Sailor Pro Gear Slim Review

[FPSymphony]

The Sailor Pro Gear Slim is one of those pens that I have wanted quite early on in the hobby. On paper ( no pun intended ), it has a lot of things going for it; it's attractive and well built, and for many, will probably be one of their first gold-nibbed pens ( my first modern one ). Was it worth the wait?

 

Yes, it was worth the wait, but it was quite a long wait. When I got the pen, I rushed to clean it and ink it up, but there were a couple of problems. First, the nib tines were quite tight and the pen was far too dry to write properly. Obviously, you can adjust that yourself if you feel comfortable, however, the pen was also leaking ink from a gap between the section and the barrel, so right back to Anderson Pens it went. Since it came back, it's been smooth sailing (pun indeed intended). This just goes to show that probably no matter what pen you buy, something can always go wrong, so I recommend ordering from a place that will handle any issues you have.

 

Back to the pen, what really won me over was this color combination; the reddish-orange and gold is really something that works for me. Sorry for the poor quality phone camera photos. I tried to do some color correction, so hopefully this is an accurate representation. There's also many more variants either with gold or rhodium trim, if you so desire.

 

Design and Construction:

 

 

 

 

 

Aesthetically, I find this a very attractive pen. The design may be conservative for some, but I think it's nice, and the color is certainly far from conservative. I think some of the smaller details such as the lettering on the cap band and the anchor on the finial help make the pen look more interesting.

 

Holding the pen, you'll notice the quality feeling of the plastic, which has held up really well to scratches over the weeks I've been using it. The molding lines appear to have been sanded away on the barrel and cap, which helps make the pen feel like it's been turned out of a solid piece of resin. If only they sanded down the molding lines on the section, which, while mostly unobtrusive, are slightly annoying considering that's where you're intended to place your fingers. Aiding the feeling of quality however, is the exceptional balance, especially when posted. Unposted, the pen feels a little short. In general this is rather small pen, but luckily not too thin.

 

 

 

A comparison of the capped, posted, and unposted lengths of a Kaweco Sport, Parker Duofold Junior, Sailor Pro Gear Slim, Sailor 1911s, Parker 21, Platinum Preppy, and Lamy Safari

 

Dimensions wise, the Pro Gear Slim is identical to the 1911s except in length due to the rounded ends of the 1911 versus the flat ends of the Pro Gear.

 

Filling System:

 

Most Sailor pens ( except the Realo ) use Sailor's proprietary cartridge converter filling system. A converter is luckily included with the pen, but it isn't the best converter. It doesn't hold much ink, partially due to the air bubble that is always present (I've tried to expel the air out). It's enough ink to last through the day (for me), but it may be an issue. I've also heard that they sometimes leak. They do disassemble for cleaning and greasing, which is nice, but I think Sailor should really update their converter design. One oddity about filling is that it fills through the breather hole, and it's recommended by Sailor to do so. For this reason, although you can remove the nib and feed, you will break the seal and probably cause some problems ( It may also void the warranty).

 

The Nib:

 

The nib of any Sailor seems to be the most highly regarded part of the pen, it's practically the reason you buy one. While not perfect out the box, it's an absolutely spectacular nib. There's some feedback, but it's really smooth, definitely one of my favorite nibs. This single-tone 14k nib is also quite attractive as well ( the little things ).

 

 

Sailor extra-fine versus medium

 

 

I did the writing sample not long after receiving the pen, but after using it for a while with different inks, the feedback isn't as pronounced as I made it out to be.

 

Conclusion:

 

I think this is a wonderful pen for the $156 price. Honestly, while the gold nib is selling point for this pen, it's not the only one as this is, overall, a quality well-made pen. Do you need the gold nib? Not really since this nib produces no line variation, and a steel nib and a gold nib with the same tipping material can be almost indistinguishable. However, there is something wonderful about this nib ( which just so happens to be gold ). Not to mention that gold is an inert metal, and the alloy will resist ink staining. Some plain steel nibs can get stained rather easily from iron gall inks ( or just be harder to clean ), and some plated steel nibs I've used have had the plating come off really easily. For longevity, as far as I'm concerned, gold is a safe bet.

 

It's also worth mentioning some of the other pens that you can get for around the same price such as the Lamy 2000, Platinum 3776, and Pilot 74, which are highly regarded by others although I have no experience with them ( yet ). If this pen appeals to you, also look at the Sailor 1911s which essentially the same pen except for the ends, which add some length.

 

As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

[Bluey]

Very nice review. Realistic, honest, and practical.

 

I must say though that I think most Sailors are dry. Even my zoom nib is comparatively dry, yet something of that width *should* be a gusher, so it's testament to the nibmeisters at Sailor for making the ink flow right for the pen. My Sailor Pro Gear is on the dry side but this is a good thing as it shows the shading of the ink very well.

If I remember correctly there is a reason why Sailors write on the drier side. Not sure why the same shouldn't apply to Pilot, Platinum and others.

[mauckcg]

Just got my first Pro Gear Slim a week ago. In my case a FM that is nice and wet, but not overly so. Great nib, nice pen, though i post mine when i use it. It's a solid package that's hard to beat for the price.

[antichresis]

Great review! Thanks

[pankaj]

First, you got a pretty good pen there, FPSymphony. Next, its your modesty that says poor quality pictures. I must say your your photography is highly appreciable , and the pics are so clear and inviting.

 

I'm a Sailor fan, have got a few, the Sailor nibs are simply awesome. The plastic look and feel or lightweight is a different matter. But in the given price band, it can easily lead the pack.

 

I wd of course prefer the standard PG or even 1911 instead of the slim. Guess the 'Slim' is marginally slimmer, and may add further woes to its smallish size in certain grips. But then again, slim is beauty... slim is arty .

 

A very nice pen indeed !

 

 

[Diderot]

Nice pen, lovely colour, and an informative review - thanks.

[ManofKent]

Nice review - very much the Sailor equivalent of the Custom Heritage 91 to my eyes.

[aimi]

Thank you for posting this review. I stumbled upon it this year while looking for comparison pictures of the PGS versus other pens (especially vintage), so I appreciate you including a wide range of pens in your photos!

[EmJ]

I love these pens! I have two, and while they aren't very wet writers, they always keep up and write flawlessly!