Pentel EnerGel Permanent Gel Ink 0.5mm

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

The Pentel EnerGel line of pens has been around for quite some time and enjoys a healthy level of popularity due to how easy they are to find in big box stores. They're known for the dark, rich line that the gel lays down, and there's good reason that many people swear by them.

If the EnerGel is already so good, how can you improve it? Well, one way is to offer a variant of the pen that provides waterproof and fade-resistant gel ink. That's exactly what the Pentel EnerGel Permanent Gel pen sets out to do.

On the outside, the permanent ink version of this pen looks exactly like a normal EnerGel, minus the slight accent color variations. The click mechanism is the same, the grip section is the same, and the clip is the same. As an added bonus, the barrel is made up of 54% recycled material.

When writing with this pen, it's easy to compare it to the normal EnerGel since it shares the same product name. But since this variant features a new ink formula, it doesn't write exactly like its older sibling. It's still a smooth feel with plenty of ink flow, and the colors are bright and pleasing. The ink delivery is consistent and there aren't any issues with skipping. The pen itself is quite light, so it's easy to hold and manipulate on the page.

Where it differs is hard to put your finger on at first, but it comes down to the different ink formula. It looks and acts like a regular EnerGel, but the ink color and line isn't quite as bold and sharp. In both the black and blue pens, I sometimes noticed a small amount of railroading in the line, which I've never experienced with the standard EnerGel pens, regardless of tip size.

By no means am I saying that this pen doesn't write well — not at all. It's a great pen that writes well, dries fast, and leaves you with the assurance that it's as permanent as ink can be. The difference here is that it just isn't as nice to use as the standard EnerGel pen, which is already a tall order.

The waterproof nature of this ink is no joke. I tried several different paper types and patterns for this example, hoping that one would show up well in photographs. The ink is so resilient to water that it's almost impossible to capture with a camera. Let's just suffice it so say that the only way you can tell water was added to the page is due to the rippled texture of the paper where the water evaporated. The ink is completely unaffected by the water.

There are many waterproof or archival quality pens available on the market today, and they all have some kind of trade off. They may not write as well as your favorite pen, they normally aren't offered with many colors or other options we're used to, but they fulfill a very specific purpose. In the case of the Pentel EnerGel Permanent Gel pen, it excels at hitting the mark.

The Pentel EnerGel Permanent Gel pen is available in 0.5mm and 0.7mm tip sizes with an option of Black, Blue, or Red in both sizes. At just under $3, they're a great deal considering the specific purpose. If you need a waterproof ink, this pen should be on your list!

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

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Monami Olika Fountain 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.)

Where were pens like this when I was still in school? I had to hunt for affordable fountain pens back then and most of what I found wasn't nearly this nice or fun.

At first glance, it looks like just another cheap "I only use this in contexts where I'd worry about my nicer pens" pen. And it is indeed perfect for those situations! But the more I play with it, the more I like about it.

The body is clear PVC, so you can easily see your ink level. The grip is textured rubber like you'd find on a lot of big-box gel or rollerball pens. It's easy to grip and comfortable to hold. It does feel a bit large for my hand, but it's so light that it's still easy to write with even for long periods of time. The whole thing looks like a plain inexpensive office pen--which sounds like an insult, but think of it as protective coloration. I can leave it on my desk in the middle of a public library and walk away, and it will still be there when I come back.

The cap snaps to close and it posts securely on the back of the pen. The clip is wide and flexible, but feels very flimsy--like it's going to break off the first time I try and clip it to too many pages or if I put it in my purse wrong. Weak clips are one of my biggest pen pet peeves. Fortunately, the pen writes well enough to make up for this offense.

The EF nib is surprisingly smooth on this pen. It writes with even the lightest pressure and lays down a wet enough line that it shows off some great character in the provided ink. Reports from the wild indicate some inconsistencies in their nib quality, but that's not surprising at this price point. Most seem to be of the excellent quality I'm experiencing with mine.

The nib is steel, and it's fed by a wick rather than a plastic feed. I worried this would cause some problems with drying out or ink starvation, but I haven't had any trouble. It does mean, though, that it's a pain if you want to switch colors--because you'll need to rinse all of the ink out of that wick. It would probably be more sensible to keep a dedicated color for each of the pans, and just collect all of the 20 different colors.

Each pen comes with three ink cartridges, and there are refills available. It also accepts Lamy cartridges, if you do decide you want a change. I also noticed that these cartridges are more rugged than the ones I've seen before, They are made of hard plastic like the pen, not the flexible plastic of most cartridges. It does mean that you can't squeeze ink through if the nib gets too dry, but they look sturdy enough that they could be refilled with a syringe and used many times over.

The Olika ink that came in the cartridges was a very pleasant surprise. The color is rich with beautiful shading and it behaves very well. I'll definitely be eyeing some other colors of both the pens and ink. The ink alone is worth the $5.50, and the pen is an added delight.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Opus 88 Fantasia Fountain Pen Review

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

The Opus 88 Fantasia fountain pen is unlike any other I've ever used. As an eyedropper pen, it's a similar to other eyedropper pens I've used, such as the Franklin Christoph pens I use. But what's unique about this one when compared to classic eyedroppers is the inclusion of a shut off valve to stop ink flow. The unique design as well as the translucent body and colorful cap make this an instant favorite.

The particular model I have is a dark teal body paired with a black ebonite cap that also has a few colorful stripes to add visual interest. The stripes on the cap are green, dark red, and a light yellow. The stripes are different widths and really draw my eye to them. The clip is chrome and is incredibly strong.

The cap is secured/removed with threads, and only requires four turns to operate completely. The overall length of the pen is quite short at only 4.5 inches or 11.5cm when capped. When opened and not posted, the length is just a hair over four inches, but the full posted length is a more comfortable 5.75 inches or 14.5cm.

Since there aren't any metal parts that make up the body of this pen, it's a lightweight instrument. The grip section is a bit short for my liking, not providing quite enough surface area for my fingers to rest comfortably. I didn't notice this much while writing, but trying to find a comfortable writing grip at first was a challenge. It's workable, but you are definitely reminded that this is a compact pen where the main focus is ink capacity and portability.

The nib included on this pen is a medium stainless steel JoWo nib. Vanness offers Fine, Medium, and Broad, and I've found that the medium on my unit is much closer to a European fine. I've always had good luck with JoWo nibs, and this one is no exception. It's an incredibly smooth and reliable writer with just a small of flex when pressure is applied on downstrokes. There is some light decoration on the nib along with the Opus 88 name and the size indicator. I've been really happy with this nib and how it writes.

Writing with this pen can take some practice since the grip is so small. The overall length of the pen doesn't bother me at all because I usually prefer to write without the cap posted. The grip has caused me some grief, however. If there were just a bit more space for my fingers, it wouldn't be an issue. It's difficult to find a sweet spot that doesn't involve gripping the cap threads or dipping my fingers onto the nib or feed accidentally, resulting in inky fingertips that transfer ink back to the grip. After some practice, I've found the sweet spot for my grip, but it took some time.

The real selling feature for this pen, along with the beautiful exterior, is the filling mechanism. It's a classic eyedropper with a twist: there's a end blind cap that operates a shut off valve. This is something I've come to love with vacuum fillers. I like being able to totally close off the ink reservoir from the feed so I can travel or just for additional security when being transported.

To fill the pen, simply unscrew the section and use the included eyedropper to fill the reservoir with ink. I didn't measure exactly, but I got a little over 2ml of ink when filling. For such a small pen, that's extraordinary. To write, back out the blind cap a few turns to allow the ink to flow. In practice, this has worked flawlessly for me. And, for quick notes, you can write for about half a full page without opening the blind cap.

I've been able to operate the blind cap easily with my fingers, but there's a nifty screwdriver mechanism built into the top of the cap. You can use the top of the cap as a screwdriver for operating the blind cap, which has two centered cross grooves (like the top of a Philips screw head). It's a novel idea, but not one that is required to operate the pen.

The Opus 88 Fantasia has been an incredibly fun and satisfying pen to use over the past several weeks. I wasn't sure what I would think of it after unboxing it. At first glance, it looks very practical and scientific in a way. After getting to know it, it's a practical piece of art that's a joy to use.

If you're interested in the Opus 88 Fantasia, they come in several color combinations for $125 a piece. The price if fair given the quality of the materials and craftsmanship, not to mention the unique filling mechanism.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!