[Pen/Pencil Review] Pilot Opt – Stardust – 0.7mm ballpoint
We return to Pilot this week late, as seems usual for this time of year.. This is the Pilot Opt ballpoint pen with the Stardust body. This is just a darned cool looking pen.
This is one of Pilot’s “fashion” ballpoint pen lines. The Stardust is a navy blue barrel with silver glitter for a shimmering star field look. The grip is black rubber with a fluid seam between the barrel and the grip — and from the grip to the bright metal tip. The spring loaded black clip and cap are sturdy, the Jetpens page says it’s “rated” to clip 100,000 times without breaking. Which is good, because I fidget with it. The plunger is a black core with a clear cap. It’s just a tiny bit over 5.75″ long – which is a smidge longer than “typical” for a ballpoint and a bit wider to make it just that much more comfortable.
The ink comes in a metal conical tip with a smooth line. The 0.7mm point makes a decent line. I’m not seeing the actual contents of the ink, but it feels like the low viscosity ink that comes in the Acroball. There is some smearing on slick paper, but the line is good and there’s not much in the way of glops.
This pen is available on JetPens and is very affordable. It’s also refillable with the Pilot BPRF refills in the four most common colors – black, blue, green, and red. I LOVE that this comes in a 0.7mm – and ONLY in a 0.7mm. And according to some of the comments – these refills also work in the B2Ps if you remember that review.
To the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s good. It feels like it has the low viscosity ink for a smooth writing experience. The retractor works well. The tip is solid and smooth.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – It’s a solid, comfortable – slightly longer and wider than typical but in a good way.
3. Material – 1 It’s a heavy plastic – almost resin feel – with a solid clip and metal accents.
4. Overall Design – 1 – I like this design. Not only is it gorgeous, it fits my hand and works well as a pen. .
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s an okay price point for a ballpoint – they run $3.30, but these are running out. The refills run $1 a piece. You can only get these online, they’re not in US stores.
4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
