The unopened Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto .3mm Multi Pen
I think some of my earliest memories of being obsessed with office supplies dates back to the old school Bic Multi Pen that I used to have in elementary school. It was always a favorite, and even at a young age I think I understood the value of having multiple choices for writing, so I still like to try a good multi pen when I have the chance. Today’s office supply review will take a look at the Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto .3mm multi pen.
The Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto and .3mm refills
The Pilot Hi Tec C coleto is a nicely designed multi pen with multiple color refill options that makes it easy to tell which writing option you want to select with a quick glance. As you can see in the photo above, the refills have the color coded plunger built directly into the body of the refill, unlike the Uniball Style Fit, which does not give you such an easy way to identify the color of the cartridge you want to select.
The Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto .3mm refill size is printed directly on the plunger
Another nice touch on the Coleto is that the tip size is printed directly on the side of the plunger so its easy to see what size you are clicking. The picture above shows it, but you might have to click on it to see the larger version. I also like how these plungers are much more subtle than the larger tabs that you find on the Uniball Style Fit.
The flip top on the Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto where you insert the refills
The top of the Coleto has a small plastic cap that is hinged onto the clip of the pen, which you flip up to expose the slots where you place the ink refills. As I mentioned before, there are plenty of color options that you can use on the Coleto, and you also have your choice of a .3mm, .4mm, and .5mm refill size. Although I did buy this pen from Maido if you want to see all of your options, JetPens carries a wide selection of different Coleto bodies and refills.
Top view of the Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto with refills in and the cap open
Once you have the refills for the Coleto inserted, its pretty plain to see from the picture above how easy it is to select the color you want to use, and a quick glance at the side will tell you what size tip you have the option of using. I really like these plungers as compared to the Style Fit because they are much smoother and they dont have any rough edges. One very minor issue is that you do need to depress one of the plungers in order to flip the top open and change the colors, otherwise the plunger blocks the lip that lets you get under there to flip open.
Comparison of the Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto and the regular Hi Tec C bodies
Obviously if you like writing with the regular Hi Tec C, you will like the Coleto as well. Once difference between the multi pen and the regular version that I happen to like better is the grip. The Coleto has some subtle rubberized strips that provide a firm non-slip grip as opposed to the regular version that just has a plastic ridged grip that I dont particularly like.
Writing sample of the Coleto in a Rhodia Web Notebook with 90g paper
I did the writing sample for this review in my Rhodia Web Notebook with 90g paper, and the pen performed really well. There was no bleed through and hardly any show through on the back page, while there was also absolutely no feathering. I was also very impressed with the dry time on with this combination of pen and paper, which is good for you left handed writers. The dry time was one second, and probably less, but I couldnt actually try to smear it quick enough before it dried.
The Coleto is a great option for anyone looking for an inexpensive multi pen with a smaller tip size, multiple color options, and that offers a very smooth and comfortable writing experience. No office supply junkie should be without a good multi pen, and this might just be one of the better options out there.
©2016, Brian Greene. All rights reserved.
