The Pokka Pen Is Born (Sponsor)

We are all tinkerers at heart, hacking and modifying pens to suit our needs. Terry O’Connor got tired of losing his space pen and started making pen runts by cutting Bic ballpoints in half. That’s when the idea hit him - why don’t I make my own pen, and make it great?

Enter the Pokka Pen.

These precision injection molded pens are small and light enough to carry in your pocket or bag and go unnoticed, but when uncapped they turn into a full sized writing instrument. The unique Double Dokk system ensures the cap fits securely when open or closed.

The Pokka Pen comes in several different colors, including a series of premium Kustom Koated pens, and can be accessorized with the upcoming Keyring Kaps which allow you to attach your Pokka Pen to key rings, zippers, or lanyards. Best of all? They cost less than $9 for a 3-pack with free shipping on orders of 10 pens or more. Talk about the perfect stocking stuffer.

As a bonus for Pen Addict readers, any order of 5 or more Pokka Pens will receive a free Pen Addict logo Pokka.

My thanks to Pokka Pens for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Lamy LX Fountain Pen Review

Lamy has made some interesting design decisions this year. The highly anticipated Lamy 2000 50th Anniversary pen fell flat in my eyes, and the announcement of the Lamy Lx - aka the iPhone pen - looked to be a marginal Al-Star upgrade at a non-marginal price.

I wanted to check out the Lx myself to see if the over 50% price increase from the Al-Star is worth it. Are you getting enough value to justify the price?

I don’t think so.

The selling points of the Lx (pronounced “Luxe” if you are wondering how Lamy sees this pen) are upgraded anodizing - barrel, clip, and finial - plus coated black steel nibs. The packaging is upgraded too, featuring a tube to match the color of your pen. Don't forget: You pay for packaging.

While the visual differences between the Al-Star and Lx are minimal, there is zero difference in the feel of the pen. Blindfolded, I would assume this is an Al-Star. It writes like one, which is to say wonderfully, and has the same molded plastic grip, weight, and balance.

If you are interested in the Gold or Rose Gold models, I can see the justification for purchasing the Lx. Those colors don’t appear in the rest of the product lineup, and the clip anodizing is more of a standout feature compared to the Palladium and Ruthenium models. If the latter two interest you, I would consider the Al-Star in Black or Graphite Grey and save some money. If you just want to experience the nib, like the EF in my review, you can drop down to the Safari and not miss a beat.

On it’s own merits, the Lamy Lx is a good pen. If the Al-Star didn’t exist, I would dare to say it is fairly priced. But the Al-Star does exist, so you will need to weigh the pros and cons between the two when making your buying decision.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Tom Barrington

Tom Barrington sells beautiful exotic leather pen cases, and should be on your radar this holiday season.

I know the Red Stingray Double Pen Sleeve is on mine, or possibly the Single Pen Orange Sleeve. All leather exteriors are genuine, and each case is lined with Napa cowhide for an added layer of protection.

Whatever your pen case needs, Tom Barrington is certain to have you and your pens covered. And they make wonderful gifts too!

My thanks to Tom Barrington for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.