The Parker Urban fountain pen is an executive offering in the Urban Collection. This line also feature an Urban ballpoint and rollerball in numerous finishes.
The Urban fountain pen has brass body with a lacquered finish, metal clip, and metal finials at each end. It also features a metal band with the Parker logo where the cap and pen body meet. The grip section is also brass with a lacquered finish.
This cartridge/converter pen includes a stainless steel nib available in either Fine or Medium point. The nib also has an engraved crosshatch pattern and the Parker name. The nib also differs from a lot of pens because the nib size in denoted on the feed as opposed to the nib itself.
The Urban line offers several finishes including silver, green, orange, black, purple, etc,. Parker gives them much more “premium” names of course. Directly from Parker, prices range from $77 to $113 but they can be found elsewhere for much cheaper. The London Black Cab version generally costs between $20 and $30 online.
Parker Urban Fountain Pen Review
The Urban fountain pen has a stylish, tapered design with a nice finish. Its classy, elegant, and looks more expensive than it actually is. I prefer the black lacquer and chrome trim finish.
I like the weight of the pen. Its rather heavy compared to a lot of popular pens… but not too heavy. Extended writing with it is not bad at all. The weight also seems to add to the pen’s luxury look and feel.
The nib is unique and classy looking with its crosshatch pattern and the Parker logo. It actually has a sort of modern look to it which I like.
The cap does post but I don’t recommend it. It makes the pen top heavy and you have to push it on harder than I’m comfortable with to get it to stay. Because of the tapered body, the mouth of the cap never fully contacts the pen body. If you don’t press it down pretty hard, it will wobble. I don’t mind this since I never post my pens anyway.
Writing Experience
The Urban Fountain pen is definitely a good writer. It’s quite smooth with minimal feedback. The nib has very little line variation but that’s OK since I’m not looking for it too. It’s also on the dryer side. This is also a plus for me since I’m left-handed. Less chance for smears and smudges. The downside to that is that the ink doesn’t get as dark as I would like but that’s more on ink itself.
One thing to note is that the nib runs on the small side. The line width for the medium is more like a fine nib from a Twsbi Eco or the Lamy Safari. This isn’t a problem, but you should be aware if you’re looking for bolder line.
Downsides
I only have two complaints with this pen. First, there is a ledge where the pen body meets the grip and it’s a little sharp. Depending on how you grip the pen, it can be a little uncomfortable and annoying.
Second is the clip. While it looks great it feels a little flimsy and has an exorbitant amount of lateral flex. It feels good pulling straight up on it but it questionable if you push it toward either side.
Verdict
The Parker Urban Fountain pen is a good choice if your looking for an affordable and classy looking pen. I bought this pen because it looks great and I’m a Parker fan. That being said, there are better pens out there. You can get a Lamy Safari for the same price and its an excellent pen. You can also get the fantastic Pilot Metropolitan for about $5 less. If you want to step up just a bit, get a Twsbi Eco for about $30 which is my favorite Fountain pen currently.
Parker Urban Fountain Pen Information
| Street Price | Check Price |
| Manufacturer | Parker |
| Pen Type | Fountain Pen | Cartridge/Converter |
| Rating | |
| Barrel Color | Black, Blue, Red, Silver |
| Barrel Material | Brass |
| Body Diameter (mm) | 12.0 |
| Grip Color | Black |
| Grip Material | Brass |
| Grip Diameter (mm) | 9.5 |
| Country of Origin | France |
| MSRP | $35 |
| Still Sold | Yes |
| Release Year | 2017 |
| Similar To | |
| Refills | |
| Capped? Retractable? | Capped - Snap On |
| Clip? | Metal |
| Length Capped / Retracted (cm) | 13.6 |
| Weight (g) | |
| Refillable | Yes |
| Ink Color Shipped | Blue |
| Nib Material | Stainless Steel |
| Nib Color | Silver |
| Nib Sizes | Fine, Medium |
| Writing Sizes | Fine, Medium |