Pilot Dr. Grip Play Balance Shaker Mechanical Pencil Review

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

We all know that there's a lot of preference that goes into the perfect balance and handling of a writing instrument. The lower the center of gravity, the better the control. Too low, though, and it just feels weird. Each pen or pencil has a unique balance, and that attributes so much to the overall writing experience. But what if you could customize the balance of the pen or pencil by adding/subtracting weight to the grip section?

I'm guessing this is the question that came up in a Pilot design session at some point, because that's why we now have the Dr. Grip Play Balance Shaker Mechanical Pencil. There's a lot going on in this name, so let's break it down.

• Dr. Grip — contoured and squishy grip that you'll either love or hate
• Play Balance — you can add or remove weight from the grip section to alter the center of gravity!
• Shaker — you can press the nock at the top of the pencil to advance the lead like any other mechanical pencil, but you can also advance the lead by giving the pencil a little shake.

The Dr. Grip product line has been around quite a while now. If you've never tried one, you owe it to yourself to see if the grip fits your hand and grip style. If it happens to fit, it's really one of the most comfortable writing experiences I've had for a moderately cheap pen that I can buy at most big-box stores. It's got plenty of soft give while also having enough firmness to easily control. For me, the Uni Signo Alpha gel grip is just too soft and I have a hard time writing precisely.

With this mechanical pencil, you have the option of 0.5mm or 0.3mm lead sizes. The version I have is the 0.5mm in the clear body color. There's also black, red, green, and blue if clear isn't your thing. Regardless of the lead size or color, there's a chrome lead advancement button on the top of the pen, a chrome nose cone and lead shoulder, and a small nub at the top of the pencil to keep it from rolling away. There's also a small hole in the nub, so you could theoretically attach it to a lanyard strap or something else to secure it. Unfortunately, there's no clip on this pencil!

I have several mechanical pencils that use the shaker mechanism for advancing the lead, and I have to say that I like it a lot more than I thought I would. At first glance, this just seems like a gimmick that only exists to sell units. But, after retraining my brain that a quick shake will extend enough lead to keep writing, I was instantly sold. The quick shake is milliseconds faster than changing my grip to click the button with my thumb, and it's also just more fun. The shaker mechanism in this pencil is well done — it works easily and doesn't take much effort.

Now, let's talk about the main differentiator for the pencil — the reason is exists and has its own SKU: the Play Balance feature. While I'm not a fan of the name, I actually like the ability to change up the balance of the pencil will little effort. I've seen this type of option in gaming mice — the mouse comes with a cavity inside that you can fill up with a number of small weights until you achieve the perfect weight for your preferences. The idea here is similar, but since you hold a pencil upright instead of laying it flat on a desk and moving it around, you're actually shifting the center of gravity when you move the weight around.

So how does this work? Well, the package comes with three weights (equal sizes) and two silicone spacers. The pencil is preloaded with one weight and two silicone spacers. The weight is closest to the writing tip of the pencil. Changing out the weights and spacers is easy — just unscrew the cone, slide off the Dr. Grip squishy bit, and add/remove weights and spacers to the inner section. The grip section slides back over pretty easily, and as soon as you screw the cone back onto the pencil, you're ready to go. Since there are three available spaces to play with, your options are quite numerous. It's been a long time since I had a statistics math class, but I think this comes out to eight unique configurations (I checked the JetPens page after spending an embarrassing number of minutes trying to remember how to calculate the number of possible options, and JetPens had me covered). It's difficult to tell a difference between small changes, but it's really obvious when you from one extreme to the other. This is similar to how it feels to write with a pen that's posted versus one that isn't. For me, the perfect balance is one spacer at the top, and then two weights at the tip of the section. The beauty of this system is that you can find the perfect balance for your writing style or the task at hand!

At just under $12, this is a fun pencil that I'd happily recommend if you need a solid mechanical pencil that also allows you to play with the balance. It seems like there are so many gimmick-y stationery items in this price range, but this one actually delivers. Even if you never play with the weights, it's still a solid pencil that will serve you for decades to come.

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

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Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 4-Color Multi Pen Review

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

As this pen hobby continues to grow and transform, I seem to have an endless fascination with multi pens. This goes back to my early school days where the BIC 4-color pen was the envy of every student. What makes it so enjoyable these days is the superb quality of the refills available to us.

Speaking of school days, the Dr. Grip exploded on my radar during my middle school years. It was so unique and intentionally different from every other pen available at the big box retailers. Even though it was over the ten dollar mark, it was still a pen I had to have.

With the Dr. Grip 4+1 multi pen, you have the best of both worlds. The grip section shares the same excellent grip from the original Dr. Grip, which lends itself nicely to the larger barrels that multi pens require. The grip isn't as "squishy" as the regular Dr. Grip pens, but it still has a great feel.

As for the rest of the body, you might assume it's a variant of the Acroball multi pen line, which is fair. The grip and Dr. Grip branding on the barrel are the only unique features that distinguish this multi pen from the Acroball line. Luckily, the 0.7mm refills provided with the pen are the same found in the Acroball multi pens. And, if you prefer, you can also use Uni Style Fit gel refills in this body. The Style Fit refills are a personal favorite, so the options are a nice perk.

The colors provided with the pen are black, blue, green, and red, as well as a 0.5mm mechanical pencil module. Like the Acroball line, the colors are vibrant, bold, and clean. I especially love the red because of its near fluorescent glow.

Like a lot of multi pens, there are slim tab buttons at the top of the pen that you depress to extend the color you want. To retract, just half press any other button. The mechanical pencil shares its button with the clip, which works great. The clip also manages to be quite strong, which is helpful in securing the pen to pockets, clothes, and other items.

To extend the lead, simply press a bit harder on the clip/pencil selector. There's also a small eraser hidden under a small cap at the top of the pen. I worry that I'll either lose the cap or that it will fall off in my bag at some point, but this hasn't happened yet after a few weeks of jostling around. It's a pretty firm fit, and given the smooth surface of the cap, it would take a lot of effort at the right angle to accidentally knock it off. To add more lead to the pencil, just remove the cap and the small eraser to uncover the lead tube.

In use, this pen has been really enjoyable. It reminds me of my old Dr. Grip from the late 90s, but updates it with much, much better refills and more color options.

At the $14 mark, it's a bit pricier than the Acroball counterpart, but the Dr. Grip branding and grip are worth the premium. Plus, the Acroball version doesn't include a pencil module. Overall, it's a great value and joy to use. There are several body colors to choose from, as well as options between 0.5mm and 0.7mm refills.

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

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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!

#OnePenOneDay Pilot Dr. Grip Full Black

I am still mad at the Pilot Dr. Grip Full Black for not actually being full black (I blame the chrome clip for my poor photo quality). But my second go-round with this pen has me really enjoying it. The black ballpoint refill writes very cleanly, and there wasn't any messiness to speak of.

The only real issue is how much lint collected on the grip in its months of inactivity. I took the photo early in the process to capture that, but I cleaned it up immediately afterwards and prior to writing with it. This is a pen worth a second look.