Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Smart 3 Multi Pen Review

I have reviewed many Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto multi pen barrels over the years. It is the first multi pen I fell in love with and is still the best in my mind. While the ink cartridges haven’t changed, new barrel designs hit the market frequently. The Coleto Smart 3 is the most recent I have tested out.

Compared to the older Coleto barrel designs the Smart 3 is an excellent visual upgrade. The clear plastic grip area is the biggest change, allowing you to see a large section of the ink cartridges. It is eerily similar to the original Uni Style Fit.

The updated look is great but that change comes with a slightly wider barrel diameter. I don’t have the exact measurements, but this barrel looks and feels wider than the standard 4 Color Coleto barrel. That, to me, makes it less desirable. If I can fit four cartridges in a narrower barrel I am going to take that more often than not.

In the end it is only $2.50, so you don’t have to break the bank to try it out. If you have a few spare Coleto refills laying around it is worth a shot.

Uni-ball Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.5 mm Orange Review

It wasn’t but a few weeks ago that I reviewed the 0.5 mm Purple Color Series Jetstream and as I am known to do, I picked up several other colors of the same pen to see how they perform. The Orange Color Series is the latest to be put to the test.

I went with the same 0.5 mm size as the purple to get a feel for how similar sizes compared and I am not as big a fan of the orange as I am the purple. I’m not sure what my expectations were - I’ve reviewed the original Color Ink Series Orange Jetstream in the past and enjoyed it - but the latest version is too light for me. I felt like I had to strain too much to see the ink color. On a related note, I did go to the eye doctor yesterday.

I passed on the Lime Green Color Series because I thought it would be too light. It turns out the orange is in the same boat. The 0.7 mm is probably a better choice for me in this color.

The lyrics in the review are from R.E.M.’s “Sitting Still”. Growing up in the South in the 80’s it was a rite of passage listening to Stipe, Mills, Buck, and Berry and I am passing that along to my kids. The problem is - as with many of Stipe’s lyrics - they are incoherent at best and I have a tough time trying to explain them to my daughter. “Sitting Still” is widely know as the best of the worst of Stipe’s lyrics. Even he admits he has no idea what he is saying.

If you use Rdio, listen to the live version found on “Live At The Olympia”. Stipe jokes at the end of the song about fans trying to search for lyrics on the internet. I wonder why???

Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen Review

We all have that one pen that fascinates us. Whether it is your holy grail pen, or the one at the top of your wish list, there is a pen out there that you have to have. It may be hard to find or out of your price range, but one day the planets align and the pen you have always wanted lands in your hands. For me, that pen is the Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen with the black matte body and fine nib.

I almost feel like I am doing this pen a disservice by running it through the normal Pen Addict review process, so I am going to take this a slightly different route. This post will contain what you normally see when I review a pen the first time: my handwritten review, a few photos, and some general comments. After that, many pen reviews vanish into the ether. The Pilot Vanishing Point deserves more.

I have ideas and uses for this pen and I plan on making it a recurring theme on the blog. I already have a short video made with romantic music playing in the background (Ok, no romantic music. Maybe.) that I will post soon to talk a little more about the pen. The Vanishing Point will also be in heavy rotation when I start my new job so I want to discuss the ups and downs of heavy, repeated, daily use.

Can you tell by now that I am really happy with this purchase?

I will elaborate in future posts on what makes this pen so great, but let me touch on a few of the high points. First of all, this is a retractable nib fountain pen. Think about that real quick. There are other retractable nib fountain pens on the market, but the Pilot Vanishing Point is the one by which all others are measured. Initial concerns about the nib ejecting too easily or drying out were quickly erased once I saw how well designed the pen is.

To keep the nib from drying out, there is a small door that seals off the end of the pen when the nib is retracted. In my upcoming video you will see it in action. The nib writes immediately every time I click it out. The knock on the end is very firm and sturdy, which keeps you from accidentally ejecting the nib. It takes much more than a little brush of the knock to send the nib into the world. I have felt extremely safe clipping it to my shirt pocket or placket and going.

Let’s talk about the clip for a second because that was my biggest concern initially. For me, it turned out to be a non-issue, but if you have a non-standard or awkward writing grip it could be an issue for you. This is the biggest thing you need to consider when purchasing a Vanishing Point in my opinion. I already don’t even notice it is there when I’m writing.

I went with an F nib on my Vanishing Point knowing that would be awfully fine for a fountain pen. I felt I had a good idea about the line width after using a Pilot Prera F nib and I would say they are close, with the Prera F nib being slightly finer and firmer. My choice of the F nib has turned out great.

There is so much more I could talk about, and that is the plan. If you have any questions that I haven’t covered yet (and there are plenty) just let me know in the comments section or on Twitter @dowdyism and I will do my best to answer quickly.