Pilot Acroball 0.5mm Blue Review

For regular readers of The Pen Addict, you know what type of pen I am referring to when I talk about hybrid ballpoints, but for the uninitiated, let me recap real quick.

Traditional ballpoint pens are oil-based inks, which gives them certain properties that aren't so great. They tend to be messy and have a faint smell, but they write very smoothly. They are also very low-cost to manufacture, which is why you see them everywhere you go.

Hybrid ballpoint inks have gained in popularity over the past decade with the Uni-Ball Jetstream line of pens. The Jetstream ink proved to be smoother, darker, and more consistent than traditional ballpoint ink. The cost was greater, but the results were worth it to many people.

In the last two years, all of the major pen manufacturers have jumped into the hybrid ballpoint category. Zebra has the Surari, Pentel has the Vicuna, and Pilot has the Acroball (called the Easy Touch Pro in the US), each with their own ink formulation. All of these rank as some of my favorite pens to use on a daily basis. The Jetstream has topped my personal chart for as long as I can remember, but there is a new sheriff in town.

The Pilot Acroball impressed me from day one with its smooth, dark ink and exceptional grip. You would think the grip wouldn't play into the equation that much, but it can be a very important piece of the puzzle. I use the 0.7mm Acroball in both blue and black ink quite frequently, but the Jetstream 0.5mm was still my favorite hybrid ballpoint. I love the super fine line!

When I saw the 0.5mm Acroball released at JetPens, I couldn't get my hands on one fast enough. The lines I can write with this pen are very fine and tight, and it has the same grip as the original, which I love. The real question is will this pen replace my beloved Jetstream Sport 0.5mm?

Yes.

There is one thing to remember about 0.5mm ballpoint pens before you jump into them blindly - they are scratchier than most pens. This doesn't bother me one bit because the actual output is more important to me, but I have recommended the Jetstream 0.5mm several times only to have readers tell me it was too scratchy for them. Compared to an 0.7mm gel ink pen or 1.0mm ballpoint, sure, they are scratchy. But all things considered, they write very well, and the Acroball 0.5mm may be the best of the bunch.

Pentel Vicuna Super Smooth Multi Pen + Pencil

I'll cut right to the chase: The Pentel Vicuna Super Smooth Multi Pen + Pencil is an excellent pen.

I want to make that point early on, because I didn't have high expectations of this pen going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I have had a hard time putting it down.

My experience with the single cartridge Vicuna was completely fine, but not exceptional. I say not exceptional, but only in the fact that I would put it behind several of the Jetstreams and Acroballs I use so frequently. I'm not sure if it was the grip, or if the ink wasn't just right, but whatever it was, none of it bothers me in the multi pen version.

I cannot find my original Vicuna to compare this one too directly, but first of all, the grip seems better on the multi pen. It is a little softer, more comfortable, and overall allows for a better gripping experience. The ink performance was better than I remembered as well. The lines were much cleaner and tighter, and there was no mess to speak of. And look how vibrant that red ink is!

The Vicuna Multi Pen may never be a Top Fiver, but this is a pen I highly recommend. In fact, I have done so several times already.

Zebra Surari 4 Color Multi Pen Video Review

This is a guest post by Bryan Gushikawa.

Multi pens are hugely popular and exist in many different formats and styles. This pen basically combines a best-of-both-worlds concept (the gel smoothness with ballpoint ink) with the utility of multiple colors. Aimed at office workers and students, this pen seeks to get people hooked not only on color, but also on performance.

The appearance of the Zebra Surari 4C is sort of a standard style. Translucent barrel, elastomer grip, and ink selection up top. The addition of a spring-loaded clip is a godsend to people who clip to journals and shirt pockets. Although it doesn't have the same visual impressiveness as a Ferrari, it's stylish enough to be at home in the classroom, office or coffee shop. The click mechanism is tight, but sometimes the clip clicker has to be pushed a little hard to stay down. The thicker barrel of the pen fits well in the hand and offers more comfort than skinny pens might.

Where the 4C shines is in the performance department. The Surari ink is an even match for the Jetstream and the colors are rich and vibrant. Zebra's Sarasa gel ink is legendary for smoothness and the 4C Surari ink is likewise smooth. It's like writing on icy glass with a butter-coated Teflon stick. Seriously. It doesn't blob or skip and is a real joy to write with.

Any problems with this pen? Not really, although with similar offerings from Zebra's competition, you might be wondering what sets this pen apart enough to make it worth a purchase. Well, the answer is that there IS nothing really distinct, but this pen is an excellent enough performer in its class to merit a top score...you'd compare other pens to this one. A DEFINITE recommend!

I am glad I have one of these (thanks, Jetpens!) and I'd encourage everyone to go ahead and get one. You'll thank me for it once you write with it!

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