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Best Pens for 2025

jetpens.com

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Re: Best Pens for 2025

#31

Post by ykonstant »

throwpoaster wrote: post #25
lqet wrote: post #16

I have used a standard Lamy fountain pen for 11 years in school, and later several higher-end products (ball pens and fountain pens). But a few years ago I discovered that I really like writing with the Bic Cristal [0]. It's reliable and writing feels very smooth (even better than with some Lamy products I own). I also like that it has exactly the same shape as a classic pencil. Of course it is also very relaxing to…

The Bic Cristal is my all-time favourite pen, to the point where I don’t really understand why other pens exist. I was recently thinking of getting a Mont Blanc for fancy business writing (contract signing), but went with the Cristal. Not kidding. The one flaw: no upside-down writing.

You mean a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen? Because I wouldn't use fountain pens with their water-based inks for signing contracts (even inks that claim to be waterproof).

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#33

Post by frereubu »

kstrauser wrote: post #12

I've had quite a few nice pens over the years. For me, Lamy Safari with its triangular grip is peak ergonomics, and its price-per-usability is fantastic. I tend to have a claw-like grip, and the Safari forces me to hold it in a way that my hand doesn't cramp after 3 minutes. It's great. I love it. But for quick jotting, like making shopping lists or bullet journal notetaking, I'm on board with this list's top ballpoi…

I love Safaris too, but unfortunately I handwrite very seldom and the Safaris tend to dry out quite quickly in my experience. I've got the Kaweco Sport, which sends to last much longer, probably because of its tight screw-top seal.

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#34

Post by linsomniac »

kstrauser wrote: post #12

I've had quite a few nice pens over the years. For me, Lamy Safari with its triangular grip is peak ergonomics, and its price-per-usability is fantastic. I tend to have a claw-like grip, and the Safari forces me to hold it in a way that my hand doesn't cramp after 3 minutes. It's great. I love it. But for quick jotting, like making shopping lists or bullet journal notetaking, I'm on board with this list's top ballpoi…

I'm also a big fan of the Jestreams, in particular the "Uni Jetstream Standard Ballpoint Pen - 0.5 mm". 5-6 years ago on a similar thread here or elsewhere, found a pointer to them and got a few, and I really like the precise line it makes, so I can do (what one of my coworkers called) "microwriting" between other lines of text. I use them mostly for note taking and bullet journaling. I've since gotten a few of the dozen packs, they are reasonably priced.

I wish I had a better solution for todo lists though. For a couple years I used a book and pen for managing my todo list, but always felt like an automated solution would just be better. I tried a Kindle Scribe and used that for around a year. It was a good "basic" writing experience, but really brought very little over just pen and paper (except that I never had to struggle with keeping the pages laying flat). I decided to try an Onyx Boox Note 3 as a "better Scribe", but shortly after that I abandoned the todo list entirely. Tried taskninja, but never stuck there either.

Any pro tips?

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#37

Post by thfuran »

criddell wrote: post #29
SoftTalker wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They seem prone to leaking. Like they develop some kind of siphon or capillary flow of the ink out the open end of the ink tube.

You aren’t buying them from Amazon, are you? I’ve never had a genuine Bic do that, but I’ve had some cheapo bootlegs leak.

How can you tell it isn't actually a Bic?

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#38

Post by navbaker »

kjkjadksj wrote: post #17
nabla9 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's only thing you need if you write rarely. Ballpoint pens are ergonomically really bad if you write a lot. The reason many people still use fountain pen is that you just move pen on the paper, no pressure needed. New gel pens get you 90% of that with ease to use almost equal to a ballpoint, their takes longer to dry is the only real drawback.

The time to dry factor is why I purposely seek out the 0.38 pilot g2. I’m not sure how anyone can stand the default 0.7. It just gets all over your hand and smears the pages.

I hate how “scratchy” anything smaller than the 0.7 feels. Not sure how else to describe it

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#39

Post by TerraHertz »

Funny! A lengthy review of writing implements, and comments about them, without a single mention of mechanical (clutch) pencils. Like the Pentel P205 (0.5mm leads), and various other sizes of pencil and leads available. Vary the lead diameter and hardness to suit the use. Personally I use 0.5mm, 2B almost always. For technical work, where it's nice to be able to erase mistakes, they're perfect. For daily personal note taking, the erasability is fairly irrelevant.

Now mechanical pencils are so cheap you're best to buy dozen packs (because although they last forever you will lose them now and then), and the leads can be bought cheap in very large quantities via Aliexpress and such. Don't buy leads in the tiny. expensive packs from local stationers.

Re: Best Pens for 2025

#40

Post by slavik81 »

ykonstant wrote: post #31
throwpoaster wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Bic Cristal is my all-time favourite pen, to the point where I don’t really understand why other pens exist. I was recently thinking of getting a Mont Blanc for fancy business writing (contract signing), but went with the Cristal. Not kidding. The one flaw: no upside-down writing.

You mean a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen? Because I wouldn't use fountain pens with their water-based inks for signing contracts (even inks that claim to be waterproof).

Noodler's archival inks would be fine for that purpose. Bulletproof Black reacts with the cellulose in the paper so it will not wash out.
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