Top 5 Pens - Fall 2011

Time for an update to my current Top 5 pens list. As I always state about this particular list, it is a snapshot of the pens I am currently enjoying the most, not a list of what I think are the best pens of all time.

One thing I am finding now that I am working from the house full time is that I haven’t been using multi pens as frequently. I’m not exactly sure why, but for my daily note taking requirements, there isn’t as much of a need to mix up the colors as there was when I was in the IT field. My pen needs have definitely morphed to fit my work needs.

On to the list…

1) Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.3mm Grip Black

This pen (and #2) have far and away made the most appearances on this list. I keep going back to the well time and time again - why is that? Quality never goes out of style. From short notes, to page after page of details, I never get tired of how this pen writes. Black ink, micro fine 0.3mm tip, and a rubber grip. I reach for this pen constantly. It’s crazy how often I use this pen and don’t have a review on The Pen Addict of this exact model. Same with #2 - I must correct this asap!

2) Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm Black

As much as I enjoy #1 on the list, this is the pen that leaves the house with me the most. It is a more durable and less sensitive to the environment choice. I don’t have to worry about banging it around, and it writes great outside when I’m watching soccer practice. I have said it a million times, but this is the pen I recommend the most to new micro tip users.

3) Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen Super Fine

The lone shocker on this list. I never would have thought that a brush pen would be good for note taking, but this one is extremely versatile. I find myself reaching for it more and more, and while I keep waiting for it to break down, it is showing no signs so far. If you want to mix it up a bit, this is the way to go.

4) Pilot Acroball 0.7mm Blue

My lack of color ink use is disturbing. I have historically been a fan of writing with non-standard colors, but I have gone back to basics recently. The Acroball not only has supplanted the Uni-Ball Jetstream as my go to ballpoint, it is the lone non-black ink pen I have been using recently.

5) Uni-Ball Signo 207 Micro Needle Tip Black

A long time standby, now in a not so easy to find needle tip. If the exact same pen comes in both a conical and a needle tip, I am going to pick the needle tip 100% of the time. The only problem you might have with this 207 is finding it. Some readers are able to find them in their local office supply stores, I have only been able to find them on Amazon.

Uni-Ball Signo DX Bordeaux Black 0.38mm Review

The list of Uni-Ball Signo DX colors that I have reviewed is loooong, but until Carmen grabbed the Bordeaux Black for me on a recent NYC trip, I had never used this one. I don't have a good answer as to why it has taken me this long to try it, other than the fact I don't use a lot of reds on a daily basis.

The entire Signo DX line is top quality, and I have yet to have one disappoint me for any reason. If this is your first foray into micro tip pens, you might find the 0.28mm and 0.38mm a little scratchy for your tastes, but give the 0.5mm a chance. I promise you won't be disappointed.

"Naomi" by Neutral Milk Hotel

I was first introduced to Neutral Milk Hotel by my sister and brother-in-law when they were in school in Athens, GA in the early to mid-90's. They were a mind blowing band then, and their music still resonates with me to this day. My sweet little niece is even named after this song.

Their second, and last, album In The Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) continually pops up on all kinds of Top Album lists, but one of my favorite recordings is elusive lead singer Jeff Mangum's Live at Jittery Joe's (2001) release. It is a set of Neutral Milk Hotel songs performed acoustically by Mangum in a small little coffee shop, and is brilliant. The video quality isn't so hot, but Mangum's voice really shines.

Enough of my fawning - check it out.

Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm Blue Black #onepenoneday

I am considering starting a small new project here at The Pen Addict that will help me revisit some of the pens that have I have forgotten about over the years. I am notoriously pen ADD, meaning I can't just use one pen all day long and be content. I always talk myself into reasons why I need to swap pens, get five of them out for a project, or really any excuse just to switch it up.

With my new One Pen, One Day project, I plan on picking out a pen in the morning and sticking with it throughout the day no matter what. This will allow me to put to use some really good pens I have been neglecting, and possibly getting a new perspective on pens I have liked or disliked in the past.

I haven't fully fleshed out this project, but right now the plan is to use Instagram out of pure simplicity for photos, and schedule a regular (possibly weekly) recap of what I have rediscovered about the huge number of pens I own. I want to try and keep it simple, but I am open to suggestions of how to set this up.

Any thoughts or ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments section.