Lately, I've been in an Esterbrook ecstasy. It all started when I was writing my New Year Goal blog articles last month and was thinking about trying new things. Along with inks, one of the most fascinating things to explore as a fountain pen lover is different nib sizes and grinds, and Esterbrook offers ten nib choices for the Estie. I chose a fine nib when I got my Sea Glass Estie last July, but this month I decided to explore ALL the Esterbrook nib possibilities and share my experience with you. I started by bringing home a whole bunch of Esties with different kinds of nibs, and I'm in the process of evaluating them all, but my first Estie report is mainly going to be fun because I got sidelined by all the pretty Esties and with trying out Esterbrook's newly released 2GO Cup!
(Pictured: Petrified Forest, Aqua, Cobalt, Gold Rush Frontier Green, Scarlett, Tortoise, Honeycomb, Evergreen, and Nouveau Bleu.)
When I woke up this morning, my brand new Esterbrook 2GO Cup six pen holder was waiting on my dresser. I wasn't sure if we'd get much sun, but it was supposed to be warm (in the mid 60s!), so I jumped out of bed excited to open it and fill it up with Esties to take with me on a walk to explore my neighborhood. Later I'll use it with pens from my own collection, but today was a day for Esties, and they come in so many cheerful and beautiful colors, I figured I probably wouldn't even miss the sun.
Maybe this is a little silly, but I'm a total sucker for Esterbrook's packaging on the new 2GO Cups and Pen Rolls. I love the inspiring "ADVENTURES ARE WAITING" message inside the box's lid, and the sticker that says, "That's why we made this for you." In one of my Instagram videos about the 2GO Cup, I held up the sticker and joked, deadpan, "Just for me! So, you know... it's mine now." But, now I do own one for real, so apparently the sticker is 100% accurate.
I love how inviting the 2GO Cup is. It's packaged flat, so it doesn't take up a lot of space to bring with you empty (like if you want to pack it in a suitcase), but it's extremely quick and easy to transform into a 3D shape that stands up on its own. The removable soft suede inner divider folds out into a star-shape that separates and snuggles your pens. You can fit six large pens, or even cram in more if you don't mind them rubbing against each other.
The first thing I did when I went on my walk was stop to admire the little purple crocuses poking up through the faded grass on the lawn of a churchyard near my house. I haven't had a chance to go on a walk recently, so they were my first spring flowers! (Okay, it's not really spring yet, but they still count.) Because the 2GO Cup is made of durable canvas and doesn't seem like it would show dirt very easily, I didn't hesitate to plop it down on the ground next to the crocuses. Seeing them made me so happy!
(The pen with the delicious red top is Maui, and the bright yellow one is Sunflower. The dark one on the left is Gold Rush Prospector Black.)
As I continued on my outing, I alternated between carrying the 2GO Cup inside my little backpack, swinging it by its sturdy leather drawstring (very fun), and holding it in my hand. I loved the comfortable woven texture of the brushed canvas and how the cup felt just right in my hand. The flexible sides mold to the shape of the contents and feel friendly, almost like holding something comforting like a stuffed animal. This is hard to explain, but it just felt really nice, and I loved the feeling of cuddling my pens.
The way the top part of the 2GO Cup folds back thanks to the stretchy elastic trianglular insert on the side is ingenious and feels totally natural. Likewise, the leather drawstring functions exactly as intended and feels like second-nature to use after practicing opening and closing the cup a few times. The leather is velvety on one side, and wonderful to "pet" with your thumb.
I also love that Esterbrook chose a ribbed knit material to bind the top edge. Not only does it gather easily, it's reminiscent of a cuff on the sleeve of your favorite sweatshirt. The circular bottom of the cup is also flexible but is reinforced, giving the whole thing a nice flat base and enabling it to stand easily. It's most stable when filled with pens, but stands even when empty.
I don't want to influence you in your choice of colors--they are all nice!--but my favorite 2GO Cup is definitely the tan one because I love the warm camel outside and the petrol-colored suede lining. As I have mentioned before in this blog, I am kind of obsessed with the color petrol, so, when I saw the inside, I knew it was the one for me. An extremely generous and kind friend/customer recently gave me his extra bottle of Montblanc Petrol Blue ink, and look how well they match! I'm using the ink in my Sea Glass Estie, and it's a perfect combination that writes like a dream. (This is my first bottle of Montblanc ink, so it's pretty special.)
I do also really like the light dreamy blue that Esterbrook chose for the lining of the blue cup and pen roll (when I showed this one to Shriya, who loves pale blue, she swooned!), and the lovely neutral creamy-colored lining they paired with the green is wonderful because it will complement any of your pens. They are all great choices. Look how nice the suede lining of Esterbrook's green option looks in the Six Pen Holder pen roll! I love how it shows off the pens.
(Pictured above: Cobalt, Honeycomb, Evergreen, and Accutron. Some of these are older editions, so we only have a few left.)
Just look at that soft buttery material and the pretty pens. Yum. This photo shows Nouveau Bleu (a tribute to artist Alphonse Mucha), the lovely Sea Glass (my own pen), and the new Petrified Forest. I'm crazy about the Petrified Forest Estie and really want one! It reminds me of pink grapefruit, one of my favorite colors and fruits.
I experimented by filling 2GO Cups with additional stuff like pencils, a small flashlight, an ink vial, paintbrushes, a water brush pen, and even a pair of glasses. Because the "fins" are only attached in the center, you can control the width of each section and fold some down if you want. Very versatile.
I really like my glasses idea and I think I will do that with mine. You could even use the 2GO Cup to carry your keys, money, and ID along with your pens, if you want to travel light and not bring a separate bag or wallet. This really is the perfect case for adventuring and interacting with your pens on the go. It also makes a great desk cup and an easy way to transport your pens around with you to different rooms in your house or take them outside to your patio, deck, balcony, or yard.
Of course, the 2GO Cup is perfect for taking to a coffee shop. I love coffee shops, so I stopped for a quick cup of coffee and a Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwich. Normally when I visit a coffee shop, I ask for a for-here cup if they are available, but today I wanted to sit outside with my coffee and pens, then get back to work and take both with me for the walk home.
I ended up focusing a lot more on the 2GO Cup than on trying custom nibs like I'd planned, but my new companion felt more timely, and I had to take advantage of the nice weather to try it out.
I did get a lot of great photos and videos of Esties, so it was a fruitful day and I fell even harder for this fun and interesting pen while admiring all the different variations outside in the natural light. The depth, translucency, and variety in the highly polished acrylic material blew me away. It's meant to call to mind Esterbrook's roots and vintage celluloid, and some of the patterns like Honeycomb and Tortoise certainly have a vintage look, while others are brightly colored or even glittery. While playing with these pens at home, it was impossible for me to choose a favorite. I hope you see some that you liked!
The Estie is definitely a pen that I have grown to appreciate more and more over the past year. It's not just eye-catching and comfortable in the hand. I absolutely love the feel of the #6 JoWo German steel nib, and the special lock seal cushion cap closure that keeps it from drying out. The cap takes a little getting used to the first few times you screw it on, but it works brilliantly. My Estie is always wet and ready to go, unlike several of my other pens (some of which were a lot more expensive than Estie!). I find myself reaching for my Estie frequently, mostly just because it's such a pleasure to write with. The feel of its nib on paper makes me happy, I love how compatible it is with my favorite inks, and the complex material continually catches the light in unexpected and delightful ways.
(Pictured: Gold Rush Prospector Black.)
Next week, I will continue my Estie exploration and finish testing all the different nibs. I guess this week we needed a break from technical details and to just revel in the beauty of pretty pens and the pleasures of taking your pens with you on adventures!
-Laura P.
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