The gel ink pens are living a great moment all through the world, and especially in Japan. There are easy to use, they slide great on any kind of paper and they can be used to write but also to draw. No wonder they are used by millions of people all over the globe. I have the chance to review two of these pens, through the amiability of Jetpens.com.
Why are they called gel ink pens? Well, because the ink that is used in them is confined in a water-gel. So with the help of this gel, the ink shows up more clearly on writing and drawing surfaces, and it slides great on any writing and also drawing surface.
The Uni-Ball Signo DX is made by Mitsubishi Pencils in Japan, and is one of those cool looking pens that feature a reasonable amount of black rubber and plastic, improving its ergonomics but also the looks. The one that I have here is the 0.38 mm version, but it is also available as 0.28 mm and 0.5 mm. If you don’t know what sizes are these, well, lets quote Jetpens, who says that the 0.38 mm is comparable with a 0.3 mm and the 0.28 should be compared with a 0.25 mm. They are available on Jetpens.com, in multiple colors. They also come in a 6 and 8 color pack. Mine has black ink, the only one I would use at drawing at this stage.
It features a strong looking conic tip, that should last with no problems during long writing sessions, like taking intensive notes in class.
The black ink of the Signo DX is waterproof, and has a rather consistent viscosity, so it wont smudge or spread too easy. If only I had one of these back while I was in school. It would have spared me many troubles.
I tried the Signo DX on two types of paper, and it performed great. It slides effortless over the paper and it produces an intense black. You can see one of the results bellow. Vampire, by Uni-Ball Signo DX.
The simple rubber grip sits a little higher than I prefer, but it’s only a matter of preference and doesn’t interfere at all with the drawing or writing activity. It is a bit slippery though, leading me to wish for a more texturized type of grip. But I’m afraid a more complicated grip would negatively affect the price. The black plastic clip completes the ergonomics of the Uni-Ball Signo.
You can find refills of various colors for the Signo DX on Jetpens.com. Click to follow the link.
The second pen of the review is the Pilot Hi-Tec 0.5 mm. On a first look, I wasn’t impressed too much. Lesser ergonomics (or total lack of it), shorter than the Signo DX and not so cool looking. So, it seemed like the Pilot will be totally eclipsed by its fellow companion… but surprise surprise! On paper, the Pilot performed so well, that I completely forgot the lack of other features. The smoothness of the Hi-Tec flowing on paper its so great, that the ergonomics didn’t matter at all this time. Or the looks. I put down on paper that zombie head in no time.
Someone who draws all the time, a manga or a comic-book artist will surely fall in love with this pen. The flowing of ink is so smooth and cursive, that great things can be achieved with this rather simple ink gel pen. It is perfect for inking, cross hatching and even putting small details. Like I said, the ergonomics of this pen are down to the minimum. There is a ribbed grip area, but is all plastic.
As seen on the photo above, the tip of the Hi-Tec is very different from the one of the Signo, and is even better. It really floats over the paper. That should keep your notes in line and also allowing nice and quick sketches. The Pilot Hi-Tec also comes in 0.25, 0.3 and 0.4 mm sizes and in a large range of colors.
At the end, what can I say? What pen I liked most? Both, of course, but I think the ultimate gel ink pen would be something that would have the ergonomics of the Signo and the ink flow of the Hi-Tec.
And do not forget, you can buy both these gel ink pens, in a large variety of sizes and color, right from the folks at Jetpens.com.
Tags: gel ink pens, Jetpens, Mitsubishi Pencils, Pilot Hi-Tec 0.5, Uniball Signo DX 0.38, water gel
