It's a hot new Japanese multi pen review kind of week here at The Pen Addict, and the new Pentel Sliccies line is next on the docket. I have mentioned in a couple of places on this blog that if Pentel and Uni-Ball would come out with a similar customizable multi pen like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto they would be a big hit. Little did I know I would be reviewing both new models in the same week.
A reader sent me an email tip a while back about the existence of this pen, and my expectations had been building to unrealistic heights ever since. I was looking for the holy grail of pens with the release of the Sliccies line, and I have to say Pentel came thisclose to delivering, but as always, there are a couple of minor items that keep this pen from being a real knockout.
The ink cartridges perform great, just like the regular Slicci line. The ink flows smoothly with no skipping at all. I am noticing, and maybe it is just me, that the design of the tip has a little more roll to it than the normal Slicci, which I find to be sharper. I prefer the sharper, but the Sliccies seem to write smoother, so that is a fair trade in my book.
The barrel seems to be very sturdy in limited use so far, but I'm not crazy about how the cartridges load. The barrel unscrews in the middle and the cartridges are inserted from below and snap in, as opposed to the Pilot Hi-Tec-C where they load from the top. This must be a popular new design because the Uni Style Fit is the same way, but what it does is prevents you from seeing the color of the ink cartridge easily like with the Coleto. You have to peer through the barrel to see what color is loaded, or remember where you put the cartridge to begin with. My problem with remembering is I already have four barrels populated with ink, and I'm old so my memory is fleeting as the days go by.
One other issue with the barrel is the ridiculous Slicci logo that cuts through the grip ridges on each side, right where I hold it of course. It's not a deal breaker, and I get over it after a few minutes of writing, but why break up the grip ridges with smooth letters right where you grip the pen? That doesn't seem like the best decision to me, falling in the form over function category. At least the two and three cartridge barrels have now solved the barrel being to thin problem many had with the single cartridge model. They are both a very nice size.
But if the photos below don't say enough, I'm a pretty big fan of this pen. I have used them almost exclusively since getting them from JetPens last week, and Mariko surprised me with a three cartridge barrel that I didn't have and already put into the rotation. For someone who enjoys using multiple colors of ink as frequently as I do, the Pentel Slicces will be right up your alley.
For more review of the Pentel Sliccies, check out Mind Most Peculiar and Big Jim.
