Marvy LePen Oriental Blue Review

Is anyone else’s first memory of the Marvy LePen seeing them at the Hallmark store? I distinctly remember them sitting there on the counter in all of their rainbow glory. I don’t recall ever buying one for some reason, but now that JetPens has started to carry them, I ordered up the Oriental Blue for review.

One of the defining aspects of the LePen is its long, slender barrel. If you have used a LePen before, then you have no trouble spotting one from a mile away. Another reason why this pen has been popular is the wide range of non-standard colors available. This Oriental Blue is a great example, but there is also Orchid Pink and Dark Gray among some of the 18 other shades.

The tip on the LePen is very soft - much softer compared to a Sharpie Pen, Sakura Pigma Micron, or any other similar pen. This gives it a unique feel when writing, sort of a cross between a brush and a plastic tip pen. I love how my lettering turned out on the page, but I do wonder a bit about the durability (which I haven’t tested).  Overall, it is a good pen as an option, but I don’t see it as a go to choice unless I am looking for a specific color. I could be wrong though since this seems to be a very popular pen.

Parker IM Roller Ball Review

For a blog that reviews pens you would think that I would have reviewed a Parker or two over the years, but it hasn’t happened until now. The Parker IM Roller Ball is my first foray into the Parker market, and one of the first Parkers carried by JetPens.

Before I get into the review, let me tell you why it has taken me so long to try out a Parker. It is pretty simple really - there are no viable sub 0.5mm refills. If anyone has any suggestions I am all ears. This is not Parkers fault. In this category of pen, it’s not even easy to find refills under 0.7mm, although it can be done. This is what the mass market consumer wants, and by gosh, that is what they are going to get.

I’m here to change that, one micro tip at a time.

Before I go off on one of my anti-mainstream rants, let me give this pen a proper review, because I was pleasantly surprised by it. First off, the barrel is serious business. Weighing in at 1.27 oz. (a basic Pilot Hi-Tec-C is 0.37 oz. for comparison), is has a nice heft in the hand, but is not too heavy to where you will tire of writing with it. The black matte finish with chrome accents - including the famous arrow clip - are sharp looking.

The ink cartridge is an 0.7mm liquid ink cartridge. It works great if that is your preferred writing ink, but I am going to be looking at swapping it for a gel ink refill. There were no issues with this ink though. Just take a look at the writing sample above and you will see how nice it is.

If you handed me this pen blindly and asked me how much it cost based on feel and performance alone, I would have guessed $40-$50. At just $15, it feels like a steal, and might turn me into a Parker user after all.

Zebra Regal Liquid Ink NR5 Review

(This is a guest post by Brian Gushikawa)

Zebra is best known for their Steel series of pens and pencils, but they also make a full line of gel and ballpoint pens. This pen is an entry into their rollerball line and directly competes with offerings from Pilot and Mitsubishi/Uniball. The Regal Liquid Ink NR5 is a needle point rollerball with a large ink reservoir and a good feel to it. It's a disposable way to carry around a good daily writer that won't let down its user.

Smoothness: Wonderful! Feels like a fountain pen! This pen doesn't suffer from the scratchiness that most fine point pens do.

Grip and Balance: The front section is ridged plastic which offers tactile feedback, but isn't soft elastomer like some other grips. The balance when posted is average and adequate.

Ink Flow: A standard finned flow regulator with (most likely) a fiber core flow controller provides a consistent flow with no skips or blotches.

Build Quality: Very good! Surprising, considering the disposable nature of this pen. The heft is good and the pen feels a little bit better than a Pilot Precise V5.

Capacity: The entire back of the pen is an ink tank, so there's a LOT of ink there!!

Clip: Very strong metal clip attached to a plastic cap. It's not as durable as a fountain pen clip, but it's fine for everyday use.

Post: The friction-fitted cap posts well and doesn't rattle.

Overall: You'd be hard pressed to find a nicer rollerball at the price point than the NR5. The needle tip allows for precision writing and the ink is a nice, dark shade of black. I'd say that this pen is a definite recommend as a backup for a fountain pen.