Staedtler is a great company out of Germany that produces pens, pencils, markers and now digital EMR styluses. They have two different variants that are made of real wood, the classic and jumbo. These have plastic nibs and when you purchase one, it comes with 5 replacement nibs and a removal tool. The great thing about these, is that they work with virtually any e-reader or digital note taking device with a WACOM screen, giving you an alternative to the typical flimsy plastic stylus.
The famous black and yellow stripes of the Noris pencil came into being as early as 1955. Since then, the pencil has been used by millions of people for learning to write, making notes, writing letters, drawing and sketching. The Noris digital pen harkens back to a bygone era and feels comfortable in the hands. The stylus has palm rejection technology and provides 4,096 degrees of pressure-sensitivity and does not have a battery, so it will last forever.
The Noris classic is the longer of the two pens. The dimensions are 175 x 7.5 mm, pen tip is 0.7 mm and weight is a respectable 7.8 g. It is very easy to hold in the hands due to the hexagonal design and the length is basically the exact same size as a number two pencil. The Noris Jumbo might be the better buy because is shorter, about the same length as a typical plastic WACOM stylus. It has a more triangular design. It has an eraser at the top, but it has to be firmly pressed on the screen for things to erase properly. Dimensions are 140 x 9.1 mm and weighs 10 g.
One of the cool things about these pens is that the tips can be swapped out and different ones can be used. The Remarkable nibs gave a better writing experience, since they are more course and better suited for drawing on glass based displays. The default plastic nibs are no slouch either, but at least you have alternatives, if you prefer something made of graphite or pom.
I believe the Staedtler stands out in the EMR stylus space. The typical plastic stylus you get for free when you buy a digital e-note, is nothing to write home about. The stylus is entirely made of plastic and weighs around 3/4 g. I always prefer stylus that have more weight to them, they feel more natural in the hands and it is easier to grip. There are other stylus on the market that weigh between 14 to 24g, but they tend to be completely made of aluminum or made of plastic, but have aluminum cores. I like the Staedtler Noris because it is made of real wood, the only EMR one on the market. So if you used a pencil in school when you were young, you will immediately feel right at home with this in your hands.
Staedler Noris
$44.95
Pros
- Made of wood
- Palm rejection
- 4,096 degrees of pressure sensativity
- Replaceable nibs
- Nibs compatible with Remarkable Nibs
Cons
- Classic does not have an eraser
- An aluminium core would be nice
- An unknown brand in EMR
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
