12-Pack Pilot Precise V5 Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pens (Blue) Expired

The V5 is probably my favorite pen of all time. I've been using them since the early 90s and haven't found anything I prefer. Having been a frequent traveler however (in a previous life), these pressurized, liquid ink pens have a tendency to explode in the reduce pressure of a plane at altitude. After at least a dozen such incidents, I stopped carrying them as frequently.

The V5 RT, while not quite as good as the V5, is a gel pen that does not explode while traveling and the clicky design is, imho, more convenient than the cap. I also like the rubberized grip of the RT. On top of that, the hybrid liquid/gel ink does not bleed or soak nearly as much as the liquid ink in the original, making them more versatile and less messy. The major problem I have with the RT is the tip is fragile and when it accidentally activates in my pocket (it's the same tip on both, but a capped pen doesn't typically come uncapped), in the best case I get a small ink spot on my pants, and in the worst case, the tip gets irreparably bent.

I find the V5 to be a great compromise in smoothness and flow. I've tried 0.3mm or 0.28mm pens and find them to "scratchy", 0.7mm pens release too much ink and make it hard to write at small sizes. My 6ᵀᴴ grade teacher banned the V5s because they didn't require enough force for the penmanship technique he wanted us to use.

All of that said, both pens are fantastic and I'm going to get a box of each. After nearly 30 years, the nothing provides better writing satisfaction than Precise line. It's remarkable (pun intended) that they are still being made after all of these years and that nothing in this price range is competitive with the V5 except the RT successor. When they can be purchased at <$1 piece, they're difficult to pass up.

Edit: I'm just a rando-slickdeals lurker with no qualifications and terrible handwriting, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. Here's Pen Addict's reviews:

* Pilot Precise V5 Extra Fine [penaddict.com]
* Pilot Precise V5 RT 0.5 [penaddict.com]

Also, I find the green and purple ink have the best "flow", followed by blue and red, and finally black. That said, black ink is my least favorite, so I may be biased.

Thanks OP! Some other options are on sale as well


12-Pack Pilot Precise V5 Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pens [amazon.com] (Blue, Extra Fine Point) $9.89
12-Pack Pilot Precise V5 Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pens [amazon.com] (Black, Extra Fine Point) $10.04
12-Pack Pilot Precise V5 RT Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pens [amazon.com] (Black, Extra Fine Point) $12.98

Nothing wrong with his comments. I like the details. I will be flying alot as well and its good to know.