Pentel Sliccies 2 Color Gel Ink Multi Pen + Pencil Review

Way back when the Pentel Sliccies were first introduced, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. Converting one of my favorite single cartridge gel ink pens into a multi pen? Yes please! Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived, as the writing performance of the Sliccies multi pen couldn't hold a candle to that of the single cartridge variety.

So why go back to the well again with the Sliccies multi pen plus pencil combo? First of all, I'm a glutton for punishment (not to mention a certified pen addict), but more importantly I really want to like this pen so I was holding out hope that something might have changed with this latest release.

It hasn't.

There are two main issues with the Sliccies S+2 from my perspective, and they are the same as the original Sliccies. One, the ink cartridges come out at an angle. If it were very minor I could live with it, but this is annoyingly noticeable with the Sliccies. It is like the tip of each cartridge is bent it is so obvious. And two, the ink cartridge of the Sliccies writes differently than the single cartridge model. With the normal Slicci pen, the tip is very sharp and produces a crisp, clean line. With the Sliccies refills, the tip feels more rounded, leading to a line that is not as well defined.

At this point, the addition of the pencil cartridge is almost irrelevant to me because I can't use the gel ink cartridges. If and when I try to use it, all I can think about are the crooked tips and messy lines. I guess you could say this pen is in my head.

Click here for the XL review.

Pilot FriXion Colors Erasable Marker Review

This one was a bit of a head scratcher when I saw it pop in the JetPens new product feed a month or two ago. I understand and am behind the Pilot FriXion gel ink line of pens - write your notes, erase your mistakes, rinse, repeat. But the FriXion Colors erasable marker, I'm not really sure where this pen falls in to line.

Despite my confusion, there are several things I like about this pen. One, the barrel design is great. I love the white barrel with red text, and the translucent cap makes for a nice presentation. Secondly, the eraser works like a champ. You can see in the photo above how well it erases letters and solid blocks of colors.

On the downside, I am not crazy about the ink and the tip. The tip is softer than I like in a felt tip marker, and it seemed to me like it was breaking down almost immediately after starting to use it. A small little felt ball even rolled off it at one point. The ink color is nice and lays down on the page ok, but if you write over ink that is already on the page - like if you were coloring in a circle - the second layer of ink removes some of the underlying layer. You know how when you are at a white board and you write ink over ink and it leaves white streaks? It's like that. 

So in buying this pen, it all boils down to what you will be using it for. Any ideas?

Click here for the XL review.

Kaweco Sport Al Fountain Pen Review

It takes a lot for me to get excited about a fountain pen, but the Kaweco Sport Al has gotten me all riled up. I had read off and on about this fountain pen for a while now - even in the New York Times - but it took a lot of looking at all the models available at JetPens before I was convinced enough to bring one home. If you couldn't tell by now, I'm pretty picky about my pens, and fountain pens aren't normally at the top of my list.

I am also a very visual person when it comes to my pens, and one of the things I do not care for are gold accents. Its just not my thing. So in the Kaweco line, that eliminated the Kaweco Sport Chess and the Kaweco Sport Classic and their gold nibs. I was pretty convinced the Kaweco Sport Ice was going to be the winner with its silver nib and cool translucent barrel (not to mention the lowest price point), but I wanted the Aubergine Purple ink cartridges, and I was worried about how it looked in the orange or blue barrels that I preferred.

That left the Kaweco Sport AC Carbon and the Kaweco Sport Al. The carbon model is over $100 , and I didn't want to go that high (even though with JetPens as an advertiser on The Pen Addict I do get some pricing benefits), so the Sport Al won out almost by default. And I couldn't be happier.

(Sidebar: What I covered above in three paragraphs literally took me several hours over several days to sort out. I must have changed my mind and my shopping cart a dozen times. Yes, I have issues.)

I don't have a lot of fountain pen experience - the Lamy Safari line is about as deep as I have been, but not only is this the best fountain pen that I have used, it is one of the nicest pens I have used period. The way this pen is designed and performs is top notch all the way. The full aluminum body is just 4.1 inches capped, but extends to 5.3 inches with the cap posted. The way the cap screws on makes this pen highly portable and easy to carry in a pocket or a purse and take up very little space. I have carried around in my front jeans pocket for several days at work.

From a writing perspective, the nib transfers the ink to the page very smoothly. I had zero issues at all popping the Aubergine Purple cartridge right in and writing away. No scribble prep at all. The fine nib seems pretty true from my limited experience with fountain pens, and gives an overall excellent writing experience.

The highest compliment I can pay this pen is that it reminds me of the Zebra Sharbo X, which is one of my favorite all-time pens. Obviously they are two completely different types of pen, but the overall design, feel, build quality, utility, and general coolness makes the comparison apt. Put it this way - I have never taken a fountain pen to work before I had the Kaweco Sport Al.

Click here for the XL review.