I've been on a bit of a multifunction pen kick recently, picking up a handful of multi pens as part of a larger project I'm working on comparing the different options currently available on the market. A good multi pen has become an integral part of my daily carry and my workflow, giving me access to different ink types and colors - and sometimes a mechanical pencil - in one pen body. As I've said before, the downside to multi pens in general is that the refills can run out quickly, increasing the long-term cost of your "efficient" purchase. The Uniball Jetstream multi pen, which I'll review today, is probably one of the more cost-effective options of the "higher-end" multi pen bodies.

Four colors of ink + a .5mm mechanical pencil.

Uniball's Jetstream pens are famous for their smooth, quick-drying hybrid ballpoint ink that doesn't smear, and Jetstream multi pen refills are no different. The model that I purchased features a .5mm mechanical pencil, plus four different ink colors: black, blue, red, and green. With the exception of the green, the inks all lay on dark and smooth. (Like many green ballpoint inks, I found the Jetstream green be a bit skippy and somewhat temperamental.)

As you can see, most of the colors write a nice, solid line, with the exception of the finicky green.

The one potential drawback for some people might be the size of the pen. I'd characterize the Jetstream multi pen as moderately large, and since it's a five-unit pen, this thing has some girth. Despite the bit of bulk, it's very comfortable to use due to good ergonomics and a light weight. I also found the soft grip section very comfortable.

.5mm vs .7mm

There is something of a debate with respect to .5mm vs .7mm in the Jetstream line. Many people don't like the .5mm and find it writes too thin and scratchy of a line. I've personally had nothing but good experiences with the .5mm, but the .7mm is excellent as well, so if you're on the fence I would go with the wider tip size. You can always swap the refills out later.

Takeaways/Where to Buy

I'm really enjoying the Jetstream multi pen, especially at work where I need a fine point for annotation and I sometimes have to deal with copy paper so thin that it's impossible to use with fountain pens. The ability to switch between different color inks on the fly, knowing that all of them will write reasonably well on nearly all paper, removes yet another thing from the "worry list" in the midst of a hectic workday.

In addition to the excellent writing experience it offers, the Uniball Jetstream is probably the most reasonably priced of the good multi pens out there on the market. Right now, you can find both the .5mm version and the .7mm version on the market in various iterations, including several special editions that Uni has been releasing such as the “Bamboo” version that we stock in our own shop. Individual color refills are also available separately. Note that the refills for this particular multi pen are proprietary, so you are limited to the four colors Uniball offers and won't be able to swap in refills from another brand (unless, of course, you figure out a way to hack the pen.)

For those of you who already use a multi pen that accepts D1 refills (like the Lamy 2000 4-color ballpoint), Jetpens also carries a Uniball Jetstream D1 refill, which is more expensive but makes for a nice writing experience.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds for my personal collection.

When I was in school I loved liquid ink pens. My absolute favorite was the Pilot V7 or V5, but my parents always tried to buy the Uniball Vision, which I always found to be an inferior pen because it had the tendency to bleed all over the place. As a result, until recently I stayed away from the Uniball Vision Elite, a different pen that has received rave reviews, and deservedly so.

The Uniball Vision Elite uses similar liquid-ink rollerball technology, only this time Uniball has managed to create a pen that dries quickly and doesn't bleed or feather like the regular Vision. And the colors - the colors on these things really pop. I tested out an 8-pack, which contained one of each of the following colors: blue, black, purple, red, green, orange, blue-black, and red. There's also a "BLX" pack that includes colors such as blue-black, red-black, green-black, etc. Those are next on the list for me to pick up.

A writing sample of the various colors, done on the Slice Planner dot-grid paper.

The Vision Elites are now sitting in the pen holder on my desk at work, and they've been getting a lot of use color-coding the clockface in my Slice Planner. (If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, please read the review. It will make more sense, I promise!) The pens have worked exceptionally well on the Slice Planner paper, and also have held up on ordinary recycled office paper. That said, I tested the Vision Elite in the "micro" point, so your mileage may vary if you prefer the medium or bold tip size, which may increase feathering as they apply more ink to the paper.

Where to Buy / Thanks to Office Mall!

The great thing about the Uniball Vision Elite is that these pens can be found pretty much anywhere, in big box stores or online. They aren't particularly cheap (anywhere from $12-20 for a pack of 8, depending on where you buy), but they offer one of the smoothest and most reliable writing experiences on the "mainstream" stationery market.

These particular pens were sent to me by Office Mall, an online retailer of office supplies that stocks everything from pens, pencils, and paper to typewriter ribbons to break room supplies. If you are stocking stationery for a business, visit Office Mall to take advantage of the ability to order lots of different stationery supplies in large quantities. Office Mall also stocks quirky, one-off products that I haven't been able to find anywhere else, like these:

.5mm vs .7mm

Takeaways/Where to Buy

Where to Buy / Thanks to Office Mall!

Further Reading:

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