Parker IM Premium Fountain Pen Review

In its heyday, Parker was on top of the pen and pencil world. Anyone who was anyone owned a Parker, with many of their classic designs still highly sought after to this day. The last couple of decades haven't been so nice to this once elite brand though. Their offerings have been mostly mediocre in my view, and are getting lapped by competitors who offer more for less.

I was honestly not excited when I heard about the latest Parker fountain pen releases, but one thing caught my eye: They used the word Vacumatic in the product description. Along with the Duofold and the 51, the Vacumatic is classic Parker design at its best. I own a Vacumatic and it remains one of the most intriguing and beautiful pens I own. Just that one little mention had me anxious to see what Parker had up its sleeve.

The Parker IM Premium pays homage to the original Vacumatic's horizontal stripe design, and they pulled it off well. The Emerald Pearl model I received from JetPens shares a bit of the color scheme with my classic Vac, but the materials and functionality are completely different.

First off, this is an aluminum barrel pen, unlike the resin barrels of yesteryear. So, no translucency through the barrel, but rather a solid, lightweight metal replacement. Secondly, this is a cartridge/coverter filler, meaning no fancy vacumatic filling action, which is likely a cost issue. This is not your grandfathers Vacumatic, and based on the naming, it isn't supposed to be.

The IM Premium is a good quality entry level fountain pen - that's what it is designed to be. I think Parker pulled it off well here, too. It has a classic look while retaining a modern style. The traditional Parker arrow clip is there, but they mix in a brushed metal section to give it an up to date feel.

One thing that caught my eye when first unboxing it was the scale of the nib compared to the pen body. It is small - smaller visually than I am used to. Once I inked it up with the provided blue ink cartridge it wrote so well I no longer noticed the size. The medium stainless steel nib is smooth and the line width is controlled and just the proper width. The ink flow was spot on. And the blue ink color itself? Really, really nice, which was another surprise.

I didn't think it would happen, but I am enjoying this pen. Either Parker has been doing a better job of late (I dig their Jotter 60th Anniversary Edition), or I am turning into my grandfather. Neither of those would be a bad thing.

(JetPens is a sponsor of The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Three Questions With Shawn Blanc

Shawn Blanc is one of the good guys. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him online for years and was excited to finally meet him in person at the XOXO Festival in Portland this year. My thanks to Shawn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer Three Questions.

1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

My pen and paper give me a bit of balance and escape from my otherwise fully-digital workflows. I do almost all my reading, writing, task management, research, communcation, and more from something that has a screen and an Internet connection.

But I always have my pen and notebook opened beside me because I employ a hybrid sort of system that uses both digital and analog tools. In short, I start out each day with a cup of coffee, my iPad, my notebook, and my pen. I then scrub through my OmniFocus to-do list and write down on paper all the tasks I hope to do that day. I also write down my "big three" goals which will define success for me. And then, I write down my day's schedule -- I make appointments for when I'm going to do my goals and tasks.

The whole process takes me less than 10 minutes, and when I'm done I now have a written down, concrete plan for my day -- I know what to do and when to do it.

Not only is this a nice excuse to actually write with pen and paper, but I also like the "distraction free" environment of a notebook when it comes to referencing my plans as I move through the day. Moreover, you can't flip through the pages of your archived OmniFocus database. Having a journal which is thick with crossed off action items and scribbled-down thoughts is proof that I am, in fact, showing up every day and getting to work. It's proof for me alone. It's my own reminder that today I am not in the same place I was yesterday.

2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?

Baron Fig dot grid Confidant and the 0.38mm Signo DX.

The Baron Fig is almost the best journal on the planet. It's exactly the right size, has exactly the right type of paper, and is very well made. I only wish it had a higher-quality bookmark ribbon and a stay-shut band to wrap around the cover when it's closed.

And it was you, Brad, who introduced me to the Signo DX. It is the finest pen on the planet, and I am forever in your debt.

3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

Ask me another day, and I may give you another answer. But today it's this article I wrote  regarding family, country, and conviction.

Venturi Pen

My thanks to Venturi Pen for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week. Their current Kickstarter for the Venturi One - Minimal Pen has three weeks to go with several Early Bird spots remaining. Be sure to check it out.