(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Every so often, you come across a product that seems so obvious and you can hardly believe that it hadn't already been done. While a refillable felt-tip pen may have been done before, I doubt it was done with the style and high-quality materials of Yookers.
I've been using the Yookers Metis pen for the past few weeks, and I'm honestly surprised by how well it works. It's a nicely-built pen that will last forever, and you can also use your own ink and swap out the grip section when the plastic tip starts to wear down or split. Even better, you can order several different size tips so you can easily swap them out in the same pen body. It's an ingenious system and one that I can imagine felt-tip aficionados will adore.
The materials used in this pen feel well made and are also quite a statement. The version of the Metis I have is called "black grid," and it's easy to see why. The black grid is separated by a satin chrome finish on the body, and the accents of the pen are a shiny polished chrome that really catches the light. The clip is sturdy and features some intricate scroll work along the edges that adds to the overall Art Deco aesthetic. The cap is hefty and screws/unscrews from the body with ease. You can also post the cap, but I've found that the extra weight throws off the balance of the pen. Given the dense metal materials used in the pen, this isn't surprising.
Under the cap, you're greeted with more of the same shiny chrome on the grip section, but there's also a unique black cone that houses the felt tip. The black cone adds a sense of precision with the bold white lettering that indicates the tip size. In my case, the "1.4" is unmistakable. Similarly with the other tips you can purchase, you'll never have to squint or wonder what size tip you're using.
One of the headline features of this pen is the ability to refill the pen with ink when it runs out. Additionally, you can also use any fountain pen ink, which opens up the color options exponentially. To make it even better, the grip sections accept a standard international cartridge or cartridge converter as long as it will fit in the body. This is a fantastic feature that gives you the ability to use your favorite colors in a felt tip pen. I currently have mine inked using the converter with Callifolio Pacifique. It's a great combination, and it's great to know that I can easily clean it out and swap in another color.
Writing with this pen is also exactly what you'd expect from any felt tip pen. It makes crisp, smooth lines, and moves effortlessly over the page. You have to be careful to only apply light to medium pressure in order to preserve the plastic tip, but that's the case with any felt tip pen. The bonus here is that you can choose a premium body to house your favorite ink colors and tip sizes. It's a complete dream when it comes to customization.
I've really enjoyed writing with the Yookers Metis over the past few weeks. I don't consider myself a felt tip fanboy by any means, but I can certainly appreciate a good writing experience. This is exactly what the Metis affords, and I'm sure you'll love it if you pick one up and use it for a few minutes.
There aren't really any downsides aside from price and longevity. Obviously, felt tips break down and become unusable over time. You can buy replacements, but the new tip is part of a new grip section assembly, which drives up the cost a bit. At $17 per section, you have to be really invested in this pen platform to make the price work. Disposable felt tip pens are very affordable and available in a wide range of colors, so this might be a hard sell for some. Another consideration is that Yookers has to be around in order for you to purchase grip sections from. If they fold or decide to refresh their product lines, you won't be able to buy any replacements, turning your nice pen into a fancy paperweight after your last tip dies.
Another thing to note regarding the converter filling system is that you can't treat this pen like a regular fountain pen when filling! Instead of dipping the tip of the pen into the ink and drawing the ink up by retracting the converter plunger, you have to add the ink directly to the converter. The tip doesn't allow ink to pass through it quickly enough to draw it up through the converter. I've been using a syringe to draw up ink, fill the converter, insert the converter, and then wait for the ink to soak through to the tip. This waiting process only took a few minutes to reach full saturation. The same wait time would apply if you opted to install the included ink cartridge or another cartridge of your choosing.
At just under $50, the Yookers Metis is certainly a luxury item. It's made well, is a joy to use, and offers great customization for felt tip fans. The ability to choose your own ink color and refill the pen is unique in this category, and it will certainly speak volumes to some. If this pen doesn't speak to you, then you're probably better off with the multitude of disposable felt tip pens available today! And hey, if the Metis doesn't fit your aesthetic, Yookers offer several other designs to choose from. I'm personally a big fan of the orange 751 and the red Eros.
(Yookers provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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