Stipula Passaporto (2018) - Warning. Do Not Buy.

[Honeybadgers]

This is a PSA - later this weekend I'll post a real review with pictures. DO NOT BUY THIS TURD. It wouldn't be worth it, were it to cost $2 and come from china. I am getting my thoughts up as soon as I can to hopefully save more people from buying this monstrosity.

 

I have been waiting for this pen eagerly for over a year, as it's been teased on Goulet's website for as long, with perpetual "next month" answers every time I queried its release date.

 

Well, it came out and I snatched one INSTANTLY. $40 is a small price to pay for a nice metal section and acrylic body, right?

 

THE WHOLE THING IS PLASTIC. CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP plastic. You can see and feel the flashing lines on every. single. surface. The chrome paint on the "cap band" and section is just AWFUL.

 

The cap unscrews with hands down the worst threads I have ever felt on any object in my entire life. They will absolutely not last. The Jinhao 992's plastic is light years beyond this monstrosity.

 

Capping and uncapping this thing is a genuinely. GENUINELY unpleasant experience.

 

The nib writes. It was a little scratchy but faded after a bit of use. Nothing special whatsoever.

 

I'm going to compare it to the acrylic moonman M2 this weekend with pictures and a video. I'll give you a sneak preview. It's not good.

[Jamerelbe]

This is a PSA - later this weekend I'll post a real review with pictures. DO NOT BUY THIS TURD. It wouldn't be worth it, were it to cost $2 and come from china. I am getting my thoughts up as soon as I can to hopefully save more people from buying this monstrosity.

 

I have been waiting for this pen eagerly for over a year, as it's been teased on Goulet's website for as long, with perpetual "next month" answers every time I queried its release date.

 

Well, it came out and I snatched one INSTANTLY. $40 is a small price to pay for a nice metal section and acrylic body, right?

 

THE WHOLE THING IS PLASTIC. CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP plastic. You can see and feel the flashing lines on every. single. surface. The chrome paint on the "cap band" and section is just AWFUL.

 

The cap unscrews with hands down the worst threads I have ever felt on any object in my entire life. They will absolutely not last. The Jinhao 992's plastic is light years beyond this monstrosity.

 

Capping and uncapping this thing is a genuinely. GENUINELY unpleasant experience.

 

The nib writes. It was a little scratchy but faded after a bit of use. Nothing special whatsoever.

 

I'm going to compare it to the acrylic moonman M2 this weekend with pictures and a video. I'll give you a sneak preview. It's not good.

 

I picked up two of the Passaportos Massdrop had on offer, a few years ago now, and was very happy with them - was surprised to see how different the form factor of the model was, and sorry to hear that the quality is not up to expectation. Stipula (I believe) is now part of the Yafa family - which I'm beginning to feel is should sound warning bells! Their production value seems to be variable at best.

[ian1964]

This is a real shame. I have two of the Mk1 and two of the Mk2 and all four are super quality pens that I get a huge pleasure from.

[TSherbs]

Caution noted.

[jacobgmusic]

 

I picked up two of the Passaportos Massdrop had on offer, a few years ago now, and was very happy with them - was surprised to see how different the form factor of the model was, and sorry to hear that the quality is not up to expectation. Stipula (I believe) is now part of the Yafa family - which I'm beginning to feel is should sound warning bells! Their production value seems to be variable at best.

Yikes! I have had issues with all my Yafa family pens. Thanks for the caution!

[Jamerelbe]

Here's a picture of the Massdrop version of the pen - which (unlike *some* earlier versions?) had threading on the end of the barrel to allow the cap to post securely. It's a great little pen!

 

[katerchen]

were it to cost $2 and come from china.

 

Which it is (less, probably) and it does.

 

I would not touch any pen tainted by those Yafa crooks.

[ENewton]

Yikes! I have had issues with all my Yafa family pens. Thanks for the caution!

 

I would also avoid buying another Yafa pen and wish some of the retailers who market them vigorously and sell them in volume would use their influence to encourage higher quality.

[dapprman]

I had a browse around - Yafa do not own Stipula, they're the US distributor for them - as they are for Pineider

[Honeybadgers]

 

I picked up two of the Passaportos Massdrop had on offer, a few years ago now, and was very happy with them - was surprised to see how different the form factor of the model was, and sorry to hear that the quality is not up to expectation. Stipula (I believe) is now part of the Yafa family - which I'm beginning to feel is should sound warning bells! Their production value seems to be variable at best.

 

The $40 2018 model is supposed to be markedly different from the $90 original model, hence why I made the note in the title.

[sciumbasci]

Stipula seems to be still owned by Ideaprima - that is according to Stipula's own website and Ideaprima's.

 

40 Dollars seem a good price as well: it's 88 EUR on their official shop!

[southpaw]

I have one of the original ones and, as expected of that era Stipula, it is too notch. Very sorry to hear the state of the current ones. If strongly consider sending it back. Seems like in the attempt to make it inexpensive, they made it cheap.

[Honeybadgers]

I can't stress how BEYOND cheap this is. It's genuinely (bleep), on par with the very worst $0.99 pens coming out of no-name chinese factories.

 

a $0.25 bic has a higher build quality.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[Jamerelbe]

I had a browse around - Yafa do not own Stipula, they're the US distributor for them - as they are for Pineider

 

Sorry if I misled anyone - I'd read somewhere that Stipula had some kind of connection to Yafa, but may have misinterpreted it.

 

This won't be the first time Stipula have produced a dud pen: remember the Stipula Splash? That too was a cheap 'n' nasty knock off that was sold for a premium...

[Jamerelbe]

I can't stress how BEYOND cheap this is. It's genuinely (bleep), on par with the very worst $0.99 pens coming out of no-name chinese factories.

 

a $0.25 bic has a higher build quality.

 

Did you purchase a clear Passaporto, or a black ('stealth') one? Judging from the photos alone, the latter looks like it might be manufactured to a higher standard. Either way, I'd echo the recommendations of others here: send it back, and ask for a refund. It's not good business for the retailer to be peddling someone else's second-rate rubbish for an inflated price.

[Honeybadgers]

I already emailed Goulet. I feel bad about asking for a refund from Goulet since they're just so awesome, but this pen is garbage, and I'm pretty sure it was damaged in production, as the threads on the section are totally stripped.

[catbert]

Someone posted a video review of the black one. Something wrong with the threads but she liked the 1.1 stub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPG_F7UgxK0

 

[JonSzanto]

It's been a shame to hear this because, when made well, this is a nice little design. Back in 2011, FPN had a series of LE pens made by Stipula for people who pre-ordered. I don't remember the other two models but the third was the Passaporto. They were all made with a pretty blue Italian acrylic with white inclusions, and you had a few choices of hardware. I purchased mine with GP trim, and the cap band and threads are both still very good looking. The plating on the nib has suffered a bit, but the steel nib still writes well. It posts (threaded) securely on the back and when I travelled with it I used it as an ED without a single mishap. To have something that small but useable to throw in a carry bag to have with you is a fun thing. I'm sorry to know that this recent batch is another bad pen trying to ride the coattails of good pens from even the recent past.

[Honeybadgers]

Working on my full review for FPN now, but long story short, if you like the IDEA of this pen but want one that's properly made, get the Moonman Wancai Mini. It's made from REAL acrylic. It's made PROPERLY. it's SMALLER. It holds an insane amount of ink. And it writes better. AND it's cheaper.

[JonSzanto]

Working on my full review for FPN now, but long story short, if you like the IDEA of this pen but want one that's properly made, get the Moonman Wancai Mini. It's made from REAL acrylic. It's made PROPERLY. it's SMALLER. It holds an insane amount of ink. And it writes better. AND it's cheaper.

 

And it looks like (bleep) with no design aesthetic. It's as charming as the handle of a screwdriver. I understand your train of thought, but there is nothing that would have me buy that pen, no matter how cheap. And I say that after having purchased, and am enjoying, an M2.