[Pen/Pencil Review] Dr. Grip Full Black – Revisit

I am going through all my pens, sorting by type and seeing which ones work, which ones don’t. I came back across the Pilot Dr. Grip Full Black. I looked back over my reviews and saw that I reviewed it in 2014. I am still disappointed that the Center of Gravity refills only come in 1.0mm. There are compatible refills (probably from Japan) available at JetPens.com that are a 0.7mm in red, blue, and black that I may need to get to make the pen more to my liking. Those run $1.95 – the Center of Gravity refills are $2.20 for a 2 pack but still a 1.0. And they’re specific refills – similar to the G2, but considerably shorter. That’s another issue.

So here’s the original review:

So, thanks to the amazing way Office Depot took care of me during the print job fiasco, I ended up being able to go on a pen buying mini-spree last week before heading out of town (there was also a coupon about to expire). This is but one of them, the Pilot Dr. Grip Full Black.

I’ve been intrigued by this one for a while, but hadn’t broken down and bought one. The Dr. Grip line runs on the expensive side, but in some ways totally worth it. What caught my attention were not only the looks of the pen, but to test out what the “Black Advanced Ink” was. The packaging says this ink “combines the best qualities of gel and ball point inks”. And I do have to admit it’s a smooth, dark ink. There’s minimal smearing on slick paper immediately after use. My only “gripe” is that this only seems to come in a “medium” point – 1.0 mm.

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.

On the aesthetic side, the only quibble is that the “Full Black” isn’t. The clip is nice and sturdy, but bright metal – like chrome. My husband and I both would like to see this made with a black clip to fulfill the “full black” design. And while I’m wishing… make the refills in 0.7mm and finer… this pen is refillable with what looks like the Center of Gravity refills.

Updated numbers:
1. How does it work? – 0.5 – It works well. The ink flows well with minimal smearing. The retraction mechanism is solid. The refills are proprietary. To get anything other than a 1.0, you have to order special and more expensive refills. There’s no interchanging the refills with other Pilot pens.
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 $9 – $11 depending on where you get them. This one was $8.99 at Office Depot. The Pilot Website sells them for $10. They are refillable, but you’re still going to pay for the ergonomic portions , which isn’t HORRIBLE, but still an investment. And if we’re paying this much, why not give us a true FULL BLACK pen?

That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.

Tags: 1.0mm, Ballpoint, Dr. Grip, pen, Pencil, Pilot, review