Pilot Opt Mechanical Pencil

I rarely review pencils on this blog - after all, it is called The PEN Addict - but from time to time I get the jones to try out a new one.  It's not often that I come away as impressed as I am with the Pilot Opt though.  All of the cool designs available at JetPens.com and the ultra-reasonable $3.00 price tag twisted my arm for me, and for it to perform as well as it did was just a bonus.  JetPens explains how this pencil came to be:

The Opt pencil is a quality instrument available at a fraction of its potential price. The sales slogan for this line in Japan is "Dress up!", and it was designed to accompany business people and travelers. It features a broad body for an ergonomic hold, a push clip that can be used to clip this pencil onto thicker objects, and a shaker function! This means that you can just shake the pencil and the internal weight mechanism extends the lead for you! No need to click (though pencil includes this feature)!

The Opt is a very sturdy pencil.  The barrel is well made, and carries a decent weight.  I am not a lead connoisseur, but the stock lead is a bit softer than I prefer, but that is of course easily remedied.  I'm pretty much hooked to shaker mechanisms, to the point when I am using a traditional mechanical pencil I get confused on how to get the lead out.  It looks like five of the ten models JetPens carries are sold out (including the one I have), but just keep an eye out and I'm sure they will restock.  It will be worth the wait.

Click here for the XL photo review.

March Giveaway Madness: Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm 8 Color Set

It's still March right?  Well then lets give away more pens!

This contest is for one of my favorite pens, the Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.38mm.  The full 8 color set is up for grabs to one lucky commenter, and includes the following colors: black, red, blue, light blue, lavender black, pink, orange and blue black.  The lavender black was a real eye opener when I reviewed it back in January, and is still in my main pen rotation.  The only colors out of the set I don't personally own are the orange and red, but I'm sure I'll have that remedied soon.

Get to entering people!  Here's how:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Thursday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.  You are limited to one entry.  Feel free to link this giveaway on your blog, or share it with anyone you feel is a true pen addict.  If you have a blog, I would love a link back, but it is certainly not required for entry into the contest.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post.  The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on.  The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Friday, April 3rd.  The winner will have one week to email me at the address posted in the right sidebar.

4. I will ship internationally.  I know there are many international readers and fans of The Pen Addict, and I will gladly ship to you at my expense.

Thanks, and good luck!

Review: Uni-Ball Signo MF3 Multi Pen

Out of all of the multi pens I have reviewed recently, it basically comes down to the Pentel Energel Multi Function pen, or this Uni-Ball Signo MF3 for my most used multi pen of the past few weeks.  The Pentel Energel has taken up shelter in my backpack, which is where my most used pens reside as they travel back and forth with me to work, while this Uni-Ball Signo sits at home, alone on the desk anxiously awaiting my return from work each night.  You could say I prefer the Energel of the two - and you would be right - but the Signo is a pretty darn good pen on its own.

The best I can say about this pen is that it works.  That is a compliment for sure - you won't believe how many pens don't that aren't even broken.  Click to the left, black 0.5mm gel cartridge.  Click to the right, red 0.5mm gel cartridge.  Click further to the right, 0.5mm pencil.  The gel ink lays down great lines, as you would expect from Uni-Ball, and the pencil is pretty decent.  The clear barrel is extra cool points, but you can grab it in black, blue, pink, and white as well.

But I keep going back to the Energel.  I don't know if is the needle tip that gets me or what - I just like it better.  Don't worry little Uni-Ball Signo MF3 multi pen, I'll be home soon.

Click here for the XL photo review.