Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro 0.38 mm Review

I’ve had these Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro rollerball pens in hand for nearly a year now. Uni-ball was kind enough to send them to me, along with some other goods, and I was planning on reviewing them sooner. I swear!

The one thing that held me back was their actual release into stores. They hadn’t really hit the market this time last year, and looking around today, it looks like they are barely available still. Aside from Uni-ball directly, my search only turned them up from Office Depot and Walmart. Not even the Amazon behemoth lists them.

So, what gives? Welcome to the reason I launched The Pen Addict. Micro tip pens will never be the darlings that their 0.7 mm and 1.0 mm counterparts are. Fans of those types of pens have to work to find the pens that they love the most.

Luckily, we have wonderful companies like JetPens to feed our inky addictions. Just don’t expect the big box retailers to ever fully come on board. There is a reason why the G-Tec-C and Signo DX live on a single peg on the bottom shelf of the pen aisle - if at all - regardless of Pilot and Uni-ball’s best intentions. That’s what the market dictates.

With that realization out of the way, let me tell you specifically about these Vision Ultra Micro pens. They’re fantastic. And I don’t say that lightly, because the traditional 0.7 mm Uni-ball Vision is one of my least favorite pens, ever. Why? They can be an inky mess.

If you like wide, bold lines from your liquid ink pens, the standard Vision is a good option. I know friends who swear by them, and artists that use them on the regular. I don’t deal with those wide, wet lines as well as others.

The Vision Ultra Micro though? This tip size mitigates my complaints completely. These pens are fantastic. The line on the page lands somewhere around an 0.4/0.5 mm gel ink pen line, which is great for my regular writing. Artists may like the finer option as well. Could there be a slight bit of feathering or bleed on the wrong paper? Yes, but it is minimal.

Outside of the writing experience, everything else about this pen is pure Vision. Same style, barrel shape, clip, ink formulation - everything. I have no issues recommending these to anyone, but don’t get them confused with the litany of other Vision (or Eye, depending on where you live) pens. I don’t think the wider-tip sizes are a good choice, and I think the Needle model is downright bad. The Vision Elite? It is such a good pen that it doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with the rest of the Vision crew.

Just like the Vision Ultra Micro.

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

Caran d’Ache 849 Rollerball Pen Review

As a Caran d’Ache 849 fan, I’ll admit I was concerned when I saw the first images of the new 849 Rollerball. Residing squarely on the CHONKY side of the size ledger, would this break the magic spell the traditional-sized 849 Ballpoint had on me?

Yes, but that’s a good thing.

The 849 Rollerball is not your Grandmother’s Ecridor. It is not my 849 Ballpoint, or my beloved Fixpencil. What it is is an answer to all of those who previously wished for an 849, but bigger. The Cd’A Rollerball is the pen for you.

This is a legitimately big pen. The marketing says the Rollerball is 28% bigger than the Ballpoint, and that seems about right. My unscientific measurements had the diameter of the Rollerball in the grip area (flat side to flat side) at 10.62 mm, with the Ballpoint checking in at 8.13 mm. In comparison, a standard Retro 51 is at 10 mm in the middle of the grip area, with a taper - wider and narrower - in both directions.

28% may not seem that big of a difference on paper, but in a pen build that is a huge difference. The way these two pens are designed, it looks like the Ballpoint could fit completely inside the Rollerball, like it ate it for lunch.

The question you have to answer is: Is this a bad thing? After having it in hand and using it for a few days, I have to say no. I kind of like the size of it for something different. Somehow, it works, even though I was admittedly unsure about it at first.

Caran d’Ache mitigated the size of the pen with the proper refill choice. The black 0.7 mm Parker-style rollerball refill glides across the page, leaving a smooth, dark line in its wake. I’m a believer that the wider the pen barrel, the wider the refill (or nib, for fountain pens) needs to be. By default, your fingers and grip are wider, which generally leads to wider writing motions, and less precision. The 849 Rollerball and rollerball ink refill are a good match.

It feels good to use, too. The hexagonal barrel works well for me and my traditional grip. Those with a non-standard grip may need to think about how the ridges hit their fingers and if it would be comfortable. I think that is even more of a consideration with this wider barrel compared to the smaller 849’s.

Aesthetically, it is a stunner. Yes, a pen this simple, with classic Caran d’Ache design cues, is right in my sweet spot. At launch, Cd’A went with basic barrel colors - White, Black, Red, Blue, Grey - which is their norm. Once the larger Rollerball proves itself, they will begin to mix in colors and patterns - hopefully. I have no reason to think it won’t make a mark in their product lineup.

The only kicker I find is the price. For what Caran d’Ache is, and what they bring to the table, $46 seems about right. With a huge swath of 849 ballpoints available for $20 or less, I would have love to seen this model launch in the $36-$39 range for the basic colors, then mix in more premium designs and colors around $50, but Cd’A gonna Cd’A. It is priced fairly, sitting right in the premium Retro 51 rollerball range.

Caran d’Ache makes high quality, wonderfully designed, premium stationery products. Why I expected something different this time around I have no idea, but I’m glad the 849 Rollerball hits all the right marks and is as enjoyable to look at as it is to use.

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

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Ystudio Brassing Rollerball 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Plenty of companies have a brand, or an aesthetic, and lots have Design, but it's not that often you find a company that has a philosophy, and whose brands, designs, and products encompass that philosophy as wholly as Ystudio’s do. We tend to fall in love with those companies. Field Notes is a common example. I think Ystudio is one fewer people have heard about, and who ought to be on everyone's radar.

I got my first Ystudio pen a few years ago when they first became available at retail stores in the US. It was the Brassing Fountain Pen, and it became an immediate favorite of mine. This Brassing Rollerball model is its sibling, and they make a great pair.

Like the fountain pen, the Brassing Rollerball is made of brass, with a black lacquer coating its facets. The lacquer is designed to wear away as you use the pen, revealing the raw brass beneath. Then the brass will patina, creating a whole new layer of character to the pen's life and your use of it. This idea of forming a unique look to your pen through a lifetime of use really appeals to me. The process is definitely a slow one, though. I've used my fountain pen pretty regularly for years and it's not yet showing any signs of wear.

This is a sturdy pen. The brass walls are thick, and it's quite heavy in the hand. It's well-balanced, though, and is very comfortable to write with. The metal is cold to the touch at first, but it warms up as you write. The cap clicks to close, with a friction fit that clicks solidly in place. It does not post, and there is no clip, but the six facets keep the barrel or cap from rolling off the desk.

The grip section is on the narrow side. It is also raw brass, so it quickly takes on the patina of your grip. The raw brass isn't slippery, and there's a metal ridge that stops your fingers from sliding forward. I believe that ridge is also part of the click-closed mechanism, which is high up in the cap.

The pen takes a Schmidt 5888 refill, which writes wonderfully with a fine black line. It's similar to what you get in a Retro 51, so if you've used one of those, you know it's a fantastic ink. To insert the cartridge, you need to unscrew the bottom of the pen. There's a small screw there that opens up the refill chamber. It's flush with the pen, but it's not difficult to undo. You can use a coin, but I had no trouble just using my fingernail. The refill goes right in the pen, and the screw keeps it in place.

The Ystudio aesthetic, design, and philosophy have totally enchanted me. I love these pens, but they are not inexpensive. They exude the sense that they are crafted not manufactured, and the price reflects that. This rollerball sells for a pretty $110 on JetPens. That's more than I'd usually pay for a rollerball, but I think this is one of those pens where it's worth if, if you decide it is.

(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!