Pilot G2 - Redefining The Gel Ink Pen
Written: Feb 28 '03 (Updated Nov 09 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Extremely comfortable to use, dried instantly, retractable tip, nice design.
Cons: The whole “Gel Ink” misnomer.
The Bottom Line: This is one of the best pens I have come across in a long time. They're inexpensive, last a long time, are smudge free and give a solid, clean line.
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| Freak369's Full Review: PILOT CORPORATION OF Pilot G2 Retractable Gel Ink ... |
I came across the Pilot G2 series of pens at Wal-Mart when I was looking for a replacement ink cartridge for my silver Parker roller ball pen. This pen has been with me for about ten years and seems to be the only one that I’ve managed to hold on to and not lose. Since this pen has been with me through thick and thin I don’t use it unless I am sitting at my desk – I am not about to push my luck too far and end up leaving this baby somewhere. I saw the Pilot G2 pens a few rows over from the replacement cartridges and had to take a closer look. The barrel is tinted but the ink reservoir is still completely visible, there’s a nice sized comfort grip towards the end and it has a retractable tip. Still, a pen can have all the bells and whistles in the world and still write like a piece of garbage.
Pilot G2
This pen writes perfectly with no skipping or ink globs when you leave the pen on the paper. Since the tip is a metal roller ball you don’t have to worry about crushing it or pressing to hard. The pen is a little thicker than most others that are considered disposable yet refillable [talk about an oxymoron] so it might take you a little bit of time to get used to the feel of it. For those that write for extended periods of time, the comfort grip is a true pleasure to use. It’s long enough to provide you with complete coverage of your fingers but isn’t bulky or difficult to work with. When you look at the barrel of the pen you might notice that there is an orange tint [sometimes very prominent, sometime very light] at the top of the ink reserve – this is part of the “gel ink” concept that forces the ink to tip of the pen in a smooth and uniformed fashion. This also means that the ink won’t be wasted or fade in and out when there is a minimal amount of ink left in the chamber.
The “Gel Ink” Name
Most people hear the term “gel ink” and think of the brightly colored neon pens that hit the market a few years ago. These are the bane of existence when you visit any craft store since they are strew everywhere and people test them out on anything that isn’t moving. Gel ink is a water-based ink that is usually pushed as “archival quality” in the scrapbook market. When they tack on that little term it usually means the price goes up a few dollars so make sure you know what you are getting into when looking for gel ink pens. If you hear the term “gel ink” and automatically dismiss this pen as juvenile or think of it as a marker – you are passing up one hell of a pen based on a very generic term. The packaging starts that the ink is acid free as well as archival safe so if you need a pen to use on sensitive documents or for scrapbooking, this would be a great choice.
Refillable
Unlike other pens that are refillable, this pen is a breeze to unscrew [right above the comfort grip] and replace the ink cartridge. Since this two pack of pens only cost me $1.88 at Wal-Mart I couldn’t understand why someone would go through the bother of purchasing refills. The refill two pack has a price of $1.50 to $2.25, so you are saving some money refilling rather than pitching the empty pen and buying a new one. Refills are available for all of the G2 pens, come in various tip sizes and a variety of inks. The only way I can justify purchasing the refills is if you fall completely in love with these and plan on using them exclusively. If the day comes that Pilot decides to take these off the market – I’ll bet he first one at the door to snap up every single pen and refill available – but until then I’ll stick with buying new pens when the ink runs out. I’m lucky I can find my shoes in the morning let alone trying to track down a package of refill ink cartridges in a drawer or somewhere in the house.
Ink Quality
I was really impressed with the way the ink hit the paper and solid black color of the ink. When you look at the ink of a regular roller ball or ballpoint pen next to that of the Pilot G2, you’ll be able to see the difference immediately. The color is darker, fuller and richer than regular pen ink and delivers a skip free line every single time. Straight out of the package this pen is ready to rock and roll so you won’t have to worry about having to jump start it [writing on scrap paper to get the ink flowing]. The ink dries almost instantly [about two seconds] so smudges and blurred lettering will be a thing of the past.
Things To Know
This G2 is a fine point but if you like an even tighter line, this is available in an extra fine tip. I’ve also tried this version of the G2 and it is great for small touch ups on artwork, creating gridlines and letter writing. These pens are also available in a variety of color ranging from the basics to pastels. Since this is a roller ball type pen you don’t have to worry about retracting the tip when you are done writing to keep the ink supply fresh.
The smooth clicking action of the pen is also a nice feature since you won’t have worry about losing a cap. There is a clip on the side of the pen so you can attach it to pockets, jackets or binders and it is pretty flexible so you can hook it on to thick binders or tablets without it snapping off. So far I haven’t had any trouble with the clip breaking or having it come loose from wherever I clip it.
The ink is water resistant to a certain degree. If you spill a cup of coffee a piece of paper that you used the G2 ink on you will see a little bit of bleeding but not as much as with regular ink. I was writing a letter and doing laundry at the same time and tossed a slightly damp shirt on the table so I could hang it up and avoid ironing – I didn’t realize I tossed it on top of the paper and when I went to hang it up the paper was wavy but the ink was – for the most part – smudge free. I immediately started looking at the shirt to see if any of the ink seeped into the clothing so I could wash it again if it had and there was no sign of it anywhere.
The Bottom Line
I have nothing but great things to say about this pen! It’s inexpensive, produces a nice skip free line and the quality of the ink is excellent. Those that are into recycling will find that since this is refillable you won’t have to toss out a pen every few weeks [for heavy writers] since the refill packs eliminate the waste of plastic. Don’t dismiss this as a teenie bopper pen or something for scrapbooking soccer moms because this is one powerful and impressive writing tool. For less than two dollars you can pick up a two pack of these and give them a try – I can almost guarantee that you’ll love them!
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
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Recommended:
Yes
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