(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
Not a year goes by where BENU doesn't get me at least once. Their irresistible creativity overrides my willpower on a very regular basis, and the most recent temptation to run away with me was the BENU Viper. I mean, look at it. Whether it's glitz and sparkles or these tactile gothic designs, they are always a match for my mood.
Made of acrylic resin with a snakeskin-like texture, this pen sports a fully 3D snake wrapping around the body and cap. The snake is hand painted, so it pops off the background in more ways than one. This model has a black pen body with a wonderfully iridescent green snake, the Bamboo Viper, but there are other combinations available, such as the Mangrove Viper that has a dark teal background with a gunmetal grey snake, or the Bush Viper--purple with a bright green snake. The BENU brand letters are hidden, scattered among the snake's coils.
It's spooky and elegant, but also practical. The snake's 3D form keeps the pen from rolling, and the coils are cleverly placed in such a way that they create a comfortable grip, stopping the pen from slipping in your hand. So often I wonder if these wildly textured pens will be comfortable to hold, but BENU has definitely considered that in the design of this pen. The acrylic body is also lightweight, so the design does not add uncomfortable weight. It's a very comfortable pen to write with for hours on end. About spooky things, of course, because mood.
It is cartridge-converter filled, and comes with a converter. The nib is a gold-toned stainless steel and comes in Fine, Medium, and Broad. For all the playfulness of BENU's pen bodies, I'd love to see them play a little more in their nib offerings. But despite the lack of variety, the nibs work well and are pleasant to write with.
In the past, I've reviewed a number of BENU pens that felt a bit underpriced for the quality they deliver, but in this case, I think we're creeping well into the "fair" category. This pen clocks in at $180, which is by no means a bargain, but it's in range for what I'd expect a pen like this to cost. BENU's recent offerings have really broadened their market, with affordable (by fountain pen standards) pens still coming in around $100, and some hand-painted works of art as high as $4000.
As always, I can't wait to see what BENU will do next. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying writing with thisssss beauty.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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