Everyone knows my love for all things Doane Paper, and Chad Doane has made it easier than ever to try out his great products. The Doane Paper Daily Arsenal Kit includes every single stationery product of the Doane Paper grid + lines movement, and at $65.50 for the whole kit, offers a 20% discount over buying the goods individually. Did I mention free shipping? Yeah, that too.
This review has been a loooong time coming. Not because I have had this pen for a great length of time, but rather because the Fisher Space Pen has been one of the most requested reviews from readers of this blog, and I finally found a model of the pen that spoke to me enough to purchase. Sure, I could have picked up a standeard silver bullet somewhere along the way off the shelf at Staples, but so could anyone else. I wanted something different while keeping the price reasonable.
Enter the Fisher Space Pen X-Mark Bullet. I found this beauty at Goldspot Pens for the extremely reasonable price of $15.30 (no special consideration was given), especially considering the model carried at Staples is right around $20. Two things really sold me on the X Mark over a basic model: 1) the black matte finish is great looking, and 2) it has a clip. If I am going to purchase a compact pen for whatever use, a pen clip is almost mandatory. I don't do well with a pen that just floats around in my pocket or backpack. I have to clip it to the notebook I am using, or to my shirt pocket, backpack pocket, or wherever. The clip on the X-Mark does a great job.
As you well know by now, looks don't mean much without great writing performance, and this is where the Fisher Space Pen surprised me. I was worried about spending this much on a ballpoint pen and never using it, but this pen writes as well as any similar pen that I have tried. The black ink is especially dark for a ballpoint, and is extremely smooth. I enjoyed writing with this pen quite a bit.
I have only found one potential negative with this pen so far - the cap doesn't really snap or lock into place when putting it back on the tip of the pen. This is a minor quibble, but I am used to more of a locking effect when capping a pen, and this one just slides on and I have to double-check to ensure that it is on tight enough. Once I get more time with this pen I will be able to notice better if this is a problem.
The Fisher Space Pen is the forefather to other write anywhere pens like the Uni-Ball Power Tank and the Tombow Airpress. Rain, cold, heat, outer space - this pen is made to handle it all. Maybe I'll get to the moon one day to really test this pen out. Now THAT would be a pen review!
Click here for the XL review.
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