Triangular shaped pens are not something that I tend to associate with ergonomic designs. Writing instruments with this label usually fall into 2 categories. A large range are aimed at the younger market for children just learning to write & as they grow helping them achieve the correct grip & posture in order to hone their penmanship skills & avoid future discomfort.
I am familiar with ergonomic pens aimed at prolific writers & those that suffer from arthritis other health issues or grip problems. These come in a variety of different shapes & sizes, the Staedtler Triplus Ball Pen (431M) is part of a range that includes pens, pencils, highlighters & fineliners, they all have a characteristic triangular barrel.
In relation to pens & pencils my understanding of “ergonomic” is that the design should fit nicely in the hand & have a good grip limiting fatigue & stress on the joints. This is a market that has grown as people have become more aware of health issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury & the like. Writing strain is a common problem caused by excessive pressure on the fingers, often associated with the hands slipping along the barrel causing us to grip harder initially leading to cramp & often more serious symptoms.
The medium tip on these pens writes a 0.45mm line, they are available individually or in packs of 10 with a choice of black, blue, red & green ink, they can also be refilled.
I found the Staedtler Triplus ball pen relatively comfortable to hold although I missed having a defined grip section, thinking about that it may be psychological as the triangular rubberised barrel did stop my fingers slipping. This pen proved to be a smooth writer but wouldn’t be my first choice if I wanted to take notes in a hurry as I struggled to take the cap off! On a more positive note the waterproof permanent ink did leave me confident that my signature would remain in place should I need to leave my mark on any important documents, it also has the added bonus of being airplane safe.
The medium tip on these pens writes a 0.45mm line, they are available individually or in packs of 10 with a choice of black, blue, red & green ink. Should you decide to they can be refilled.
