[Pen/Pencil Review] Pilot Dr. Grip Neon Gel 0.7mm
I’ve let most people know that in a couple of weeks I’m having shoulder surgery. I have the opportunity to be left-handed for a few weeks. And there’s always been part of me that has wanted to be ambidextrous. So I’ve been practicing my left-handed handwriting. It’s not awful, but it’s definitely not confident or pretty. Which brings me to this week’s pen. The Pilot Dr. Grip Gel pen.
The Dr. Grip line runs on the expensive side, but in some ways totally worth it. This time I’m not buying a pen for the ink – though this uses the Pilot G2 refills – which makes it a great ink and writing experience, even with the 0.7mm. I can refill it with any G2 refill which gives me more than just a black option and more than a 0.7mm option. But for practicing left-handed this time a thicker point is easier to deal with.
The barrel is 5.5″ long retracted and 5.75″ with the point extended. The barrel is plastic but well-balanced. The curves to the ergonomic design fit the hand well with little to no ridges to dig in and cause discomfort. The selling-point to this pen – according to the packaging – is the cushion grip to reduce writing fatigue. And I think they’re on to something. The grip is wider than some of your basic pens, but not uncomfortably so. There’s enough squish to the grip that even heavy handed writers will take quite a while to cramp up. Which is probably why the Dr. Grip line has some endorsement by the Arthritis Foundation.
I have the neon purple barrel with the frosted white grip. You can see the purple barrel through it. The purple barrel is somewhat translucent. You can see the mechanisms through it, but it’s not obtrusive The metal clip is sturdy and the metal accents don’t dig in. I find the width easy to work with when using either hand.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works well. The ink flows well with minimal smearing. The retraction mechanism is solid. It’s a solid G2 ink in a well-designed barrel
2. Grip and feel – 1 – This is a pen designed for ergonomics. The grip is cushioned and tapered to reduce wear on the hand. The barrel is long enough for comfort and balanced well.
3. Material – 0.5 – For a plastic barrel pen, it’s pretty well-made. It doesn’t feel cheap. The ink is dark, fluid and has minimal smearing. But it is a plastic pen, and for the price point, I kinda want better material.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s a good design. I’m not going to knock it for having a bright metal clip on an otherwise black pen. But it does what it says – it’s comfortable, it has good ink, and it is suitable for long-term writing
5. Price Point – 0.5 – This is the other knock. These aren’t cheap. They run about $10. I got mine on Amazon for $8. So there’s some wiggle room, but they’re not for the faint of heart.
That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.
