The Pilot Varsity is a disposable fountain pen. As the name implies, it’s aimed at students, but it really is an excellent all-round affordable fountain pen.
Despite being low priced, the Varsity has a number of strengths. One of the top features of the pen is that is very rarely hard starts. Despite being very low tech, if you have the pen capped, don’t use it for a month, and revisit it, it’ll always start writing. Pen that cost 20x more struggle with this issue but Pilot has managed to avoid hard starts.
The Varsity, while disposable, is actually refillable. With some pliers and elbow grease, the feed can be removed and then fountain pen can be refilled, just as you’d fill any eyedropper.
Pilot Varsity Review
The Pilot Varsity is an engineering marvel. The low price and inelegant exterior might not suggest this, but it’s a fantastic fountain pen. Just think about the positive qualities:
- Sub $3 price
- No hard starts. Pick it up after months and it writes the first try
- Sturdy build quality
- Steel nib is tough enough for students and can take a drop
- Refillablle
- Large ink capacity
That are pens that costs much, much more than the Varsity that can’t come close to matching these specs. It’s not as smooth as a nice 14K gold nib, but it’s so much more reliable than most the pens out there that the Varsity makes having a fountain pen your everyday pen surprisingly possible.
Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen Information
| Street Price | Check Price |
| Manufacturer | Pilot |
| Pen Type | Fountain Pen | Eyedropper |
| Rating | |
| Barrel Color | Black |
| Barrel Material | Plastic |
| Body Diameter (mm) | 11.1 mm |
| Grip Color | Clear |
| Grip Material | Plastic |
| Grip Diameter (mm) | 10.2 mm |
| Country of Origin | Japan |
| MSRP | $3 |
| Still Sold | Yes |
| Similar To | |
| Refills | |
| Capped? Retractable? | Capped - Snap On |
| Clip? | Plastic |
| Length Capped / Retracted (cm) | 13.2 |
| Length Posted (cm) | 14.7 cm |
| Length Uncapped (cm) | 11.5 cm |
| Weight (g) | 10 |
| Refillable | No |
| Ink Color Shipped | Purple, Red, Green, Black, Blue |
| Nib Material | Steel |
| Nib Color | Silver |
| Nib Sizes | Medium |