The Pilot Corporation has been making writing tools since 1918, and is the largest pen company in Japan, and the third largest in the United States. Pilot mass produces writing instruments and distributes them around the globe reaching a very large segment of the writing community.
My very first multi pen was a Pilot that I purchased while stationed in Saudi Arabia. It had exemplary build quality, and had I not lost it in my military travels, I'm sure that it would still be present in my current collection of writing implements.
I am sharing this background on Pilot because the subject of this review, the Pilot 2+1 Evolt Multi Pen is an underwhelming writing instrument, and it does little to live up to the reputation that preceded its production.
It is because of Pilot's reputation in producing fine multi function pens that I chose to purchase the Evolt 2+1 from Jetpens.com. It is constructed of aluminum, complete with a shiny paint job and silver accents at the tip, top, pocket clip and midsection. Available in nine colors, Pilot used a broad reach appeal strategy in marketing this pen. For this review, I chose the brown variety which really does have a look of elegance going for it. In addition, the 0.7mm ink cartridges lay thin consistent lines on paper. This is where the attributes cease to exist with the Evolt 2+1. The paint job that I referred to previously provides quite a slippery slope when gripping this pen and attempting to write complete sentences. My fingers continually slipped down the barrel causing me to relentlessly re-adjust my grip, quite frustrating!
When twisting the upper barrel to change from one cartridge to the next, there is a flimsy feeling associated with this technique. Going clockwise from black to red to pencil, there is a clicking sound indicative of the change or engagement, but once the pencil is engaged, if you attempt to continue the clockwise twist, you'll come to an abrupt halt. While most multi pens that utilize the twisting technique allow a continual 360 degree turn to occur, whereas if you attempt that move here, the Evolt 2+1 will let you know that is not going to happen. When I first attempted a continuous twist movement with the pen, the Evolt 2+1 buckled and actually bowed in the center. I thought I had broken the entire pen. I layed it flat and pushed it from the center until it straightened itself out again. Once that happened, I was able to twist it back the other way. So much for doing that again!
Somewhere in conception, the ball was dropped when it came to material to be used in the design and manufacture of this pen. There were obvious corners cut here. When I compare this pen with my Pilot Pentopia 2+1 purchased 13 years ago, the Evolt 2+1 simply does not measure up. Granted, still present are the 0.7mm ink cartridges which handle basically any writing task. While the pen tip houses a small white eraser which appears to be included simply as an afterthought.
Overall, Pilot appears to have lost its sense of integrity with this half-thought out offering, the Evolt 2+1 Multi Pen. The insides, i.e. ink cartridges and lead holder are typical Pilot hardware, but the pen barrel is all show and no tell. As someone who has acquired a number of Pilot Pens, mostly multi pens, I find this one a sore disappointment. As such, I am unable to recommend it.
My very first multi pen was a Pilot that I purchased while stationed in Saudi Arabia. It had exemplary build quality, and had I not lost it in my military travels, I'm sure that it would still be present in my current collection of writing implements.
I am sharing this background on Pilot because the subject of this review, the Pilot 2+1 Evolt Multi Pen is an underwhelming writing instrument, and it does little to live up to the reputation that preceded its production.
It is because of Pilot's reputation in producing fine multi function pens that I chose to purchase the Evolt 2+1 from Jetpens.com. It is constructed of aluminum, complete with a shiny paint job and silver accents at the tip, top, pocket clip and midsection. Available in nine colors, Pilot used a broad reach appeal strategy in marketing this pen. For this review, I chose the brown variety which really does have a look of elegance going for it. In addition, the 0.7mm ink cartridges lay thin consistent lines on paper. This is where the attributes cease to exist with the Evolt 2+1. The paint job that I referred to previously provides quite a slippery slope when gripping this pen and attempting to write complete sentences. My fingers continually slipped down the barrel causing me to relentlessly re-adjust my grip, quite frustrating!
When twisting the upper barrel to change from one cartridge to the next, there is a flimsy feeling associated with this technique. Going clockwise from black to red to pencil, there is a clicking sound indicative of the change or engagement, but once the pencil is engaged, if you attempt to continue the clockwise twist, you'll come to an abrupt halt. While most multi pens that utilize the twisting technique allow a continual 360 degree turn to occur, whereas if you attempt that move here, the Evolt 2+1 will let you know that is not going to happen. When I first attempted a continuous twist movement with the pen, the Evolt 2+1 buckled and actually bowed in the center. I thought I had broken the entire pen. I layed it flat and pushed it from the center until it straightened itself out again. Once that happened, I was able to twist it back the other way. So much for doing that again!
Somewhere in conception, the ball was dropped when it came to material to be used in the design and manufacture of this pen. There were obvious corners cut here. When I compare this pen with my Pilot Pentopia 2+1 purchased 13 years ago, the Evolt 2+1 simply does not measure up. Granted, still present are the 0.7mm ink cartridges which handle basically any writing task. While the pen tip houses a small white eraser which appears to be included simply as an afterthought.
Overall, Pilot appears to have lost its sense of integrity with this half-thought out offering, the Evolt 2+1 Multi Pen. The insides, i.e. ink cartridges and lead holder are typical Pilot hardware, but the pen barrel is all show and no tell. As someone who has acquired a number of Pilot Pens, mostly multi pens, I find this one a sore disappointment. As such, I am unable to recommend it.
Good, then I can scratch that from my shopping list... whew!
ReplyDeletecheers!
t.
Wise decision!
Delete