Yoropen Standard Ballpoint Pen

Looks just like it was done with a normal pen

My fascination with peculiar instruments of Ergonomics continues unabated, the more visually alarming the better.

Alarming, confusing, baffling, what's the difference

I found this Yoropen during my never-ending quest to discover every pen hidden in my local pen shop, and I’ve not been disappointed with the find.

The body is all plastic (they make pricier metal models), and I LOVE the design. It’s weird. The colors are fantastic. I mean, just look at it.

This pen probably has more in common with some species of tropical, exotic bird than it does with other pens

The grip is very firm—more squishy than hard plastic, but not by much. It can be adjusted; there are three flat planes, with a kind of ridge between each one, and these can be adjusted somewhat so that the planes are angled more to your liking. The Yoropen website claims this feature is made to account for left- and right-handedness. Sure, why not.

Am I doing it right??

As to how the pen is meant to be held, if I understand the website diagrams correctly (I probably don’t), it seems like this pen is NOT designed for the “ideal” pliers grip…seems to me like it’s designed for a grip more like my own natural bizarro grip. I’m not complaining. But I’m not sure how normal grip people will take to this pen.

I'm also not sure if they considered what the cap would look like on the other end. Metaphors fail me. Other strange objects yet to come must be invented before any metaphors can be made

Yoropen also claims this design allows you to easily see what you’re writing. I can’t say that this was a problem I had that needed to be addressed, but sure, it is easy to see what I’m writing and what I’ve written when using the Yoropen.

I didn't think pens were capable of undulation; now I know better

It writes very nicely—smooth, fairly dark, no blobbing or skipping. It’s fun and it’s comfortable. I think I could write a while with this pen—it doesn’t take much pressure to write, it’s lightweight, moves easily, and is suited to my grip.

Yoropen writhing in the dulcet sea of a cheap turquoise scarf

My only complaint is that I wish the grip were a little softer. If this grip were made with Uni-ball’s alpha gel—man we would be in SERIOUS business. I’d be selling those pens like hotcakes on a street corner. … Does anyone besides McDonald’s even sell anything called ‘hotcakes’ anymore? I digress. Maybe ergonomic pens are gimmicky, but I really like the Yoropen.

It would not take a great stretch of the imagination to picture this pen crawling toward you like an inchworm

The bad news: I can’t find a good link online to buy this particular model of Yoropen. I’ve found a smattering of options among the very expensive and the very ugly (overbranded, all-pink barrels, anyone? Put your hand down), but no extant models being sold from this particular design line. The best I can tell you is to check the store locator on Yoropen’s website, and hope you might be able to find one in your local shop. Good luck!

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