[Pen/Pencil Review] The UT Tyler Library Giveaway Ergonomic Retractable BallPoint Pen
This past weekend, I participated in The East Texas Book Festival. I’ll be talking more about that on Wednesday, but in the goodie bag they gave everyone was a promotional pen from the major sponsor, UT Tyler Library. I don’t even know what to call this thing to find it online. If anyone comes up with the style name, please let me know.
Anyway this pen is a completely plastic, ballpoint with black ink, and retractable on two fronts – tip and clip. When you first look at it, it just seems to be the top half of a “normal” retractable pen, and you almost instinctively think that it’s come apart. But that instinct is…incorrect.
The pen has a large clear plastic clip that doesn’t seem secure for a pocket, but that’s because the clip serves a dual purpose. The clip rotates out nearly 180 degrees to eject the pen point and become the thumb rest. That also comes off as odd. But for a pocket pen or something to carry on a badge holder? It might be ingenious?
This pen completely retracted closed is just over 3″ long. Completely ejected/folded out, ready to go, it’s about 4.75 inches long. The clip actually forms kind of an arc that sits on the thumb web. It does give the pen some balance, but the body is (obviously) heavier than the clip plastic. It’s still a little big on the short side for me to find comfortable in long-term use, but for a backup pen or something to grab to sign something? Absolutely.
The ball point seems to be a standard stainless steel, probably 1.0 mm standard – but maybe a touch finer. The ink is black, seems smooth for the size. I didn’t encounter immediate smearing when doing the writing sample. It’s definitely not refillable, and I have no idea how long the ink’s going to last, because honestly, there can’t be that much of it.
Now to the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s decent. For the size of it, it has a decent feel and good lines to the ink. I’m actually a little surprised.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – It’s an inexpensive, plastic, there’s no grip. The point retracts, so there’s an edge that might dig. It’s too short to be really well-balanced.
3. Material – 1 For an inexpensive plastic pen, it’s solidly built. The clip doesn’t feel like it’s going to snap. The retracting qualities seem solid.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 -It’s weird. I’ve never seen a pen like this before. I know I shouldn’t knock off for the novelty, but it’s SO NOVEL that I kind of half to. If you’re not careful, part of the retractor/clip can dig into the thumb webbing. But it’s also cool.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – I have no idea. This was a gimmee pen. I have a feeling it’s not cheap. I wouldn’t know where to even find one (see the opening when I looked and couldn’t find because I don’t know what to call this thing. I don’t even know if you can FIND this pen outside of promotional companies.
3.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
