In brief: Smooth, erases very well, but ink is still a (very) dark grey rather than a true black. A 4.5/5 rounded up.

In depth: I ordered this pen as part of an order of a variety of (mostly) gel pens, as I wasn't sure yet what I liked. I wasn't particularly excited about this pen, but I was curious, as I have bad handwriting and being able to erase my inevitable mistakes sounded handy. From reviews of earlier versions of Pilot Frixion gel pens, I knew the ink tended to be more grey than black, and that was a point of concern for me, as I prefer a nice, dark black ink.

This Pilot Frixion Ball Zone is a new release from Pilot, with a new ink formula from previous generations that promises to be darker and closer to black. It is definitely darker, that is undeniable, but I would still call it a dark grey rather than a true black. I'd say its color is similar to black ballpoint pens. If you write a whole page with this pen, the ink will appear black; it's once you compare it alongside other gel black pens that it starts to appear grey. It is easily dark enough to be very readable, even on colored paper such as Midori's Soft Color Notebook in Blue.

It's also easy to forgive the ink for its less-than-black color given how darn smooth it is. The pen glides across the page, requiring minimal pressure to get a solid line, yet also able to stand up to extreme pressure. It hasn't skipped even a little bit for me. Worth noting that, in my own experience, Pilot tips tend to run finer than pens of the same size, but that doesn't seem to be true of the Frixion; its 0.5mm tip creates lines the same thickness as my other 0.5mm gel pens. The ink does take a couple seconds or so to dry, which means that a lot of the times when you go to erase a mistake you just made, the eraser will smear the ink in the process of erasing it (but it also erases the smear, so it's not that big of a deal).

On the subject of erasing, the ink erases predictably well. This is the first erasable gel pen I've used in about a decade, and erasable pens sure have come a long way in that time. Erasability no longer a gimmick but an actual feature. The ink erases via heat that's generated from the friction created by using the rubber(?) eraser. It takes a half second to "warm up" the ink/eraser, but then it erases so, so cleanly. Because it uses friction, that means that there are no eraser shavings to deal with (which I keep forgetting and immediately go to wipe my page out of habit every. single. time). However, due to the firmness of the eraser, areas where you've erased will be dented or even slightly torn on thinner, poor quality paper. Writing over an erased area can sometimes make the ink a little less smooth, especially if you've erased the same spot multiple times.

It is also worth keeping in mind that because the ink's visibility is manipulated via heat, situations of high heat, such as sitting within a car that's parked in the sun on a hot day, the ink may disappear from paper. You might be able to reverse this by putting your notebook or paper in a freezer, but as I haven't encountered this issue personally, I cannot attest to the efficacy of that.

The body is lovely. It's a greyish pink, desaturated and midtone. The material has a satin finish, while the grip --- not squishy --- has a rubbery feel. I personally find the color underwhelming, but the actual design of the pen is beautiful to me. It's a fairly sleek pen, thinner than some, with a sliiight bit of weight to it. A very solid build, except for the clip --- which also serves as the retraction "button"/trigger --- which is a bit "loose," in that it can rattle slightly. The click is quiet and satisfying, the clip having a pleasing bounce when using it. The eraser at the tip is the least attractive part of the entire pen, being an ugly grey color that feels out of place in a way. The eraser is sturdy and does its job --- and is thinner than previous iterations, allowing for more precise erasing --- but I wish the color were different. That's really a matter of personal taste, though.

The ink reservoir and its refills are metal rather than clear like most every other pen out there, and I dislike this a lot as it prevents you from seeing how much ink is left.

Overall the pen is a delight and another product Pilot can be proud of. I'm surprised at how much I love this pen, and I will absolutely be ordering refills for it. Truly a pen worth carrying with you everywhere.

While I have rounded up to 5/5 stars, my true rating for this pen would 4.5 out of 5, with half a star taken off due to the ink not being a true black and the ink reservoir not being clear.

The ink in these new FriXion pens are different, way different. It's more solid, more black, flow is smoother, and continuity is more robust than its predecessor. It also erases better. These new FriXion pens are definitely premium. The length is longer than the average FriXion pen and slimmer. Balance is sweet and lends itself to much nicer handwriting, for me anyway. It earned top spot in my EDC rotation. I can't wait to buy a metal version and more of this new ink!

Delighted with this latest FriXion pen release! The body appears to be a cherry blossom pink with a matte texture. The ink appears darker than the original but still looks grey to my eyes, just a darker hue. I prefer and recommend writing with Frixion's blue ink as it appears much more vivid on paper. Also, as seen with earlier FriXion pen releases, you still get the railroading in the ink line. The metal ink cartridge casing gives the pen some added weight. The grey eraser is a great contrasting color. Would have liked to see the First Light Pink released with the choice of a black eraser as found with the Neutral Clear, Midnight Navy (grey), and All Time Black. I have the option of switching out the erasable refill with the Pilot Precise V5 refill which is one of my favorite rollerball inks and is readily available in any local stationery store. One of the best FriXion pens I've purchased to date.

This is a beautifully made pen. It does not look like an erasable pen, and I've had to watch it closely at work.
The ink color resembles a dark, watery gray.
I use this pen in my Erin Condren and Plum Paper Planner notebooks and planners.

The .5mm works well on the paper and gives a crisp, professional, thin line.

Highly Recommend.

My favorite of all the FriXon pen bodies to date, love the muted colors, on the pen. I have tried to like them over the years and the colored inks were fine, the black was just not, well black! This new darker ink is so much better, I reach for this pen so much more and I plan to order another for my niece who uses the erasable pens for school. The new formula is more black, smoother and just better all round!