(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
Esterbrook's popularity continues to grow in the pen community, and this series, Back to the Land, gives 110% energy on its retro theme. I honestly don't know how something can be this loud and still be classy at the same time. But it is.
The pen comes in a box with the series name in giant gold foil letters, and the back of the box tells you everything you could ever want to know about the inspiration for the three colors in the set. A pull ribbon opens the box like a drawer.
Inside are a few small extras. Each color comes with a different gift, and this one, Incredible Rock, comes with a car air freshener shaped like the US. That might seem like a super strange thing to receive inside a pen box, if you skipped the novel printed on the outside of the box describing its road trip inspiration.
The pen is held in place with a fuzzy faux-suede magnetic loop that can be removed from the ruler-marked backing and used as a pen clip in your notebook. The magnet clip is quite strong, so it holds securely to most notebook covers, and it holds the pen well without a risk of scratches. It is a bit thick, though, and creates a big lump in the notebook. I do like this concept, though, and it's nice to have useful, functional packaging.
The pen itself is made from smooth resin with gold-colored accents. This Incredible Rock version is an earthy clay brown with a turquoise cap band. It screams southwest 70s retro. But it screams it in a dignified, understated way. The pen is cigar shaped with a nice springy clip. The cap has Esterbrook's delightful spring-seal Cushion Closure, which keeps the pen from drying out. The grip section is smooth and slightly tapered, with a flair at the end to keep your fingers from slipping onto the nib. There is a clear ink window behind the grip section so you can see your ink level.
This is the button filler version of this series, so the end of the pen has a gold-ringed end cap that screws off to reveal a push-button piston fill plunger. So if the design itself wasn't retro enough for you, the filling system takes it up a notch. This system is based on the Parker Piston Vacumatic from the 1940s. To fill the pen, you push in the spring-loaded button, dip the nib in your ink, then release the button so the pen draws in ink. The ink fills a tube inside the pen. The tube is visible through the ink window, but it does not fill the whole inside chamber. It's not as much of an ink tank as I thought it would be, but it's a fun filling system to try, and it still holds more than a standard converter.
My favorite thing about the pen, though, is the nib. I was lucky enough to get this model with a Needlepoint grind, available from Dromgoole’s for an extra $54 (along with other specialty nib grinds like Mini Stub, Journaler, Scribe, Techo, and Fude). If you look closely, you can see the grind to the steel Jowo tip, where some of the gold finish has been removed. It writes very well. It's a nice extra-extra fine line without being too dry or scratchy. It's still not as fine as a Japanese extra fine, but it's dreamy to write with. It's crisp without ever snagging the paper, and the fine lines make the ink supply last longer.
The Back to the Land standard Estie sells for around $175, with the Button Filler edition selling for $225 (plus extra if you want a fancy nib). In today's pen market, that's a very good price. This is a very well-made pen and nothing about it feels cheap. It's all precise and balanced. Esterbrook is making some of the best pens at their price point, and I've enjoyed all the ones I've tried. If you dig a retro road trip, this series might be a winner for you.
(This product was purchased from Dromgoole’s at regular price.)
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