Review: Pentel Wow!

Pentel of America sent me several samples a while back, and the Pentel Wow! is one of the last pens I have yet to review from the lot.  I have had a few readers mention the Wow! to me over the past year, but standard ballpoints really aren't my thing, so I never purchased any.  Far be it from me to turn down a freebie though!

The Pentel Wow! pens I received came in a rainbow pack of 10 colors.  I gave most of them away, but I hung on to a lone purple pen to test out.  The first thing I noticed about the pen was the triangular shaped grip.  I'm not normally a fan of this style, but this one is really comfortable.  The rubber in the grip area has just the right amount of cushion - not too firm and not too soft.  As with the majority of the ballpoints on the market, there is some ink buildup on the tip, but nothing too extreme.  Pretty standard actually.  Standard is a good way to describe how it writes as well.  It lays down a good line, but compared to the Pentel R.S.V.P., it is not as smooth.

Overall, this is a good middle of the road pen, and that is what it seems to be marketed as.  The availability of a wide range of colors is a nice bonus, so if you need to grab some pink ballpoints, the Pentel Wow! may be an option for you.

Click here for the XL review.

The Third Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper

Don't forget to stop by Office Supply Geek this week and check out the Third Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper.  I already found some new blogs to check out - how about you?

Review: Uni-Ball Jetstream 1.0mm Blue

This is the Uni-Ball Jetstream model that most people think of when mentioning this pen, and it is similar to the first Jetstream that I tried when they were introduced to the market many years ago.  At that time, I really didn't care for it.  I was mostly using 0.5mm Pilot Precise V5 pens, and thought the line was too wide, and skipped to much for regular use.  Several newer models got it back in my good graces, so I figured it was time to circle back around and take a look at one of the traditional Jetstreams.

Uni-Ball has the best pen barrel design compared to any other brand in my opinion.  Their barrels tend to be solidly constructed with good weight, and great functionality.  This Jetstream is no different.  The pen is perfectly balanced, and the grip area is just right.  Combine that with the excellent flow of the ink and you have a very nice pen.  From my recollection, this 1.0mm blue ink writes way smoother than the last time I tried this model.  That had to be several years ago, and my tastes have probably changed, but you can tell by the picture how well it writes.

My preference still lies with the 0.5mm and 0.7mm Jetstreams, but I imagine this is the most popular model off the shelf.

Click here for the XL review.