Modern Flex Nib Fountain Pen Comparison: My FPR Pens

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So is there one single best flex nib fountain pen? I think that depends on a lot of factors and individual preferences, but today I’ll be comparing several of my favorites of these modern flex nib pens. I hope you enjoy this FPR (Fountain Pen Revolution) flex nib fountain pen comparison.

Flex fountain pens provide such lovely line variation and can make almost anyone’s handwriting look better. Most flex fountain pen lovers simply love the line variation from a nice flex nib and don’t do calligraphy. I use mine for modern calligraphy, but anyone who loves journaling, writing, sketching, etc. will enjoy the beautiful line variation from a flex pen.

All of the pens I’m comparing today in this modern flex nib fountain pen comparison are from Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR), and they all currently are fitted with the FPR steel ultra flex nib. ( I also have a few other flex nib fountain pens – the Noodler’s Ahab and the BlueDew flex fountain pen. The BlueDew flex pen is like writing with a dip pen and is another wonderful choice for pointed pen calligraphy, by the way.)

The fountain pens in the photo have flex nibs, other than the bright green Narwhal.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.

In the past, only vintage fountain pens had nibs soft enough for really great flex, but not anymore. So, let’s get started with the comparison.

A Comparison of My Current Fountain Flex Nib Fountain Pens from Fountain Pen Revolution

The following pens are my most smooth and flexible pen/nib combinations, of the pens I have.

FPR sent me my first one last year, my Himalaya V2, in exchange for my honest review, and I’ve been a consistent customer ever since.

Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR) Himalaya V2 Fountain Pen

My first fountain pen with a very flexible nib, was the Himalaya V2, from FPR. The pen comes with options for various nibs, both non-flex and flex. (This is important to note because the FPR pens can be purchased as regular fountain pens or flex fountain pens, depending on the nib you choose.)

I chose the steel ultra flex nib. It was my first experience with this nib, and I was wowed from the day I got it. I was kind of shocked because I had never used a fountain pen with such a flexible nib before. (I loved it so much, I bought a second one.)

The Himalaya V2 fountain pen comes in acrylic or ebonite, and it’s a converter filled pen.

FPR Himalaya V2 fountain pen with fpr ultra flex nib

flex nib fountain pen with fpr ultra flex nib

The nib size on the Himalaya V2 is a #6, and the steel ultra flex nib that I chose for it is very flexible and smooth. I think this nib is the closest you can get to a “wet noodle” in a modern flex nib. Update: Some people who use their flex pens for calligraphy, have told me they find the #6 ultra flex nib a little too wet. The #5.5 ultra flex nib (which I have on my Himalaya V1 that I bought after this comparison was written), is a little less wet. I have found, though, that just by using a slightly drier ink with the #6 nib, I don’t find it to be too wet.

I have a detailed review of the Himalaya V2 here.

Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR) Jaipur V1 Fountain Pen

On to my next FPR fountain pen with a flex nib – the Jaipur V1. Like many of the fountain pens from Fountain Pen Revolution, you can choose which nib you like, flex or non-flex, and I chose the steel EF ultra flex nib for this one, too. (That Fountain Pen Revolution ultra flex nib is excellent, regardless of the size.)

FPR Jaipur V1 fountain pen with fpr ultra flex nib

The #5.5 steel ultra flex nib on the Jaipur V1 has really good flex and is easy to control. It’s not quite as flexible as the #6 ultra flex nib I have on my Himalaya V2 and my Jaipur V2, but still provides great flex. The pen looks better in person than on the website.

The Jaipur V1 is a piston filler pen, so it holds a nice amount of ink. I like seeing how much ink is left in the filler window.

It’s also an incredible value. I never would have thought that I could get this great flex pen experience at such a low price. (There are even less expensive pens at the FPR site that can be purchased with their ultra flex nib, but I haven’t tried them.)

Because of the vegetal resin the Jaipur V1 is made from, it has a slight odor that I barely notice at all. (Most people don’t mention the odor in their reviews, but some people do find it bothersome. So, if you’re sensitive to smells, this one might not be the pen for you.)

Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR) Jaipur V2 Fountain Pen

I actually have two of these Jaipur V2 pens, because I caught a BOGO sale on my last birthday.(Fountain Pen Revolution has frequent sales, and sometimes they are BOGOs!)

In the photo at the top of the page, the Jaipur V2s are the third and fourth ones from the top.

Like the Jaipur V1, the Jaipur V2 is a piston filler pen. It holds a lot of ink, and I like seeing how much ink is left in the window, just as in the Jaipur V1.

The Jaipur V2 takes a #6 nib, like the Himalaya V2, and I have the steel ultra flex nib on mine. The nib units on the Jaipur V2 pen screw in place, which is really convenient.

The Jaipur V2 is a more expensive pen than the Jaipur V1, and writing with it feels elegant. The writing experience is lovely with the steel ultra flex nib. It’s a very wet pen, and it lays down a lot of ink, so I don’t use a very wet ink with these pens. I hear that it is great for shimmer inks, because of its wetness, but I haven’t used them. (I don’t really use shimmer inks because I hate to have to clean my pens that often!)

I especially love the mottled brown ebonite one that I have. It’s a beautiful pen and a wonderful nib, and a really nice choice if you want a gorgeous piston filler pen with a #6 nib.

Is there a Favorite?

So, which one of these pens is my favorite? I love each of them, and I give a bit of edge to the ones that have the #6 ultraflex nib. That nib is so flexible and smooth. And, one of them actually is my favorite.

These preferences of mine are based only on the pens I have, and these are all pens from Fountain Pen Revolution.

Also, FPR has both less expensive and more expensive pens at their site, in addition to the ones I have, but I’ve only tried the ones I’ve mentioned in this comparison.

My Himalaya V2 pens with the #6 steel ultra flex nib are buttery smooth and flexible and so pretty. When fitted with the ultra flex nib, the Himalaya V2 is one of my favorite pens to write with. To me, it feels like a “wet noodle” fountain pen.

My Jaipur V1 pen with the #5.5 steel ultra flex nib is a great value, and it writes beautifully. The #5.5 ultra flex nib on the Jaipur V1 isn’t quite as much of a “wet noodle” as the #6 ultra flex nib that I have on my Himalaya V2 and my Jaipur V2, but still very flexible. Again, there is a very slight odor to this one, and it tends to dry out kind of quickly.

My Jaipur V2 fountain pens with the #6 steel ultra flex nib are gorgeous flex piston filler pens. Writing with them is an absolute joy and an elegant writing experience. I think this one actually is my favorite. Filled with KWZ Honey ink, my mottled brown ebonite Jaipur V2 is often the first pen I choose to write with.

You absolutely don’t have to spend big bucks on a vintage pen to get wonderful flex. All of my pens from Fountain Pen Revolution that have the ultra flex nib on them perform so well, I can’t imagine a vintage one could be better. And, while I’ve never actually used a vintage flex nib, I’ve heard several people who have used both, say the same thing.