#OnePenOneDay Project Update

Things have been going pretty well so far with my #OnePenOneDay project. I have made it through several days in a monogamous relationship with my writing utensil of choice, despite the difficulties. I will say that this cannot be an every single day of the year project though - there are just some days where it is not feasible. But on the days that I consider "project days" I am 100% committed to that pen, and that pen only, for the entire day.

Here are some of the pens I have revisited so far:

Pentel Tradio EnerGel Combo Pen -- I liked this pen a lot the first time around (links go to the original reviews), but the cap not staying posted is still an issue. It is hard to beat the EnerGel ink from a performance perspective, but if I am picking up an EnerGel right now it is the Euro Needle.

Uni-Ball Jetstream Sport 0.5mm Blue -- Still one of my all-time favorites. Nice, clean barrel design, great grip, and an 0.5mm tip with performance to die for. Many people believe this pen is too scratchy, but for me, it is almost perfect.

Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm Black (with Grip) -- This is the one pen that I can't get enough of for note taking purposes. The line is super-fine and I love how my handwriting turns out on the page. Yes, there are sometimes startup issues when you first get writing, but one it starts up it is one of the best pens around. (In writing this, I now realize I have never reviewed this exact pen. I'll correct that soon.)

Copic Drawing Pen F02 -- I have no idea what is going on with this pen, but it is frustrating me. I was worried about it from the get go since it had been months since I used it. The ink started flowing well enough right out the gate, and for the few hours following. After that, performance was all over the place, leaving me to wonder if the ink had dried up on the inside.

Sharpie Pen -- A classic pen on top of a classic book. The Sharpie Pen is one of my all time favorites for sure. I always enjoy writing with it, and despite the new barrel styles and colors being introduced, the black ink original is still the best.

Well, that is it for this first round of #OnePenOneDay. I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions for this project, and I'll also take requests for pens you would like me to run through the gauntlet once more. Just let me know below.

Review: Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point Gel Ink Pen 0.35mm Blue

Well, wasn't this a great surprise in the latest JetPens new products upload!  Pentel is already in the sub-0.5mm market with the ever popular Slicci, and the not so popular Technica, but seeing a micro tip show up in the hugely popular EnerGel line is very cool.  After my railing on the industry just a week ago, is there hope for micro tipped pens in the marketplace after all?  Maybe, maybe not, but if this pen is successful, maybe that will lead Pentel and others to push the market a little more.

A little disconcerting is the fact that - like all of the good micro tipped pens - information on the EnerGel Euro is only found on the Pentel Japan site.  So will we see this pen on the shelves in the US?  All signs point towards no, but this is a very straightforward Energel build so I will keep my fingers crossed, because this is a very good pen, and I think it would do very well in the mainstream market.

On the performance front, the EnerGel Euro 0.35mm is top notch.  This pen reminds me a lot of the Uni-Ball Signo DX, even though it is a needle tip.  The barrel feels as sturdy, if not more so, and the writing quality is almost the same.  The 0.35mm tip writes more like an 0.4mm tip, but clearly finer than an 0.5mm.  The ink flow is flawless, the blue in ink a great shade, and it is impressively smooth.

I'll say it until the cows come home, and I'm going to say it again - thank goodness for JetPens.  These pens are available there, although the 0.35mm models are currently sold out.  Keep your eyes peeled though because I bet they will restock quickly for such a nice pen.

Click here for the XL review.

Products used:

Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle-Point Gel Ink Pen 0.35mm Blue from JetPens

Writing Pad from Doane Paper