TUL Retractable Gel Pens 0.5 mm Fine Point, Black 12/pk by TUL

Product Information

On the whole, the closest comparison to Tul would be Staples’ Tru Red. FAQs Does Tul make their own pens? Tul’s pens had a significant reboot in 2012 which remodeled the entire line and changed the pens significantly. If you have only experienced their older, pre-2012 pens then you might be surprised at what you find today as it’ll be totally different than before. The general consensus is that most changes have been for the better. Tul pens originated in 2006. Looking for more brands like Tul? The companies pens are most like those from Pentel and Kaco, while their disc-bound notebooks are similar to those sold by Levenger. Tul retractable gel pens are a bit more interesting than the ballpoints with vibrant colored ink. The blunt tip of the pen combined with the gel ink is reminiscent of the PaperMate InkJoy gel pen series. The gel is sold in a standard conical tip (medium) and a needletip (fine). The gel pens are sold in a variety of colors.

Over the past few years we’ve seen this trend reverse, not only with brands like Tul but but an improvement in quality from Bic, PaperMate, and other mainstream pen brands. Tul even sells limited edition pens, like the Pearl ballpoint and gel pens. If you take a close look at these pens you will see that they are an attempt at a high-end office product — something rivaling a Uniball Jetstream or Pilot G2, not simply the cheapest pen possible. For years big box retailers sold their own brand pens which were simply aimed at being as cheap as possible, but this race to the bottom led only to poor quality products and unhappy consumers. Looking at Tul’s gel pens, the closest visual comparison is probably to the Uniball Signo UM-151/Signo DX, which is an affordable plastic pen but one with clean styling and excellent day-to-day performance. Tul also sells customizable notebooks, which are essentially binders not unlike a Filofax, Levenger Circa, or Traveler’s Notebook. These notebooks are bound with plastic discs and have a large number of cover options a well as many accessories for the inside.