(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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
Stationery with a stylish nod to another type of stationery? That's a winning aesthetic. I still remember my first composition book, purchased for my high school biology class. I had always been tempted by those elite-looking books when school shopping, and I wanted one. They looked so much cooler than notebooks. I didn't want to just "note" things, I wanted to "compose" them. And I needed those marbled covers and cloth binding to do it, I was certain. I reveled in the use of that composition book--my biology labs were written up with the elaborate precision that would later manifest in my bullet journals. I still can't resist a good composition notebook, and I couldn't resist the Esterbrook Camden Composition Fountain Pen, either. I mean, look at it.
Full disclosure: this is my first Esterbrook of any kind. I've played with the vintage ones, but I've never owned one, an I haven't made any foray into the new brand until now. So I can't draw any comparisons under the Esterbrook name, but I can speak to its individual quality.
I love this pen. Not just because it's stylish and nostalgic, but because it's an overall excellent pen. It has a metal body with a paint-spatter marble effect overlaid on it. The surface is slightly textured. It's weighty, but not heavy--it just feels sturdy, but is very comfortable to hold and is balanced enough to not cause hand fatigue. It doesn't post well, however--it's shallow, over-long, and unbalanced when posted. There is a springy clip on the cap. The cap is a twist closure, and has a "cushion closure" that feels bouncy as you close and open it. You have to press it in and then twist to close it, but this ensures a nice seal, so there is no nib dry-out.
The grip section is resin, according to some online specs, though it doesn't feel like resin. the texture feels almost like carbon fiber, though some places are saying aluminum. I'm betting it's brushed aluminum. It's very comfortable to hold, with a slight contour that prevents finger slipping. The threads are smooth, and while there's a step between the grip and body, it's not sharp or intrusive.
The nib is a #6 Schmidt steel nib, available in F, M, and B. It writes well, with a perfect balance of wetness and feedback. It's a very smooth writer, and the performance combined with the feel of the pen in the hand makes it a pen that I keep reaching for.
The MSRP for this pen is $195, with most stores offering it for around $156. It's a very fair price. Right now it's available in Lime “Spring Break" Green, and “Back to School" Black, with promises of a fall red color coming in a few months. There are only 250 each of these limited-edition beauties, so I wouldn't wait, if you're as smitten as I am. The only downside? I don't know of any classic-looking composition books that have fountain pen friendly paper. If you know of one, please drop me a line!
(Kenro Industries provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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