Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Cross Click: Marvel Hulk Edition Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Tapping into a well-known entertainment franchise and doing so in a tasteful way that appeals to fans is always a solid bet, and that's exactly what Cross have done with the Marvel editions of the Click ballpoint pen. The Hulk edition that I've had the pleasure of using over the past few weeks has led me into a slippery slope of branded writing instruments that may end up costing me more than I anticipated.

The Cross Click is a standard offering in their ballpoint lineup, and it's a great pen overall. Let's focus on the standard pen and how it performs.

The Click is a slim body pen with a click mechanism for retracting/extending the refill. The click is a bit noisy, but it feels solid and the noise plays into the namesake of the pen. It has a nice feel, and it adds to the "premium" experience. The clip is petite, but it's hella strong — it fits in nicely with the Hulk (and Marvel) background well.

As far as slim body pens go, the Click is still pretty comfortable to use. I've used this for long note-taking sessions and haven't had any issues with comfort. There's a texture on the body that adds a bit of grip as well.

One downside is that the refill rattles around inside the pen when it's in a retracted state. It takes a good bit of movement to make the rattle manifest, but it's noticeable and detracts from the overall premium feel of the pen.

The Marvel branding is subtle, which is exactly why I love it. There's some nice green graphics on the body, but my favorite part is the Hulk fist jewel on the top part of the clip.

The standard refill is black and performs well. I've used several Cross ballpoints in the past, and I've always enjoyed it. As far as ballpoints go, this is a great option. There are other color options, as well as some gel rollerball refills that look interesting. Like most Cross pens, these refills are proprietary, so good luck finding a suitable replacement outside of the Cross lineup.

The Cross Click Marvel edition pens are fun, nicely done, and affordable. It's a perfect combination of factors that make this pen a no-brainer for Marvel fans. They're currently on sale at Goldspot Pens, so don't miss out!

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 4, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Cross, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Faber-Castell Ondoro Fountain Pen Review

As a brand, Faber-Castell has become more and more interesting to me. I know, I’m a little slow, seeing how they have been in existence for over 200 years. I always considered them a pencil company, and a great one at that, but could they make a quality fountain pen? I had my doubts, based on no facts whatsoever. And I’m glad to be proven totally and completely wrong.

The Faber-Castell Ambition set me down this path, and the Faber-Castell Ondoro Smoked Oak solidified my thoughts.

Fun fact: This isn’t my first Ondoro. I bought the Orange resin model a couple of years ago from one Stephen Brown. It had a broad nib, which I promptly had converted into a cursive italic. Despite this being a perfectly styled Brad pen, the nib and I never clicked, even after modification, so I sold it. I think my mistake was the modification, because what I have discovered in retrospect is that Faber-Castell nibs are perfect right out of the box.

The Ambition in EF solidified that thought, so I chose another EF in the Ondoro since I love the design of the pen and missed having one after selling my first. I think it may be my favorite steel German nib too, better than both Lamy and Pelikan in this size. It is finer and firmer, allowing for a clean and defined lined. It looks great too, especially inked with something like Faber-Castell’s own Deep Sea Green.

The Ondoro is described as a chunky pen, and that is accurate. The barrel is wide, and the cap is wider. It’s not a heavy pen though, and I find it comfortable to use. The Smoked Oak feels and looks great, and it comes in various resin models too, like the aforementioned Orange.

If there is one thing to consider with the Ondoro, it is the grip section. It’s short in length as well as concave. For my grip, which is very standard, it’s not an issue. If you have larger hands or a non-standard grip I could see it being an issue. The Ambition had similar questions with it’s lack of a grip section. Faber-Castell definitely does things differently in this area. Additionaly, the metal cap does make this pen heavy when posted as well as when clipped to something thin like a shirt pocket.

Price-wise, Faber-Castell pens aren’t cheap compared to the competition, but I think they are fairly priced. They are very similar to Pelikan in that regard. High quality German design and performance is generally worth the cost. If I enjoy a pen I never think twice about the price, and I certainly enjoy the Ondoro.

I’ve been mentioning how impressed I am with Faber-Castell as a brand for a while now. I think it is time to continue this exploration and see what else they have to offer.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 2, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Faber-Castell, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Zebra Sarasa Clip Mister Donut Scented Gel Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

The scented Zebra Sarasa pens are back with new limited editions, this time celebrating Mister Donut in some scrumptious sweet scents. If you missed the last scented gel pen release, definitely grab these. If you already have the last scented set, you can probably skip these, because the colors and scents are mostly repeated. The previous editions had lemon yellow instead of caramel brown. Of course, these versions are decorated with adorable donuts and the Mister Donut characters: French Wooler (set A) and Pon de Lion (set B)--so they're still great fun. I was just disappointed that it wasn't a whole new product. I'm also disappointed, now, that I don't have a real-life matcha donut. But that's one of those problems that stationery can't solve.

These pens have all the fantastic features of the Zebra Sarasa Clip—a lovely, sturdy alligator clip that secures reliably to even fat stacks of paper; fast-drying ink that is water and fade-resistant; a satisfying click mechanism; and a soft rubberized grip. The clips make them a little bulky, but they're functional enough that I think they earn that extra space in the pen case.

They write smoothly and the colors are bright and saturated. I didn't experience any skipping or smudging. The .5 mm tip is great for fine lines while still being easily readable in lighter colors. They're good pens for those who like practical reliability, and the special editions add whimsy that makes writing with them extra delightful. The scents are fun, but not overpowering. I can't say that they smell like what they claim to be--they all have a general "sweet" smell and some are easier to discern than others. But if you had me take a sniff test to determine the scent, I'd fail. The orange and the strawberry are the easiest to identify by smell alone.

Like the previous edition, this one is broken up into two sets of four. Set A has chocolate black, matcha green, peach pink, and vanilla light blue. Set B has caramel brown, milk blue, orange, and strawberry red. Both sets together make a nice array of colors. Individually, the sets seem oddly grouped. It would make more sense, to me, to put the red, blue, and black together--the office-appropriate colors--and then the more wild colors in the other set. Or just make it one set of eight--because who just buys half of the limited edition?

At $10.75 per set, they're a little on the pricy side. But the pens are refillable (just not with the limited scented ink). They're also well-made enough to withstand many repeated uses, so I don't think the price is unreasonable.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

I hope the next limited series will include some more new colors and scents, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy these very much.

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