Review: Pilot BeGreen Precise Gel 0.7mm

File this one under "What the heck was I thinking?".  I have already gone on record saying how much I dislike the Pilot P-500 Precise Gel Roller, but I didn't put two and two together when grabbing the environmentally friendly model off of the grocery store shelf.  I was caught in a moment of I need that, and didn't take a moment to really consider what I was buying.

For the uninitiated, the Pilot BeGreen line takes an existing ink cartridge - say the Pilot G-2, or in this case the P-700 - and wraps an eco-friendly barrel around it.  This is a great program, and in cases like the Pilot G-Knock (the eco-friendly G-2), I like the eco barrel even better than the original.  Unfortunately in the case of the Precise, it is the same needle tip gel ink cartridge that I dislike so much.

Looks like this pen is about to be recycled one more time.

Click here for the XL review.

Review: Pilot Birdy Switch Multi Pen + 0.5 mm Pencil

The Pilot Birdy Switch multi pen is designed as a highly portable pen/pencil combo.  With its small diameter, it would make a great choice as an EDC pen, somewhat along the lines of the TEC Pico Pen.  It is a longer and wider than the Pico, but it is sleek enought to fit almost anywhere the Pico would.

At first glance, the Birdy looks just like a skinny mechanical pencil.  With the cap posted on the clip end, that is exactly what it is.  It functions just like a normal mechanical pencil - clicking the cap down extends the lead.  Pop the cap off and post it on the other end and that exposes the ballpoint pen for use.  I was a little concerned with the clip position when using the ballpoint side, but as it turns out, the clip helps out with gripping the pen.  With a barrel this skinny it can be tough to grip while writing, but placing the clip between my thumb and index finger improved my handle on it.

Performance wise, the ballpoint writes very cleanly.  There is nothing I hate more than a clumpy, messy ballpoint, so cleanliness is always a key for me.  The pencil is nice as well, but being the side without the clip, I found I couldn't grip it as well.  One note on the pencil though - there is no eraser.  That phases me none, but I thought I would mention that.  The only other negative I can find it that it is currently out of stock at JetPens.  They do have a button on the page where you can be notified when it is back in stock, so be sure to set that up if you are interested.

Click here for the XL review.

Ink Links

-- Pens for Lefties; the Uniball Signo 207, Pilot G2, and Fisher Space Pen  (Grandiloquent Musings)

-- Review:  Field Notes Mackinaw Autumn  (Miscellany & Cacophony)

-- The TUL .5 needle point pen - ROCKS ! ! !  (Zuzu's Thoughts)

-- I went a little mad at Blick Madness......  (Spiritual Evolution of the Bean)

-- Slicci - You Can Be Slim And Rich Too  (Scription)

-- Sakura Pigma Micron 05 Pen  (Pocket Blonde)

-- Featured Pen - Libelle Nature Cocoa Mosaic  (Whatever)

-- Uniball Signo .5mm Brown Black  (Office Supply Geek)

-- The Suspects: Pilot Frixion Erasable Gel-Ink 0.7mm Pen & Erasable Yellow Highlighter  (The School Supplies Sleuth)

-- J. Herbin Rouge Caroubier (Inkyjournal)

-- Sharpie Pen in Orange and Purple  (Office Supply Geek)

-- Something new every day  (Richard Binder)

-- Review : Taccia Merit Fountain Pen  (Goldspot Pens)

-- What's Your Favorite Writing Utensil?  (Lifehacker)

-- Pentel Sign Pen  (Oucie)

-- Scripto P970s  (My Supply Room)

-- Exacompta Sketch Book Review and Field Tests  (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

-- Felissimo 500 Color Pencils – 1st set  (Pencil Talk)

-- Ink Review: Private Reserve Arabian Rose  (All My Hues)

-- Diamine Ink: Jet Black  (La Plume Etoile)

-- Uniball Kuru Toga 0.5 mm mechanical pencil - first impression  (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

-- Back from Life  (Unposted)