My good friends from Jac Zagoory designs contacted me recently and sent out some samples of the Beta Inkless Pen and the Beta Pocket Inkless Pen. When the package arrived, I really had no clue what to expect, but I was definitely intrigued by what was inside.
First off, as with the other Jac Zagoory products I have reviewed, the product design is fantastic. Both the Beta and Beta Pocket Inkless pens are drool-worthy in the looks department alone. The full size model is long and sleek, with nary a mark to be found on its silver body. The Pocket is much shorter and wider, but is just as much of a looker as its big brother with its pocket clip and threaded cap. But an "inkless pen"? How is this going to work?
Surprisingly enough, it does a pretty good job for what it is designed for. The line it lays down looks very much like a pencil would, but it does not smudge, nor is it erasable without you taking off the page beneath it. There is definitely some drag feedback - after all, you are dragging a piece of metal across the page, not a medium fountain pen nib - but you don't have to exert too much pressure to write with. I tried my best to write as I normally would, and both pens performed well.
Here are a few details from jaczagoory.com:
The pens can be used on most paper surfaces, at any temperature or in any weather condition and will never need to be sharpened. There is no ink so it will never dry up or leak. Doesn't smear. I have so many pens that sometimes they dry up and the pencils aren't always sharpened, so when I am stressed it is comforting to know that I can reach for this pen for reliability.
This isn't a pen I see myself using on a daily basis, but either one would make one of the better pen related gifts I have seen for that person who has it all. If I only had to choose one, I think I would choose the full size just because of the long barrel length and comfort when writing. With the Beta Pocket, you really have to get it wedged into the palm of your hand to have a comfortable writing experience, but the Pocket model may be the ultimate emergency pen. You could keep this in the car, or any kit you have and never ever have to worry about it drying up or breaking, and it will write on just about any paper you throw at it.
There is just a cool vibe about these pens. I'm going to go play with them some more and see what else I can come up with.
Click here for the XL review.
