Bic Velocity Gel Ball Point Pen Review

Bic Velocity

I have a love / hate relationship with Bic’s “Velocity Gel” ball point pen. In some ways this is the greatest pen ever, in other ways it is a big disappointment.

When I am not blogging I am doing some other form of work that is far less satisfying than writing for for (hopefully) your benefit :-) Everyday when I drag my butt out of bed and head into work I reach for a Bic Velocity gel (or a Bic Atlantis) pen and use it throughout the day for paperwork.  I thought since I'm using this thing so much I may as well do a post on this writing utensil. 

Let’s do a quick review of the Bic Velocity Gel ball point pen.

I love the comfort grip on the Velocity Gel pen. There are not too many writing pens where I can admit that it is actually comfortable 

Bic Velocity Pen in Action - Cozy Grip

to hold but with this pen I can. There is a 1 3/8” rubber grip at the end of the pen. The grip is designed so that there are three separate indentations where you can place your thumb, forefinger and middle finger when gripping the pen. This makes for a nice ergonomic feel and provides excellent control.

The 1/2 ounce weight is very light. Ink / Ball = 1.66mm for a good, legible ink line.

The ball point pen retracts very smoothly and comfortably with a push of the button. Everything feels solid as it clicks in place. I’ve always been a fan of retractable pens for the fact there is no cap to lose but I also dislike retractable since they tend to be those heavier, uncomfortable metal pens. The Velocity Gel combines the trim, light weight plastic design with the retractable feature.

When you first pull this pen out of the box and begin writing with the pen it writes like a dream. I love how the ink comes out fast and heavy without smearing. I actually feel like my handwriting improves when I pull a new pen from the box and begin writing. There is a lush, smoothness to writing with this pen.

My biggest problem with this product is that when the ink starts getting low, it begins to stutter a bit. The ink does not come out evenly and the excellent handwriting I mentioned earlier starts to look like a pre-school child’s work. This wouldn’t bother me if this was happening when the pen was completely out of ink or close to it. The problem is I feel like there is still 15 to 20 % ink remaining in the pen. These pens are not cheap and I hate to think that every 5 or 6 pens I wind up throwing out enough ink that would be the equivalent to one pen.

Overall, this is the greatest pen ever if I didn’t feel like I was tossing so much ink. A true joy to use but when the stuttering starts, my cursing begins.

There is another Bic pen I use that might be a decent replacement to the Velocity Gel. This pen is the Bic “Atlantis” 

 

The Bic Atlantis retracts very nicely as well, it retracts and opens nicely at the touch of a button but not quite the satisfying ‘click’ of the Velocity. The Atlantics has that slender, light weight feel that other retractable pens so often lack.

There is a soft grip at the end of the Atlantis where you can 



Bic Atlantis in Action

comfortably hold the pen. The soft grip is not as intricate in terms of comfort details (ergonomic indentations, etc) but it sure feels better than pens that do not have this grip.

The ink comes out smoothly and fine. The pen delivers a delicate ink line that is neither too think nor too thick. The ink does not flow quite as gorgeously as the Velocity gel does when you first use it but there is no premature stuttering either from the Atlantis as you might find in the Velocity Gel.





The Bic Atlantis Pen Not Bad

So how do I conclude my review of the Bic Velocity Gel ball point pen?  The Velocity is one of the best pens in terms of comfort and writing that I have used in a long time.  As the ink gets below 25% though, as mentioned, it starts to become sightly more unreliable. It is almost as though that flowing, lucious ink comes out inconsistently as the ink line begins to run out.  My guess is that the less the ink, the harder it is for gravity to pull on that ink and get it out.

Overall though, not a bad pen if Bic can make either the ink last longer or correct the stuttering toward the end of the life of the pen. I know what my work pays for these pens and the $15-$16 a box is too much. If you can get it for less though I suggest giving it a try.

If you want to read a bit more about the Velocity pen, I attached an Amazon link below. Amazon is a trusted site and can provide you more information and even some additional reviews. Check it out.

If you want to learn a bit more about the Bic Atlantis, I put a link below that will take you to Amazon's safe and secure site.

If you are purchasing a new phone for business, before buying, please check out my review on the Cisco IP desktop telephone.  See if this phone is right for you. I have been using one at work for years and it is a pretty reliable office phone.

On the Bic pens I mentioned a bit about the ergonmic comfort.  What if you aren't doodling with your ball point pen though? What if you are typing away at light speed on your keyboard. What about health and comfort there?  You might want to check out my article that will show you a product that can elevate your wrists above the keyboard and maximize comfort when you type.

Thanks so much for reading my review post.  I'm very glad that you stopped by. If you get some time, check out some of my other posts here on TurtleDog's Blog. We don't just write great product reviews. Rating great (and not so great) products would get tedious.  There are plenty of how-to articles and help articles to make your life easier.

Thanks again!