Shoplet.com Review: Bic Pens, Markers & Correction Tape

These office supplies were sent by Shoplet for review. I'm always a fan of trying out office supplies I haven't used before. It's like an adventure! Sometimes I discover great things along the way. Thank you to Shoplet  for this review opportunity.

A writing sample of each pen, and the correction tape sample.

Bic Atlantis Ballpoint Pen - $2.88 for four

This pen is a nice, simple, classic blue pen. The body is all blue, with a section of firm, rubberized grip. The knocker is almost silent (which can be confusing) and the clip is bulky and made of metal. Bic Atlantis is written on the translucent blue body in silver.

Features

• Features Easy-Glide System--up to 35% smoother writing compared to traditional BIC ball pen ink system.
• Soft cushion grip gives you great no-slip comfort.

The Bic Atlantis pen is on the thinner side and writes great, has a lovely blue ink colour, is very comfortable to hold, and has a fun knocker. All the things you would want in an economical ballpoint pen.

The downside is that the pen contains no recycled materials in it. It is also not refillable! I also do not care for the shape and appearance of the bulky metal clip. It is so tight that I can barely use it, especially on nice paper that I would worry about tearing or gouging. I also do not like that I can't see the ink supply. It's a great price for a reliable ballpoint pen though, so it's still worth considering.

Bic For Her Retractable Ballpoint Pen - $4.12 per pair

This pack of pens contains two Bic for Her pens - one in purple, one in pink. It's quite a thick pen, with a long section of grip that is flush with the barrel and widens where most people grip the pen. The clip is metal and is attached to the pearly white plastic cap. Half the barrel, the grip, and half the tip section has some sort of print on it - sort of vines/floral design. The knocker, design on the barrel, and grip are all the same colour - either purple or pink.

 Features

• Sleek pen silhouette and jeweled accent add style to her day.
• Soft-contoured embossed grip for all-day comfort.

The sad truth is, I really do not like these pens. I love purple and pink pens, but was horribly disappointed that the ink was black! And to make matters worse, it's not even a real, solid black. It's kind of a washed-out black, making it somewhat grey. They don't write smoothly. I had to press hard on the paper to get the ink to "glide", and at that point, it's not gliding. It's just being forced out. Furthermore, they're not refillable, they're not even comfortable to hold for long writing sessions because the grip isn't at all soft, it's just slightly rubbery. The clip is chunky and so tight it's hard to even use it. I even feel the marketing for this pen is somewhat offensive. The shape of the pen and the design on it reminds me of a tampon and its packaging. I also have not found the jeweled accent on this pen. Why is there no Bic for Him?

My favorite part of this pen is the shape of the knocker. It has a neat shape and is a very satisfying, solid clicker. However, I can't get over how these pens are so expensive for such an underwhelming pen. Do yourself a favor and pick the Bic Atlantis Ballpoint Pen.

Bic Velocity Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen - $8.01/dozen

This gel pen is all darkly coloured, with black grip and a black clip and knocker. The body is clear enough that you can see your ink supply. The grip is perfectly shaped! The clip has the pen's name and tip size (0.7mm) written on it in white ink that can rub off through out the lifetime of the pen.

 Features

• Permanent acid-free, fade-resistant gel ink provides skip-free, effortless writing.
• Finger-friendly, contoured grip enhances writing comfort.
• Retractable tip keeps your pockets and purses safe.

I am impressed with how well the Bic Velocity gel pen writes. The tip is sharp and precise and ink flows smoothly and easily. I love being able to see the ink supply in my pens, so I can see my progress in using up a pen. Weird, I know. But I love it. The grip is really great - it makes the pen really easy to hold and maintain control of to keep your writing uniform and consistent.

I'm dislike that this whole pen is made of new plastic, and it just gets thrown away at the end of its life. It's not even refillable and it seems to me Bic should offer refills for these pens since they already open up at the tip!

Bic Mark-It Grip Permanent Marker Set - $3.04/set

These markers are plastic, with built in clips and plastic bodies. The cap and printing are colour-matched to the ink. The grip is also colour-matched and is rubbery and textured for a good handle and comfort.

Features

• Grip Permanent Marker is a durable pen-style permanent marker with a rubber grip for comfort and control.
• Makes permanent marks on most hard-to-mark surfaces such as glass, metal, photos, foils, coated papers, CDs, DVDs and most plastics.
• Long-lasting, durable, vivid ink is certified AP nontoxic.

I like the smell of these markers - they're not strong smelling (even though I like the smell of solvents, Sharpies give me a headache after a little while). I also really like the comfort of the grip that is built in to this pen - it offers great control over the marker, which is great because often my writing can be very messy with thick-tipped markers. The ink is very solid and intense, and the marker is great at writing on all mentioned surfaces.

I think the name of the red marker is a little weird - "Rambunctious Red" whereas the other names are more descriptive, like deep forest green. I think it would be cool of these markers were refillable as well, given their great design, because it's so much to throw away.

Bic Wite-Out EZ Correct Correction Tape - $2.16 each

This correction tape is cutely packaged in a small, pink, hard plastic container. Half is textured and a little thumb groove area for grip is smooth and transparent. There is a little tip where the tape is dispensed and rewound. 

Features

• Correction tape fixes mistakes instantly, no drying time needed.
• Mess-free design doesn't drip, smell or leave photocopy shadows.
• It covers errors completely without bleeding through.
• In 2012-2013, BIC USA Inc. will donate 200,000 to Susan G. Komen in support of its promise to end breast cancer forever.

I really like the shape of the Wite-Out EZ correction tape - it's small and very comfortable to hold and quite easy to use. The dispensing mechanism is smooth and the tape has not bunched up or torn while I have been using it. I also like that I can see how much I have used through the clear section of the container. It is pretty effective at covering up errors, though better with ballpoints than with gel inks/markers. Two layers over such writing will cover it up well though.

What I really do not like is that this whole container is made of plastic, and none of it is recycled. How upsetting. I'm also quite disappointed that there is no recycling sign on the container. I would also prefer a wider tape for corrections, as this one is fairly thin for my writing (which varies in size) so wider is better!

Full disclosure: These office supplies were sent for review by Shoplet. I was not paid to write this review, but I do get to keep these cool goodies!