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 "socks" (the 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
Two sizes share the Pro Gear design:
Pro Gear (full size): 145mm capped, 21k gold nib. The larger, more substantial pen — comfortable in the hand without posting, and with a nib that has more spring and expressiveness than the Slim's smaller 14k nib. At 4.5 inches uncapped, most writers post the cap for extended writing.
Pro Gear Slim: Approximately 5mm shorter in every dimension than the full Pro Gear, with a 14k rather than 21k gold nib. The most popular Sailor in the international market — slightly more compact, slightly more accessible in price, and available in significantly more colour and limited-edition options. Most buyers encounter the Slim first.
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 14k and 21k nibs are available 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.
The Shikiori range
Sailor produces a range of Pro Gear Slim pens specifically matched to their Shikiori seasonal ink collections. The Shikiori pens are Pro Gear Slims in colours designed to complement specific Shikiori ink shades — pen and ink sold as a set or separately. For collectors and for writers who like coherence between their pen and ink colour, the Shikiori range is uniquely appealing.
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 1911L is the same size as the full Pro Gear; the 1911S 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.
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.
Browse the full Sailor Pro Gear range at The Journal Shop, including the Pro Gear Slim, 1911, and Shikiori editions.
