Uni Jetstream Sport Ballpoint Pen

The Uni (Uni-ball) Jetstream Sport is an affordable, plastic-bodied pen from Japan. It has an ergonomic design with a rubber grip and plastic parts.

The Jetstream pens are very popular series of ballpoints because of their hybrid or low-viscosity ink. This ink includes a lubricant to make it flow and write very smoothly. (It is oil-based so Japanese companies tend to call pens like this ballpoints.)

The Jetstream Sport is available in Black, Red, and Blue ink. You can also get tip sizes from an extra fine 0.38mm up to a bold 1.0mm. The Sport uses the Uni SXR series refills. You can pick up a pack of 5 pens for about $10.

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Uni Jetstream Sport Review

The Jetstream Sport is light and very comfortable in the hand, but not so light that it feels cheap. The balance feels good and is neither top nor tip heavy. The sleek, curved body is strong and also looks pretty cool.

The rubber grip is nicely textured. It’s made of hard rubber but offers just the right amount of extra friction. The clip feels sturdy — despite being plastic — yet flexes enough to get over thick pockets. The click is also very satisfying in both feel and sound. The button is a little narrow for my tastes but not problematic.

The plastic cone piece is the cheapest looking component on the pen. It works and does its job but doesn’t look all that great. This can be fixed if you happen to have a Uni-ball Signo 307. Just replace the cone from the Jetstream with the 307’s cone. This makes the pen look much cooler overall.

Writing Experience

Uni’s Jetstream ink is fantastic. It is incredibly smooth and requires much less pressure to write than a standard ballpoint. The ink color is also superb. The black is rich and dark much like a gel or rollerball ink. It glides effortlessly on smooth paper like Rhodia or Clairefontaine and also excels on cheaper, standard notebook paper well. Thermal receipt paper is also no problem for the Jetstream.

Long writing sessions are a breeze with the Jetstream. The combination of a light body, rubber grip, and smooth ink lead to much less hand fatigue than standard ballpoints. The refill is a trooper and holds up well with no skipping. There is some railroading but that is nearly impossible to avoid with an oil-based ink.

Verdict

The Uni Jetstream Sport is an excellent pen and an excellent value. If you need an inexpensive ballpoint pen for everyday use and note-taking the Jetstream is nigh impossible to beat. It’s simple design and superior ink performance are a perfect combination. I highly recommend it with confidence!

Similar pens would be the Pilot Acroball or the Pilot Vicuna. Both of these pens are solid choices but don’t quite measure up to the Sport. The Jetstream just has a better ink. It’s smoother and has better color. In the hybrid ballpoint market, the Jetstream is the way to go.