I grabbed this Kokuyo FitCurve from a recent new products push at JetPens. Up to this point, I had never used a Kokuyo pen, but the design of the FitCurve was intriguing. According to the product information notes, the barrel design was definitely not an afterthought:
Based on ergonomic research, the center of gravity of the pen is located near the natural grip location, reducing "hand wobbling" that can cause fatigue. The body shaft measures 10 mm in diameter, thinner than standard ergonomic pens to account for how the pen is used when at a tilt. Apparently, when pens are held at a 30° tilt, 1.15 times the diameter is experienced in the hand. Therefore, the FitCurve is designed thinner so that it can have a 11.5 mm diameter feel when in use.
Seeing as how I didn't read all of those details prior to my written review, I didn't take particular notice of everything, other than it was comfortable to hold. The grip leaves a lot to be desired for me personally though, as it is very firm. Looking at the pictures you may think it has a squishy gel grip, but that is not the case. In fact, it is not far off from a hard plastic extension of the rest of the barrel. If that appeals to you, then this pen is a clear winner. The ballpoint writes well enough to keep it in service. But the grip was too much for me to handle, so I'll move on to the next pen.
Click here for the XL review.
