I believe someone wrote into the Pen Addict Podcast a couple of months ago asking whether there was one brand you couldn’t quit, even though you may have had some issues over the years. For me, that brand is Kaweco, and the Sport models in particular. While Kaweco has frustrated me in the past with their inconsistent quality control on nibs, I love the form factor of the Sport lineup, making it one of the pocket pens I reach for most often. Nib quality has improved recently, though I still have the most luck with mediums and fines. This post will take a look at a few new additions to the Kaweco lineup over the past year that have managed to make their way into my collection.

From left, the Kaweco Art Sport in Dark Blue, the Kaweco Skyline Sport in “Fox,” and the Kaweco AL Sport in Red.

Skyline/Classic Sport: Two New Colors for Late 2018

In late 2018, Kaweco announced two new colors for their basic lineup, the Classic/Skyline Sport: Navy Blue and “Fox”. Since I had recently purchased a Dark Blue Art Sport (see below), I passed on the Navy Blue, plus it had gold trim and I preferred the Art Sport’s chrome. The Fox, however, spoke to me immediately, with its muted, almost terra-cotta tone coupled with the Skyline series’ chrome trim. Other than the new color, there’s not much new to say about this pen. The medium nib is a good enough writer, and the standard Kaweco Sport continues to be one of those pens that is easy to recommend at the lower end of the pricing spectrum, especially for beginners.

AL Sport: Finally, a Red One!

This pen caught me completely by surprise at the 2018 Atlanta Pen Show, where Lisa Vanness had quite a stock at her table. I believe this ruby red color was a North American exclusive for a limited period of time, and for a while Vanness was the only retailer who stocked this particular version. I initially reviewed the AL Sport back in the early days of this blog, and everything I said about that pen still holds true: it’s a pocket-sized workhorse that’s quite durable, and will look even better over time as the anodized finish wears off and takes on that “stonewashed” look.

I first had a chance to take a look at the current Art Sport lineup when I was working the Vanness Pens table at the 2018 D.C. Pen Show.

Art Sport: The Best Version of What The Sport Can Be?

A word of warning: the higher-end Art Sport can spoil you forever on Kaweco pens, and make you never want to touch a Classic/Skyline again. Though Kaweco’s “premier” non-metal Sport model is expensive, the pen kicks the quality up a notch - it’s made from turned acrylic, not injected molded plastic, which gives the pen a warm feel in the hand. Once you’ve written with an Art Sport for an extended period of time, you start to REALLY notice the sharp facets and injection-molding lines of the standard version. Whether this justifies paying the upcharge is a personal decision. (More on that below). Along with the better QC and tighter manufacturing tolerances, the key selling point of the “Art Sport” line is definitely these unique acrylics. While this particular dark blue color, of course, isn’t especially unique, it does have a vintage vibe that I enjoy. The current series also has a lighter blue, as well as “Perlmutt Orange,” and “Metallic Green”. If you’re willing to shop around, you can also find the gorgeous “Tiger Eye.”

When it comes to Kaweco, I accept that I’m going to have to trade reliability for a general lack of nib variety. For the best writing experience, the simple medium works best for me, and it’s what I purchase in all of my Kaweco pens.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Kaweco Sports are the one pen that I allow myself to pick up on a whim, if I like the color. Because they’re so handy to “grab ‘n go,” I keep a handful inked up at any given time on my desk at home and at work. I don’t anticipate giving up this habit anytime soon. Now if only Kaweco would resurrect the piston-filling Sport that’s sitting in their vintage archives…

As I mentioned, I purchased the red AL Sport from Vanness Pens, who still has it in stock for $90. I acquired the Art Sport in Dark Blue from Pen Chalet, priced at $130. When this series was first released, Kaweco priced the Art Sport models at $175, which I consider way too steep. The turned acrylic and limited edition colors are nice, but this is still a small pen with a steel nib, and a standard $125-135 price point seems appropriate given the “small batch” nature of the production. If Kaweco kept the current pricing standard, they’d gain a lot more traction with the Art Sport, in my opinion. As of 2023, The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Kaweco, and stocks the Skyline Sport in colors including the “Fox” pictured here.

Disclaimer: I purchased the AL Sport pictured in this review with my own funds from Vanness Pens, and acquired the Fox Skyline Sport and the Art Sport from Pen Chalet using store credit generated through their affiliate program, of which T.G.S. was a member at the time of original publication. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

A comparison shot with another pocket pen that I recently reviewed: the Sailor Sapporo Mini.

The modern Kaweco Sport pen is a workhorse: it's pocket-sized, durably built, and (generally) affordable enough that you aren't overly worried to stuff it in your pocket and take it on the road with you for work, travel, or just knocking around town. The popularity of the Sport is such that Kaweco has developed several lines, the "classic" plastic sport pen, the AL Sport, and the AC Sport Carbon Fiber edition. This review focuses on the AL Sport, in black, which retails for around $75, per my last market check.

I love the engraving on this pen.  The font is classy looking, and it doesn't feel like it will wear off easily. — I love the engraving on this pen. The font is classy looking, and it doesn't feel like it will wear off easily.

Build Quality

The Kaweco AL Sport is a very well-built fountain pen for the price. The body of the pen is made from machined aluminum. It is sturdy enough, but the pen will develop a patina and scratches and dings with long-term use, especially if you use this pen as a true EDC "pocket pen" and carry it around in your pocket with keys, coins, etc. Most people don't mind this, as they feel that it adds to the aesthetic value of the pen. In fact, Kaweco recently released a "stonewashed" version of the AL Sport, which seems to be a "pre-aged" version of the regular AL Sport with the aluminum coating worn off. I have not seen this pen offered by U.S. retailers. The Kaweco Sport line takes international-sized cartridges, and works best as a cartridge pen, in my opinion. There is a squeeze converter option, but I have had mixed success in getting an adequate ink supply into the converter to last me through a full day, so I either use the cartridges with Kaweco's excellent ink or refill empty cartridges with a syringe.

SIze

The pen closes to true pocket size, but once opened and posted it is a full-size writer. I actually prefer the AL Sport as a daily carry over the Lilliput, for this reason. The Lilliput is great, and a neat little pen, but it's so small as to border on "novelty" territory. The AL Sport is still small enough to fit comfortably into your pants or jeans pocket. You can purchase a clip, but I've found that the Kaweco clips tend to be too tight to use on my shirt pocket without risking a tear. Plus, I don't like spoiling the streamlined look of the unadorned pen itself.

Kaweco AL Sport extended and in the hand.

The Nib

Kaweco's nibs are well-made, functional stainless steel nibs made by Bock. My extra-fine nib may not be the world's smoothest writer, but it doesn't skip and actually leaves a true extra-fine line, which is rare with German-made nibs. Nibs in the Sport line are interchangeable, so you can purchase replacements. The nibs come in sizes EF through BB.

The Verdict

I love this pen. I purchased it from jetpens.com about a year ago, and its been in my rotation ever since. I'm eyeing the carbon-fiber version (in red), but have not been able to make myself take the plunge. For an excellent review of that version of the Sport, check out Bob's review at My Pen Needs Ink.

N.B.: I've attached a handwritten version of this review in the gallery below. The ink used is J. Herbin's Vert Empire, which does not scan very well and comes out more grey than the grey-green. I've also included a photograph that's a more accurate reflection of the ink's true color.

Vert Empire Writing Sample

Scan of Handwritten Review