Of all the disposable, plastic Japanese pens one can buy, the uni-ball Jetstream 210 (known as the Jetstream RT, for ReTractable, in North America) is probably the smoothest. The ink is a gel-like formulation that dries almost instantly and doesn't smudge. It just glides, which is great for people who type more than they write these days — lower resistance makes it easier to form tight curves.

 

It comes in 1mm (bold, model 210) and 0.7mm (model 217) tip sizes, and retracts with a click. There are models with regular caps, but I've grown attached to the one-piece design.

 

It's a ballpoint, but nothing like traditional dry ink ballpoints. I haven't had it clog on me yet, and it never skips. In a word: Smooth.

 

John Gruber's favorite pen is the Zebra Sarasa, which I tried and found wanting. At some point I moved from preferring very fine point pens to wider ones. It might be because I draw more shapes these days, and a wireframe with bold lines just looks better than some weak chicken scratchings. It's the next best thing to carrying a sketch liner with you just to draw sometimes.

 

It's no Meisterstück, but it's 2 bucks.

If you write good, it's the least you could use. If you choke someday and need a tracheotomy, it could save your life too.

 

Shop: uni-ball Jetstream Bold Point Pens, 4 Colors