Pilot RexGrip 0.7mm Purple Ballpoint Review

I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to review a basic ballpoint like the Pilot Rexgrip 0.7mm, even more so after my bad experience with the 1.0mm model. But I said in that review - over two years ago - that I would get one of the 0.7mm models, and I'm glad I did. Sometimes low expectations lead to the best discoveries. 

So my first question is: Where have you gone Der Bingle? The once prolific commenter mentioned in my original review that while I disliked the 1.0mm model, I needed to give the purple 0.7mm a shot. I finally took him up on that advice, and was happy to find a pen that was completely different than the original one I reviewed. I was very pleased at how clean the lines were, especially with my small, fast paced handwriting. I actually tried hard to find something I disliked about this pen, and I couldn't. Where the original was streaky and light colored. this one is solid and vibrant. A totally different experience.

The barrel is pretty basic, but what do you expect from a pen that only costs $1.50? It is very similar to the Pilot G-Knock - a barrel I like very much and is very comfortable. There aren't a lot of options out there for purple ballpoint pens, so this one is definitely worth a look.

Click here for the XL review.

Products used:

Pilot Rexgrip Ballpoint Pen - 0.7 mm - Purple Body - Purple Ink from JetPens.

Writing Pad from Doane Paper.

Top 5 Pens Update - New #1

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It has been a long time since my last Top 5 pens update (too long in fact), so there has been quite a shakeup within the list. If you have followed any of my lists before, you know that this doesn't repesent what I think are the best pens of all time, but rather a current snapshot of the pens I am enjoying and using the most. I always say I need to do a better job of keeping this list up to date because my tastes change so rapidly, so I will try to make this at least a quarterly update. Enjoy the list!

1) Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm

A new number one, with a bullet at that. The 0.4mm Clip has long been one of my favorites, and the recent addition of the 0.3mm Clip at JetPens really sealed the deal for me. I compare this pen to the Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.28mm, but it writes more consistently, and is retractable to boot. I am getting heavy use out of the black ink at work, and have already ordered several other colors of this great pen, including the excellent Viridian Green.

2) Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point Gel Ink Pen 0.35mm

Another new entry, and another pen in heavy rotation now that the black model has been released. For an 0.35mm tipped pen, it writes exceptionally smooth, just as you would expect from the Energel family. The needle tip is great, and the barrel is very comfortable to write with for long periods of time. This will probably now be the pen I recommend to first time buyers of sub-0.5mm pens.

3) Uni-Ball Signo 207 Micro Needle Tip Black

I didn't think this pen existed for the longest time, but a reader sent me a few, and then I saw that they were available on Amazon.com, and the rest is Pen Addict history! The review links to the blue ink version, but it is rather weak compared to the black. The black is a great everyday writer, and since I bought a dozen from Amazon, I have found myself leaving one laying in many of the places I find myself needing quick access to a pen. I have been really happy with it so far.

4) Zebra Sharbo X

I never get tired of this pen. The outstanding design never fails to get comments from co-workers, and the multi pen/pencil aspect keeps this pen in heavy rotation for me. Zebra does a great job with its micro tip pens, and these refills are no exception. Just know in advance that the refills aren't going to last forever, and aren't exactly cheap to replace. I think I am going to break down and add a third barrel to the collection this year.

5) Pilot Acroball

It may be blasphemous around these parts, but I have been using my Acroball pens more than my Jetstreams recently. You can't go wrong with either - they are both some of the best pens in their category - but the comfort, feel, and consistency of the Acroball has been winning out of late.

Review: Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial Multi Pen

An anti-bacterial pen? Call me skeptical, but that is what the Sailor Pica Kirei Anti-Bacterial ballpoint multi pen presents itself as. How does it work? The product page at JetPens has all of the details:

This pen utilizes material developed by Tokyo Advanced Technology Research Center and Fujitsu Research Lab. The pen body material is a combination of photocatalyst titanium apatite and silver apatite, materials commonly used in advanced air purification systems. This composite can absorb and decompose microorganisms and various other substances such as bacteria, pollen, fungus, and more. The apatite adsorbs contaminants even without exposure to light. The material adsorbed by the apatite is decomposed by the photocatalyst titanium apatitet on exposure to sunlight (ultra violet). Silver apatite inhibits growth of the germs and keeps this anti-bacteria effect without sunlight.

Can I verify this with my own lab tests? Of course not, but it does sound like a really good idea for doctor offices, schools, restaurants, or any other place where the public is in repeated contact with the same pen.

From a writing perspective, I am generally a fan of all Sailor products, and this one is no different. The ballpoint ink cartridges are nice and clean, with little to no skipping.  I actually enjoyed writing with it, regardless of whether I was spreading cooties or not. Maybe its not a pen you want to use every single day, but it wouldn't hurt to leave one around the house or on your desk for when those germ laden hands come calling.

Click here for the XL review.