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.
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
Maja says
Hi Kim—don’t give up! 🙂
Kim says
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!
Maja says
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….