Posts filed under Zebra

Zebra Sarasa Clip Mister Donut Scented Gel Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

The scented Zebra Sarasa pens are back with new limited editions, this time celebrating Mister Donut in some scrumptious sweet scents. If you missed the last scented gel pen release, definitely grab these. If you already have the last scented set, you can probably skip these, because the colors and scents are mostly repeated. The previous editions had lemon yellow instead of caramel brown. Of course, these versions are decorated with adorable donuts and the Mister Donut characters: French Wooler (set A) and Pon de Lion (set B)--so they're still great fun. I was just disappointed that it wasn't a whole new product. I'm also disappointed, now, that I don't have a real-life matcha donut. But that's one of those problems that stationery can't solve.

These pens have all the fantastic features of the Zebra Sarasa Clip—a lovely, sturdy alligator clip that secures reliably to even fat stacks of paper; fast-drying ink that is water and fade-resistant; a satisfying click mechanism; and a soft rubberized grip. The clips make them a little bulky, but they're functional enough that I think they earn that extra space in the pen case.

They write smoothly and the colors are bright and saturated. I didn't experience any skipping or smudging. The .5 mm tip is great for fine lines while still being easily readable in lighter colors. They're good pens for those who like practical reliability, and the special editions add whimsy that makes writing with them extra delightful. The scents are fun, but not overpowering. I can't say that they smell like what they claim to be--they all have a general "sweet" smell and some are easier to discern than others. But if you had me take a sniff test to determine the scent, I'd fail. The orange and the strawberry are the easiest to identify by smell alone.

Like the previous edition, this one is broken up into two sets of four. Set A has chocolate black, matcha green, peach pink, and vanilla light blue. Set B has caramel brown, milk blue, orange, and strawberry red. Both sets together make a nice array of colors. Individually, the sets seem oddly grouped. It would make more sense, to me, to put the red, blue, and black together--the office-appropriate colors--and then the more wild colors in the other set. Or just make it one set of eight--because who just buys half of the limited edition?

At $10.75 per set, they're a little on the pricy side. But the pens are refillable (just not with the limited scented ink). They're also well-made enough to withstand many repeated uses, so I don't think the price is unreasonable.

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

I hope the next limited series will include some more new colors and scents, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy these very much.

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Posted on September 28, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Zebra, Sarasa, Pen Reviews.

Zebra F-701 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.)

When you see a Zebra F-701 in the wild, you instantly recognize the stainless steel barrel and knurled grip section. It's been around quite a while, it's widely distributed and available in big-box stores, and it's very affordable. At around six bucks, some people might think it's a bit pricey, but they're comparing that to the number of Pilot G-2s they can purchase for the same price. If you've held a F-701, you know there's a big difference.

The F-701 has a special place in my heart because I used them in college for the majority of my classes. It was a reliable, durable, and classy-looking pen that I enjoyed using to take notes. The refill was never my favorite due to the typical ballpoint splotchiness, but it's a reliable refill despite the normal ballpoint downfalls.

In short, if you've never used a F-701, you should try one out. You can't come close in this price range, and it also has a nice trick up its sleeve to make it worth your while.

From the outside, the F-701 is all stainless steel except for the top section that houses the nock. If you're motivated enough, you can swap out that black piece for the stainless counterpart used in the F-402, but I haven't tried that modification yet. The grip has a pleasant knurling effect that makes it extremely easy to hold on to, but without being uncomfortable or stabby like more aggressive knurling patterns. Despite being metal, it's still light. The clip is strong, and you don't have to worry about this pen falling off your clothes or bags. The click mechanism is incredibly smooth and quiet. From an aesthetic point of view, this pen is sharp. You'll know immediately if you like it.

From a writing perspective, it performs along the same lines as other traditional ballpoints. The ink is a bit splotchy and light, and the 0.7mm size makes a very fine line. It never has issues starting or skipping, and I've never had any defective refills in my years of using this pen. Apart from the normal downsides of a ballpoint refill, this is a top notch example of a great performing refill.

But, what if you want something better? Well, you're in luck. The Fisher Space Pen refill fits this pen like a glove — it almost seems like Zebra had this in mind when making the pen. If you want my advice, throw a Fisher refill in the cart when you purchase the F-701 to cover your bases. The combination of this pen and the Fisher refill yield a cost-effective, durable, and attractive EDC writing instrument. If you're inclined, I'm sure other refills will fit this pen as well. The Schmidt EasyFlow seems like a good candidate if you can negotiate the plastic butt that extends the overall length.

The Zebra F-701 is a classic, and for good reason. It's a sturdy and affordable pen that most people recognize. Coming in at $6 means you can afford to take a chance, and you can probably find them at your local big-box retailer. If you haven't used one before, throw one in on your next order!

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Posted on September 27, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Zebra, F-701, Pen Reviews.

Zebra Justfit Double-Sided Highlighter Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

It's that time of year again. Magic is in the air, the scent is on the breeze: school supplies. So I thought I'd focus on a study tool this week. Namely, this lovely set of Zebra Justfit Double-Sided Highlighters.

This is a nice, practical set to have. The pink, orange, yellow, green, and blue colors make for a good variety for color coding notes. There are also other colors available in open stock, if you need or prefer. The chisel tip (4 mm) at one end and bullet tip (1.2 mm) at the other make it easy to highlight different kinds of texts and add notes as you go. The chisel end has a very narrow profile that makes the felt quite flexible. It's almost like a brush the way it flexes as you move. It's what makes this highlighter unique, and I think it's a nice feature. It allows you to hold the pen at different angles or write over curved surfaces and still get crisp, even lines. I worry that it will wear out, though. I recall, in my school days, running through my highlighters quite quickly, so maybe the tip will outlast the ink supply. These are not refillable, so it doesn't need to last forever.

The highlighters have a white plastic body with the center band and both caps indicating the color. The clip is fairly sturdy and has enough of a gap that you can use it as a bookmark (the highlighter's hidden second purpose in life). The caps snap shut very securely. The bodies are a good diameter, so they'll be comfortable for those long study sessions where it seems like every word of your textbook is important.

The ink is pigmented, water-based, and water-resistant. I didn't do a coffee spill test, though. It performed very well over different kinds of writing: pencil, ballpoint, rollerball, gel pen, and fountain pen. It did well over inkjet and laser printed text. It did seem to cause the liquid inks to fuzz a bit, but they weren't smeared. It worked well in books and textbooks and magazines, and was fast-drying even on coated papers. I did see some issues with bleed- and show-through on thin paper and cheap copy paper. Bleed-through with highlighters is the actual worst, because then you waste time trying to remember what was important about the text that only appears highlighted but is actually just behind the text that you really highlighted. So for lightweight or cheap papers, maybe stick to a pencil highlighter.

The colors themselves are standard and bright. They aren't as eye-searingly neon as some highlighters I've tried, but they're enough to attract attention. I find the lower saturation highlighters to be easier to study with, since there isn't as much eye strain.

This set of five sells for $6.75. More than what you'd pay for a big box store set, maybe, but not by much--and cheaper than a number of high-quality brands. I think these are perfectly practical tools. They may not scream "exciting stationery" but highlighters are the secret heroes of the school supply world, and this is a very solid set. They teach us how to remind ourselves about what's important so we can let the rest go. Life skills in addition to study skills! I think it's safe to say we could all use some of these.

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

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