on salePilot Explorer Fountain Pen - Clear

Product Code PN16937

In Stock

out of stock

on salePilot Explorer Fountain Pen - Clear

Product Code PN16937

In Stock

out of stock

$25.00

MSRP $31.25

Nib Guide

Not sure which size nib is best for you?

Try our Nib Nook tool to view and compare nib widths using our writing samples. Learn more ›

ENHANCEMENT OPTIONS
Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black
Upgrade Your Converter + $13.90 Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black
Color:
$13.90
$13.90

Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black

Product Code PN69901

In Stock

out of stock

$13.90
Add this item
Free Gift With Purchase
Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray
Free Gift with Purchase Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray
Color:
FREE
FREE

Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray

Product Code PN91425

In Stock

out of stock

$0.00 $23.74
Add this item

Introducing the Explorer, the newest value fountain pen from Pilot. This clear resin pen allows you to see your ink inside, and is complemented by black trim. It has a snap cap, a stainless steel nib, and comes with a Pilot ink cartridge as well as a CON-B squeeze converter for use with bottled ink. It comes packaged in a gift box.

Click here to shop all compatible Pilot ink cartridges.

Condition
New
Brand
Pilot
Type
Fountain Pens
Color
Clear
Demonstrator

Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.

Yes
Body Material
Resin
Cap Type

How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).

Snap-cap
Compatible inks & refills

Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.

Bottled ink, Proprietary Pilot ink cartridges
Filling Mechanism

How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.

Cartridge, Converter
Grip Material
Resin
Nib Size
Fine, Medium
Nib Color
Silver
Nib Material
Steel
Postable

Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.

Yes
Retractable

Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).

No
Diameter - Body
12.2mm (0.48in)
Diameter - Cap (without clip)
13.5mm (0.53in)
Diameter - Cap (with clip)
16.5mm (0.65in)
Diameter - Grip (mm)

Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.

8.8mm
Length - Body

The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.

128mm (5.04in)
Length - Cap
57.7mm (2.27in)
Length - Nib

The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.

17.6mm (0.69in)
Length - Overall (Closed)
142mm (5.59in)
Length - Overall (Posted)

When the cap of the pen is posted onto the back of the pen body, this is the measurement of the entire pen including the nib.

162.3mm (6.39in)
Weight - Body

If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.

6g (0.21oz)
Weight - Cap
6g (0.21oz)
Weight - Overall (g)
12.0g
Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a cartridge.

1.08ml
Max Ink Capacity - Converter

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a converter.

1.28ml

Customer Reviews

Based on 12 reviews
92%
(11)
0%
(0)
8%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
M
M.G.
Fabulous daily driver

I’ve got a variety of pens from basic entry level to higher end gold nibs, but my explorers are the pens I use more than any other. I prefer the glossy white and matte black finishes for how they feel in my hand—the pearlescent finishes just don’t feel as nice—but I can be sensitive to texture. Pilot steel nibs run a little dry in my experience, so drier inks may not flow as nice, but I’ve had fantastic luck with most pilot, Sailor, platinum, and monteverde inks in these pens.

These are lightweight, unassuming for the office, and rarely hard start even after being left inked and unused for a few months.

E
Emily
Prefer the weight of the clear pen

Ordered two during a promotion, one in clear the other in copper. The clear was a fine bib, the copper a medium nib. This one writes smoother than my metropolitan, but that could be combined with Jacques Herbin Vert Atlantide (love!). I'm finding so much enjoyment with this combination and though high shimmer, does not clog. A well balanced pen posted. Flows very well and I will probably come back for a second clear one when they're back in stock as I prefer the extra weight of it. I wound up giving the copper pen away to a friend and I can say the color is truly lovely and she likes it a lot. A great buy, especially if you're someone like me that has very small handwriting and prefers a super fine nib. (A reason I have yet to go for a Lamy or twsbi). Enjoy!

A
Asher L.
Yeah i don't know about this one

I did not buy this pen from goulet pens, but i thought i should write a review here because people will actually read it. I got a blue Pilot Explorer in Fine nib and it seemed really good. The blue color looks just wonderful, and the snap of the cap is really satisfying. Unfortunately, the nib feels really bad. The "fine" nib is really thin, noticeably thinner than the fine on the platinum preppy and so much thinner that the lamy safari fine. Possibly because of this thinness, it is really scratchy, making it really not feel good on any paper. It almost feels like an extra fine with no ink, but it is outputting ink. It is surprisingly consistent, performing the same on rhodia paper as on cheap notebook paper, but it just feels pretty bad, so much that i prefer using the preppy.

A
Anonymous
Plastic pen review: TL;DR it's flawless, really.

it's fantastic. Being a Pilot, the expectation is pretty high anyway. This one is a Medium. It's ultra smooth, flows very well, no hard starts, sits for a week unused, and writes without issues. It passes the "drag" test (hold just the end and drag it across the paper at an angle). It holds the big CON-70, which on a demonstrator, is just kinda spiffy to see. Quick to uncap, it's usable without posting, though it is postable, too. Pilot sets a high bar at this price point, and, while I've personally never had a bad Pilot fountain pen out of the box (including G2s and V5s), I'm just extra pleased with this one. As much joy from using this pen as the E95, and that's a high bar, too.

L
Lanie P.
feedback on pilot explorer

This is a great pen and writes well.

FAQs about Fountain Pens

How do I fill a fountain pen with ink? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the pen's filling mechanism, which you can find in the Technical Specs section above. 

Here's a quick definition of the most common filling mechanisms:

  • Cartridge - A small, disposable, sealed plastic reservoir that holds fountain pen ink. These come pre-filled with ink, and typically you just push to insert them into place and you'll be ready to write! Check out our quick guide here.
  • Converter - A detachable and refillable ink reservoir that allows you to use bottled ink in a cartridge-accepting pen. Typically you will install the converter into the grip section, dip the nib/feed into the ink, and twist or pull the converter knob to draw ink into the converter. Here's a video for how to fill a cartridge/converter pen using a LAMY pen as an example.
  • Eyedropper - A pen that utilizes the entire barrel as a reservoir for ink. Ink is directly filled into the barrel, allowing for a high ink capacity. Here's a video on how to do it!
  • Piston - A type of filling system that uses a retracting plunger inside a sealed tube to draw ink into a pen. They are typically either twist or push-operated. These pens cannot accept cartridges or a converter, and only fill from bottled ink.
  • Vacuum - A push-style piston that uses pressure to fill the large pen body with ink. They seal the ink chamber when closed, making it ideal for flying without risk of leaking. Check out our video on how to use a vac filler here.

Check out more info on these filling mechanisms including a video on how to fill each one on our blog.

How do I clean a fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the filling mechanism, but it mostly comes down to flushing it out with water, and sometimes a little bit of Pen Flush if the ink is really stuck. 

It's a bit easier to show than to tell, so we've put together a few quick videos showing you the process:

How often do I need to clean my fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

We recommend a good cleaning every 2 weeks, and any time you change ink colors. 

Water will usually do the trick, but we recommend you use our Goulet Pen Flush if the ink has been left in the pen for a while and could have dried up, or when you’re switching ink colors.

My pen won’t write! What do I do? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

First things first... make sure you have ink in the pen! Be sure that the ink cartridge or converter is seated properly in the pen, and that you aren't out of ink.

We always recommend you give your pen a good cleaning first, using our Goulet Pen Flush, or a drop of dish soap in some water. New pens often have some machining oil residue left in the feed, so a good cleaning often does the trick first.

If that still doesn't work, try priming the feed. This consists of either dipping your pen nib and feed in ink, or forcing ink from the converter down into the feed. 

If it’s still not working after that, please reach out to us so we can help! 

What's your return policy? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

You can submit a return request within 30 days of your order date. You can read all our Return Policies here.

To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.

Please note we are unable to accept a return of any Namiki or Sailor Bespoke fountain pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.