A funny thing happened on the way to this review.
I’ve had my Hombre x Kaweco Edition set for months now, using and enjoying both the AL Sport Gel Roller and Special S Series mechanical pencil (more on them in a moment) that are part of this collaboration. When it came time for me to type up this review, I went to grab the product link to insert into this article, and noticed something strange. The price of this set, directly from Kaweco (where I bought mine) has increased drastically.
I had it in my head that I paid around $90 for the set, and now I’m seeing it listed at 123.75€, or approximately $150. Is my memory failing me? That’s always a valid thought, but in this case, it wasn’t. I paid 85€ ($103) for this set in August 2020:
So what gives? I have no idea, but I sent Kaweco an email to see if something changed. I do know that it recalibrates some of the thoughts I have around this product.
(Update: There are many Country settings, language setting, and VAT setting to get set in your website cookies, so make sure you are seeing the 99 Euro version of the pen if you are interested in it.)
Let’s get one thing out of the way up front: This is a charity-focused product. All proceeds from these 500 sets go to a children’s hospital in Germany, and will help to build a school in Kenya. Raise all the money you can! But, maybe along the way, clean up the product copy a little bit:
But enough about the pricing - for now - let’s talk about the product itself.
Pablo Fontagnier, aka Hombre, is a graffiti/street artist after my own heart. His art style is wonderful, with colorful, clean, and poignant works, made to scale from a computer screen to the wall of a warehouse. 25 years in the game have earned him a reputation to match the name. And this collaboration with Kaweco came out great.
The product packaging is traditional Kaweco, with the full-on Hombre treatment. The black tin features the HOMBRE tag, which is housed in a paper sheath of Hombre artwork, and the hand-numbered serial number of the set. Both the pen and pencil feature the Hombre logo etched in white on the black base of each barrel. A+ on packaging and presentation across the board.
The pen is the classic Kaweco AL Sport Gel Roller, in a black satin finish, with an 0.7 mm Parker style (international G2) black gel ink refill. I adore this pen, and it is the main reason I made this purchase. I didn’t own a Kaweco gel roller pen prior to this one, and this one matches my style to a tee. I will mention that when writing, there is a little tip rattle from the metal on metal contact between the refill and barrel, but not enough to be a real problem.
If you have used any pocket Kaweco fountain pen, then you know the size of this model. It is small and pocketable when capped, and when in use, extends to a full-length writing instrument.
If it is love for me and the AL Sport Gel, it is only like for me and what is the Kaweco Special S 2.0 mm Push Pencil in this set. I love the idea of this pencil, and the aesthetics are spot-on, but this is a mini Kaweco that in unable to transition into full-length for writing. It is great for freehand sketching and art, so maybe it really is perfect for this set, but for regular writing, it just isn’t long enough for extended sessions.
I may shop around for 2.0 mm graphite with a little more texture to see if that works better for me. The graphite included with the pencil has a slight clay feel to it, which is used to help bind the material into the sticks that we use as refills. I prefer ones that are more scratchy than glassy, which is what this one is.
Still, I’m not sure I can work with the shorter length of the pencil in the long term, not to mention having to hunt down a sharpener (not included) if I want to put a point on it. Again, if you treat this as an art pencil, I think you will be happy.
So, is it worth it? Heck yes - at the original price I paid for it. If bought separately, the pen is around $60, the pencil around $40. Add in nice barrel etching, great packaging, and all the proceeds going to charity? It’s fantastic. At $150? Maybe I wouldn’t have been so quick to pull the trigger, especially if I’m not certain how much use I will get from the pencil. If it settles back down to the $120 as listed in the website copy, I think that is completely fair, and would recommend it if it fits your needs.
(I purchased this pen at full price from Kaweco Germany.)
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