Ahhh … those awesome back to school sales are in full swing. In the past I've used the PaperMate FlexGrip pens and when I saw that they had put out the Ultra version, I had to get a couple packs to try them out. When I didn't realize is that I grabbed a pack of the retractable ones as well as the ones with caps. To me there isn't that much of a difference between the two styles so it all boils down to personal preference. Some people don’t like pens with caps because they are too easy to lose, to a degree I feel that way but if a pen writes nice I can overlook it. Visually there is a pretty big difference between these two pens, the retractable one has a gray barrel and the capped one a black barrel so again, what you like in a pen does come into play when choosing between these two. To me the retractable one looks nicer than the other but since I purchased a pack of each of them, it's not like I am going to throw them out or they won't be put to use.

PaperMate FlexGrip Ultra Retractable Ballpoint Pen – Black

So what's the difference between the regular FlexGrip and the Ultra? That's a good question; they both write the same and have the same type of ink flow [medium point] but the barrel is a little different. This one has the rubber covered over almost the entire pen with the exception of the metal tip at the end and the clicker section. To most people this isn't a big deal but if you are someone that holds their pen differently than most, you will appreciate the way that this is designed. There are five ridges near the bottom of the pen; these are cut into the rubber covering of the pen to allow you to get a better grip on it. At first you might think that this will decrease the comfort level when writing but it doesn't, if anything it makes it a lot nicer to work with. The thickness of the line is average, it’s not a fine point in my opinion but it is a lot thinner that what you get from a gel pen.

As far as the ink is concerned, it dries fast and rarely smudges but if you are writing on anything that has a slick surface, that might not hold true. The color is strong, not that washed out wimpy looking 'black' that you get from some pens. One thing that I absolutely hate is writing with a pen and ending up with more ink on the bottom part of my hand than on the paper. Thankfully PaperMate didn’t go and change the type of ink that they use in the FlexGrip pens; it dries fast and resists smudging under most normal writing conditions. This is more than suitable for taking notes, writing out grocery lists or having in a backpack and because it is retractable, there is no chance that the lid will come off of you will lose it. The only maintenance that this needs is to occasionally wipe off the tip; if you carry this around in your backpack dirt and dust will get into the tip of it and end up sticking to the point. This can lead to ink globs forming and when you go to write, the first few strokes will look extremely sloppy. Like all the other PaperMate ballpoints, this one does not skip when writing on most paper. If you are writing on anything with a grain then there might be some line breaks but otherwise, the FlexGrip Ultra delivers a smooth line.

Price wise these do cost a little more than the regular stick pens but they are worth paying more for if you want a rubber comfort grip area. I got these on sale for $1.39 a pack and that's about .50 less than the normal selling price. Since I don't have a 'favorite pen' I like to try out anything that's new to see if any of the companies have reinvented the wheel .. or in this case, the basic ballpoint pen. Are they worth it? If you do a lot of writing they are; you don't get cramps from holding them and the ridges let you get a firm grip on it without having to exert a lot of pressure. About the only true downside to these is that the barrels do attract dirt, dust and lint.


The Bottom Line

All in all I really like the way that this pen writes, if black isn't your color you can get these in red, blue, green and even purple. For the price this is a nice pen that allows you to write comfortably even for extended periods of time. Like all PaperMate products, if you aren't satisfied with the way that this writes or have any trouble with it, return it to them for a replacement or a refund. For those of you who don’t know this, Sanford and PaperMate are one in the same. At first I thought that PaperMate owned Sanford but after I did some reading I found out that it's the opposite. I've had nothing but good luck with both companies and this is a pen that I am sure I will be buying more of in the future.


As always, thanks for the visit…

~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~

© 2006 Freak369


PaperMate product reviews …

Fingermate, X-Tend, "Eraser Mate" Erasable Black Ink Pen, Comfort Mate Black, Comfort Mate Purple, Flair Felt-Tip Pens, Pendulum - Black
DryLine Refillable Correction Film, DryLine Correction Film Refill


The Ultimate "Back To School" List





Recommended: Yes