Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint Pen Review

“Brad, why do you like the Caran d’Ache 849 so much? I just don’t get it.”

I’ve reviewed the 849 before (back in 2019,) had my own Pen Addict Edition made, and yes, I keep bringing it up in conversation, and buy special editions of it. I’m a fan, but why?

For starters, the style. First launched in 1969, the design of the 849 is a stationery classic. Like a LAMY Safari or a Pelikan fountain pen, the design of the 849 is noticeable from across the room. That likely comes from the unique clip design, tailored perfectly to the fit the hexagonal barrel.

The size of the 849 is also an important factor. This is a small pen. Modern pen designs tell us that the market prefers slightly wider and longer pens, but designs like the 849 and Parker Jotter have sustained for decades by keeping their original silhouette. At 5 inches long and 0.5 oz. in weight it may not necessarily seem or feel small, but in comparison to similar pens it does land on that side of the ledger.

Attached to the Traveler’s Passport notebook.

Ballpoint refills sometimes get a bad rap, but the Goliath (yes, that’s what they named theirs,) is excellent. Only standard colors (Black, Blue, Red, Green,) and sizes (Fine, Medium, Broad,) are available, but the ones I’ve tried (Black and Blue, Fine and Medium,) have all been excellent.

I prefer the Fine Blue Goliath refill, but the Fine Black version may make me reconsider. The line is clean, consistent, and mess-free.

The sum of the above reasons I like the 849 brings us to main one: fun. Caran d’Ache makes fun pens. Look no further than this Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint for one example why these pens are so popular. This Limited Edition features a Red body with Gold trim, and is filled with dragon scales, including a random layout of gilded-edges. The entire package pops, including the Gold slimpack it ships in.

For all of the upside I see in the 849 lineup, the one downside is the price. The base single color models start at $22, with various Limited Editions on up from there. This Year of the Dragon model is $47. I paid over $100 for a chromed-out Keith Haring edition. So yeah, I’m way in on the Cd’A 849 lineup.

Left to right: Kaweco Sport, Cd’A 849, LAMY Safari.

Should you be? I think there is a checklist to run down if you are thinking about making a purchase. As I discussed above, think about how the size fits your hand, if you like ballpoint refills (the 849 is compatible with Parker-style refills,) and does the style match yours. Am I going to tell you that the 849 provides better performance for the price than the Jetstream Lite Touch that I just raved about? No. Am I going to tell you it’s cooler? I might.

I know that the Caran d’Ache 849 is a staple in my lineup, and I always look forward to what the brand will come up with next.

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

uniball Jetstream Lite Touch Ballpoint Pen Review

Top to bottom: uniball Jetstream Lite Touch 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, two 0.5 mm 4+1 multi pens.

There’s no point in burying the lede: the uniball Jetstream Lite Touch is better than the standard Jetstream in every line width and ink color I have tested so far.

uniball considers the Lite Touch a separate product from all existing Jetstream models. They did this recently with the uniball One as it compares to their other gel ink offerings, like the Signo lineup (which, in itself, has many different ink formulations.) With the Lite Touch, not only has the ink formulation changed, uniball added some design elements - and marketing - into the barrel.

The Jetstream is already the best ballpoint pen on the market, so how did uniball make it better? They focused on smoothness and lower friction while writing on the page, and I’d say they succeeded in comparison to existing models, if only slightly. The biggest change I see is that the ink is richer and darker compared to the standard Jetstream. I was already a big Jetstream fan, but the way the Lite Touch ink looks and performs puts it a clear step ahead.

There is a bit of “Keeping up with the Joneses,” in the Lite Touch release, as the quiet barrel of the Zebra bLen has become a hit on the store shelves. uniball redesigned the barrel interior and knock to limit vibration when writing, which can be an annoyance. An annoyance which I never had with any previous Jetstream model, but the market has dictated with the bLen and Pentel Calme that tip rattle is out, and quiet writing is in. What took them all so long?

Standard version 4+1 on top. Ignore the refill length difference between the two - the orange one has a specialty grip.

I had several models of the uniball Jetstream Lite Touch sent to me by a friend in Japan: 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm single barrel pens, and 0.5 mm 4+1 multi pen. When I began testing them alongside Jetstream pens I already owned, I could instantly tell a difference: the ink is darker.

The Lite Touch refill (top,) is marked SXR-L, assumedly for “Lite Touch.” SXR-L-7 for 0.7 mm, versus SXR-7 for the standard 0.7 mm. The refill shape is the same so you can swap the Lite Touch refill into your favorite Jetstream barrel.

The ink color differences may be difficult to pick up in pictures, but I can tell them apart easily in person.

Lite Touch is on the top, and maybe you can see a slightly darker line compared to the bottom.

The Black 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm Lite Touch inks are fantastic. And the Blue ink from the multi pen is the standout among all of the colors, with a richness that puts it as the single best Blue ballpoint ink on the market. I cannot wait until I can get it in an 0.5 mm single barrel.

These are the Lite Touch 0.5 mm multi pen refills, with the LT ink sample listed first for each color. It’s difficult to tell looking at the image, but in person I can tell them apart.

The only ink that performed poorly was the Green ink. This is expected, as it is always the worst performing of the 4+1 colors. If they dropped it from the lineup completely, it wouldn’t be missed. Red can be hit or miss, and the Lite Touch color is a hit. It’s nice enough to use in rotation with Black and Blue, instead of every once in a while.

Still tough to see in pictures.

Same with the 0.5 mm Blue ink comparison.

What does the future hold for the Jetstream Lite Touch? If we use the uniball One as a roadmap, different barrel types - hopefully still of the quiet variety - are likely in store. It wasn’t until the One F that I became a fan of that ink formulation, and I still prefer most of the Signo gel inks over the One.

With the Lite Touch, I don’t think that’s going to be the case at all. I think it is superior in every way to the existing Jetstream, and I wonder if it won’t completely take over in the next few years. The plan, for now, is to have both Jetstream lineups available. Superfans - like myself - will be relegated to paying a premium price for a premium product. In this case, it is well deserved.

Remember the Jetstream? Those were good times.

Availability of the uniball Jetstream Lite Touch is still mostly limited to Japan, for now. Wider release is expected in 2025, and, of course, there are many importers and second-hand markets where you can currently find these pens.

---

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!

Lamy Noto Ballpoint Pen Review

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

It can be easy to disregard pens that fall into the more mundane or sundry category after you've been exposed to and used much higher-end pens. Even ballpoints can be an elevated writing experience thanks to all the custom makers that design pen bodies around popular refills. Still, it's always interesting to me what these large pen makers can come up with on the other side of the price spectrum.

The Lamy Noto is a modern and sleek ballpoint pen that delivers a great writing experience at a fair price. The white body and matte silver grip are an attractive combo, and the three-sided shape adds to the stylish aesthetic. It won't be everyone's cup of their preferred hot beverage, but it will definitely capture the attention of many people whether they like stationery or not.

Even though the Noto is made entirely of plastic materials, it looks and feels really sturdy and well-made. Lamy has a long track record of making durable pens, so this one can likely be expected to last a while. The silver grip is a smooth texture, but the triple-sided shape of the grip offers plenty of traction for your fingers when holding the pen. It isn't Lamy's typical grip section, which I'm sure many people will see as a positive attribute over the more opinionated shape you'll find on the Safari.

The clip on the Noto is fairly small — both in size and also in the capacity for what it can clip to due to the space between the clip and pen body. It's pretty flexible and can expand a bit to attach to thicker materials, but I wouldn't do that often as it seems like the thin material might grow weak over time. For what it is, it does the job. In order to stick to the slim profile, I understand (and appreciate) the small clip design. Just don't expect it to pull double duty as a pry bar or anything.

The click mechanism is exceptionally smooth and quiet. For me, if a clicky pen doesn't have a satisfying and thocky sound, then it should be silent. The Noto does this well. The nock mechanism or spring require a healthy dose of force to operate, which adds to the feel that this pen is more premium than the price tag suggests.

The only branding for this pen is a debossed Lamy logo on the barrel opposite the clip. On this white body, it's really easy to miss the logo. It's really well done, and given the matte finish of the other color options, I'd expect the logo to be unobtrusive on those as well.

The Noto uses a Lamy M16 refill, and comes with a black medium cartridge in the pen. The M16 is a proprietary size, so there aren't many options. From Lamy, you can buy fine, medium, or broad sizes in black, blue, red, or green. Each refill is $6 a piece, so not the cheapest option out there (for those of us in the US, at least).

The M16 isn't my favorite ballpoint refill out there, but it's certainly a decent refill. It doesn't provide as crisp or dark a line as I prefer, but it's completely acceptable and reliable. You can certainly do much worse in terms of default ballpoint refills. This one starts up almost immediately and doesn't have any skipping or burping issues that some ballpoint refills have. It's a great refill, and that's good news because it's the only kind that works in this pen (out of the box, anyway). Still, it would be awesome if Lamy used a more generic and widely available cartridge shape.

The Lamy Noto is under $12 USD, which is a great deal for what you get. The refill cost is more than half the cost of the pen, and I'm honestly impressed with the quality and feel that Lamy squeeze out of the pen body and mechanics once you discount the cost of the refill. The price is low enough that you can pick one up on a whim if you happen to like the aesthetic, while also being confident that it will be a reliable and comfortable writer.

If the white and silver combo isn't your jam, there's also a blackout version and a navy/silver version.

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

---

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!