(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Back in my high school and college days, the Zebra F-402 was one of my prized possessions. It was classy, dependable, and comfortable. In that period of my life, the 0.7mm ballpoint didn't bother me too much, but I did wish for a bolder line and smoother feel.
Many years later, Zebra have delivered on that wish. The Zebra G-402 is the same pen with one very important difference: the refill. Instead of the classic ballpoint refill, this pen is equipped with a Sarasa refill. The possibilities for refill tip size and colors are much greater with this refill type, and that's really exciting.
The included refill is a 0.5mm black refill that writes smooth and leaves a bold, crisp line on the page. I've always been a fan of the Sarasa line, and this variant is no slouch.
The rest of the pen is identical to the older ballpoint version, so if you've ever used one of those, you'll have a great idea of what to expect with this one. For me, the grip is comfortable for most short writing sessions and the weight feels great in my hand. The clip is strong enough for most circumstances and the stainless steel barrel is resilient to scrapes and bumps. Over the course of its lifetime, the steel develops more character and the rubber grip starts to shine a bit more from use.
The G-402 uses the same refills as the Sarasa multi-pen line, which are easy to replace. One thing I'll mention is that the direction of the spring actually matters with this pen! If you install it the wrong way, it slips down the body of the refill too far and doesn't provide and resistance.
The Sarasa multi-pen line of refills isn't as extensive as others, but it certainly provides more options over the standard black and blue that Zebra offers on the ballpoint variant.
JetPens stock all the various options, so you're sure to find a combination that fits your style or need for every situation.
I've been so delighted to use an old favorite with a fresh refill. I'm sure if I'd never used the F-402 years ago that I'd still think this was an attractive pen. It has a classic and professional design that a lot of people can appreciate. While the pen isn't available on JetPens (as of this writing), you can pick them up at Amazon and peruse the various refills from the selection that JetPens keep in stock.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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