[Pen/Pencil Review] Pentel EnerGel Clena Retractable – 0.3mm
This week’s pen review goes back to Pentel. It’s the EnerGel Clena Retractable Rollerball in a 0.3mm needle tip from JetPens.com. I was on an uber-fine kick in my last order from them. And, let’s face it, I do a lot of Pentel EnerGels… I doubt I’ll become the collector that Jimmy is with the Pentel 205s – but we do tend to be a Pentel family at heart.
I kind of forgot that I bought this one, and DEFINITELY forgot that it was red ink, or we’d be having this conversation sooner. I’ve been doing editing and such and kept pulling out the black super-fine pens or the multi-function I reviewed last week. This was almost a surprise to me. So yay?
Though I do prefer conical points for solidity, I’ve lost my aversion to needle-point pens. They’ve made them a lot more durably in the last years, especially Pentel. I no longer feel like I’m going to bend/break needle-points. The pen has a great line and ink saturation for a 0.3mm. For red, it’s a good solid color with little skipping or smearling. And the point is smooth, not scratchy like some conical points at this size can be. In the description on JetPens, it calls the ink “dye-based, quick-drying, smear-resistant†– I don’t know what “dye-based†means, but the rest is true. I’ve not had smearing or glopping issues with this pen.
The barrel titles said Red Body – come on, folks, that’s salmon at best with pin-stripe detailing near the clicker and yellow accents. The rubber grip gives some cushion for long use. The plunger and clip are solid metal. The pen is refillable with the Pentel EnerGel LRN3 refill. The pen is 5.8†long and well balanced with a comfortable diameter.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s decent, especially for the tip size. No frills. The ink is rich and the roller smooth. The ink dries fast, has some of the least smearing.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – It’s an inexpensive, plastic, pen. It has a grip that’s pretty comfortable with a nod to ergonomics. The length and balance are good.
3. Material – 1 It’s plastic, but it has a good mechanism and good ink. It’s also refillable.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s a good, solid everyday retractable pen with a very fine point (my favorite) with comfortable dimensions.
5. Price Point – 0.5 It’s $3 and only available online. Which isn’t bad, but it’s not the most economical Pentel EnerGel there is. It is refillable, the refills are $1.25 – that’s not horrible. The pens come in blue, black, and red individually, no multis – and are available in 0.3mm, 0.5mm, and 0.7mm.
4.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
