Review: Zebra Techno Line 0.4mm + Kokuyo Beetle Tip 3way Highlighter

I was very excited that JetPens started stocking the Kokuyo Beetle Tip 3way highlighter.  I had heard about it for a while, but now I finally have one in my grubby little hands.  During the same new products push, JetPens started stocking more colors of the Zebra Techno Line 0.4mm ballpoint, so I thought that would be a great pen to review again with the Beetle Tip highlighter

When I reviewed the Techno Line a while back, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  The only issue I had at that time - and it is still the case with the new one - is that there is a little bit of spidering with the ink.  What I mean by that is there is sometimes a super-fine strand of ink between letters when I move from letter to letter.  This happens once every few lines or so, and you probably can't even notice it in the picture.  Otherwise, I like how fine and small I can write with it, and it is a pretty clean writer overall.

When I was a student, I was always an underliner, not a highlighter, so I was anxious to give the Beetle Tip a shot.  Before this highlighter, I would just take the sharp tip and line under the sentences in my textbooks or notes.  Now that I have the Beetle Tip, that underlining is made easier, and it works really well.  I was concerned about how fragile the tip might be, but it seems pretty strong and should last a good while.  The other thing I haven't put to a great test is do I really like the double line highlight?  I think yes, but I am so anal that I wonder if large blocks of highlights will bother me with their uneveness.  You can't beat the uniqueness and utility of the Beetle tip though, so I highly reccomend this pen.

One new thing I am going to try with my posts is add direct links to the products I have used (when available).  Those who are frequent readers of the blog know where to track these products down, but I do get a good many questions from new readers on where to buy them.  I'll try to do a better job of posting this information, and lets not kid ourselves, it also helps out the wonderful advertisers on The Pen Addict!

Click here for the XL review.

Products used:

Zebra Technoline 0.4mm

Kokuyo Beetle Tip Highlighter

Doane Paper Idea Journal

Ink Links

-- My Trip to NYC: Exaclair, Art Brown, Mr. Nagahara Pen Tweaks & the new Sailor Realo  (Spiritual Evolution of the Bean)

-- Pen Obsession  (What Makes Me Happy)

-- Two erasers from Korea  (Pencil Talk)

-- Do Students in France Really Use French Rule Paper?  (Writer's Bloc Blog)

-- Pilot Hi-Tec-C  (The Crafts Dept.)

-- Goodbye Fine Pens and Papers: Hello Information Age  (IT Thought of the Day)

-- The Doane Paper Utility Notebook - Traffic Light Series  (Doane Paper Feed)

-- Review: Leonardo Pocket Journal  (Notebook Stories)

-- Comparing Colors: Field Notes  (Pocket Blonde)

-- Papermate Pacer Mini Mechanical Pencil  (Dave's Mechanical Pencils)

-- Oxford Stapled Notebook from France  (Trains, pens, and planners)

-- Tradio Nature and Soft  (Scription)

-- A new friend for my Space Pen  (Miscellany & Cacophony)

-- User Review: Bill from the FPN compares the Webbie to several similar journals  (Rhodia Drive)

-- UGLee Pen Super Comfortable Ergonomic Pen  (Office Supply Geek)

-- Review: Quick Look at Rhodia’s New Weekly Planner  (Journaling Arts)

Review: Stabilo Cult Dynamic

I had high hopes for the Stabilo Cult Dynamic.  Out of all of the pens Carmen sent me from her European vacation, this one stood out for its unique design.  The look and feel of the barrel are great, but when it was time to get down to business, the writing performance was a huge letdown.

If you have ever held a Lamy Safari, then you are used to the grooves in the grip area where your thumb and index finger go.  On a fountain pen like the Safari that is great, but on non-fountain pens, I normally don't like this grip.  The Cult Dynamic does it well though, and has made me rethink the whole fixed grip area thing.  This one is especially nice since the grip is rubber, and it is interlaced with a molded white plastic that give it a cool look and feel.  But as I alluded to before, it writes so poorly that I don't think I will get much use out of it unless I find a comparable ink refill to swap it out with.

First off, it writes very roughly.  Definitely not a smooth glider across the page.  Sometimes I can look past that, but when you add on inconsistent ink flow, it is just time to put the pen down and move on.  Take a look at the XL photo and you will see how at the top of many letters, the line just goes away.  I could never get past that, even after scribbling a bunch to see if there was something clogging the tip.  Oh well, can't win them all.

Click here for the XL review.