[Pen/Pencil Review] The Pilot HI-TEC-C Cavalier
My husband reminded me that I’ve never reviewed the Pilot HI-TEC-C Cavalier he gave me for some gift-giving holiday. He knows I like fine point rollerball pens – and the finer the point the better. The HI-TEC-C Cavalier is Pilot’s higher end, refillable “executive” HI-TEC-C pens.
The HI-TEC-C Cavalier is 5.25″ capped and 5.75″ with the cap posted, which makes it long enough to be very comfortable. The body is black lacquered and chrome brass which gives it more weight and balance than you’d expect from such a slim body. To me and my hand, that’s it’s only drawback – the slim body. It’s only about a .25″ wide. I like a little more width to my pens, but it’s not a huge drawback, it’s still a well-balances and comfortable pen. For those who like a slim body pen, this is one you should check out.
This pen, which used to be available in a range of body colors, is now only available in the black and chrome. According to JetPens.com, the other body colors have been discontinued by Pilot – which is a shame, I probably would’ve picked up the green one. The only other body color available is silver. But these are pens geared for offices – so I suppose that makes sense.
Now, I’m not a huge fan of needle-point rollerball pens. I do love my extra-fine point nibs, but I’m a heavy handed writer, always have been. I’ve bent and broken needle-points before. However, the HI-TEC-C has a very solid and sturdy nib construction. I would have to go to great lengths to bend or break this nib. The .04 mm tip is a lovely extra fine line that rolls smoothly over most paper, leaving a good, continuous line. The ink is smooth and dark – even for something this fine. There is some skipping on rougher paper, but on decent quality paper, I have no complaints.
Pilot is one of my favorite companies for consistently high-quality writing instruments – even in their less expensive, “every day” lines. So I expected nothing less from the HI-TEC-C. It’s a solid pen. A good all around pen. I give it 3.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
