Zebra Sarasa 0.7 Gel Ink Rollerball Review

I probably have more Zebras in my pen collection than any other brand. Not intentionally, don't get me wrong, I love Zebras but mainly because they are in most stationery shops I visit so they are pretty much unavoidable. Those naughty Zebras can be very persuasive when they want to be,  twisting my arm all the way to the check out.

The Zebra Sarasa has been part of my collection for a few months now. This pen was recommended to me on numerous occasions by different people so I felt I had no choice but to try it for myself. I wouldn't want to feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Zebra Sarasa

I wasn't blown away by the Sarasas appearance. It's a pretty name so I'd hoped for a pretty pen to match. I went online in search of a meaning to the name and found that Sarasa means Swan. When I think of a swan I imagine a beautiful creature gliding graciously across a lake, barely a ripple in the water. I also remember the countless times I've run from swans flapping their huge wings at me while I've been trying to feed the ducks but when they're not hissing at me I can really appreciate their beauty. The Zebra Sarasa doesn't really have any features that stand out so a swan wasn't the first image to come to mind when looking at it for the first time.

The Zebra Sarasa is made from plastic aside from the blue rubber grip. The transparent body of the pen allows me to keep tabs on my ink usage which is always a plus - no nasty surprises.
It is retractable using the clicker button.

The Sarasa weighs very little and is my ideal width for comfort. I could write all day with this pen, using only a light grip, never feeling any kind of discomfort associated with uneven weight
distribution or bulk.

Zebra Sarasa grip

The rubber grip could do with being a little closer to the tip but that's my own issue not the the fault of the Sarasa. I've been practising holding pens further away from the tip in the hope that I will get more enjoyment from some of my higher gripped pens. My progress is slow. Changing my pen holding habits after all these years is not easy but I'm giving it a good go.
The grip has a slight squashy feel to it. I do prefer grips with minimal movement when squeezed. Having said that, it is still comfortable to use. There isn't so much texture that I'm left with indentations on my fingers and it does keep slipping to a minimum so it's doing it's job.

The Zebra Sarasa has a medium 0.7mm point which although it isn't quite my favourite (fineliners will always be my number one) it's a close second. My lines are a decent width, not so thick that I feel I need to adjust the size of my handwriting accordingly so no complaints there. For those who are particular about point sizes, fine and a bold versions are also available.

Sarasa

The gel ink inside the Sarasa flows consistently without issues. No skipping or false starts, just good solid evenly inked lines. The ink is quick to dry. I was in a nitpicking mood so I tested it in every notebook I had and found that as with most pens, it's not completely immune to smudging but almost. A 1-2 second dry time on most of my pages is in my opinion not bad going and on others it was immediate. I didn't see any feathering or bleeding through the pages. As a left hander I was especially pleased.
The Zebra Sarasa takes to paper like a duck to water, moving across the page smoothly and confidently allowing me to really enjoy the experience. I can just zone out and write without any irksome distractions like scratching or too much/too little resistance. When I look down at my page and see that each and every letter is perfectly formed I realise that my uninspiring ugly duckling of a pen did indeed become a beautiful swan. Let this be a reminder that it's what's on the inside that counts.

Easily refilled

The fact that I've had this pen for months without breaking it adds to my joy when refilling it. The bond I've formed with my Sarasa doesn't need to be broken. I get no enjoyment from throwing an empty but otherwise perfectly good pen in the bin.
The Sarasa takes the JF Zebra refills which are placed in the pen by unscrewing just above the grip at the writing end. The refill just sits in, no faffing about. Be careful not to lose the spring (obvious but easily done!).

Zebra Sarasa clip

The clip is quite flexible so it's very easily attached to a notebook or pocket but unless it's clipped to something reasonably thick it's also just as easily detached. It would be fine clipped inside my pocket where it can't fall very far and I can keep checking it's there. Or maybe unlike me you are sane and think the pen would be no bother to replace if lost considering the reasonable price they can be picked up for.

Of all the Zebra pens I've had the pleasure of using up until now I'd say the Sarasa is my favourite. It's maybe not the most attractive of the Zebras but it definitely delivers when it comes down to the important part - the writing. Not every one appreciates the wet inky look but I absolutely love it.

In a weird, selfish kind of way I'm pleased the Sarasa is average looking. I feel like it's let me in on a secret ...

"Pssst, over here, I may look like a boring old rollerball but wait till you see what I can do on paper.. don't tell anyone though, I don't want everyone fighting over me"

Zebra G301 Gel Pen

Zebra G301

The Zebra G301 is one of my latest Zebra purchases. I seem to be building quite a collection of Zebras but considering they are sold in pretty much every stationery shop I visit it's inevitable that the size of my herd will increase.

This Zebra has a stainless steel barrel and clip with a plastic ribbed grip. My first impression of the pen was that it looks clinical and cold. If it could talk I imagine it would give me a good telling off - what for I've no idea.

Zebra plastic ribbed grip

When I saw the positioning of the grip I had to stop myself from letting out a sigh of despair. The Zebra G301 doesn't strike me as the kind of pen to tolerate whinging so I decided it was time to learn to adapt and overcome. Which I managed - almost. The grip let me down a little. I wanted to hold it on the grip, I really did but every single time I ended up sliding closer towards the tip and wind up half on and half off it again. For me it was a case of slippy, not grippy. Luckily the grip sits level with the body of the pen so together with the fact that the pen is light weight and evenly balanced it is still a comfortable pen to hold and use.

Zebra G301 writing sample

I am totally in love with the ink in this pen. It feels exceptionally smooth on paper without being slippery, it flows perfectly, not a single hint of a false start or skipping and though the ink looks wet on paper it dries very quickly. Every single one of my notebooks has been compatible with the Zebra G301. The ink hasn't feathered or bled through the paper. I love it. It feels so good that I always manage to think of one more thing to write or doodle before putting it away. It's a bit like playing Mario - one more try at defeating Bowser turns into one final attempt, I mean it this time, just one more - next thing I know it's midnight and I have an early start in the morning.

refillable.......

The Zebra G301 is refillable and uses JK refills. When I get a new pen one of the first things I look at is the refill and how to change it. I like to know how my pen works. On this occasion I unscrewed the pen and pulled out the refill (which was so hard to pull out that I actually worried I was doing it wrong or that maybe it wasn't supposed to come out after all) took a pic, but it all back together, pressed the clicky button, pressed it again, and again and realised I'd broken the pen. I seem to have damaged the spring so my pen is no longer a retractable pen. No amount of faffing about was able to fix it. So I'm a little cheesed off. If the pen tells me it's refillable then I'd expect to be able to refill it without the fear of damaging it so easily.

Flexible Zebra G301 clip

The clip on the Zebra G301 is flexible and is easily clipped to thicker objects. Having said this I would still be careful as with a bit of movement the pen still moves about and did fall off when I shook my notebook. I know the shaking of notebooks isn't the norm but for me it's a good indicator of how reliable a clip will be under most circumstances. I know that if a pen stays put after a good shake the chances of losing it on any given non notebook shaking day is slim.
Many of my Zebra pens have Zebra written on the clip in some way or another and I am a fan of a bit of clip decoration so the plain clip on this pen only adds to my feeling of coldness.

So my overall opinion of this pen - I love the way it writes. For the past week this has been the first pick from my pen pot every time. I've almost emptied the ink I've used it so much. I'm disappointed that I've broken it so zero points for being refillable as my pen didn't even survive one refill attempt. I'd recommend using extra care if you do choose to buy this pen with the intention of replenishing the ink. For me, how a pen feels on paper always overrides how I feel about it's appearance so given it's reasonable price I am tempted to risk buying another in order to have a fully functional Zebra G301 again but if it breaks again this pen will definitely be crossed off my Christmas card list.

Zebra BE- a AX5 Arrow Tip Rollerball

Zebra BE-a AX5

This is the Zebra BE-a AX5 formally known as the Zeb-Roller AX5. It's the same pen, just with a new and more complicated name. The entire pen is made from plastic apart from the clip which is metal.

At first sight I wasn't blown away by its appearance. It's not a pen I could imagine myself looking twice at if I saw someone using it or at least it wasn't until I got it home and had a closer look. I'm generally of the opinion that if a pen writes well it doesn't really matter what it looks like but as I'm not just a user of pens but also a collector of pens I can't help but want it to be good looking as well as good at it's job.

So I'm looking at this pen and as I examine the lid I notice something. It's a shark.

Do you see it too? Or am I just a crazy lady?

But not just any old shark, it's the coolest shark that ever was. Call me crazy, but that's what I see and now I've seen it I can't unsee it. Just look at it's cute little face ... (please ignore the reflection of my boyfriend who at the time was mocking me for seeing a pen as anything other than what it is, a pen)

Look at it's face!

 So we've established that it's a shark but is it friend or foe? Let's get reviewing ..

O.5mm fine point

The plastic body of the Zebra BE-a AX5 is extremely light. Many pages of my notebooks have been filled with this pen and its light weight allows me to carry on writing forever if I want, never feeling the need to tighten my grip and without the need for regular breaks to stretch those aching fingers. The smooth plastic grip area dips in slightly from the barrel and although there isn't a grip as such, it doesn't matter. My grip of the pen is the perfect distance from the tip giving me complete control at all times without slipping or having to readjust.

writing sample

I'm loving the 0.5mm tip which gives me a 0.3mm line. I find my handwriting halves in size when I use this pen, because I can, I know the pen can handle it. The lettering is clear and readable even with tiny handwriting. No need for a Specsavers appointment just yet.

I managed to get a quiet moment for a scribble session and noticed the lovely scratchy sound it makes when I write. I say lovely because although it sounds scratchy it feels amazing. The pen takes to paper like a fish to water, moving across the page effortlessly. Smooth but providing me with that tiny bit of resistance, just the way I like it. 

The liquid ink just keeps flowing, never giving up, never letting me down. The appearance of my handwriting differed slightly depending on the paper I used. 80gsm paper gave the best results. I was able to produce clear, fine lines,with no feathering.  The 100gsm notebook I used for the sample caused the hairiness that you may be able to see in the picture. That's one of the reasons I love to have plenty of different notebooks at hand. I'd hate to dismiss a pen for one poor performance in one notebook if it behaves perfectly well in all the others.
 

Not refillable

This is not a refillable pen. I much prefer a pen I can use again and again. It's the small signs of wear and the familiar feel that make the pen truly mine. Once I've had a pen for a while I can usually tell my own pen from another identical pen. So to let it go, accept it's no longer any good to anyone is a shame.

Something look odd to you?

The clip made me chuckle. The Zebra lettering looks like it's upside down. It never matches up with the wording on the barrel unless the lid is posted which it does nicely by the way. I felt like I'd found an undated 20p coin, a rare design flaw, but a quick search on google images made me realise they are all the same.
The clip keeps my Zebra BE- a AX5 safe and sound so at least I can be assured that although the pen won't last forever, I won't be parted with it accidentally or otherwise before that dreaded day comes.

I like this pen. It writes well on most paper, it feels great to use and it's quirky even if it's not immediately obvious. So now when I see someone using this pen I will look twice, maybe even three times, and then I'll scurry away before I get the urge to scream "Shark!".

Zebra Airfit 2+S Ballpoint Multi function pen

Zebra Airfit 2+S

I'm a sucker for gadgets and cute and quirky little contraptions, and this Zebra Airfit 2+S is no exception.
It's cute, it's cool, and it's multi functional. A pen that can multi task is always worth a look in my view.

The S in the name had me stumped. I knew it was something to do with the pencil but I couldn't think what. I just couldn't let it go so I contacted Zebra to ask and they very kindly replied and let me know that it stands for sharp. I'm sure you will all sleep better tonight knowing that. I certainly did.

The barrel is mostly made of plastic, with a rubber air cushioned grip, a few small metal parts in clip and the bullet shaped metal part at the end of the pen which captured the image of my nosey son brilliantly.

spot the nosey child interrupting my photography session

Unlike many multifunctional pens which have a slider for each colour, this pen uses a rotating clip. Just rotate the clip so that it points to the colour you need and away you go. To make it pocket safe, have the clip pointed in between the markers and the pen tips will be tucked safely inside. I found myself spending far too much time turning the clip to watch the colours pop in and out, very much like people walking through a revolving door.

Airfit cushioned grip

The air cushion grip felt a little strange to begin with. It's squashiness beneath my fingers while I was writing wasn't what I was used to but it wasn't long before I began to actually like the cushioned feel. I realised that the little bit of extra comfort compensated for the fact that the barrel is wider and heavier than a typical ballpoint. It absorbed some of the extra pressure that I find myself applying to keep a comfortable and steady hold.  Bulky pens are usually a great excuse for me to have a good whining session about how uncomfortable and clumsy they can feel but the cushion grip distracted me and my whine was forgotten before it even began.

The S in the name means sharp

By now you may know that fine point pens are always my first choice where point size is concerned. This Zebra Airfit 2+S contains a fine 0.7 black and red refill and a 0.5 pencil and although they are ballpoints which are not usually my first choice, this pen felt good both to hold and on contact with paper. The fine points make my handwriting appear clearer and much more readable.

This pen is so much fun to use

This pen glides across the paper with total ease. It hasn't left me one unsightly blob, it doesn't smudge and every single time I use this pen it writes first time, with no messing about. Ballpoints are known for their occasional false starts so I was over the moon when this pen proved that there are some good ballpoints out there.
I must admit the ink flow isn't 100% consistent. When I looked really closely at my writing sample I noticed that the pen does seem a little skippy. I was so happy with how it felt to write with, it's smoothness, it's comfort, it's fine lines, that I was quite cross at having to come crashing back down to earth and admit that this pen isn't perfect. I consoled myself with the fact that the skipping isn't immediately noticeable, unless you're looking for it.

replaceable eraser

The Airfit 2+S has a replaceable eraser hidden neatly away under a clicker button at the top of the pen. When the pencil is in use, pressing the clicker will expose more lead, just like a mechanical pencil. The clicker button is for pencil purposes only, it has no effect on the pens.

Spring clip could have been a little tighter

The spring clip works like a clothes peg. Pressing it in opens it up which makes it super easy to use. The clip is great for thicker items, like a thick notebook cover or a stack of paper but when I clipped it to my pocket I was able to slide it off far too easily for me to be able to trust it completely.

The pen is refillable. It has no problems carrying 4 lead refills and takes Zebra SK 07 ballpoint refills.

So the pen may not be perfect but for a multi pen it's probably the best one I've used so far. It's a smooth writer, it's convenient, its stylish and it just feels good. It's a pen that now lives in my handbag or my pocket when I'm at work so I can use it for all of my daily scribbles. I just hope the clip doesn't let me down as this is a pen I'd feel sad about losing.

Zebra Z Grip Flight Ballpoint Pen

Zebra Z Grip Flight

The Zebra Z Grip Flight is a ballpoint pen, made mainly from plastic with a rubber grip and a metal clip with Zebra etched into it. I love the design. The white and the rich blue really compliment each other. It's an attractive pen.

I love this shade of blue

It's lightweight and with the smooth rubber grip it's a very comfortable pen to hold, even for lengthy periods of time.The little dimples on the grip are pretty cute too.

The pen uses low viscosity ink although to begin with I wasn't particularly impressed. The very first time I wrote, I found the pen left me with lots of thick blobs throughout my writing. My writing looked messy and the blobs took an age to dry. Yes the flow was consistent but it didn't look nice. There were two of these pens in the pack and both were the same. I gave the pens a really good shake and after a few paragraphs and lots of scribbles it began to look much better. Now that I have been using them for a couple of days the blobbing has stopped. I'm getting a consistant and even flow of ink and I've had zero skipping so I've forgiven the Zebra Flight for it's little hiccup. The pen feels extremely smooth on paper. It's absolutely no effort at all to use.

Zebra refill not available for this pen

Dedicated refills are not available for this pen although you can refill it with a refill from another pen/brand if you wish. Refills of this size are widely available. I know some people like to mix and match with refills but I can't seem to bring myself to do it. Unless it's a refill specifically intended for that pen, I don't feel like its the same pen anymore. I've created something completely different and it just feels wrong. But the option is there for those of you who don't mind.

Zebra Z Grip Flight writing sample

I did get a slight smudge on the smudge test but it's not often I deliberately rub my finger across the words in that way so during normal use it should be ok. I'm a lefty and I didn't have any problems but I do write with my hand below my line of writing and turn my paper sideways slightly so I rarely smudge anyway. The ink didn't bleed through the page so I could happily use both sides without any issues.
The clip is reliable and sturdy. It clips onto paper and pockets well, without sliding about or falling off. 

a clicky button should be seen and not heard

The only annoyance I have with this pen is the clicky button. When it's pushed in it rattles and slides in and out. It doesn't affect the use of the pen, I just find it annoying as I can sometimes hear it rattling as I'm writing.

Its not a bad pen. It's not the best and it's by far not the worst I've used. The Zebra Z Grip Flight is an everyday ballpoint that can handle everyday writing tasks with ease.

Zebra Z-Mulsion Ex Ballpoint Pen

Zebra Z-Mulsion Ex

I bought this Zebra Z-Mulsion Ex for £1 at Asda today. The pen is mainly plastic, with a rubber grip and a metal clip, which I originally thought was plastic too but after some light tapping against my teeth, it appears it is actually metal.

Metal clip, very secure when attatched to my note pad

The pen uses Zebra's oil and water emulsion which is "optimised for super-smooth ink glide" and a smooth ink glide is exactly what you get. This is no ordinary ballpoint. It's much more inky, so much so that I felt I was actually using a rollerball. I guess thats the Emulsion ink working it's magic. The ink dries superfast, and as a left hander this is important. I don't want unsightly smudges all over the page.

Z-Mulsion ink test

This pen is almost too smooth. Theres next to no resistance on the paper, along with the fact the pen weighs very little, I was in danger of losing control and allowing the pen to take over. I managed to show the Zebra who was boss and order was restored. The ink flow is consistant every time I pick this pen up. This is a pen I feel I can rely on for important tasks like notetaking and not find myself scrambling about in my bag for a back up.

Its refillable

The Z-Mulsion Ex is refillable with a Zebra EQ refill. To refill, just unscrew the tip and pop a new refill in, careful not to lose the spring. 
All in all, it's a great pen. It looks smart, its reliable, and feels nice to use. For the price I paid, I'm one happy bunny.  

Zebra Z Grip Animal pens

I don't know my cheetahs from my giraffes

I got these Zebra Z Grip Animal pens in my Christmas stocking. My family have come to accept my pen obsession, even if they don't quite understand it and they know they can't go wrong with pens.
The fab, snazzy designs really catch your eye. If I saw someone using one of these I'd immediately know it was a Zebra. The designs are Zebra, Cheetah (which for ages I actually thought was a Giraffe) and a Tiger.

Flexi Zebra clips

They have a rubber ribbed grip which is comfortable enough to hold and metal clips with Zebra etched onto them. The clips are quite flexible so unless they are clipped to something reasonable thick, I don't completely trust them. I have major meltdowns when I lose a pen so I'd be constantly checking to make sure it's still there. Best stored in my handbag or pocket I think.

Z Grip ink test

Fun design aside, I'd say these pens are not much different from any other ballpoint pen within the same price range. They write smoothly, there's no scratching, the ink flow is good. I haven't had to do any scribbling to get them going. All in all they are decent pens. Nothing out of the ordinary though. But then I wasn't looking for anything amazing. I like the pens and they do exactly what I expect them to do.

DIY refill possible

The Zebra Z Grip Animals are not refillable with their own refill, but I don't see why you couldn't replace the ink from another less interesting pen if its the same size. I always think it's such a shame when a pen reaches retirement so I try to prolong their life wherever I can. What good is a pen if you can't use it?

slightly mismatched but who cares?

If I could change one thing about these pens? It would be the line where the pattern joins up. It's not a big deal. It doesn't affect me or the way the pen works in any way, I'd just rather not see it.
I'd still recommend these Zebra pens. They are fun, and everybody should have at least one Zebra in their life.