Zebra Eco Sarasa Clip Retractable Gel Review

I think most Pen Addict readers are aware that I work for JetPens.com, but I am not sure that everyone knows I handle most of the JetPens Facebook and Twitter duties as well. One of the recent questions I received on Facebook is what pen is most comparable to the Zebra Jiminie? Luckily I have used the Jiminie, and one of Zebra’s very own products matches up well.

The Zebra Eco Sarasa Clip is part of the hugely popular Sarasa Clip line, with the obvious difference being the recycled aspect of the pen. Made from 81% post-consumer recycled materials, the Eco is a great option for the environmentally conscious among us, and is refillable with the Zebra JF cartridge. As a bonus, all of the color cartridges from the Sarasa Clip line fit this barrel perfectly, so there is no issue adding in a Viridian Green cartridge in your eco friendly barrel.

The 0.7mm tip that I reviewed writes almost exactly like the Jiminie. Smooth, pitch black gel ink, and a very crisp line. As luck would have it, JetPens is sold out of this exact barrel, but we should have them back in very soon! This is a pen very much worth waiting for.

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.

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.