The Explorer is a new fountain pen from Pilot, released in early 2019. It’s very similar to the popular Pilot Metropolitan, but it’s made of a lighter, plastic body. Additionally the Explorer is a bit more expensive then the Metro, it’s lighter, and its wider. The Explorer has the look and feel of aluminum, but it’s fully plastic which is why it’s so light. This is also why it only comes in metallic colors: these even look like anodized colors so you get cool, modern-looking metallic shades rather than a more traditional paint job. It’s one of those things you either love or hate. The pen has black plastic parts at the top and bottom that contrast with the brights colored plastic of the body. The clip is matte black as well, but it’s made of metal, not plastic. This is a very nice looking pen, but it feels super light in your hand. This isn’t always a problem but it can feel cheap as well and in all likelihood it will bot be very durable, which is unfortunate because it’s a very good looking pen. What’s odd if that the Metropolitan is made of metal, is much heavier, and has withstood the test of time, but costs considerably less than the Explorer. Pilot Explorer Rollerball Pen Information Manufacturer Pilot Pen Type Rollerball Pen Barrel Color Blue, Green, Pink, Red, Grey, Aqua Barrel Material Plastic Body Diameter (mm) 12.5 mm Grip Color Black Grip Material Plastic Grip Diameter (mm) 10.0 mm Country of Origin Japan Still Sold Yes Release Year 2019 Refills G2 Rollerball refill Capped? Retractable? Capped Clip? Metal Length Capped / Retracted (cm) 14.2 cm Length Posted (cm) 16.1 cm Length Uncapped (cm) 12.9 cm Weight (g) 14.3