Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen Review

I vividly remember my first Kaweco arriving on my doorstep. It was early in my fountain pen journey, I hadn’t even written my first book, and I was eager to inject some analog love into my life. I slid the tiny Kaweco box from the beige bubble mailer and marveled at just how cool the Mint Skyline Sport Fountain Pen looked in person. As my collection grew, I eventually packed the pen away, but it still sits near the top of the list of my favorite pens of all time. So, when Goldspot reached out with an offer to try out their new Kaweco Sport Transparent Fountain Pen exclusive, I thought it would be an excellent time to revisit one of my favorite pens. 

She’s a beaut Clark.

This exclusive Kaweco Sport Transparent Fountain Pen comes in blue, but not just any blue. The color is inspired by the 2020 Pantone “Color of the Year” Classic Blue, and it’s a beauty. The pen’s silver accents compliment the transparent blue that edges toward navy. Kaweco fans will immediately recognize the traditional octagonal extended cap of the Sport, and the exclusive blue edition is identical in design, except for a silver Goldspot logo opposing the standard Kaweco logo. Demonstrators are fingerprint magnets, and this Kaweco is no different. Personally, fingerprints don’t bother me, but some pen addicts out there may feel otherwise.

This Kaweco Sport’s color is hard to capture accurately, but it sits between traditional blue and navy when in the sunlight.

In its capped form, the Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen is three-quarters the length of a standard Lamy Safari fountain pen, making it an excellent choice for a pocket-friendly companion. Its cap is threaded and requires one and a quarter turns to uncap. The threads hold the pen closed securely, and I would toss this pen in my pocket with no fears of finding an inky mess later. When posted, it rests comfortably in the web between my thumb and index finger, even though my hands are, let’s say, larger than average. The pen posts with a snug friction fit. Although the pen doesn’t come with a clip, Kaweco sells a slide-on clip that’s snug and sturdy.

The Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen’s grip is on the short and narrow side, although I have written comfortably with it for long periods of time, even with my long spindly fingers. The grip itself is smooth plastic, but the cap threading provides a bit of extra grip to keep it from slipping between fingers. 

Not my best photographic work, but it’s hard to capture Kaweco’s lovely nib etchings with an iPhone camera :-)

Kaweco nib sizing is similar to that of western pens, which run wider than their Japanese counterparts. I tested the Extra Fine nib for this review, and it was a solid performer with no skips or hard starts. Still, I much prefer the Kaweco Fine nib, which is a bit juicier. The nibs also have a detailed Kaweco logo inscription along with a few flourishes. Kaweco sells its own brand of short cartridges for the Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens, but the standard international short cartridge will also work. When I bought my first Kaweco half a decade ago, the only converters available were terrible squeeze converters that never seemed to fill all the way. Fortunately, Kaweco now offers a piston converter, meaning those looking to use their own bottled inks won’t have to rely on skimpy squeeze converters or empty cartridges and syringes. 

I love opinionated pens. From the unique cap design to the Kaweco logo etched in multiple places, it’s impossible to mistake Kaweco for any other brand. As much as the Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen is an excellent starter pen, it’s boring. The Kaweco Sport offers a unique, compact design, excellent performance, and an incredibly affordable price point. When I began this review, I wondered if I’d feel that this inexpensive Kaweco had lost its charm, after trying countless more expensive fountain pens. But the Sport holds its own, and it was just as much of a joy to write with and carry as it was years ago. The Sport is an excellent starter pen, but if you’re a long-time enthusiast who has somehow evaded Kaweco Sports for this long, it’s time to try one. And if you’re in the market for a blue transparent beauty, check out Goldspot’s exclusive Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen, while supplies last!

Dozens of reviews later, and my handwriting still hasn’t gotten better. I lightened this shot a bit, to better capture the pen’s color.

Here’s a bonus shot. I love Kaweco’s cap logo and thought it deserved extra attention.

Goldspot provided the Kaweco Sport Transparent Fountain Pen in Classic Blue to A Better Desk at no charge for review purposes.

Kaweco Sport Deluxe Clip - A Mini Review

The Kaweco Skyline Sport is a true pocket pen. I reviewed the mint version a few weeks ago and am still in love with the pen's design and performance. The pen is full-sized when posted but tiny when capped. The threaded cap ensures that the pen is leak free as it tumbles around in a pocket or bag. I usually throw my pen into my Timbuk2 Messenger Bag, which is full of cavernous pockets and pen slots. It's easy to lose the pen amidst the chaos of my bag, and there's no way to secure the pen for easy reach, since the Kaweco doesn't come with a clip.

I found a Kaweco clip while browsing JetPens, but the reviews mentioned that it slides around on the pen cap and is too loose to be trustworthy. The clip is also pretty plain looking, considering the beauty of the pen, and I wasn't prepared to pay for shipping for a three dollar item.

I searched around the net and found that there is a pen store in downtown Cincinnati that just happens to carry the full Kaweco line. I ventured downtown and asked the friendly store owner about the clips. He pulled a small plastic bag from under the counter containing the clips that I saw online, but he also pulled out a deluxe version. I splurged and walked away with the deluxe version, which looked to be much sturdier than the basic version and matched the pen in level of design and attention to detail.

I slid the clip onto my mint Skyline Sport and was on my way. The clip hasn't budged since. It holds firmly in place, and the clip itself is incredibly sturdy. It takes some effort to clip the pen to anything thicker than a piece of paper, but this means that the pen won't slide off during travel. I typically clip the pen onto a bag pocket, but I wanted a more rigorous test, so I wore it clipped to my pants pocket for an entire day. Eight hours later and my pen was still firmly attached and hadn't leaked a drop.

At six dollars, the Kaweco Deluxe Clip is a no brainer. Its elegant design and etchings match well with the cap emblem on the Skyline Sport, and the clip looks like it was on the pen all along. Just be sure to buy the right color to match your pen's logo, since the clip comes in several colors. I am extremely satisfied with the deluxe clip and think that it's a must-have for any Sport owner.

Kaweco Skyline Sport Fountain Pen Review

Kaweco fountain pens have been on the market for more than 100 years, and the company has stayed true to the classic design of its earlier models. I've heard a lot about that AL Sport and Sport models, but it wasn't until I stumbled upon a few pictures of the mint version of the Kaweco Skyline Sport fountain pen that I knew I had to have one.

My giant man hands could easily crush the Kaweco Skyline Sport.

The subtle mint color of this Kaweco Skyline Sport reminds me of classic cars from the 50's and 60's. This pen looks like it was plucked from history, and the look is reinforced by the crisp chrome Kaweco body logo and circular cap logo.

It's hard to capture in a photo, but the mint color of the Kaweco is subtle.

The Kaweco Sport lines consist of various pens and pencils that are designed to fit in the pocket. I knew that the fountain pen would be small, but I wasn't prepared for just how tiny it is.

Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport compared to the Lamy Safari.

The Kaweco Skyline Sport is meant to be posted, for all but those with the tiniest of mouse hands. The pen cap is threaded, which ensures that the pen will stay securely capped and leak free while jingling around in a pocket or bag. The pen posts securely, without twisting or moving, thanks to the grip provided by the notched end of the pen body.

Although the pen is tiny, it nestles comfortably in the web between my thumb and index finger when posted. It's worth reiterating that I have massive hands, so I was surprised by just how comfortable the pen is, given its size. The pen grip is on the thin side, and I do notice some hand fatigue after long writing sessions.

The Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport is the first non-Lamy pen that I've owned, and the intricate designs etched in the nib blow the Lamy Safari nibs right out of the water.

I went with the fine nib version of the Kaweco, and it is on par with the Lamy nibs, in terms of line thickness and flow. The nib is a silky smooth writer, even more so than the fine Lamy nibs. I'm using Noodler's Bulletproof ink with my Kaweco, and I love the contrast between the black ink and the mint pen body.

This version of the Kaweco Skyline Sport comes with a Blue International Short Cartridge, but I picked up a squeeze converter as well, sold separately. I've seen a few complaints about how difficult the converter is to fill, but I haven't had any issues with filling it to capacity. It does take a few squeezes and taps to work out the air, but I am pleased with its performance.

The Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport fountain pen is an excellent pocket fountain pen, but it's also an excellent fountain pen period. It fits easily into my pocket, without fear of leaks. I find myself using this pen as my daily writer due to its looks and solid performance. At less than $30 for pen and converter, this pen is an instabuy. For those looking for a heavier alternative, Kaweco also makes a metal version of the pen, the AL Sport. While I have my eyes on the stonewash edition of the AL line, the Skyline Sport is easily my best looking and performing fountain pen so far. This pint-sized pen packs a punch.