Monteverde MVP Review
Introducing the latest pocket monteverde fountain pen from Monteverde called the MVP. Do the initials stand for Most Valuable Pen or Many Vexing Problems? Let's find out in today's pen review.
Monteverde MVP Pocket Fountain Pen - First Look
This review of the Monteverde MVP is thanks to a special request from our VIP customer Jo Ellen of Texas. She wrote to us on Facebook, asking if the MVP will accept a converter or can it be converted to eyedropper?
Design and Aesthetics of the Monteverde MVP Fountain Pen
Before we fill up the MVP, let's take a look at the pen's design.
This pocket-sized fountain pen has a cylindrical barrel with flat ends. The cap and barrel meet flush when the pen is closed and remain flush when the cap is screw posted on the backend barrel threads.
A thick, tension-fixed chrome clip aligns with the face of the nib when the cap is posted on the back. The only branding on the pen is at the top of the cap. The Monteverde mountain logo is engraved along with the words Monteverde USA MVP. Although Monteverde designs their pens in the USA, these pens are manufactured overseas.
Inspired by geometric abstract art, the MVP is available in three colorful resins - Red Puzzles, Blue Squares, and Green Abstracts. Each design contains a patchwork of various colors. The blue has a bit more translucency through the material while the green offers more reflective chatoyance. The red is the boldest, combining a vibrant red with black gold, and purple.
Comparing the Monteverde MVP Pocket Fountain Pen with Other Fountain Pens
To show the MVP's size, here is a comparison against other pocket-sized fountain pens like the Kaweco Sport, Esterbrook JR, Faber-Castell Loom, and Laban Expression.
| *Measurement* | Laban Expression | Esterbrook JR | Monteverde MVP | Faber-Castell Loom | Kaweco Sport |
|
Length Closed |
4.5 in. / 115mm |
4.96 in. / 126mm |
4.43 in. / 112.5mm |
5.12 in. / 130mm |
4.17 in. / 106mm |
|
Length Uncapped |
3.6 in. / 92mm |
4.65 in. / 118mm |
3.56 in. / 90.5mm |
4.72 in. / 120mm |
3.94 in. / 100mm |
|
Length Cap Posted |
4.86 in. / 123.5mm |
6.10 in. / 155mm |
5.35 in. / 136mm |
6.02 in. / 153mm |
5.27 in. / 134mm |
|
Barrel Max Diameter |
0.4 in. / 10.3mm |
0.39 in. / 10mm |
0.47 in. / 12mm |
0.43 in. / 11mm |
0.39 in. / 10mm |
|
Section Grip Dia. |
0.27 in. / 7mm |
0.35 in. / 9mm |
0.35 in. / 9mm |
0.43 in. / 11mm |
0.35 in. / 9mm |
|
Pen Weight |
0.6 oz / 17g |
0.7 oz. / 20g |
0.4oz / 11.3g |
0.8 oz / 22.7g |
0.3oz / 8.5g |
The pocket-sized design of the MVP only allows for one international ink cartridge to fit. However, since we have the ability to try converters from other brands, I was able to find one that worked for Jo Ellen. The Kaweco squeeze converter is not going to wow anyone for its ink capacity, but it is your only alternative to syringe-filling ink cartridges.
I did try to eyedropper-fill the MVP. However, there must be a small seam at the base of the back end barrel threads that slowly seeps ink. So, that's going to be a "no" for me.
Nib Options and Writing Experience
Screw off the MVP's cap to reveal a tapered grip section and the #5 size stainless steel nib with plastic feed. The nib and feed housing unit can be unscrewed from the grip section. Please note that if your nib and clip do not align when the cap is posted, it could be that the nib and feed are not screwed in all the way in the grip section. I did come across one pen that had this issue and it is easily adjusted.
Nibs sizes available - EF, F, M, B, 1.1mm Stub, or omniflex.
I used the Kaweco squeeze converter to ink up the Blue Squares omniflex nib with Monteverde Iced Cookie. Despite the slow leak, I still left Iced Cookie in the Green Abstracts pen with a stub nib. To round out the three pens, I plugged a black ink cartridge into the Red Puzzles, medium point.
I'm relieved that the cap posts on the back the same way every time and that the clip lines up with the nib. It takes 1 and a half rotations to remove the cap from the nib and about 1 and one quarter rotations to screw it on the back of the barrel.
Without the cap posted, the pen is very small - a little more than 3 and a half inches. The pen feels most comfortable and balanced when writing with the cap posted. Despite having a narrow grip section, the MVP handles well. The blocky threads and the small step to the barrel are not sharp or uncomfortable to hold if you prefer gripping the pen farther back.
The nib on the medium point was surprisingly smooth with a slight hint of feedback. The flow is a touch on the drier side but it will keep up with fast handwriting.
The stub nib feels more like a cursive italic with a significant degree of feedback. It does provide a significant degree of line variation to instantly add calligraphic flair to your handwriting.
Without any flexing, the Omniflex nib writes like a smooth fine nib. Adding finger pressure on the downstroke widens the line to be thicker, broader, and wetter. The line won't be as broad as the downstroke of the 1.1mm stub nib, but it will lay down a more saturated line of ink.
Packaging and Value Proposition
The MVP collection has its own distinct packaging inspired by geometric abstract artists like Mondrian. Remove the sleeve to reveal a black plastic clamshell gift box with inner felt lining and platform. Under the sashed platform, you'll find Monteverde's limited lifetime warranty, two ink cartridges, and more information about the pen collection as well as other pens available from Monteverde.
Is the Monteverde MVP Pocket Fountain Pen Worth It?
So, is the MVP a valuable pocket pen? At $35 retail (on sale at Goldspot for $27.95), this pen directly competes with entry-level fountain pens like the German-made Lamy Safari and Kaweco Sport. The screw post and lack of a full-sized converter option may be a dealbreaker for some. For beginners who enjoy the convenience of using ink cartridges, this pen is a good deal that has more artistic flair than other entry-level pens.
Do you like pocket fountain pens? Let us know your favorites in the comments below. Thanks for checking out this review of the Monteverde MVP fountain pen.
Stay inky, my friends!