Pilot

Colors Review: Pilot B2P, Gel Ink, 5-Color Set (0.7mm)

by Andrew

The Pilot B2P gel pen has been one of the more popular reviews on this blog, and that doesn’t come a surprise. The B2P is cleverly marketed as an eco-friendly pen, and it has a unique look that is supposed to resemble a plastic (and recycled) water bottle. It’s a pen which calls to you from the store shelf, begging you to try something that’s a little different (even though it uses the same ink as the most popular gel pen on the market, the Pilot G-2).

Even though the colors in this B2P set don’t really resemble water bottles, they still have a unique look to them.The barrels of the pink and light green pens, in particular, look almost luminescent when light passes through them.

As for the ink colors, I like the light green and the blue (which is also a lighter shade), and the pink has a nice brightness to it. Overall, however, these colors come across as somewhat generic. It would have been neat to see a theme for the B2P colors, similar to what Pilot did with the G-2 Mosaic Collection. They could have done five colors of the ocean, perhaps.

Consider purchasing this pen set only if you like the look of the colorful barrels. They are surprisingly comfortable to hold, despite not having a grip, and they feel fairly sturdy for pens entirely composed of plastic. And luckily, the cartridges are easy to swap out. In fact, I might end up just throwing some standard black ink inside these pens.

Colors Review: Pilot G-2 Metallics (Green and Purple)

by Andrew

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I wasn’t expecting to review another set of Pilot G-2 Metallics so soon, but I liked the blue/silver pack and the pink/gold pack enough that I knew I had to grab this green and purple set when I saw it on the store shelf. Like the other Metallics colors, it uses the Pilot G-2 design, but has an ink infused with some sort of magical metallic pigment. This gives it a sheen that makes it pop out more than a traditional gel ink color.

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While both the green and the purple have that characteristic metallic shine, neither seems to stand out quite like the other colors I’ve tried. The purple also turned out to be a darker than I expected, which almost makes it better for writing than for drawing. However, it’s worth mentioning that all of these metallic colors seem to smear fairly heavily.

Overall, the green and purple colors are good additions to the G-2 Metallics line, but they are probably my least favorite of the bunch. Regardless, I’m happy to see Pilot adding more colors (and I’m still hoping to see a metallic dark red).

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This Doodle inspired by Rich Davis

Colors Review: Pilot G-2 Metallics (Gold and Pink)

by Andrew

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I found the gold and pink Pilot G-2 Metallics in a two-pack, separate from the blue and silver version I reviewed previously. And just like the blue/silver Metallics, these colors are supposedly infused with “micro-metallic pigments” to give the ink a nice shine on the page. I have to say, these colors do look good.

The pink is kind of what you’d expect, a standard pink with a metallic sheen. The gold, on the other hand, has almost a caramel-tint to it that looks really great. Just like the original Pilot G-2, they do a good job of not bleeding, but be warned that they are heavy smearers.

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While the Metallics aren’t a great option as a writing pen, these colors are definitely fun to play around with. I intend to snatch up any more that come out. Hopefully a dark red is on the horizon.

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Review: Pilot V Razor Point, Porous Point, Extra Fine

by Andrew

Pilot V Razor Point Extra Fine

The Pilot V Razor Point, if nothing else, solidifies my fondness for porous point pens. It has a rich, dark ink, it’s smooth, and it’s comfortable to write with, despite having no real grip section to speak of. It does smear and bleed a little on standard papers, but not enough to cause problems when writing – though it might not be ideal for doodling.

The design of the V Razor Point is fairly basic. It has a silvery-blue color, black trim, and very straight-forward branding on the barrel, along with the letters “EF” (to indicate “extra fine”) on the end of the cap. For a fully disposable pen, it does a decent job of looking professional.

Pilot V Razor Point EF tip

While I really do like the Pilot V Razor Point, it doesn’t quite deliver the same sharp lines as the Sharpie Pen, another porous point pen. But if it comes down to which is cheaper or more easily available, the V Razor Point is a good contender. It provides a good writing experience, and you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

Pilot V Razor Point Extra Fine ReviewExtra Links

Colors Review: Pilot G-2 Fashion Collection, Gel Pens

by Andrew

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It’s very easy to criticize the Pilot G-2 Fashion Collection for its lack of originality. Pilot simply took their G-2 design, slapped on a flower pattern, and gave it a silly name. But, honestly, covering up that ugly clear barrel is one of the better decisions that Pilot has ever made (even if they already did it before).

There are four colors included in the pack – pink, blue, green, and orange – all of which are very bright. In fact, the orange is so bright that it might make a good highlighter. And the green, my favorite in the pack, has the beautiful color of summer grass, which is a lovely color to draw with.

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Though they’re really just an old pen wrapped in a new skin, I really have nothing particularly negative to say about the G-2 Fashion Collection. They’re fairly smooth, have a good consistency, and they don’t excessively smear. Overall, a nice pen for coloring and doodling.

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And if you just like barrel design of the pen, the Fashion Collection also comes in a series of black-ink pens. They have the same blue, green, pink, and orange-colored barrels, but the grip, knock, and clip sections are black. At first I accidentally bought a set of these black-ink pens thinking that they had colored ink, so be careful not to make the same mistake that I did.

Black Ink G-2 Fashion Collection
The black-ink version of the G-2 Fashion Collection