Uni-ball Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.5 mm Orange Review

It wasn’t but a few weeks ago that I reviewed the 0.5 mm Purple Color Series Jetstream and as I am known to do, I picked up several other colors of the same pen to see how they perform. The Orange Color Series is the latest to be put to the test.

I went with the same 0.5 mm size as the purple to get a feel for how similar sizes compared and I am not as big a fan of the orange as I am the purple. I’m not sure what my expectations were - I’ve reviewed the original Color Ink Series Orange Jetstream in the past and enjoyed it - but the latest version is too light for me. I felt like I had to strain too much to see the ink color. On a related note, I did go to the eye doctor yesterday.

I passed on the Lime Green Color Series because I thought it would be too light. It turns out the orange is in the same boat. The 0.7 mm is probably a better choice for me in this color.

The lyrics in the review are from R.E.M.’s “Sitting Still”. Growing up in the South in the 80’s it was a rite of passage listening to Stipe, Mills, Buck, and Berry and I am passing that along to my kids. The problem is - as with many of Stipe’s lyrics - they are incoherent at best and I have a tough time trying to explain them to my daughter. “Sitting Still” is widely know as the best of the worst of Stipe’s lyrics. Even he admits he has no idea what he is saying.

If you use Rdio, listen to the live version found on “Live At The Olympia”. Stipe jokes at the end of the song about fans trying to search for lyrics on the internet. I wonder why???

Uni-ball Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.5 mm Purple Review

It is very difficult to find good quality non-traditional ink colors in a ballpoint pen. Many companies try, but the ink is no better than the traditional colors that are already poor. Uni-ball is one of the only companies that gets colored ballpoint inks right and I am glad to see them expand their Color Series offerings.

It was a couple of years ago when Uni-ball expanded their Jetstream ink color offerings with the Color Ink Series (don’t get the two product lines confused). As I stated back then the colors are amazingly good but the barrel design leaves a lot to be desired. With the new Color Series, Uni-ball has taken those great colors, added a few new ones, and encased the refills in a more traditional Jetstream-styled barrel.

I went with the purple ink since that was a color I had not used previously. It is admittedly hard to see in the photo but this is a solid ink color, right in the middle of the shade spectrum. I prefer the 0.5 mm but I know many of you like the 0.7 mm. You will see an even sharper, darker line with the wider tip.

The only downside? Uni-ball did not carry over the blue black ink (check out my prediction in that post!) from the Color Ink Series to the new Color Series. It is my favorite color and would be my number one ballpoint if it were available in the new barrel style.

If it says anything about this pen, nearly ever color is sold out right now at JetPens. Restock times are generally quick for Uni-ball, so keep an eye on them and give one a shot when they come back in. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Uni-Ball Jetstream Basic Series 0.7mm Black Review

(This post is by Lou Rinaldi, who can also be found at cfug.org and on Twitter @LouRinaldi.)

People on the Internet love them some Jetstreams. That much is obvious even to the casual observer. I quickly fell in love myself, but alas, it ended up being one of those love affairs that burns brightly, briefly, and then flames out. The biggest problem for me is that, as smooth of a writer as it is, at the end of the day it's still a ballpoint. The clumps of ink are still there. It's definitely the best ballpoint I've ever used, though.

JetPens provided me with a sample of the Japanese Uni-Ball Jetstream Basic Series 0.7mm version of this pen, but for all intents and purposes, it's identical to the American Jetstream Sport in 0.7mm (save for a single “racing stripe” near the top that’s missing on the Japanese version). I should point out that this is the older body style with three ovals on the clip, and the clip is the same color as the rest of the body. The newer body style tapers to a “pinch” just above the grip, and the grip itself appears to be slimmer and curvier. I've never used it so I can't say which is better, but if you prefer the older style it seems you had better buy in bulk immediately.

The pen feels good in the hand and is an unquestionably smooth writer, a fact on which Uni-Ball's marketing department has capitalized in a YouTube video featuring one “Doctor Uni-Ball.” At first, I loved it so much that I purchased a box of a dozen just so I could share them with friends and coworkers. Perhaps I was caught up in the effusive praise that every Internet review seems to lavish upon this pen. And in fairness, as I'€™ve already stated, I would still choose this pen over any other ballpoint within reach, be they hybrid or conventional (although I have yet to try the Pilot Acroball). The problem is that the ink still tends to clump up occasionally, though not nearly as frequently as with conventional ballpoints. I also don’t see the consistent lines that I typically get from gel pens. There's plenty of evidence in my writing sample for this review.

Maybe it's because I was also trying out a variety of other pen and ink types for the first time while I was getting acquainted with the Jetstream Sport. But after a brief period of infatuation, it seems to have gotten lost in the crowd. I can'€™t see grabbing this pen when it'€™s on the desk next to a Pentel EnerGel, for example. The latter would win almost every time. Their price points are very similar, especially now with the EnerGel-X line. The Jetstream is starting to look a bit less attractive lately, but I'€™ll always look back fondly on our time together.