One frequent question I receive in-store (and certainly at the San Francisco Stationery Fest last month) concerns the similarities and differences between the two most popular multi pen “systems” on the market: Pilot’s Hi-Tec-C Coleto and Uni’s Style Fit. While both pens look very different, they tend to generally function in the same way and which system works best for you is largely a matter of personal preference as to tip style and ink. I'll thought it might be helpful to give a brief overview.
The Coleto refill (left) and the Style Fit refill look very different.
Similarities Between the Hi-Tec-C Coleto and Style fit Systems
Both use proprietary refills. The most common question I received is whether you can use a Hi-Tec-C refill in a Uni Style Fit multi pen and vice-versa. The answer is no (at least not without heavy modification that is beyond the scope of this article). Each refill uses a proprietary design that fits the pen bodies sold by Pilot and Uni, respectively. That said, oddly enough, Uni Style Fit refills will fit inside the excellent Pilot 4+1 wood multi pen.
Both feature multiple tip sizes from .28mm to .5mm. The Hi-Tec-C Coleto and Style Fit feature a similar range of ultra-fine to fine tip sizes, which is what many people enjoy about these two systems. The Style Fit’s .28mm refill is roughly equivalent to the Hi-Tec-C Coleto’s .3mm, the .38mm to the .4mm, etc.
Both feature a broad range of colored gel inks. Each brand offers well over a dozen colors from which you can choose (15 for the Hi-Tec-C and 16 for the Style Fit). The color ranges are similar, and most people will be able to find a rotation of colors that works for them. I personally go for a mix of blue-black, red, orange, and green.
Conical Style Fit tip (left) and Needle-point Hi-Tec-C tip (right).
Differences Between the Hi-Tec-C Coleto and the Style Fit SYstems
Conical vs. Needle Tip. The Hi-Tec-C’s signature feature is the needle tip, which can be hard to find in a multi pen and is therefore what makes the Coleto system unique. The Style Fit uses a standard conical tip (think Signo DX) and writes more like a traditional gel pen. While a matter of personal preference, I prefer the Hi-Tec-C for the type of writing I tend to do with multi pens.
The refills load differently. The Hi-Tec-C refills load from the top of the pen body. You flip the cap up and insert the refills into spring-loaded slots, with the matching tabs denoting which colors you have in the pen. The Style Fit pen bodies unscrew from the middle of the barrel, and you insert the refills from the bottom. Most Style Fit bodies feature an ink window so you can see which colors you have loaded into the pen.
Hi-Tec-C refills have a slightly greater tendency to clog. While gel refills in general are prone to evaporate over time, and it’s therefore best practice to use them regularly once you remove them from the sealed package, the Hi-Tec-C needle tip is more prone to clogging as the refill ages, particularly in the finer sizes. (.28mm, anyone?) Uni uses a slightly wetter ink formulation that tends to flow better but runs out quicker.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
Both the Coleto and the Style Fit make excellent choices for a fine tip gel multi pen, and which specific pen will work for you ultimately depends on whether you prefer conical or needle-style tips and the feel of the respective Pilot or Uni inks. There’s not a significant cost difference, with both pens available in the $20-25 range even for the most expensive pen body with a set of refills.
As I’ve mentioned before, the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto is the multi pen that first hooked me on ultra-fine Japanese gel pens. I personally enjoy needle-tip pens like the Hi-Tec-C and the Pentel Energel, since I feel like these give me more control over my lines when I’m writing small (particularly for annotation). The .4mm refill is my personal sweet spot. That said, the Style Fit is also an excellent gel multi pen, and those who prefer a larger pen body may find the “Meister” more comfortable to hold. The navy blue pen pictured in this review is loaded with five colors in the .5mm tip size, which work well for everyday writing.
We currently carry both the Coleto and Style Fit multi pen bodies as well as refills for both systems, in our online and Nashville shops. Please stop by and see us during normal store hours for the opportunity to test these pens in person!