Zebra Sarasa Vintage Gel Pen
A smooth 0.5mm gel pen with muted vintage colors. This Amazon product image is used for the CTA square; the full article compares the whole pen haul.
Check Zebra Sarasa on Amazon
Pentel EnerGel options
Uni-ball One options
This Stationery Pal pen haul looks at a small group of gel pens that are especially interesting for journaling: Zebra Sarasa vintage colors, Zebra Sarasa Dry, Pentel EnerGel, Sakura Ballsign, and Uni-ball One.
The video is simple and practical: each pen is shown on camera, then tested in a notebook so you can see the line color, grip, tip style, and whether the ink ghosts or bleeds through the paper.
| Pen | Review notes | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Zebra Sarasa Vintage Bordeaux Purple | 0.5mm gel pen with rubber grip, clip, and a dark purple vintage color. | Best muted color |
| Zebra Sarasa Vintage Green Black | Dark green-black shade that reads subtle rather than bright. | Good journal color |
| Zebra Sarasa Dry | 0.7mm black gel pen designed to dry faster than regular gel ink. | Practical everyday pick |
| Pentel EnerGel | Olive black and burgundy options with comfortable grips and needle tips. | Smooth and reliable |
| Sakura Ballsign / Uni-ball One | Budget-friendly green-black Sakura and a bright Spearmint Uni-ball One limited edition. | Fun extras |
Overall pen haul impressions
The haul starts with the full set laid out next to a notebook. It is a nice mix: a few muted vintage shades, practical black/dark ink options, and one brighter pen that adds a little personality.
For journaling, this mix makes sense. You get pens that are still readable enough for daily writing, but not as plain as standard black or blue office pens.
Zebra Sarasa vintage colors
The Zebra Sarasa vintage pens are the highlight of the haul. The Bordeaux Purple is a dark muted purple, and the Green Black has a subtle green tint without becoming too bright or distracting.
Both use a comfortable rubber grip and a fine 0.5mm line. If you like your journal pages to have color without looking neon or messy, these are the most appealing choices from the group.
Ghosting and bleed-through check
The test notebook uses 100gsm paper, and the back of the page shows some ghosting. That is normal for gel pens, especially when several samples are written on the same sheet.
The good news is that there is no major bleed-through in the sample. For most journaling notebooks with decent paper, these pens should be usable, though thinner paper may show more shadowing.
Zebra Sarasa Dry and pen comfort
The Zebra Sarasa Dry is the more practical black ink option. It is a 0.7mm pen, so the line is a little bolder, and it is designed to dry faster than standard gel ink.
The grip and clip make it feel like a straightforward everyday pen. If you want one safe option from the haul for notes, lists, and quick writing, this is probably the most utilitarian pick.
Pentel EnerGel and Sakura Ballsign
The Pentel EnerGel pens include Olive Black and Burgundy. The Olive Black reads almost black unless you compare it closely, while the Burgundy looks brighter and more red than expected.
The Sakura Ballsign Green Black is cheaper and feels less premium, partly because it lacks the same comfortable rubber grip. It still gives a usable dark green line, but the body feels more basic.
Uni-ball One Spearmint
The Uni-ball One Spearmint is the fun limited-edition pen in the haul. It has a white barrel, a metal clip, a rubber grip, and a bright spearmint green ink that stands out from the darker vintage colors.
It is not the most subtle journaling color, but it is great for accents, headings, checklists, and decorative notes when you want a page to feel more playful.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Good mix of muted colors and practical everyday pens.
- Zebra Sarasa vintage shades are excellent for journaling.
- Pentel EnerGel pens feel reliable and comfortable.
- Uni-ball One Spearmint adds a bright limited-edition option.
- Writing samples show color and paper performance clearly.
Cons
- Some colors are so dark that the tint is hard to see.
- Sakura Ballsign body feels cheaper than the others.
- There is visible ghosting on the back of the paper.
- Limited-edition colors may be harder to find later.
How I would use these pens in a journal
The most useful way to think about this pen haul is by role rather than by brand. The muted Sarasa vintage colors are the pens I would reach for when I want journal pages to look calm and coordinated. Bordeaux Purple, Green Black, and similar dark shades give you color without making every line feel loud, which is why they work well for daily entries, headers, small notes, and habit tracker labels.
The faster, more practical pens belong in a different category. A Sarasa Dry or Pentel EnerGel is the kind of pen I would keep near a planner or work notebook because the writing feels smooth but still dependable. If you are left-handed, write quickly, or close your notebook immediately after writing, dry time matters more than having the most interesting color.
| Use case | Best pen from the haul | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Daily journaling | Zebra Sarasa Vintage | Muted colors add personality without overwhelming the page. |
| Fast notes | Zebra Sarasa Dry or Pentel EnerGel | Smoother everyday writing with a more practical dry-time focus. |
| Decorative accents | Uni-ball One Spearmint | The brighter color works best in small doses for emphasis. |
| Budget experimentation | Sakura Ballsign | A simple way to test another green-black gel ink style. |
The main caution is that gel pens still need a paper check. On thinner notebook paper, you can expect some ghosting, and very wet lines may show through more than you want. I would test each pen on the last page before committing it to a full journal spread. Once you know which inks behave on your paper, this haul gives you a nice small toolkit: subtle colors for journaling, reliable dark pens for notes, and one or two fun colors for accents.
FAQ
Which pens are in this Stationery Pal pen haul?
The haul includes Zebra Sarasa vintage gel pens, Zebra Sarasa Dry, Pentel EnerGel, Sakura Ballsign, and Uni-ball One gel pens.
Did the pens bleed through the paper?
On the 100gsm paper shown in the video, there was some ghosting but no major bleed-through.
Which pen is best for journaling?
The Zebra Sarasa vintage pens are the strongest journaling picks because the muted colors are readable but still more interesting than plain black ink.
Are limited-edition colors worth buying quickly?
Yes, if you specifically want a limited color like Uni-ball One Spearmint. Those colors can disappear faster than standard pen lines.
Final thoughts
This Stationery Pal pen haul is best viewed as a practical journaling pen sampler. The Zebra Sarasa vintage pens are the safest recommendation, the Pentel EnerGel options are dependable, and the Uni-ball One Spearmint is the fun accent pen.
If you already have enough basic black pens, the muted Sarasa colors are the ones that make this haul feel worthwhile. They add personality to journal pages without making the writing hard to read.
Zebra Sarasa Vintage Gel Pen
A smooth 0.5mm gel pen with muted vintage colors. This Amazon product image is used for the CTA square; the full article compares the whole pen haul.
Check Zebra Sarasa on Amazon
Pentel EnerGel options
Uni-ball One options
