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Pilot V-Pen V4 Disposable Fountain Pen Review

By Tony Bridges 3 Comments | Last Updated March 31, 2020

Not being one to give up easily & having difficulty getting to grips with the art of writing with a fountain pen, I decided to give the Pilot V-Pen a go.

My first impression was that it was comfortable to hold, as I started to write I didn’t get the feeling it was any different to anything else in my collection.  This is a first, I usually get negative vibes before the ink has dried on my first couple of words.

Pilot V Pen SVB Black

The medium nib suited me well, I sampled the Vpen, (sometimes known as the varsity) in black, it is also available with red, two shades of blue, pink, light green & violet.  The liquid ink flowed with ease, the steel nib felt firm & strong.  At first I thought it was scratchy, something I’ve always associated with fountain pens, but as continued I realised it was more down to the noise than anything else.  I had read that if you write too slowly the Vpen leaks, so slowed down to a snails pace just to check, a difficult task for me, but didn’t find this an issue.  I imagine the only time it would leak would be when under pressure in the air.  Sample finished I looked down, no sign of any smudge or mess, my writing remained recognisable, unlike some of the other fountain pens I have used.

Although strictly speaking it is a fountain pen it does make our list of 8 fountain pen alternatives as it is not refillable. So if you fancy trying something different head over and have a look. It is also recommended as one of our top 5 pens that everyone should have.

Pilot are renowned for developing a wide range of ink, the way that liquid ink is made gives it superior fluidity & density.  It is claimed it will deliver the same quality until the very last drop in the barrel, something I can’t confirm but given the performance so far I’ve no reason to doubt it.

I have to say I was impressed, although shouldn’t be surprised, coming from a Japanese manufacturer in the business of making pens since 1918.  At a similar price to the Preppy in my opinion there is no comparison. Although both are billed as disposable, I guess the fact that the Preppy cartridge can be changed may appeal to some, but as far as writing goes, I know which one I would choose. The Pilot Vpen is featured in our article The 10 Best Fountain Pens Under £20.00

Filed Under: General Interest Tagged With: Pilot Vpen


Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choices.

Comments

  1. Maja says

    November 25, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    Hi Kim—don’t give up! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Kim says

    November 25, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    Hi Maja, I’ve picked this pen up on several occasions since writing the review, can’t see me becoming a FP convert but who knows!

    Reply
  3. Maja says

    November 24, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    I agree—-the Varsity (V-Pen) is a better writer…and the black ink in it is very nice (it is very dark and looks great on paper).

    Too bad it’s not refillable (although I’ve seen a YouTube video or two on how to refill them)…..A great pen to introduce to someone who is sitting on the fence with regard using fountain pens as daily users….

    Reply

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