Parker 5th Mode Peacock Ink Review

Parker 5th Review

As an avid fountain pen user, I approached the Parker Ingenuity 5th Mode pen with great skepticism. Here was a writing instrument that was purported to take the desirable characteristics of a fountain pen and fuse the with the convenience of a rollerball pen system. It seems impossible to mimic the writing quality that only a metal fountain pen nib with a capillary action feed can provide. However, I'm open-minded and gave the Ingenuity a thorough go-round of writing to see what the buzz is all about.

Unboxing the Parker 5th Mode Peacock Ink

The nib on the Ingenuity seems like a poseur - a metal hood that disguises what is, essentially, a felt tip cartridge refill with a flexible tip base. The Ingenuity is all about this refill, which they call the . It is a proprietary cartridge that is only available in 6 different colors. Based on color selection alone, the fountain pen holds the huge advantage of being able to write in a wide spectrum of bottled ink colors versus a paltry six hues.Popping in the 5th mode cartridge is almost like installing a rollerball pen ink cartridge. The only difference being that the 5th mode refill needs to fit through the front section to align with the metal tines. No possibility of getting ink on one's hands unless you handle the tip directly. The 5th mode is more convenient and a no-mess refill method compared to a fountain pen. Now that we have it installed and ready-to-write, how does it perform against a traditional fountain pen?

Writing Experience with Parker 5th Mode Peacock Ink

Taking the 5th mode for a prolonged spin was an important exercise to effectively compare the Ingenuity to a fountain pen. Initial contact of pen tip to paper was pleasantly smooth. The tip glides along the paper, delivering an even ink flow. Below is an entry of the teal .

The dry time was exceptional on most papers and the smoothness of the tip was unlike any felt-tip or fineliner pen that I've used in the past. There really wasn't much in the way of shading and the semi-flexible metal tines that conceal the 5th mode tip do not add any variation in line with added pressure.