(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)
There are some very decent disposable fountain pens out there, and the Itoya Blade and Pilot Varsity are two of the best. They write well, and they're reliable and very affordable. The only downside is that they look every bit as inexpensive as they are and the plastic materials aren't as durable as pricier reusable pens.
Itoya solved this issue with the PaperSkater Galaxy. It isn't a pen itself, but a suit of swanky armor for the Blade and Varsity disposable pens. The end cap of the pen twists off, and then the disposable pen-turned-cartridge slides right in. The Varsity requires an (included) small adaptor under the blind cap.
The PaperSkater body is brushed aluminum. The orange I was sent is very vivid. The accents are chrome and feel sturdy. The clip is bolted in place and does not bend easily. The cap twists off, but the threads are very subtle and don't interfere with the grip at all. It is lightweight and comfortable to hold.
The Itoya Blade that comes with this... Iron Man suit? writes well. The black ink is dark and dries quickly, though it has no shading or sheening. It feels a bit dry as it writes, but that may be the fine point--which is the only size available. It's also only available in blue or black. I would personally prefer to use a Varsity with this... Escape Pod? as it comes in more colors and has, I feel, a more enjoyable writing experience. The PaperSkater body would cover all of the color-indicators on the Varsity, though, so you'd have to remember what you put in it.
If you love disposable fountain pens and want a... durability enchanted armor set? for them, this is a nice option, though you'll pay between $30 and $40 for it, depending on sales and where you buy it.
Personally, this doesn't work for me. I like the Varsity, but I don't feel like it needs to be frozen in carbonite in order to perform well. I also feel like it turns a cheap disposable pen into a very expensive ink cartridge. Why not shell out the money for a regular fountain pen and buy the cheaper, smaller standard international cartridges for it? There will be less wasted money and less wasted plastic in the landfill. While it's not for me, I can see its merits. And if I was a Varsity, I'd want a cool Vibranium suit, too.
(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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