Retro 51 Tornado Classic Lacquers Roller Ball Pen Review

If you know me at all then you know that The Pen Addict was not created around 0.7 mm roller ball pens. It is sub 0.5 mm or bust around here, and the majority of pens I review that are 0.7 mm or wider are usually just that. Not this Retro 51 Tornado. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good.

I have known of Retro 51 pens and pencil for years, but until JetPens started carrying them I never had the opportunity to try one. Even then I was hesitant, but the classic barrel design drew me in. The Classic Lacquers Series feature a stainless steel body with a high gloss lacquer overlay. This makes all of the barrel colors in the series really pop. The knurled twist-top is the very definition of +1.

As beautiful as the barrel is, the quality of the refill is going to make or break the pen. I had zero expectations that it was going to work for me, but I am continually impressed by it. The tip is very smooth and, most importantly, the ink does not bleed like many 0.7 mm cartridges do. Is there some bleed? Sure, it is inevitable with this size tip and liquid ink. But compared to many other similar refills it is superior, at least in my non-scientific mind.

Does anyone else feel the same way about this refill and how this pen writes, or am I delusional? To me, it is better than any other similar refill I have tried. It is a telling sign that I keep my orange Retro 51 within arms reach among the jungle of 0.3 mm gel ink pens on my desk.

Zebra R-301 Stainless Steel Refillable Roller Ball Review

I take reader requests from time to time, and the Zebra R-301 Stainless Steel Refillable Roller Ball was one such request. I first learned of this pen last year from Brian at Office Supply Geek and knowing the style of writing instrument I prefer I wasn’t too eager to give it a shot. Wide tipped liquid ink pens just aren’t my thing, but it obviously doesn’t take much to twist my arm.

The first thing I noticed about this pen is that the design is based directly off the Zebra H-301 Highlighter. That is a good thing because the barrel design is great. I love the look of the stainless steel contrasted against the black plastic. The only issue I find is that the cap does not post tightly. It is loose and spins a little but it won’t go as far as falling off.

From an ink perspective it is HEAVY. The tip size is 0.7 mm but it writes wider because of the flow. In fact, I had to write very fast to stay ahead of the bleed. It is dark and consistent though, so any of you who like to write with liquid ink pens may enjoy it. That it is refillable is an added bonus.

I picked up my R-301 at Staples so you should be able to find these pretty easily at your local office supply retailer. If you own one please let me know what you think in the comments section.

Pentel EnerGel X 0.5 mm Blue Review

(This is a guest review by Brian Draghi. You can follow Brian on Twitter @sketchscape)

I have been using the capped Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle version of this pen with some excellent results. I wanted to try out the retractable version for work to write down quick notes without having to worry about losing the cap. The Pentel EnerGel X retractable pen exceeded my expectations with it's comfortable grip and smooth, quick writing quality.

Needle points make all the difference in the world, and this pen is no exception. At first glance, this pen looks very generic with its disposable plastic body like many office brand pens. Looks are really deceiving here, as this pen's writing quality writing is smooth and works consistently every time. This is also is ideal for anyone with larger hands as it's slightly longer than most plastic body pens and the grip feels just right. It also works quite effectively for any of the left handed writers out there. The ink usually dries in about 4 to 5 seconds without any noticeable smearing on the page.

If you happen to be writing long notes for work or school, then this pen is for you. The EnerGel X has a latex-free Comfort Zone grip that is extremely comfortable for long writing sessions. Your hand smoothly glides across the page without any strain or any noticeable effort needed.  The clip is made out of the same plastic material as the pen body and is sturdy and wide enough to hold effectively in the pocket of your shirt. The top retractable plunger is slightly wider then most pens making it easier to extend and retract.

Overall

I really can't say enough about this pen because it just works perfectly. This is the one pen I would recommend to any college student that prefers taking hand written notes over using a laptop or other device. Personally, I tend to remember my hand written notes better than I would anything typed on my laptop, so something like this pen is ideal. The only thing I would like is if Pentel would make a retractable .35 needle point version of this pen similar to the Euro Needle version. I can’t imagine loving this pen even more but a smaller point would probably do the trick.

Rating 

4.5 out of 5 pens 

Pros

- Smooth writing
- Comfortable grip
- Quick drying ink for Left handers
- Super cheap
- Ideal for larger hands

Cons

- Generic plastic body
- Needs a .35 needle point