(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Like a lot of you, it's been weeks since I've really been outside to enjoy nature and take in the scenery of spring. If it's not raining, I've either been working or just too bummed out by the news to bother going for long strolls to enjoy the weather. In times like these, it's great to keep a stash of happy things nearby to inspire some hope and remembrance of the good things. These things are typically small, but small things matter!
In this case, the little push of positivity I needed came in the form of Standard Bindery's Road Trip ink. I've always enjoyed using green inks — mostly for their ability to embody feelings of spring-time and renewal. Road Trip does exactly that, and I'm really grateful for it. It's like a taste of spring on paper.
I haven't used any Standard Bindery inks before, so I was really eager to try it out and put to the test. From Australia, Standard Bindery is a fairly small production that only offers six inks at the moment. If the other five inks are anything like this one, then these folks really know what they're doing.
Road Trip is an electric green that reminds me of fresh grass stains. It's not quite lime, and it's also light enough to carry a lot of joy. Darker greens have their place, but they're a lot more subdued and reserved on the page. And, minty colors are nice, but they're also a bit cooler with their blue hues. This green has plenty of yellow mixed in with it, and I think that's what allows the sunshine to come through and make it look like this ink is glowing a bit. In my book, the color is awesome.
Another feature that I love about this ink is the shading. There are some beautiful shades in this ink that range from medium green to a sparkly light green that looks like fresh cilantro. The range of greens is so refreshing, and I'm delighted whenever I see the variation of colors on my different papers.
I don't normally hold the "dry time" of an ink in high regard (I have right-handed privilege, and I'm so sorry...), but I definitely take notice when an ink exhibits quicker than ordinary dry times. Road Trip caught my attention because it seemed to dry almost instantly. After getting the stopwatch ready, I discovered that most strokes were dry to the touch in around ten seconds. Darker spots with more ink were dry in 15 or 20 at the most. In terms of fountain pen inks, and certainly paired with a 1.1mm stub nib, this is incredibly fast!
Feathering and bleeding is non-existent on my Rhodia, Leuchtturm, and Clairefontaine paper, and it's not bad on normal paper either. Overall, it's a great performer in all respects! From what I can tell, the ink is also well-balanced when it comes to flow and lubrication. It feels smooth in the pens I've tried it with, and the flow is great. I haven't had any problems with hard starts, skipping, or dryness.
Obviously, this ink basically disappears if it gets too wet, but that's not surprising for such a light green. It's dye-based, so it won't wash away entirely, but you won't be able to read the smudges if it's exposed to much water (like a water glass spill).
Road Trip is available from Vanness Pens for a little over twenty bucks (when it's in stock). These are really popular inks, so it can be hard to find! Even though this is a tad expensive, keep in mind that you get 60ml in the bottle, which is a little more than other comparable inks in terms of price. Of course, you can also opt for a small sample before going all in on a bottle.
If you need a pick-me-up for the quarantine blues, give the Road Trip green a try. It's sure to lift your spirits!
(This ink was purchased from Vanness Pens at a discount.)
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