Energizer Tradio, a cap-type ballpoint pen, was released in October from Energizer, Pentel's gel ink ballpoint pen brand.


The product, which was planned in France, has been on sale in Europe since April and has been well received in Japan. The product design follows that of the "Tradio Plaman" plastic fountain pen, which is popular in Europe, where the fountain pen culture still exists.


Energizer Tradio is priced at 250 yen per bottle (tax not included). I fell in love with the high-end design for the price, and bought a 0.7mm ball with blue ink on impulse.


The writing experience is surprisingly smooth. The nib moves smoothly and the ink comes out evenly without blurring. The brand's energy gel ink changes from gel to liquid at an especially fast rate when dispensed, which makes for smooth writing. The blue coloring is also vivid.


The handwriting is like that of a fountain pen in terms of color shading and the way it bleeds when stopped. I wondered if the ink would rub off too much for a left-handed writer with high writing pressure, but the ink dries very quickly and does not stain my hands.

Above all, I love the fact that I can make a gesture of "clicking off the cap," which is not possible with a knock-type ballpoint pen. It is also an elegant match for business scenes, so why not keep one in your pen case?