[Pen/Pencil Review] Sharpie Color Burst Set
It’s been weird the last couple of weeks. We went on a little staycation. But I ended it by doing some preventative medical stuff – including (if you didn’t see it on Facebook) getting my flu shot and my shingles shot. At the same time. Yeah, don’t do that. Then I decided to get an allergy test – after all these years, to finally figure out what all I’m allergic to (FOUR kinds of trees – but not crepe myrtles – mold, ragweed and mild dog dander (we’re fixing the allergies). I also went to the dentist for the first time in…too long, and years of having “unfair” teeth are catching up with me. Some cavities that need dealing with including in a wisdom tooth which led to getting all three that I had taken out. There’s a crown and possibly a root canal in my dental future. So there’s been some actual physical misery the last couple of weeks. Blogs have fallen behind, I even started this one last week.
But now… let’s see about getting back on track with the Sharpie Color Burst Set. I have been working through ALL my pens – sorting and finding out which still work and found these. I bought them a few months back, probably on sale at someplace like Target. I think I got them for use on black paper. That didn’t work.
Like all Sharpies, they’re porous point – which I mentioned in my last review are my least favorite points. I bend them, fray them, and eventually destroy them. But either I’m getting better or they’re getting more durable, for what it is. They are not refillable. They don’t work on black paper – they’re definitely meant for light, normal paper. But the colors are pretty good for neon colors. The yellow might make a underliner, but it will bleed. They do dry out if you’re not careful – they’re porous point markers.
The Sharpies are just over 5.4″ capped. They’re about 6.1″ long with the cap posted. And here’s the thing, though the cap posts securely – I was bored and shook it to make sure, it doesn’t fly off – the cap doesn’t “lock” so it can LOOK wobbly and off center when posted. The barrel is well constructed and balanced. The ridge where the refill meets the barrel is far enough back on grip to only be occasionally in the way or annoying.
Grading:
1. How does it write? – 0.5 – for a porous point. It performs well. Smooth flow, lives up to promise. But as a porous point, ultra fine point, they do dry out more quickly than other pens.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – There’s little to no ergonomics, but they’re not designed for that. There’s a slight ridge where the cap secures that can dig.
3. Material – 1 – Basic, inexpensive plastic. It is what it is.
4. Overall Design – .5 – the ridge where the refill meets the barrel does SOMETIMES get in the way and dig into the thumb webbing.
5. Price Point – 1 – On JetPens they’re $6 for 5 colors. They’re probably that at Target.
Overall – 4.5 Bronze Pencils out of 5.
