7 Pens to Try if You Have a Death Grip
How long can you write before your hand starts hurting?
If it’s only a page or so, you’re probably pressing too hard when you write.
There are two kinds of pens that can help:
pens that counteract death grips with cushioned grip sections and ergonomic features
and pens that write so smoothly that you end up using less pressure without even thinking about it!
We’ll show you our favorites for both.
Stick around til the end to see our top pick that combines the best of both approaches.
Pens That Can Take the Pressure
If you love your heavy grip just the way it is, stick with pens that have sturdy conical tips
and cushioned grip sections to reduce the strain on your fingers.
Soft Grip Choice
The Uni Alpha Gel’s delightfully squishy grip can protect your fingers from the strongest of death grips.
The pen also carries most of its weight near the tip
so gravity pushes the pen tip onto the paper with less effort.
Since the Alpha Gel comes in both thick and slim versions, it works well for all hand sizes.
Firm Grip Choice
If ultra-soft grips aren’t your style, the Pilot Dr. Grip is just what the doctor ordered.
Its double-layered grip is soft on the inside and firm on the outside
for the perfect balance of cushion and control.
Like the Uni Alpha Gel, the Dr. Grip has an ergonomic tip-heavy design to reduce hand fatigue.
Pens To Help You Use Less Pressure
For those who want to write more gently, we recommend extra-smooth pens.
Rollerball Pen Choice
The Uni-ball Air is one of the smoothest pens we’ve ever used.
Its plastic rollerball tip produces less friction than typical metal tips.
Combine that with its ultra-wet ink flow and you have a rollerball that skims the paper
as effortlessly as a fountain pen.
Gel Pen Choice
The Pentel EnerGel is famous for its ultra-smooth ink.
It comes in several models, but we particularly like the EnerGel RTX
because its rubber grip and thicker body make it easy to hold.
In addition to a conical tip version, the RTX is available with an extra-sturdy needle tip
that makes it a good choice for heavy-handed writers who use straight edges and templates.
Fountain Pen Choice
We’re especially fond of the Lamy Safari Fountain Pen for heavy-handed writers.
Fountain pens need very little to no pressure at all to write well,
so they’re a great choice for people who are trying to cultivate a light touch.
The Safari's light plastic body won’t stress your hand
and its triangular grip section shows you exactly where to place your fingers when writing.
Ballpoint Pen Choice
Most ballpoints require heavy pressure to write well,
but the Pilot Ageless and Timeline are notable exceptions.
Both come with Pilot’s smooth Acro ink and have a tip-heavy design
that helps you apply pressure with less effort.
As a bonus, their double-twist extension mechanism makes every writing occasion seem extra-elegant.
Top Choice
If you can’t decide which pen would better suit your writing style, go with our top choice,
the Uni-ball Signo 207 Premier Gel Pen.
Its beautifully smooth, pigmented ink encourages your hand to move lightly across the page.
If you still end up pressing hard, the 207 Premier will relieve your achy fingers
with a wonderfully soft grip section.
It’s the best of both worlds!
Have you tried any of these pens? Let us know which are your favorites in the comments below.
You can find everything in this video, plus more recommendations
in our guide to Pens for Heavy-Handed Writers at JetPens.com.
Thanks for watching!