Rickshaw 6-Pen Coozy Roll Review

Rickshaw 6-Pen Coozy Roll Review

(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 her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available for pre-order!)

There's no better feeling than curling up in a soft blanket. Why deprive our pens of that joy? Rickshaw has them covered--literally--with the handy 6-Pen Coozy Roll.

Rickshaw describes these pen rolls as "plush," which is the perfect word for it. The inside is the softest, fuzziest fabric I've ever seen in a pen case. It is teddy bear soft. The fluffy padded roll will keep your pens cushioned from the outside world while protecting delicate surfaces from any scratches or abrasions. It's not a hard case in any way, so care must still be taken when it comes to impacts or pressures your pens might encounter, but for soft, cushiony protection, this roll is fabulous.

While the inside is full of the softest fluff, the outer material is a woven polyester printed, in this case, with a plethora of adorable black cats drawn by artist Yuki Tanaka. Their personalities perfectly match those of my own black cat, Merri. The pen roll comes in tons of colors and patterns and you can easily find one or three that appeal to you. The edges are all lined with a reinforcing trim, and the roll securely closes with an elastic band that circles and cinches closed with a locking plastic toggle.

As it states in the name, it holds six pens. Each pen slot is stitched on both sides, so your pens never touch. The slots are wide enough to fit thick pens, but the plush texture fills the empty space around thinner pens, so they don't slide out, even though there is no closure flap over the opening. When not housing pens, it lays flat, which is great for storage purposes. But your pens are going to love living in this roll, so storage will likely be unnecessary.

This pen roll sells for $49 on JetPens, which is very fair for such a highly constructed piece of pen transport. The cases are also all made in San Francisco, where Rickshaw devises all sorts of tempting bags. Browse at the peril of your wallet.

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


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Posted on June 20, 2024 and filed under Rickshaw, Pen Case.

Robert Oster Skyward Fountain Pen Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Summer is just around the corner, and that means many people will be setting off on summer vacations to idyllic locations that may feature views of beautiful bodies of water. That sort of vacation or trip isn't in the cards for me this year, but I can capture a small part of that sparkly water feel with Skyward ink from Robert Oster, an exclusive color from Vanness.

Given the name, I assume this ink color draws inspiration from the sky, but I just see crystal clear water when I look at it. Either way, it's a gorgeous aqua/sky blue with just a small hint of green. I'm a big fan of blue inks — turquoise in particular — and this shade of blue takes me to my happy place.

The ink flows really well (almost like water), and has no issues with skipping or hard starts. Like every other Oster ink I've personally used, it performs really well. There isn't any bleeding or feathering, and the ink stays where it's supposed to be while making clean lines with crisp edges.

There's also a bit of shading that adds to that feeling that this is actually a clear tropical body of water close to the beach. There's just enough variation of light blues and a little green to mimic shallow, clear water.

One thing that surprised me about this ink was the dry time. I wasn't expecting to be such a quick drying ink, but it most certainly is. Maybe that's due to the light color? At any rate, this ink is dry to the touch in about 15 to 20 seconds with this large, wet 1.1mm stub nib, and it's a second or two faster with a smaller nib. It dries fast enough that it might even be a good option for left-handed writers.

There's no mistaking this ink color when it's on the page. It is completely light blue and won't be able to pass as a medium blue ink. What that means is that you might not be able to use this ink in certain settings where dark colors are expected (business, legal, etc.). That being said, it's exceedingly great at adding joy to any piece of paper it touches, so use it as much as you want and push the boundaries of what's acceptable.

This comes as no surprise to me, but I absolutely love this ink. I knew as much when I saw the swatch online, and Robert Oster has delivered again. It's fantastic knowing that you can buy any of these inks based on color, shading, and other interesting characteristics while being confident that everything else will work great.

Vanness Pens sell Skyward exclusively, and you can pick it up in a 50ml bottle for $18, or you can opt for a 4ml sample for just under $4. In my opinion, you should go for the bottle if you like the color. This light blue has just enough green and subtle shading to make it feel like you're on the beach, so you'll likely use more of it that you think at first. If you like the color, you won't be sorry you picked up a bottle!


Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on June 19, 2024 and filed under Robert Oster, Ink Reviews.

Nahvalur Original Plus Rainbow Wrasse Fountain Pen Giveaway

I enjoy the Nahvalur Original Plus for many reasons. Fun, functionality, and price are a great starting point, and that lines it up well for a giveaway, too! I reviewed the Nahvalur Original Plus Fountain Pen in Rainbow Wrasse yesterday, and today I’m giving away my review model of this pen. Read the rules below and get to entering!

Posted on June 18, 2024 and filed under Giveaways.