Review: Uniball Signo DX .28 Mandarin Orange and Lime Green

What: Uniball Signo DX .28
Huh: Dang good pen.
Where: http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/products_id/3133

I don't need to tell you how amazing the Signo DX line is from Uni-ball. The non-artists among us have long searched for a pen they can write with for hours at a time with, that would put down a fine line, and not muck up their paper. Pens for art are too fragile, and often the thin tips were not designed to be written with for longer than a few sentences. We thought our calls were answered with the Sliccis, but not perfectly for some. The amazing nib and look wasn't quite matched by the ergonomics. Thus, the world still searched for answers.


The Signo DX .28 will give you a steady, fine line while being able to move smoothly over your paper at natural writing angles. This was a pen crafted for the written word. The wonderful folks at JetPens sent me two of the new color line up to test out and spread the word.

There are 6 happy new shades to compliment the standard 10 colors. I picked out the Mandarin Orange and Lime Green to see some contrast in the line.


I was very impressed by each. The colors were a bright and fun take on the standard colors, while still maintaining legibility. These are not flourescent colors that are harsh on the eyes and impossible to read.

I loved both colors, and plan to pick up the rest of the set. If I had to pick between the two, which would be very hard, I would say that the mandarin orange is easier to read on a plain white page than the lime green.


Overall, great new colors to compliment an outstanding existing line-up.

Review: Hi-Tec-C Coleto

I think I may have too many pens.

Which are my favorites? Hmm, possibly the Coletos. Although the Sliccis are a given.

What do you want me to review next?

In the meantime, a Coleto review.

Pen: Hi-Tec-C Coleto (4 stars for being a great pen, but not enough ink for an every day pen)
WTF?: This is a pen system: you buy color cartridges and throw them into a pen body you buy separately. You can customize your own multipen combo, and carry the extra colors around to save space.
Where?: JetPens.com
Compare to: Any other multi pen, and the regular Hi-Tec-C line

Here we can clearly see the Coletos teasing us with their many colors. A flowing rainbow greats the user at first spread, with much more to come.


Moving downward, we have a good shot of their inks. As you can see, some of these pens have been used more than others. Naughty, naughty pens. They need to learn how to share. Are you done with the teasing? Let us move on.

The Coletos are now in full presentation of their features. Plastic ends showcase their natural colors, for easy comparison before use. In the middle, a conservative reservoir of ink is ready and willing to be spread over your favorite paper. At the other end, well constructed tips sit and wait to be pressed against a receptive surface.

All, in all, the Coletos are possibly the supreme example of multi pen technology. Featuring the Hi-Tec-C tips that act like the gateway drug of pens (everyone ends up with Sliccis in the end), and users have a choice in tip sizes. The major problem, which I'm certain cannot be avoided, is that these pens run out FAST. Seriously. Writing one page in a large sized Moleskine uses nearly a 1/2 inch of ink. Therefore, Coletos should be restricted in use. The other problem I have is with the bodies of these pens. The engineering is amazing, but there are so many little parts to play with! I make so much noise with this pen when I use it...

So, at $2 a cartridge, these pens are an okay value. You can get a 10 cartridge set for $15, which is a better value. The Coletos are certainly a staple for any decent pen collection, but not good for writing manuscripts or class notes due to how fast the ink is used. I use these for studying my notes, proofreading, and underlining books when I read. The pen body is super comfortable, but you will only get maybe 10-15 pages of writing in a large size Moleskine per cartridge.

Buy if...

...you like the idea of being able to carry many pens with very little space.
...you like the Hi-Tec-C tips.
...you need the flexibility of carrying many colors.
...you need a great pen for writing short notes or stickie notes.

Don't buy if...

...you want to use for extended writing periods.
...you hate the Hi-Tec-C tips.
...you are a chronic fidgeter, or chew on your pens (could also be a Buy if...)