[Pen/Pencil Review] Morning Glory Mach 3 Brown Ink 0.38mm
I don’t know why some Mondays are a bigger struggle than others, but they are. This one is one of them. I left the pen I’m reviewing at home, so I don’t have it physically in front of me, but I’m going to do my best. This is one of my last batch from JetPens (may have to do another order soon), it’s Morning Glory Mach 3 roller ball pen in brown ink.
Haven’t heard of Morning Glory? Don’t neither had I. They’re a South Korean pen maker. According to JetPens and the TradeKorea website – Morning Glory is the “biggest Fancy Stationary Manufacturer” based in Seoul, Korea. The Morning Glory Mach 3 collection is the current collection JetPens carries.
The Mach 3 line has 13 different colors in a 0.38 needle tip, roller ball design. I chose the brown ink – occasionally I want something different. Brown takes care of that. The barrel color matches the ink color. There’s a view port to see the ink levels in the side. The grip is molded plastic with only a nod to ergonomics. The cap color matches the barrel, but the plastic is transparent with a steel clip.
The roller ball and ink are smooth and dark for such a fine line (which I like). The tip can be a touch “scratchy” but that gives it a bit of character. I didn’t see a lot of skip or stutter. The needle tip felt solid and not about to bend if you write heavily. The length was consistent with these types of pens to give a decent balance. And it has a good price point for a disposable roller ball pen. I’ll probably try a different color.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – For such a fine point, it works really well. A solid, dark line with little skipping. Dries quickly with minimal smearing.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – I’m knocking a half point for nod to ergonomics. The grip is a decent diameter, but it’s smooth plastic and hard. If you’re a hard gripper, it’ll be tiring. There’s also a ridge where the cap seats that can dig into fingers.
3. Material – 1 – This is an inexpensive, disposal roller ball. It is what it is. Plastic and steel, but it feels sturdy
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It is what it is. It’s a good design for an inexpensive roller ball. I like the view port for the ink levels. It’s meant to be used and done. It’s good for what it is. There aren’t any ergonomics. The roller ball can be scratchy which some might not like.
5. Price Point – 1 – It’s pretty cheap. It’s $2.00 on JetPens. For a decent quality roller ball, it’s an okay price point.
That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.