My Pilot FriXion Review. Game changer for planning?
Remember the erasable pens from years ago? They smeared or rubbed off. Not impressive, I know. But have you heard about this new type of ink? You’re probably wondering it’s worth the hype. I’m a pen snob so it needs to be a strong recommendation for me to switch. I’ll admit I’m impressed wanted to share my Pilot FriXion review to help others who are missing out.
While these have been available in stores for a while, I was introduced to these pens as part of a goal planning session. It came as a suggestion for people who have a hard time using pre-printed planners and don’t want to mess them up.
Can you relate to that? I know I was struggling with that.
It takes a fair amount of motivation to get over the fear of a messy planner. But if it’s not being used, then what’s the point? Does it really matter if it’s messy? Remember, you’re not graded on how pretty or perfect your planner is. Reaching your goals is the important part, not the neatness of your planner.
And one more note: this post contains affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission if you buy through my link. You won’t pay any more if you use this link.
How does the Pilot FriXion ink work
The Pilot FriXion pens use heat-sensitive ink (“thermochromic ink”) instead of the usual gel pen ink. This is not the the same ink that was used in past erasable pens.
Thermochromic ink, developed in the 1970s, is ink that changes color when exposed to heat.
FriXion erasable pens do not erase in the traditional sense. The ink turns clear with the friction from “erasing”. Heat turns the ink clear. This also means that leaving your pens or any written documents in a hot car could result in everything disappearing.
Don’t worry. Try putting your notebook and nonworking pens in the freezer for 10 minutes to make the ink show up again. That’s the general recommendation for getting things working again.
Are there erasable highlighters?
I know what you’re thinking, especially if you’re trying to time-block on a calendar in a planner. Besides pens, are there erasable highlights?
YES! Pilot makes a line of erasable highlighters in both pastel and the usual bright colors.
And if you didn’t know (or guess), Pilot also makes erasable markers, in two thicknesses. That left me completely stunned, and clearly made this a game changer.
Both erasable highlighters and erasable markers are really useful for time blocking on a calendar in addition to other writing needs. If you have a schedule you want to block out, but are frustrated by the mess when it changes.
Erasable markers allow you to block time on your calendar with the flexibility to adjust as your schedule shifts around.
I also tried the highlighter over traditional dried gel ink to see what would happen. It didn’t smear.
2 Quick Erasable Pen Tips
- Let the ink dry before trying to erase. Fresh ink doesn’t erase very well. It doesn’t take long for the ink to dry. And once it does, it will erase to a point that you almost don’t realize something was written in the spot.
- Some of the pens write on the finer side If you prefer your writing to look thicker, some of the erasable pen options may not be for you. And the black isn’t a true black. It’s more of a dark grey. I started using thinner pens in my notebooks to reduce the bleed and ghosting so I don’t really notice much of a difference.
When should you not use an erasable pen?
One thing to keep in mind. You shouldn’t use erasable pens for everything. For example, erasable pens should not be used on official or legal documents. You really don’t want someone changing a contract or your signature, right? And given the heat sensible nature of the FriXion ink, don’t use the pens on anything that will be left in hot cars or on mailing labels. Remember to use regular pens for mailing labels, signatures, and legal documents.
Erasable pens are great for taking notes or writing in planners, especially when you want to make changes without scribbles or white-out.
Over to you. Have you tried these erasable pens? What’s your Pilot Frixion review?
Overall I really like these erasable pens, markers, and highlighters. They take the fear out of making a mess in a pre-printed planner, especially when it’s always changing. Don’t forget, they can’t be used for everything (legal documents, signatures, etc). And if you need a heavier, metal barrel pen, those are available too.
Have you had a chance to try them? What are your thoughts or are you planning to skip them?
