Pilot Prera Medium-Nib Fountain Pen, Slate Gray Body (FPR-3SR-SGY-M)

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Pam: If I could wax poetry to the “perfect” Prera’s specs and hand feel, I would compose and sing songs about the nib. The nib is engraved with “Super Quality” and I would believe it. The nib writes true to size for a Japanese fine. It writes wonderfully, smoothly and maybe a little dry, which is great for cheap paper. Post: Secure and rigid. The posting is wonderful! You'll want to post the cap to make sure it's long enough to grip properly. You can't go very wrong with a Pilot steel nib they are priced reasonably and there's not much to lose if you don't like it. Katherine: The Prera is a tiny bit narrower and smaller than my “perfect” pen for long writing experiences. (Maybe I should just remember to cap it…). But I have no issues or discomfort at all after using this pen to draw or journal for an extended period. A very versatile size!

Katherine: When I first discovered the Prera (thanks, Internet) I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of spending twice as much as a Metro on a pen with the same nib. So instead I borrowed Pam’s. I found that the Prera is a small, light pen that’s a solid performer… I figured I’d buy one used at some point, since I now actively try to avoid buying pens just because they’re “cheap”. But, when I saw the limited edition Oeste Kingfisher (pictured above), I hadto have it. After almost a month of hunting on Rakuten then three weeks of waiting, I have it! I think it’s a unique looking pen without being “weird” or flashy. It’s clean and classic, but not easily mistaken for any other pen. What I really like about the cap is the way it feels good in the hand even for its size. I have small hands—small enough to use this pen comfortably unposted. But I still post it for convenience. It's well-balanced and lightweight, good for taking notes. I think the easy capping and posting makes a big difference. You don't have to pull hard, shove on, nor put much muscle effort at all to have the cap securely post and cap. Lastly, and this is totally up to you, but you probably want a pen that isn’t too expensive. This is normally not an issue because of the requirement for plastic parts, but it’s something to keep in mind anyway. Things You Need For a ConversionHow many months have you used your Prera before the cap started getting loose? I used my Prera a few weeks only (it has been off my rotation for quite a while); but, based on my limited time with my Prera, the capping mechanism seems to be well designed against the wear. Lastly, the nib on the Pilot Prera is worth every penny. It’s a true Japanese fine nib and writes wonderfully. Even better, the nibs for the Pilot Penmanship, Plumix, Kakuno and Metropolitan are all interchangeable with the Pilot Prera. This isn’t just a great beginner pen, it’s a penfeels like an upgrade tootherbeginner pens. I have a love-hate relationship with Pilot’s starter level pens. The Kakuno is a great fit for any age and size as long as you don’t mind carrying a pen that looks like a child’s toy. Then they do offer the Metropolitan that has a lovely formal presentation, but with an undersized section and a cliff-like shelf separating not just the body and section, but the comfort from anyone without small hands.

I have “a few”! I do prefer the solid colours (slate grey & dark brown are lovely) but enjoy the Oeste series too. I have every nib size, I think, plus a couple of home-tuned italics. I actually like the plain old medium nib best of all. The ink flow is perfect for me.

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The Prera has a snap cap and the cap is postable. It is also rather short – a maximum of 5.3″ with the cap posted, and 4.9″ from body to nib tip. Overall, I enjoyed testing the Prera. It wrote smoothly from the first fill. The nib was quite fine; it’s a Japanese nib so it is definitely finer than a Western fine nib. The pen was lightweight and the size is such that I think it would be a great every day carry pen. I do have to say that in terms of feel in my hand, I think I have a slight preference for the Pilot Metropolitan Pop, both because it is slightly longer and because the aluminum body is slightly weightier. I don’t usually post my pens, but I found the Prera too short and slightly awkward to use without posting the cap.