The Pen Addict

#OnePenOneDay Pilot Precise V7 and Zebra F-701

It has been a few of weeks since my last #OnePenOneDay post, so I wanted to catch up real quick with two pens that recently made it through the challenge.

The Pilot Precise V7 is a Hall of Fame caliber pen. It has made it through decades relatively unchanged, and with good reason - it’s hard to mess with perfection. Known for is smoothness, the V7, along with the fine point V5, is a wonderful writer. They can be found in stores everywhere, and if you like writing with a needle tip liquid ink pen there is no better.

The Zebra F-701 on the other hand, is more of a niche pen, but is starting to gain quite a following. Between just these two pens, I reach for the Zebra 9 out of 10 times. I like the build quality, and the ballpoint ink cartridge is super smooth. This pen just oozes quality and functionality. In fact, the guy who repaired my dishwasher this week was even sporting one (I did toss him a Power Tank to try out).

One pen is established, and the other is an up and comer, but every true pen addict should own one of each.

Top 10 Pen Reviews of 2009

Since this post was such a hit last year, I want to make this an end of year tradition here at The Pen Addict.  The rankings below consist of the top 10 pen review posts for the 2009 calendar year as determined by Google Analytics.  This list isn't my top 10 favorite pens, but rather a snapshot of what was popular over the last 12 months.

Zebra Sharbo X - Pen of the year?

1. Zebra Sharbo X
I had no idea I would like this pen so much.  The price tag is a barrier to entry, but I'm glad I finally broke down and bought one (and then two).  This is a very well made pen, fun to use, and fun to look at.  If you want to strut your cool Japanese pen stuff, then the Zebra Sharbo X is definitely the way to go.

2. Pentel Slicci 0.25mm
As long as I write this blog, the Pentel Slicci will have a prominent place in these pages.  For my money, this is one of the best micro point gel ink pens around.  The 0.25mm model may be a stretch for some, but it is very easy to write with, and the colors really pop off the page.

3. Sharpie Pen RT
One of the two new Sharpie Pen models this year, the Sharpie Pen RT really changed things up from the original.  The barrel is much better, and the rubber grip is a great addition.  I have been running into an issue of late where the pen tip firms up more than the original, so that is something I am going to dig into more soon.

4. Lamy Safari Charcoal/Black EF Nib
Any and every Lamy Safari post is always a huge hit, and this one was no different.  One of these years I am going to get off my butt, buy a converter, and start testing out other fountain pen inks.  Maybe.

5. Uni-Ball Signo 207 0.7mm Needle Tip
It took me FOREVER to come up with one of these pens.  A reader actually sent my my first one, then I finally came across some on the shelf at an Office Max on a trip to Florida.  This is a really cool variation on the Uni-Ball 207, but I wish it was more accessible.  You hear me Uni-Ball?  :)

6. Uni-Ball Jetstream 3 Multi Pen
Jetstream + Multi Pen = win.  I am a big multi-pen fan, and find myself using the Jetstream more and more, so this pen is a no-brainer for me.  Black, blue, and red are the three ink colors, and with some nice barrel colors available and at just $6.00, this pen is a great value.

7. Uni-Ball Kuru Toga High Grade 0.5mm
Along with the Zebra Sharbo X, this is one of my favorites.  This is the only pencil I carry with me on a daily basis, and I have yet to find a reason to carry any other.  Plus, I just like saying Kuru Toga.  And Mount Wannahockaloogie.

8. Zebra F-701
This is a hugely popular pen with the Every Day Carry crowd, and one I was missing out on for the longest time.  The construction of this pen is awesome, with a sleek stainless steel body and knurled metal grip.  If the ballpoint ink cartridge was a little bit nicer this pen could crack my top 5.

9. Bic Triumph 730R
Bic has always been a second tier pen company to me, ranking behind the big boys like Uni-Ball, Pilot, Pentel, Zebra, and others.  But this year, Bic brought a couple of nicer pens to market, including this 730R.  It is a refillable needle tip liquid ink pen, very similar to the Pilot Precise V5.  Good job by Bic on this one.

10. Pentel Energel Multi-Function Pen
This is an interesting pen to round out the top 10.  The Energel is one of the best writing gel inks around, and is nice to have available in in a multi pen version.  I also appreciate the fact that the cartridges are 0.5mm instead of 0.7mm, which is more common in the American market.

Review: Zebra F-701

How I haven't discovered this pen prior to a couple of weeks ago is beyond me.  And actually, I only found it because of my recent trolling of the Every Day Carry Forums (edcforums.com), and every other post mentioned the F-701.  After reading about it, I literally hopped in the car and headed to Staples to see if they had it on the shelves (I know, I have a problem.  The first step is admission, right?)  Well of course they had it in stock.  It has probably been there every time I have even set foot in the store, but somehow I had overlooked it until now.

The barrel of the F-701 is the real star of this show.  The sleek, stainless steel barrel is a beauty, and the knurled metal grip is a welcome option for a pen that will likely be on the go.  I haven't stood out in the rain or rolled around in the mud with it, but if I'm a betting man, I bet this grip is about as good as it gets for imperfect writing conditions.  Pair it up with an Apica Rain Guard Waterproof Notebook and you could probably take down The Terminator, or at least throw your pen at it and run like a little girl.

For a pen geek like myself, the ballpoint performance leaves a little to be desired.  I was pleased with the sharpness of the line and overall smoothness, but it does leave behind the typical ballpoint residue from time to time.  There is a lot of talk on the EDCForums about ink cartridge replacements, so I will keep trolling through there to see if I can find a good option to swap it out for.  Other than that, I can't really complain for $5.99 off the shelf.  It is a good looking, good performing pen that will likely handle any situation you could put it in.

Click Here for the XL review.

(Testing out Amazon affiliate links below)