PILOT Acro 1000 Review: Matte Finish & Chic Look Pen
The Acro 1000 is one of the mid-range pens sold by PILOT, a well-established Japanese stationery manufacturer with over 100 years of history. And I am presenting a thorough review of the PILOT Acro 1000 along with its detailed features and design.
Basic Features of PILOT Acro 1000
| Length | 143mm (5.63 inches) |
| Diameter (Ø) | 9.8mm (0.39 inches) |
| Weight | 17.1g |
| Mechanism | Knock Type |
| Ink | Oil-based (Permanent Ink) |
| Pen Tip | 0.3 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0mm |
| Color Variations | 12 colors |
| Price (inclusive tax) | JP ¥1,100 (Approx. US $10) |
Refills
There are four available sizes for pen tip: 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0mm. You can only choose 0.5 or 0.7 when you buy the main unit of PILOT Acro 1000. But you can also use 0.3 or 1.0mm by replacing the refills separately. And the refills are available in three colors: black, red, and blue in all sizes.
Color Variations
[Body Color for 0.5mm refill]
Black, Red, Navy, Gray, Champagne Gold, Soft blue
[Body Color for 0.7mm refill]
Blue, Turquoise Blue, Light Green, Pink, Cherry Pink, Brown
The body color varies according to the thickness of the refill. But the refills inside are inexpensive and interchangeable. So you can buy the main unit in your favorite color. And then replace it with the refill of your favorite color and thickness. In this article, I will introduce the gray-colored one.
Design
Matte Coating
The entire pen has a matte finish in a subdued color, with a silver clip and head. There are no other decorations other than the “PILOT JAPAN” and “Acro” logos printed on it, giving it a simple and clean look. On the upper part of the pen, we can see some paint joints. But it is designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.
It costs about $10 in Japan, so it is not that expensive. But it looks more luxurious than the actual price, which can be a good fit even with the workplace.
Thin Body
The diameter is 9.8mm, less than 10mm. So it is pretty thin compared to other pens. When you look closely, you can see that the body gets gradually thicker toward the pen tip. This makes the pen very comfortable to hold even though it is skinny.
Internal Structure
The inner structure looks like this.
Actually, only the lower part of this pen has a metallic brass body, while the upper part is made of plastic. As a result, the center of gravity of the pen is much lower than other ballpoint pens.
For those who write by holding the bottom of the pen, you may find it very comfortable to write with as the center of gravity is right where you hold. In fact, I write by holding near the pen nib, and I find it gives superb writing experience, and my hand does not get tired even after writing for a long time.
On the other hand, if you are the type of person who writes by holding the center part of the pen, you may feel uncomfortable because the nib may shake.
Ink
Acro Ink
The Acro Ink used for PILOT Acro 1000 has 1/5 the viscosity of ordinary oil-based ballpoint pens. And it is almost as smooth as water-based ink.
Writing Test
I did a writing test, and I found that it was very smooth, the ink flowed well, and it was very comfortable to write with. The ink itself has almost no blurring, and the color is good and highly visible with vibrance.
Here’s a picture comparing it to other companies’ pens.
It basically dries pretty quickly. But if you trace it with your finger right after writing, it will be slightly blurred. Even with a highlighter, it smudges a little. You may have to carefully choose the paper you use for this pen.
Things I Noticed
Optimal Weight
The weight is excellent. Not too heavy, but not too light. The pen’s body is thin, so it depends on one’s preference. But if you like slim pens, I strongly recommend you try this one. Incidentally, there is a similarly priced pen, Pentel Energel Philography, which weighs 25g, while the PILOT Acro 1000 weighs 17.1g. So actually, Acro 1000 is relatively light for a pen with a metal body.
No Compatibility
Many Japanese ballpoint pens are compatible with other companies products. However, this PILOT Acro 1000 seems to be compatible only with PILOT Acro series refills. You may be able to find refills from other companies, but basically, the Acro 1000 only works with PILOT Acro ink. That’s the thing.
Where Can We Get PILOT Acro 1000?
The following are some online stores selling PILOT Acro 1000 with an international shipment.
Typically, the price is a bit higher on overseas sites compared to the seller in Japan. However, Amazon.com seems to offer at around $10, which is almost the same as the regular price in Japan. So purchasing from Amzon.com may be the most affordable and most accessible way. If you want to buy directly from Amazon Japan using the Amazon Global service, you can refer to the following article.
Overall Score
The PILOT Acro 1000 has a high-quality feel and is very comfortable to write with. It is not compatible with other companies’ refills. So it may not be suitable for people who are particular about using their favorite combination of pens and refills. Having said that, the quality itself is fantastic, and the price is not too high. So it is a ballpoint pen worth trying.
