Fountain Pen Review: Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen Black

Blogging about fountain pens and reviewing them is exciting work not only because I get to try more pens, but also because I meet many people from different countries, and learn about their culture and design preferences through their products. One of the most unique and surprising fountain pens I found last year is Gravitas Pens, a brand from Dublin, Ireland. Designed and ran by Ben Walsh, Gravitas Pens has a wide selection of fountain pens made from machined aluminum, stainless steel, or a combination of both. His pens are unlike the ones I usually keep in my pen cases and I got curious.

I spotted Gravitas Pens on Instagram last year. I chatted with Ben Walsh in February, and I was so surprised when he agreed to send me a sample pen to review. Dublin to Laguna took 37 days by registered post, and I'm so happy to finally see the Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen last week.

Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen - Black

I received the black Entry fountain pen which according to Gravitas is designed "for the new and experienced fountain pen user." It was love at first sight, and this Entry fountain pen is nowhere entry-level at all. Because it's made from delicately bead blasted  6061-T651 aluminium—the same alloy used for bicycle frames, fishing reels, rescue ladders— the Entry fountain pen is cool and very smooth to the touch. It has a tapered barrel, and I consider it a slim and light fountain pen even with a full converter. 

I find the Entry fountain pen comfortable to use, and I love the stainless steel section. Metal sections are usually slippery and uncomfortable to hold when writing, but the Entry fountain pen's section has micro machined grooves for a steady and comfortable grip. Ben uses JoWo No. 6 nibs on his pens, and I got a wet, smooth, juicy Broad in my Entry pen. It wrote well out of the box and I did not experience any hard starts or skipping.

The Entry Fountain Pen is slim and light, but solid and sturdy.

The Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.53 in | 14 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.45 in | 13.8 cm
• Length, cap posted: 5.75 in | 14.6 cm
• Full pen weight: 30.8g | 1.08 oz
• Weight, uncapped: 23.9g | 0.84 oz
• Body material: Aluminum and stainless steel
• Colors: Black, Dark Olive Gray, Teal, Burgundy Red, Dark Green, Purple, Gunmetal Grey, and Rainbow Skittle
• Cap: Screw-on; postable
• Nib: No. 6 JoWo steel available in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, Stub 1.1, and Stub 1.5
• Filling mechanism: International standard ink cartridges, or K5 converter (supplied with every pen purchase)

Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen can be filled with ink using cartridges or through the K5 converter supplied with each pen purchase.

The black Entry fountain pen is free from any markings except for the logo on the cap.

The tapered barrel is cool and very smooth to the touch. 

Gravitas Pens uses JoWo nibs on their fountain pens.

A designer's thoughtful touch—this pen's section's micro machined grooves help users get a firm and comfortable grip while writing.

I find the tapered barrel of the Entry fountain pen a little slim. Then I realized I could post the cap and the Entry becomes hefty. I like it posted and it's only the second pen I will be using with the cap posted—the first being my Kaweco Sport pens.

I've been reviewing black fountain pens lately, and I'm enjoying them. I'm finding black pens calming and soothing. The Entry Fountain Pen shares the same length as the BENU Tattoo, Lamy 2000, and Lamy Safari. Uncapped, it's longer than Lamy 2000, and shares the same length as the BENU, Stanford Wood Studio Impressionists, and Lamy Safari. 

From top: BENU Tattoo, Stanford Wood Studio Impressionists Fountain Pen, Entry, Lamy 2000, and Lamy Safari All Black.

The Entry Fountain Pen is the slimmest pen in this set, but shares the same length with most of them.

To test how this slim pen with a Broad nib writes, I chose Robert Oster Terracotta, a nice red-brown ink to match the black aluminum finish. Ink flow to the nib was fast, and the Broad JoWo nib wrote smoothly out of the box without the need for adjustments or tuning. I did not prime this pen's nib, I don't do that to most of my pens unless I am aware of ink residue due to testing. I tried the pen on MD paper and on VECO 100gsm paper and I did not experience any hard starts or skipping. The Entry Fountain Pen writes smoothly every time I use it.

Gravitas Entry Fountain Pen with Broad nib filled with Robert Oster Terracotta.

Ben ships his pens in a special custom-designed leather pen sleeve printed with Ogham text. A box of six ink cartridges is also included in the pen package.

I am very happy with Gravitas Pens Entry Fountain Pen and I recommend it to anyone who wants to explore and know this pen brand from Dublin, Ireland. The Entry Fountain Pen is an enjoyable pen, it writes smoothly every time I use it, and it's one solidly built, well-designed fountain pen. Get one for your collection!

Rants of The Archer thanks Ben Walsh and Gravitas Pens for providing the Entry Fountain Pen in this review. The Entry Fountain Pen is available from Gravitas Pens Shop where it sells for €55.00. To learn more and see their offerings, visit the Gravitas Pens website at https://www.gravitaspens.com/. For updates on their product offerings, follow Gravitas Pens on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gravitaspens/.