[Pen/Pencil Review] The Pentel Slicci Gel Pen 8-Pack
This is the first of many Pentel reviews to come over the next weeks/months. They keep sending me stuff, so I have things to review. The Pentel Slicci Gel Pen in the 0.25mm points, so we can talk about more than just the red one. This pack was sent to me from Pentel a while back – and I’ve been meaning to get to this. This is the 8-Pack.
The Pentel Slicci – first off, they consider is an “art” pen, so you won’t find it in your typical box office supply store. I’d check art supply stores if you want to try to pick one up at a retailer. It’s 5.5″ long capped, and 5.75″ long posted. That’s a comfortable length for me, though I do like them a bit longer. Pentel does not sell refills, so they’re disposable, and the ink is in a color-coordinated sheath along with the cap clip so you know which pen you’re using at a glance.
The needle point is solid metal going into a metal cap, so there’s a good, solid feel to the pen point. I don’t feel like I’m going to bend or break the point when I write with it, which is always a fear with needle point pens and points this fine.
The ink pigment is solid and bright for the most part – the green, orange, and teal tend to be light, but that’s in all cases when the points get fine. The line comes out consistently, without skips or clumps. I tend to like that about this – and any – pen. It’s a good hearty ink that’s easy to read – and yet, with it being a 0.25mm, I tend to write smaller and get more information into less space.
The one drawback I have to the Slicci is the width of the barrel. It’s a good solid, plastic barrel, but it’s narrow. It seems like it’s designed for someone with more delicate fingers than me. I felt like I was clutching pretty hard on it just to keep it in my grasp, and it’s very light weight. These points for most people wouldn’t be a problem, but it’s just enough to maybe make me hesitate to use it on a daily basis. I’m not quite sure yet – we’ll see when I do the side-by-sides in the next few weeks.
But still, it’s a very functional pen. It does run about $3.00, so it’s not the cheapest pen on the market, but still affordable.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It works well for such a fine point. The steel needle points are sturdy and don’t feel like they’re going to break under pressure.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – I mentioned that they’re narrow. I feel the need to choke up on the pen, which tends to be fatiguing.
3. Material – 1 For an relatively inexpensive pen, it’s well built.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s okay, but though it seems to be designed for refills, it doesn’t have refills. The ink in three colors are too light for me to use regularly. The others just rock, though.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – They’re not the cheapest gel pens on the market. The 8-pack runs – on the Pentel – site just over $25, which makes them about $3/piece. It’s not bad, but it’s not cheap.
Still, a respectable 3.5 Bronze Pencils.
3.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
1 Comment
Nice review! I love pretty much any pen that Pentel makes, but the 0.25mm points (of any brand) are almost too delicate for me and my humongous hands. The ink and pen colors of these are pretty irresistible, though!