Review: @TactileTurn Mover & Shaker - New Click Mechanism on @Kickstarter

Thanks to Will of Tactile Turn for sending the updated versions of the Mover (copper) and Shaker (pink aluminum) for me to review and share with you! I hope this will help you make a decision as to whether you would like to back the project on Kickstarter or not. Although the funding goal has already been met, that doesn't mean you can't get in on the goodness as well!

Top to bottom: The Mover (Copper), The Shaker (Aluminum)

ABOUT THE MOVER

Body Material: Copper
Clip: Stainless Steel
Mechanism: Titanium
Refill: Pilot G2 0.38 mm (see full list here)
Length retracted: 139.39 mm/5.51"
Length extended: 138.13 mm/5.44"
Barrel diameter: 10.7 mm/0.42"
Section diameter: 6.77 - 10.54 mm/0.27" - 0.42"
Weight: 54 g

ABOUT THE SHAKER

Body Material The Shaker: Aluminum (anodized)
Clip: Stainless Steel
Mechanism: Titanium
Refill: Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 ballpoint/Parker-style (see full list here)
Length retracted: 127.13 mm/5.01"
Length extended:125.72 mm - 4.95"
Barrel diameter: 10.81 mm/0.43"
Section diameter: 6.36 - 9.95 mm/0.25" - 0.39"
Weight: 24 g

Pledges start at $49 USD! Find them on Kickstarter!

APPEARANCE

The Mover and Shaker pens share a similar look, except the Mover is a little longer than the Shaker. In terms of design, the pens are round and taper towards the nose cone. Both have the "Tactile Turn" texture on them, from tip to end. Unlike the original models that had the texture only on the section, it's now on the entire body. The clips are stainless steel and have a simple shape with a little slope at the end. I like them. The underside, in this case, is engraved with Tactile Turn and a tiny Kickstarter logo so you never forget your pen's roots! The knock mechanism is larger and wider than the previous models so it almost looks like an extension of the body.

The copper Mover is not as glossy and polished as a smooth copper pen because the texture changes the appearance a little. The Shaker is anodized pink - not a hot, brilliant, fluorescent pink, but definitely a bright pink. The Shaker looks a little shorter than the Mover because it is.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The Mover ships with a Pilot G2 0.38 mm gel ink refill - not my favorite refill ever but it works well, and the weight of the copper body makes the ink flow pretty flawless. Even though the pen itself is heavy in hand, it takes no effort to actually write as the tip hits the page and just flows instantly.

The Shaker ships with my all-time favorite refill: a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 (although it's black and not blue, which I prefer).

I love the texture of both pens. I think putting the Tactile Turn texture on the entire body was a great idea. It makes the pens easy to grip and they're not slippery at all, regardless of how high or low you hold your pens. It even means the bodies handle scuffs and scratches well because the texture hides most marks.

The size of The Shaker is more comfortable for me, but if I rotate the clip inward, it presses into my hand a little. I don't have this issue with The Mover, which is slightly longer so the clip is out of my grip. It isn't a deal breaker for me because I can just rotate the clip out of the way and write comfortably.

What else is different? The mechanism and retraction. Tactile Turn made the mechanism out of titanium, and it's larger to hold up to abuse and use. In addition, the mechanism allows the refill to retract further into the pen so there should be no ink messes. I have clicked the heck out of this. Sat down, watched an episode of Spongebob and just clicked. They're still going. They're not super smooth or silent, but I like the size and feel.

PROS & CONS - THE MOVER

PROS & CONS - THE SHAKER

OVERALL

I really enjoy machined pens, especially ballpoints/rollerballs because I like to throw them in various bags and not have to worry about how they're holding up being bashed around. Which seems to be something I do frequently. I'm not in love with the Pilot G2 refill that ships with The Mover but I know a lot of writers and stationery lovers out there enjoy them, but I do like The Mover itself. The size and weight are really comfortable, even in the copper. The Shaker is slightly smaller and overall, I just prefer that for portability, especially combined with my preferred refill. It's also pretty hard to resist the pink... or purple. Or blue. The new mechanism is intended to be more solid and reliable, and the change in the texture (now on the entire body) was a good move. The pens are even more comfortable than they were initially, and I didn't know what I was missing until I tried this new version.

In addition, shipping prices are very reasonable, and as I am an international buyer, I appreciate that a lot. Thanks, Will!

If you are unsure between the Mover or Shaker, consider if you prefer smaller or larger pens and what kind of refill you like to use.

Check the Mover and Shaker out on Kickstarter!


I received these pens free of charge for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post.