(This is a guest review from Chris, who can be found blogging regularly at Pens'n'Paper)
So, a new JetStream, huh? I must admit, I'm not a horribly huge fan of the JetStream line... I like the 0.5mm JetStream color that I purchased due to it's extremely fine line width, but the others don't really impress me. They seem to just be a glorified and over-advertised ballpoint. Sure, they do write a bit more smoothly than the ordinary ballpoint, but the quality of the writing is about the same. The same skipping is present. I think it's one of the same reasons I never fell in love with the Zebra Surari, because I just wasn't impressed. Maybe I'm just a gel pen fanatic who won't be swayed by the pen companies attempt to yank me back to the age of ballpoints, but, YMMV.
As for the left-handed/quick drying aspect, I can agree with that. Being left-handed, I have always dealt with the issue of smearing ink or graphite all over the page as I was writing. I've slowly adapted over the years (weird hand/paper positions, a cover sheet, different paper, different pens), but it's still an ever-present problem. I can almost even attribute my interest in pens and paper to the fact that I'm still searching for the perfect writing utensil, but I digress... The JetStream 101 dries quickly and is relatively smear-proof (although there was a bit of smearing present when I swiped my hand quickly over it, but I usually don't write that fast), making it an excellent choice for the left-handed writer.
The only other issue I have with this pen is the grip. I grip my pens relatively hard when I write, and this pen doesn't give an inch. Sustained writing (even in just writing the short paper review) caused my hand to begin to cramp. I'm sure I could train my hand out of this habit (or slide on one of the pencil-grippy-things), but I like a pen I can grip firmly without any discomfort.
Other than these small problems, the JetStream 101 is still an excellent pen for those people who love 1.) a smooth ballpoint, 2.) a dark and vibrant ink, and 3.) a relatively (for most) comfortable writing experience.
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Thanks again to Chris for providing this excellent review. Be sure to check out all of his work at Pens'n'Paper.com. If you would like to write a guest review for The Pen Addict, click on the About button on the right sidebar and send me an email.
