The Sailor Pro Gear (also known as the Professional Gear) is Sailor's most recognisable modern fountain pen — a flat-ended, square-shouldered design that stands apart from the torpedo shapes that dominate the Japanese pen market. The distinctive contrasting finials at cap and barrel ends, the anchor medallion on the cap, and the characteristic Sailor nib feedback make it immediately identifiable. It's one of the most admired everyday fountain pens in the world.
Pro Gear vs Pro Gear Slim
Several sizes share the Pro Gear design:
Pro Gear (full size): The larger, more substantial pen, with a 21ct gold nib that has more spring and expressiveness than the Slim's 14ct nib. Comfortable in the hand without posting.
Pro Gear Slim: A little smaller in every dimension than the full Pro Gear, with a 14ct gold nib. The most popular Sailor in the international market — more compact, more accessible in price, and made in far more colours and limited editions. Most buyers encounter the Slim first. Examples we stock include the Pro Gear Slim Shikiori, the Pro Gear Slim Rencontre and the Pro Gear Slim Tea Time.
Pro Gear Slim Mini: The Pro Gear Slim Mini shrinks the design to pocket size, with the same 14ct gold nib. Post the cap and it becomes a full-length writing pen.
The Sailor nib character
Sailor nibs are different from Pilot and Platinum nibs in one consistent way: they have slight tactile feedback — a quality that Sailor devotees describe as "pencil-like" and that some writers find more engaging than the completely frictionless glide of some other manufacturers' nibs. This is not scratchiness (scratchiness means the nib is misaligned or needs attention); it's an intentional character of Sailor's nib design.
Both the 14ct and 21ct nibs are made in the same size range: Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Fine, Medium, Broad, and specialty sizes including Music (three-tine, very wet) and Zoom (variable width by angle). The Music nib in particular is a Sailor speciality — producing one of the wettest, most calligraphic lines available in any production pen. Our guide on how to choose a fountain pen nib explains the sizes.
The Shikiori range
Sailor produces Pro Gear Slim pens matched to their Shikiori seasonal ink collection, such as the Pro Gear Slim Shikiori. For collectors, and for writers who like coherence between their pen and ink colour, the range is uniquely appealing. The inks themselves come in 20ml Shikiori bottles, and our guide to Japanese fountain pen inks covers them in more depth.
Pro Gear vs Sailor 1911
Sailor's other flagship, the 1911, shares the Pro Gear's nib sizes and materials but uses a rounded torpedo body rather than the flat-ended design. The 1911 Large matches the full Pro Gear; the 1911 Standard is comparable to the Pro Gear Slim. The choice between them is aesthetic — the Pro Gear's flat ends and angular profile suit some tastes; the 1911's rounded, classical shape suits others. Performance is essentially identical for equivalent nib sizes. We stock the 1911 Standard with a gold nib and the 1911 Large Casual, which gives you the full-size body with a steel nib at a lower price.
Limited editions
Sailor releases limited-edition Pro Gear Slims and 1911s regularly — often multiple times per year. Each release typically has a small production run and doesn't restock. If a specific Sailor limited edition appeals, buy it when you see it; availability is rarely reliable after the first few weeks.
Where to start: the Pro Gear Slim Shikiori for the classic Pro Gear experience, or the Pro Gear Slim Mini for a pocket pen. Browse the full Sailor range, or compare with other makers in the best Japanese fountain pens.
