Papermate X-Tend Ball Point - Spend The Extra Dollar For The Retractable Version
Written: Jul 01 '03 (Updated Nov 09 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice ink flow, comfort rubber grip, three colors to choose from.
Cons: The cap doesn’t fit the barrel of the pen.
The Bottom Line: This needed a little “x-tended” testing before it was released. Hey PaperMate, what’s the point of advertising and selling a pen when the cap doesn’t fit correctly?
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| Freak369's Full Review: Papermate X Tend Ballpoint Pen Medium Point Black ... |
It isn’t often that you will hear me complain about a pen but it does happen. I spotted the PaperMate X-Tend at Rite-Aid when they were marking down some office supplies to make room for new products. I was a little puzzled as to why there were so many of the X-Tend pens ticket with the pink ‘last chance sale’ stickers – but after I got them home and tried them out I knew why. Actually, there’s nothing wrong with the pen, it’s the cap. There are two versions of this pen, the ball point [1.99 / 2 pack] and the retractable [$2.99 / 2 pack]. Heed my warning and spend the extra dollar for the retractable version however if you decide to pick up this style, don’t say you weren’t warned.
The ball point version comes packaged with one of the caps off so you can see the rubber comfort grip and base of the pen. It wasn’t until I got this home and tried it out that I realized I made a dreadful mistake in not getting the retractable version. When you go to put the cap on there’s no clicking sound – it doesn’t lock into place. The metal tip slides into a small plastic chamber to help keep ink leaks to a minimum – but it doesn’t do anything for the loose cap. Now, I ask you – what good is a pen if the cap falls off with the slightest bit of motion? You can’t take it with you because the cap will fall off, you can’t put it in your drawer or organizer – because the cap falls off. I’m not sure of this is a design error or that I just got a bad pack but both pens are the same – wiggly caps that rattle and fall off. I never thought I say a pen sucks – but this one pushed me to almost uttering those words.
PaperMate X-Tend
I’ll admit it, it wasn’t the sale sticker that drew me to the X-Tend, it was the sharp silver and black design. Since this comes packaged with one of the caps off, you get to see the rubber comfort grip but seeing it isn’t nearly as impressive as feeling it when you are writing. This is just a little softer then the standard black rubber grip you find on most pens so you can write for extended periods of time without aches or cramps. These are refillable but a word of warning needs to be said – when twisting off the bottom part of the pen [where the comfort grip ends] make sure that you don’t end up losing one of the pieces – these things slide all over the place. Also, when reassembling the pen make sure you don’t over tighten the two pieces or you will end up stripping them. Refills can be picked up for about $1.29 for a two pack in red, black or blue.
Ink Quality
After breaking open the package and being thoroughly disappointed with the cap I was ready to toss these in the trash. Figuring that I had nothing to lose I started writing with the pen and started to like the line and flow of the ink. It’s quick drying and fairly dark but isn’t archival quality. If black isn’t your color, you can also pick these up in red and blue. The back of the package states that they are also available in pink, purple and green but I’ve never seen these colors in stores or at websites so I’m not sure if they got axed or are pending release.
Things To Know
These were previously marketed under the Sanford name but have since been handed over to the Papermate / Newell side of the company. I am assuming that the lack of sales prompted the shift from one side of the company to the other however without a design change – it’s still the same pen with the same horrid cap. I wrote to PaperMate about this and if / when I receive a reply, I’ll update this with their comments. Since this comes with a money back guarantee, more than likely they will tell me to send it back for a replacement.
The Bottom Line
In hindsight I wish I’d purchased the retractable pen instead. Lately most of the ball points that I’ve picked up have been retractable since I am prone to losing or misplacing the caps or having one of the small furry critters make off with them. The retractable offers you the same ink quality and flow without having to deal with the cap – of course these cost a little more but are well worth it in my opinion. One small point to add about this version of the pen is the tip is recessed into the barrel so getting used to writing with it might take a little time. It doesn’t stick out as far as other ball points and when you first see it – it almost looks like its getting sucked back into the body. Overall this is a great pen with a few fatal design flaws but if you see it on sale or as part of a buy one get one free deal, it’s worth it for the comfort grip, medium point tip and ink.
As always … thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
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Please note: The photo displayed for this product is wrong. This pen has black ink and is not retractable. You can view the actual pen here: www.papermate.com/common/images/product/SN/25301_lg.jpg
Recommended:
Yes
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