A Review of the Baoer 388 Fountain Pen

First Impressions (7)
Normally, the combination of gold and silver (even just a silver color) is not something of which I am a fan, yet this pen has something striking about it.

Appearance (8)
Gold accents highlight brushed silver. If there were no engravings on the pen, I would term it one of the most nondescript fountain pens that I have ever seen. Yet, even in its nondescript fashion, it maintains an air of elegance. The engravings of the “Baoer” brand and “388” model number draw the eye to the cap, where the gold cap band is joined by a decidedly Parker-looking, arrow shaped clip, topped with a black cap jewel. Removing the cap, the gold accents continue, interrupted by a black, plastic grip, which actually appears quality. (My past experiences with black plastic grips on Chinese pens have been less than desirable.) Possibly the most impressive aspect is that it appears the gold plating on the two-tone nib is actually done well, keeping with the engraving lines.

Design/Size/Weight (6)
As I have found with other Baoer pens, the weight is nice and balanced. It is not very heavy, but there is enough heft to let one know that it is there and avoid feeling like a feather in the hand. Unfortunately, the cap is made so that it is quite a bit too tight, taking some effort to pull off and snap back on the pen.

Nib (8)
This relatively nice looking nib holds some interesting surprises! Other Baoer nibs, both fine and medium, have provided smooth operation and pleasant experience. This one is no different ...in those regards. Beginning to write with it, I exert a bit of pressure and suddenly - flex! The flexing is not large, yet it is unique and unexpected.

Filling System (7)
The Baoer 388 takes both long and short standard international cartridges, and it comes with a converter. Sadly, it seems that not all Baoer converters carry a good quality, as this one is less than well made, having a cheap feel and a rough turning mechanism. However, this deficiency does not render it unusable nor does it affect the pen’s functionality.

Cost and Value (9)
I would say that this Baoer is an excellent pen for the cost, writing quite nicely straight from the package. It has a few points that could be improved, but at such a low price point these could easily be overlooked.

Conclusion (7.5)
In conclusion, I think that Baoer has crafted another good quality pen that is easily affordable for fountain pen users with all budgets. Its semi-elegant looks would make this pen a great gift for writers from the high school class room to the corporate world.

Please feel free to post questions or comments!
This post was neither compensated nor solicited.