Sailor Pro Gear Or Pro Gear Realo?

[novarider]

I am about to get a Sailor Professional Gear. What I can't decide is should I get a regular Pro gear or the Realo piston filler? I know the only difference is the filling system so what are peoples thoughts? Is the piston filler worth the extra $40? Which would you go with and why?

[cadfael_tex]

I don't have any experience with either one. However, to me, a piston filler would be worth $40 more. I've been thinking about a Sailor 1911 eventually so I I'll be interested to see the responses.

[GardenWeasel]

I like the convenience of being able to pull the converter and really flushing every bit of the old ink out. My Pro Gear is my shirt pocket EDC. AND the piston filler doesn't really hold that much more, if any, ink than the converter.

With that being said, I've been watching for a reasonably priced Realo with a broad nib...

[UDog]

I have both. The difference is the cap of the Realo. The band around the cap has a somewhat larger diameter than the Pro Gear. To some this may irritate the skin between the thumb and forefinger. I actually prefer the balance of the Pro Gear and the ability to use cartridges when travelling.

[Ghost Plane]

I like the Realo

[Mike B]

As mentioned, the Realo is just a bit thicker than the Standard Pro Gear. Nibs Inc's website does allow you to compare the different measurements.

 

I ended up buying the Realo because I just don't like posting pens. The Realo is about 2/10ths of an inch longer unposted; by way of an easy comparison, this means it, in turn, is just a touch shorter than an unposted Pelikan 200 or 600. The regular Pro Gear is pretty darned short unposted ---- even shorter than the smaller of the 1911 models.

 

The short 1911 is the only pen I own that I have to post, because otherwise it is just too small for me to use comfortably.

 

The piston is nice on the Realo. I wouldn't say it is as effortless as a Pelikan can be, but it is probably easier to use than the one on my Lamy 2000.

 

You will have to decide for yourself whether or not you like the ink window's appearance.

 

Hope this helps a bit. Please let us know which one you choose!

 

(edited for spelling)

Edited August 5, 2013 by Mike B

[novarider]

Wait the pro gear is SHORTER than a pelikan m200?the pelikan m200 is pretty small that would make the pro gear tiny. I like larger pens like a twsbi 540. I thought the pro gear was larger than the 1911m

[nicholasyeo]

The PG Realo wasn't great from what I know. Capacity isn't significantly more and thus it isn't worth the extra cash.

[DanF]

The Pro Gear is about 1/2" shorter in the barrel than a TWSBI 540) the caps are about the same length. It is a little bit larger in girth at the cap ring, by about 1/32". But girth at the section (narrowest point) is .41" for the Pro Gear vs .37" for the TWSBI. This is a substantial difference to my hand, the Pro Gear being more comfortable to write with for any length of time. The Realo section is .42"

 

I was surprised at the shortness of the Sailor, but it is the most comfortable pen I own - posted it feels perfectly balanced and the section is just the right diameter for me. I like the extra weight the cap provides, it seems a little to light without it. I have small hands, and could write with it unposted to, but it feels better posted to me - not at all like the TWSBI, which is horribly unbalanced and unwieldy posted.

 

I have never tried a Realo, but would like to.

 

Dan

Edited August 5, 2013 by DanF

[UK Mike]

My preference would be for a cartridge converter pen (or removable piston filler as I prefer to call them) They are so much easier to clean and ink capacity of a converter plus a couple of cartridges comfortably exceeds most fixed piston fillers.

 

The Sailor Pro Gear is indeed a compact pen. Some published sizes as follows

 

Sailor PG Realo Length capped 129mm

Sailor PG King Realo Length capped 143mm. Posted 168mm

 

Sailor Std large 1911 Length capped 141mm Posted 157mm Unposted 124mm

Sailor Std 1911 Length capped 135mm Posted 146mm Unposted 115mm

 

Pelikan M200 Length capped 125mm Posted 149mm Unposted 122mm

Pelikan M600 Length capped 133mm Posted 154mm

Pelikan M800 Length capped 142mm Posted 167mm Unposted 128mm

 

TWSBI 580 Length capped 142mm Posted 177mm Unposted 130mm

 

Size matters?

Edited August 5, 2013 by UK Mike

[Ghost Plane]

Of course size matters! (Tongue firmly in cheek)

 

I favor the Realo because I have one of the specialty nibs crammed onto it and the flow is so much better with one of the Emperor nibs than with the cartridge fillers. For those of you favoring the needle nibs, there won't be that much of a difference. But for nibs requiring flow, I prefer the piston fill.

[UK Mike]

Of course size matters! (Tongue firmly in cheek)

 

I favor the Realo because I have one of the specialty nibs crammed onto it and the flow is so much better with one of the Emperor nibs than with the cartridge fillers. For those of you favoring the needle nibs, there won't be that much of a difference. But for nibs requiring flow, I prefer the piston fill.

 

I can't see that for properly maintained pens there would be a difference in flow between a cartridge/converter and a piston fill pen - the flow is determined by the nib feed system and not by the ink capacity. Sailor pens have very good feeds!

 

In terms of ink capacity do not be mislead into thinkiing a piston filler is always huge, because it isn't. The Realo is quoted in Sailor instructions as having an ink capacity of 1ml which doesn't compare well with a Waterman Long International Cartridge at 1.66 ml.

[Montblanc owner and lover]

The C/C is THE sailor pen since years but a piston filler is always nicer so realo for me

[DanF]

Check out this thread for ink capacity of the three available filling systems for the Sailor Pro Gear / Realo.

 

Realo Versus Cartridge-Converter Sailor - Japan: Pens from the Land of the Rising Sun - The Fountain Pen Network

 

Summary, the cartridge holds a little more ink than the piston, a lot more than the converter.

 

i just ordered some carts for mine, intend to fill with syringe with whatever ink I want. I have a concord emperor nib and it really puts out the ink, going through a converter in no time. There is certainly no flow problem with either cartridge or converter, the only limit is capacity.

 

Dan

Edited August 5, 2013 by DanF

[Bigeddie]

Check the uncapped lengths, I was shocked when I did these comparison shots of my 1911/1911 realo (for comparison Pilot Custom 823 and Pelikan M600).

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/9324256645_9d0995afc4_z.jpg

IMAGE_65A86864-24F7-4AF5-BBF6-FE05BD8A723F.JPG by Bigeddie100, on Flickr

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3680/9324258181_03d748e107_z.jpg

IMAGE_65A23F47-D3D4-4938-97B0-0AFE5628F07E.JPG by Bigeddie100, on Flickr

 

I would add, after UKMike, that the feeds and nibs are the same design, and can be changed between the two quite easily. There should be no difference in flow between the identical feeds.

 

If I could only have one of the two I would go for the non-realo. Most of the time I can refill quite easily with a CC, or I can carry some spare Sailor Jentle Blue carts around

[Subscript]

I personally did not see a benefit to the piston since I did not gain ink capacity and found it more difficult to clean. Also, resale price is awful on the Realo (which may be good for you if you find one).

[TubeampChuck]

I have a Realo and I love it. The piston filler works well, and I really like seeing the ink through the ink window - like a sparkling gem depending on the color ink you use.