name, logo, or any such marking, aside from a “0.38” tip-size indicator located on the top of the cap.

This Muji gel pen is lightweight, thick-barreled, and made of a soft plastic that makes it fairly comfortable to grip. On the other hand, the plastic body feels fairly cheap, and even though the cap secures and posts well, it comes with a very flimsy clip. Overall, the style is similar to the Sakura Gelly Roll and the Baoke Simple.

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But one very good feature of this Muji gel pen is its ink. It flows out clean, and it barely smears. It also produces a satisfyingly dark black, and, considering its 0.38mm tip size, it flows out fairly smooth.

This pen is certainly not the best gel you’ll find – I’d consider it middle of the pack. But if you’re a fan of fine-tipped gel pens and happen across a Muji store, it’d be worth your while grab a couple. They are fairly inexpensive, and, if nothing else, it’s different enough from the typical gel pen found in American stores to at least make it interesting.

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Review: Uchida Reminisce, Gel Ink, 0.7mm

by Andrew

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Given its name and the fact that I found it in a craft store, I get the feeling that the Uchida ‘Reminisce’ is intended for scrapbookers. Though the full name, as far as I can tell, is the Marvy-Uchida Gel Excel Reminisce, and though its acid-free, archival ink could be good for scrapbooking, it can really be used just like any other gel pen. In fact, it has a rubbery, soft grip running the length of the barrel that makes it quite comfortable for general writing.

It’s a nice pen overall, though at $2.50 the cost of the Reminisce is probably on the high-end for its category. The ink flow can sometimes run a bit heavy and skips out on the rare occasion, but it works flawlessly the majority of the time. The cap posts snugly, and the clip is tight and relatively durable for being made of plastic. Additionally, large ink-windows are positioned on the side of the barrel, making it convenient to see when the ink is running low. And in case that isn’t enough, the Reminisce’s packaging also boasts of ink that is “smudge resistant when dry” (though I’m pretty sure that’s true of every pen I’ve ever used).

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The Reminisce isn’t the sort of pen I’d suggest bulk-ordering or driving across town to find. Even if you’re looking for a scrapbooking pen, almost any gel will do a similar job, and good ones like the uni-ball Signo and the Pentel Energel are likely easier to find. Still,  if you happen across one, I think the Reminisce would be worth grabbing off the shelf.  And if you don’t like it for its performance, hopefully you will still appreciate the great curly-cursive logo printed across its barrel.

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Review: BIC Gelocity, Gel Ink, 0.7mm

by Andrew

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Let’s be real; the BIC Gelocity is pretty much just a re-branding of BIC’s old Velocity Gel pen. However, there are a few differences worth noting. First and foremost, the refill inside the pen seems to have been updated. The ink flow is no longer as inconsistent, and it runs a bit smoother – and wetter – than the old Velocity Gel. But like its predecessor, the Gelocity’s ink still smears quite heavily.

There are also some minor aesthetic updates. The knock has been turned white, the trim is a lighter gray, and the grip is maybe a tiny bit softer. But beyond that, it’s hard to tell the two pens apart.

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It’s fair to say that it’s an improvement, albeit a minor one, but there’s nothing here that elevates the Gelocity above other mediocre “premium plastic” pens. It’s fine. It’ll do the job. Still, better options are available.

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Review: Spiffy Lab Carbon Fiber G2 Pen, Gel Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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Originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter to the tune of $23,181, the Carbon Fiber G2 Pen by Spiffy Lab is a monster. Its long, rotund barrel reminds me of a Maglite, and its machined-aluminum and carbon fiber body makes it look like something that ought to be stored in a tool bench. On seeing it, I was enamored, and I didn’t think twice before throwing $25 at the Kickstarter campaign so that I could secure a pen for myself.

When I received the pen a while later, I quickly discovered that the Carbon Fiber G2 Pen isn’t really an item I can use on an everyday basis. I should have known better; it’s really too large to comfortably fit in a pocket. Moreover, the cap screws on and off, requiring three full, squeaky rotations. And to make things a little more difficult, the cap doesn’t post to the end of the pen, and the clip juts out much too far for most practical purposes – though you can remove it with a hex wrench if you’d be okay with no clip at all.

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On the positive side, I find the thick barrel fairly comfortable to write with, and I especially like the carbon fiber texture. If there’s one lesson I take away from this pen, it’s that carbon fiber should be used more often. And given its size, it weighs less than you might expect, though anyone with smaller hands might still have some trouble. Also, as indicated by the pen’s name, it includes a 0.5mm Pilot G-2 refill, which shouldn’t dry out if left uncapped for an extended period of time. However, the refill included with my pen seems to be a dud – it skips in and out a lot. Luckily, G-2 refills are easy to replace, as they are available nearly everywhere, in many sizes and colors.

While the Carbon Fiber G2 Pen probably isn’t sensible for most situations, I still like it. Though, honestly, I probably wont get much use from it. But for those that might be interested in this gargantuan pen, it looks like you can still order one through the Spiffy Lab website for $55. That’s a markup from the Kickstarter campaign, but it will at least feel like you’re getting something substantial for the money.

Review: TUL Retractable, Gel Ink, 0.5mm

by Andrew

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If you find yourself doing some back-to-school shopping at Office Depot, OfficeMax, or any subsidiary thereof, then you’ll probably spot some of the company’s TUL brand of pens. There’s actually a whole TUL family, which includes ballpoints, rollerballs, and mechanical pencils. But, of course, I was drawn to the TUL retractable gel pen – it has a needle point, a 0.5mm tip, and is exactly the sort of pen I typically like for daily use.

The look of the pen is right on. The black and gray fade on the barrel looks pretty cool, and the TUL logo right in the middle is simple and bold. I even like the demonstrator-ish look of the knock and the plastic, black accent on the clip. Although, in hand it feels a little cheaper than it looks. The aforementioned clip seems a bit flimsy, and the rubber grip could use a little extra cushion.

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In terms of performance, the TUL retractable is good but not great. Its gel ink is dark and smooth with minimal smearing, though I had some issue with ink flow consistency. It sometimes fluctuated between finer and heavier lines, but this happened to only be an occasional problem.

Overall, it doesn’t fall on the top of the “retractable gel pen” heap alongside my favorites (e.g. the Energel Deluxe RTX and the uni-ball Signo 207), but I do like it nonetheless  If these go on sale after the back-to-school shopping season, then I might just have to pick up a couple more packs.

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