Caran d'Ache Ecridor Retro Ballpoint Pen Review

I had a thing for quality pens and paper growing up. I wanted to write something special with something special. For me, that involved finding the most unique pens and pencils, which was essentially anything my friends didn’t have.

As I got older, my thoughts were the same, but I also became more aware of the world around me, and that meant seeing what others were writing with. From that time period - which pre-dates this blog by a good ten years - two pens became seared into my brain: The Montblanc Rollerball, and the Caran d’Ache Ecridor.

Why these two pens? Because you can spot either of them from a mile away. Montblanc has its snowcap finial, and Caran d’Ache has its classic silver hex barrel. I was always drawn to the Caran d’Ache for its style. The Montblanc seemed boring (ballpoints and rollerballs that is, fountain pens are an exception), and they were everywhere.

It was only recently that I got my first taste of the Ecridor, and it lived up to everything younger me expected of it. First off, the barrel is perfect. Perfect size, perfect weight, perfect balance, perfect feel. The rhodium plating makes it shine, and the guilloche-style barrel design is the icing on a classic cake. Even the knock and clip are recognizable as Caran d’Ache standards.

What is often the kicker for more expensive rollerball and ballpoint pens is the refill. Fortunately, the Caran d’Ache Goliath refill is one of the best I have ever used. My Ecridor shipped with a black medium refill, and I don’t recall having a smoother, cleaner refill in any other ballpoint pen I have tried. Plus, I can write much finer than expected. I didn’t anticipate that at all. I’ll normally switch into a fine blue ballpoint refill as quickly as possible, but no rush with this one.

Adding a classic to your writing arsenal seems like a no-brainer, but this one comes at a price. At $120 it will take some thought to pull the trigger, and some commitment to using it. If that price is out of the ballpark, take a look at the 849 Metal-X series for a similar pen at one-fifth of the cost.

(Anderson Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Caran d'Ache 849 Totally Swiss Paper Cutout Ballpoint Pen Review

I had high expectations when I reviewed my first Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint. This is a classic pen by a well respected company, and it wrote like I was using a piece of glass on sandpaper. I was hugely disappointed to say the least.

The chorus in the comments section of that post was unanimous: I had a dud refill. I accepted that, and put on my list to grab another refill when I got the chance. The barrel was far too nice to let it go that easily. And then I do what I do sometimes: I forgot to order the refill.

My memory was jarred when I saw the new Totally Swiss Collection on Goldspot and I asked if they would loan me one to test out. I just had to see the stunning Paper Cutout model in person and, or course, test out the refill.

When the box arrived and I saw the packaging for this pen I was immediately impressed. I’m not a packaging guy normally, but the Han Solo in Carbonite tin case is well done. It is held closed by magnets, giving it a streamlined look that opens easily and snaps shut. The black velvet lining keeps it protected in transit, with a few words on the Goliath refill found inside the case.

The hexagonal barrel of the 849 is a Caran d’Ache calling card. When you see that shape along with the angular clip, you know immediately it is a Caran d’Ache. It is comfortable to hold, and the aluminum barrel material keeps it lightweight for any length writing session.

And the refill? This one is excellent thankfully. This is the experience I was missing out on the first time. The acclaimed Goliath ink cartridge is said to deliver 600 A4 pages worth of writing, and it should, because replacement refills cost almost $10.

That is the one hangup with Caran d’Ache. They make luxury pens and pencils, and they are priced accordingly. $40 isn’t necessarily outrageous for a pen, but coming from a great writing pen like the Uni-ball Jetstream at $3, it is a jump. You can pick up an 849 in other colors and styles in the mid-$20’s, which may better fit your budget.

I’ve been finding uses for ballpoints more and more recently and enjoy the experience they offer when I need them. The Caran d’Ache 849 is right up there with any of the premium ballpoint pens I have used.

(Goldspot loaned this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Lamy Pico Laser Orange Pocket Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Pocket pens are always a fun category to get into. The unique designs and limitations in this genre produce interesting and delightful pens that can sometimes out-perform their full size cousins.

In the case of the Lamy Pico, the pen has been around for quite a while already. But, the Laser Orange color option is brand new, and it's fantastic. In person, the orange color is florescent and impossible to miss. If you happen to own a Nock case that features the Mandarin/Blue Jay color-way, imagine the bright orange factor being ticked up a few notches. It's loud, and it's great. It means you'll also be able to find it if you drop it into a large bag with dark interior colors. It's just bright, and I happen to like that about it.

The main selling point of this pen is the fact that it's small when closed, but extends to a normal length when the refill is extended. At just over 3.6 inches closed, it opens up to 5 inches to offer a comfortable writing experience. For comparison, the Kaweco Liliput is about 4.8 inches when open with the cap posted. Another bonus of the Pico is that the barrel diameter is larger than the Liliput (12.7mm vs 8.3 to 9.3mm on the Liliput). For some, the Liliput is a bit too thin to hold comfortably. I don't mind it, but I definitely feel that the Pico is more comfortable in hand.

It's a round body with no clip, so be prepared to catch it when it rolls away on a flat surface. There's a very small "Lamy" logo on the side of the pen, but it's not raised enough from the body to prevent it from rolling if the slope is great enough. It does help prevent rolling, though. Still, pocket pens aren't really known for always having clips, and many of them feature a totally round design that makes rolling extremely probable.

The click mechanism on the Pico can be a bit unpredictable at times, and this is my only complaint about the pen. The click mechanism could use some work to avoid the number of failed attempts you make when trying to open or close it. For example, if you don't press down far enough, it won't open or close. You can feel some tactile indications that you've done something, but if you don't go the full 100%, the mechanism doesn't engage/disengage properly. This can be annoying, but once you've gotten used to the pen and learn that you must press firmly, it's not an issue. Even still, I wish the click mechanism had a more hefty, sure feel.

The body of the pen is metal (and bright orange), but the insides are all plastic. When the pen is extended, you can see part of the plastic in the middle of the pen which provides the extra length to improve the grip feel when writing. I would love to see this bit of plastic replaced by metal of the same color as the rest of the body. I'm not sure why they chose to use plastic here. It breaks up the aesthetic, feels cheap compared to the rest of the pen, and takes the overall experience down a couple of notches. Another complaint about the design and quality is that the spring inside of the pen is a bit noisy. The click mechanism sounds normal and has a healthy "clunk" when opening and closing the pen, but the spring can make some annoying noises at times that make the pen feel cheaper. Again, not a deal-breaker, but seems like something Lamy could fix really easily with some higher-quality springs.

Now, the refill in this pen is also surprising. When I hear "ballpoint," I automatically recoil in disgust because of the many, many bad experiences I've had with regular (non-hybrid) ballpoints. I'm not sure if the Lamy ballpoint refill is a hybrid ink formula, but it's fantastic. Compared to others like the Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 and the Uni Jetstreams, it's not as dark and bold, but it's every bit as smooth and reliable. I'm actually really impressed with the refill.

The pen ships with a 0.7mm "medium" point, but you can also order a "fine" 0.5mm or "broad" 1.0mm point separately. Additionally, you can choose black or blue for any of these refill sizes.

Given the price of this pocket pen, I'd like to see some of the components upgraded with higher quality options, but it's still a great pen at a great value. It easily fits in your pocket or bag, and the metal body gives it a great feel and weight when writing or hanging out in your pocket.

You can pick up a Lamy Pico in Laser Orange at JetPens, and you can also check out the other colors and refill options as well.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!