I’m a big fan of Pilot’s original B2P gel pen made from recycled plastic to resemble plastic water bottles. They look great, write fairly well and are very comfortable in the hand. The Pilot B2P is part of the Pilot Begreen Range of recycled pens.
The design changed a bit when Pilot began making a ballpoint version of the B2P incorporating a bubbly, fluted barrel meant to evoke a bottle of sparkling water.
And now, Pilot’s come out with a jazzier model called the B2P Soda ballpoint pen, sold primarily in Europe.
They’re named the B2P Soda because they’re supposed to look like soda bottles, from the color to the fizzy bubbles. There are four of the new barrels: lime green, strawberry red, ice-mint and blackcurrant (the inks are still the standard blue, black, green and red).
The pens are available in fine and medium points and are refillable.
Based just on appearance, they get two thumbs up from me. I like those bubbles that do gives the pens a bit of ‘fizz.’ However, while I haven’t been able to try them out yet, not sure I would switch over from the original Pilot B2P.
The main appeal of the original for me was the thicker, ringed barrel that looked and felt like a standard water bottle. In terms of weight, balance and fit, it was just about perfect. The newer design just doesn’t seem like it would be nearly as comfortable.
And even though the Pilot B2P gel pen uses the overrated G2 refill, I still don’t think any Pilot ballpoint is ever going to be able to write as well or better than a gel pen. Especially once I get around to finding a better gel refill that will fit my B2P.
But I’ll buy all four colors of the Pilot B2P Soda, anyway. They will look great in my pen cup, and that lime green one seems like a real day-brightener.
