KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro Mechanical Pencil Review

Out of all the different feels stationery provides, there is nothing I like more than how a quality mechanical pencil feels in hand when writing. Yes, it’s little weird to kick off a product review like that, but I know I’m not alone in having an outsized love for the tactile aspect of the products we use every day.

I knew the KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro Mechanical Pencil was special when I first picked it up, simply because of how it felt in my hand. We will get into more of the “why” in a minute, but first, who are KAYOU+?

Founded in 2025, KAYOU+ are the Japanese subsidiary of the Chinese company Kayou, who are one of the world’s leading card game and collectibles companies. It’s an interesting offshoot, but if what I’ve seen so far is the result, I’m here for it.

KAYOU+ products began showing up in my feeds last year, and I was immediately intrigued by what they were making. Mechanical pencils seemed to be at the forefront, and they offer a few pens as well. I didn’t rush out to purchase anything at first, but having products on my radar early helps when I come across them in the wild. That’s exactly what happened at Stationery Fest this Summer.

It wasn’t necessarily like finding a needle in a haystack, but coming across the Aimvision Pro at the Hachimojiya tables was a pleasant surprise. I was stopping by their table anyway, but upon seeing this pencil I knew what I was coming away with.

There are three colors of the Aimvision Pro - Meteor Black, Snow White, and Titanium Gold - but there was only one choice for me. White barrels are a favorite of mine, and with everything the Aimvision Pro has going on, I think it looks the best.

Who did it better: Rotring 600, or KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro?

Those goings on? Let’s list them. This is a machined Brass barrel, with a knurled grip. On top of the grip are rubberized ridges for added control. The grip is heavier than the barrel, giving the pencil the forward weighting I want in an engineering-style pencil. There is a rotating lead grade dial with a satisfying click when turned (only in one direction,) a knurled edge on the eraser cap for easy gripping, and a short clip to stay out of the way more than a traditional length clip.

With all of that listed out, the next question is does all of it work together? For the most part, yes.

What I’ve found interesting so far is the “short clip that stays out of the way” is just as in the way as any other clip on any other mechanical pencil. When writing in pencil - with the exception of the uniball Kuru Toga (and still even then if I’m being honest,) - you rotate the barrel in your hand to find the sharp edge of the graphite. Pencil clips are always in the way because of that, and with this one, the leading edge hits my hand. I think the clip is a cool design element and thought it wouldn’t be any different than any other pencil clip. It’s no better, and might be worse.

The other concern I have are the rubber strips on the grip section, and how they will handle usage and time. I enjoy its current state, but I’ll have to check in over the months and years to come.

Any small annoyances you can find in a product like the Aimvision Pro are exacerbated when you tie in the cost. This is one of the most expensive mechanical pencils I’ve bought at around $60. I say “around” because I bought it in person from Hachimonjiya at Stationery Fest and I was thinking it was marked at $58. Looking at the pencil on Hachimojiya’s website (based in Japan,) it is listed at $68. In the US, Yoseka has it listed for $80. Regardless of my memory, or where you acquire it, it is a pricy one.

And I still really like it.

It goes back to what I mentioned up top: the Aimvision Pro just feels good. It is a rock in the hand, and firm when writing. That’s what I’m looking for in any engineering style mechanical pencil. And despite some minor concern with the clip and grip, I think it is Top 10 material in my personal rankings. That’s something I can look into soon, and see what changes need to be made.

Until then, the KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro will be within arms reach or in use for the foreseeable future.

---

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!

Pilot AIRSTEP Mechanical Pencil Review

The Pilot AIRSTEP was launched in 2025 as feature-rich, low-cost option to their already busy mechanical pencil lineup. On top of that, it got its own character to help push the product, with AIRSTEPPY taking a leading role on the barrel, and on the packaging. And, AIRSTEPPY even has its own online game you can play, named AIRSTEP RUN!

We spent several podcast episodes discussing this unique character, designed to soften our graphite filled hearts. But one question remained about the AIRSTEP: is it any good?

I’ve spent some time with it recently, and my answer is the ever-helpful “it depends.” That’s truly the case with the AIRSTEP, because it is not for me, but it might be for you.

AIRSTEPPY hanging out near the clip and eraser. The eraser cap does have a notch you need to line up with the clip to snap back in place.

On the Pro side of the ledger, I love the barrel shape and construction. It is a plastic barrel with a rubberized grip section, and is comfortable to hold and write with. The plastic clip is solid - and also doubles as a knock - and I like the capped eraser design, as opposed to an exposed eraser. It all fits in well with the build.

I also like the nose cone with a couple of short step downs. The aesthetic is nice, and, as a bonus, the lead pipe is fully retractable when using the clip click mechanism to return it to the inside of the cone when you are done writing.

Pipe, retracted.

That’s a solid list of likes, but one dislike overwrites all of that. Unfortunately for me, that dislike - the tip press to advance lead mechanism - goes against how I like to use mechanical pencils.

How it works is this: you use the graphite all the way from a fresh click down to the edge of the pipe, and then you “press” the pipe into the page to extend the lead around one click’s worth, and keep writing. It works, but I don’t want to do that.

I’m very particular with all of the feelings and techniques when writing, and choosing to use this type of lead advancement feature breaks my brain. Do I press down on a blank spot on the page and leave a mark behind? Do I use a scrap sheet of paper laying on my desk? Or, do I do what I ended up doing, which is press down on a mark I already made from the previous sentence?

Am I overthinking this? Absolutely, but it obsessed me. Just give me a traditional click, which, fortunately, the AIRSTEP has with the clip.

Another issue this type of mechanism brings to the page, along with other pencils that use an auto-advance type of mechanism, is that the feel when writing is softer. It’s not drastic, but when compared to the rigid feel of a fixed front end - like with the Pentel Sharp series - I notice it. It’s softer to write with by the tiniest of fractions, and combined with the soft graphite Pilot uses as their default, it’s too soft for me. I imagine others may not notice, or be bothered, by this.

Ketchup packet.

So where does this leave me, and my good buddy AIRSTEPPY? We can be friends, but nothing more. I love the storytelling Pilot has done here, which is why I wanted this pencil in the first place. The character is silly in all the right ways, and Pilot leaned into it with games and stickers and logos. The first limited editions, Ketchup and Mustard, are exactly what I want to see. At $6.50, the price is great, and certainly worth taking a shot if you can work with the mechanism.

Stickers!

For me, I’ll likely file this one away and go back to a more fixed style of pencil. That is unless Pilot releases “Pickle” next, and then all bets are off.

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

---

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!

Oh don’t do that little buddy!

Blackwing Volumes 574 Pencil 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Every time I use Blackwing pencils, I get picky about pencil quality. They spoil me. With good quality materials and endless interesting designs, using them is always a treat. The only hardship I run into is that they're so long that they don't fit in most of my pencil cases until after I've used them down a bit. So, I guess my complaint is that there's too much of a good thing.

This stunning edition is the Blackwing Volume 574, a tribute to Native American art and the 574 nations. Blackwing worked with Kaw, Osage, Lakota artist Chris Pappan to develop this design that pays homage to traditional geometric patterns. The orange, cream, and burgundy shapes are outlined by thin lines of gold and there's a gold colored ferrule that holds a black eraser.

This set of pencils contains Blackwing's firm graphite core, which still feels very soft to me. It lays down a bold, saturated line, and it wears down quickly, requiring fairly frequent sharpening (if you're writing a lot, which I usually do). It's a smooth writing experience, and I think it would also be excellent for sketching. It sharpens very well with the Blackwing sharpener, or any sharpener designed to give a long point.

The pencils come in a set of 12 in a nice lidded box with a pencil sketch of a Native American on the box band (also drawn by Chris), along with a larger version of the pencil's geometric art. The box of 12 sells for $32 at Vanness Pens, and while that's a lot for a box of pencils, these are excellent pencils, AND a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Cheyenne River Youth Project, which is a grassroots and woman-led nonprofit organization that provides enriching arts program to Lakota youth on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation. So, buy a box or ten, and have an excellent writing experience while supporting a good cause.

---

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!