Rss Feed Tweeter button Facebook button Technorati button Reddit button Myspace button Linkedin button Webonews button Delicious button Digg button Stumbleupon button Newsvine button

[Pen/Pencil Review] Uni-Ball Air Rollerball Multi-Pack

Posted by reudaly on July 27, 2015 in Review, writing instruments |

Last week I had to pick some notebooks up from Staples (they were on serious sale for Back-To-School), and I was sent unattended. Always a danger, because hello, PENS ON SALE! Not only were these on sale, they said “NEW!” Yeah, I had to buy a package of Uni-Ball Air – in the Black, Blue, Red package.
IMG_2492
The Uni-Ball Air promises the ability to write at any angle with a bold line – while being a 0.7mm rollerball. I’ve actually had to look at these again. I played with these all day today and before I left for ArmadilloCon – and I would’ve sworn they were conical fiber tips. It was taking another look at the packaging that made me do a double check. And sure enough… they kinda had me fooled.
IMG_2496
The ink is – as they claim – bold. The ink is rich and dark with minimal smearing if you hit it right after writing. For a 0.7mm, the line is thicker than I would expect with a more “brushed” kind of look and soft point feel that I associate with fiber tips. The ball rolls smoothly with little or no skipping or scratching. Seriously, I was afraid of the tips mushing or feathering – that’s how much I thought the packaging was wrong, but it’s not, because I did a test to write with the side of the cone. Nothing happened. The conical tip is color coordinated with the pen and LOOKS like a fiber tip without being one.
IMG_2494
These pens are a standard stick pen length at 5.5″ long capped and 6.5″ long with the cap posted. The barrel is a little thicker than standard but comfortable holding a huge ink reservoir that looks like you should be able to refill them. The reservoir is pressurized somehow – because I did do the upside down and against a wall writing test. They work at the odd angles. Uni-Ball calls this ink “Super Ink” and is supposed to protect against fading, water, and fraud…so I just ran a wet finger across a scratch piece of paper I wrote on. Nothing happened to the notes I made on the pen.
IMG_2498
This is a pretty nifty design – there’s attention to detail on the barrel. The body has a textured pattern for a sophisticated detail. The tip and grip are molded plastic with a gray plastic detail. The barrels match the ink colors. The grip is a solid molded piece with no ridges until you get to the locking part for the cap. The cap is semi-transparent with a molded plastic clip – which would be the weak link with heavy use.
IMG_2497
Now to the numbers:

1. How does it work?1 This pen works well. The ink flows well and is pretty dark and rich. It lives up to the hype of writing at all angles.
2. Grip and feel0.5 – It’s plastic. Well done plastic but completely plastic. There are some ridges for the cap lock that can dig in.
3. Material1 It’s all plastic but for the most part the detailing and design are pretty nifty. The clip will be the first thing to fail.
4. Overall Design1 – Okay, I like it since it managed to surprise me. The ink and design are well done. I see this as a solid, every day pen.
5. Price Point0.5 – These aren’t going to be cheap. These were on sale at Staples (and are still registering) at $7 for a 3 pack – that’s kind of expensive for a plastic stick pen, but it works as advertised, and if it’s refillable, it could be a solid long term pen. They normally run $9.99 – which is still expensive for this kind of pen.

I give it a 4 out of 5 bronze pencils.
Pencil 4.0

Tags: , , , , ,

Copyright © 2007-2024 Rhonda Eudaly All rights reserved.
This site is using the Desk Mess Mirrored theme, v2.5, from BuyNowShop.com.