Pilot has given its popular FriXion erasable gel pen a slight make-over. According to a release from the company, the Pilot FriXion PRO is meant to have a “more conventional look for business users.”
A Pilot rep said the changes are mainly cosmetic and that the PRO has the same performance as the original FriXion, although both now have 25 percent more “write-out distance.”
In case you’ve never tried the FriXion, it uses thermo-sensitive ink that turns clear when you erase it with the pen’s rubber stub, creating heat through friction. (Which is why something written with a FriXion pen shouldn’t be exposed to high temps.)
On a see note, Toshiba has released a printer with Thermo-sensitive ink that can be erased whatever next?
How well it works seems to depend on the type of paper on which you’re writing. I tried a black FriXion on a business card, a cheap Staples notepad and a Tops reporter’s notebook.
After considerable rubbing, the ink faded from the business card but was still clearly visible. With moderate rubbing, it faded from the Staples pad, leaving a fine line. But, with just light rubbing, it disappeared completely from the reporter’s notebook.
The PRO is available with fine and .07 mm points and with either black, blue, or red ink. Unlike the regular FriXion, the barrel of the PRO does not match the ink color. The pen’s color is indicated by the erasing stub and tip of the cap, as you can see in the photo.
They’ll be selling in the UK for the same price as the regular, about £2.
Editors Update – The Pilot Frixion Pro is now discontinued we recommend that you use a Pilot Frixion Clicker instead or take a look at the Pilot Frixion Point if you prefer a finer line.
You might want to check out what some other FriXion users have had to say about the pen. This Dooyoo reviewer was fairly enthusiastic, while the Pen Addict’s FriXion review was less positive.
