Enso Puma Review: A Colorful Primary Manipulation Pen with a Gold Nib

Introduction

The Enso Puma is a bit of a deviation from what Enso usually makes. The brand typically leans toward metal pens or Japanese ebonite, so a colorful acrylic Puma stands out in the lineup. The material comes from Jonathan Brooks of the Carolina Pen Company, whose primary manipulation acrylics are genuinely sought after. Leonardo has used similar material in the past, and it translates beautifully here.

It is a limited run of 90 pens, priced at $295, with a discount code (holidays 2022) that brings it down to $236. If the price or the material appeals to you, moving quickly makes sense. Here is how it holds up in daily use.

First Impressions and Design

The shape will feel familiar if you know Enso’s usual minimalist approach: same silhouette, same clean lines, but wrapped in a very colorful material. The cap, barrel, and finial are all cut from the same primary manipulation acrylic, so the pattern runs unbroken from end to end. There is no clip, no roll stopper, and no center band, which means nothing interrupts the view of the material.

The box is simple and practical: a cardboard sleeve, a magnetic-closure case, one cartridge, and a converter. It is hard to argue with that. A nicer pen beats an ostentatious box every time. Compared with a Pilot Metropolitan, the Puma is about the same length but noticeably girthier, and it is a genuinely light pen, sized well for a wide range of hands.

Nib, Section, and Filling System

Every Puma ships with a 14k Bock nib in fine only, engraved with the Enso name and USA. It is a number six nib, which sounds conservative until you see it in proportion: a number eight would look oversized on this pen. The feed is the standard Bock-style feed.

The section is one of my favorite details. It tapers down and then flares out with a distinct lip, forming a comfortable ridge for your fingers. It is a small thing, but it catches the eye and makes the pen easy to hold for long sessions. The cap can be posted, though gently, for reasons covered below.

Filling is flexible. You get a simple Schmidt converter and a cartridge in the box, and the pen can also be eyedropper-filled. There is a rubber o-ring in place to help with leakage, and ample room for silicone grease. If cartridge-converter is your preference, that option is there too.

Writing Performance

This particular fine nib writes very dry. With the pen under its own weight and no added pressure, the line is extremely skinny, almost extra fine, and the ink comes out pale. This is not an Enso problem: it is a known trait of many Bock nibs out of the box, and it is a relatively easy fix. A quick tune to open the tines slightly would make this nib write with a much more satisfying level of wetness.

Under a bit more pressure, the wetness improves considerably and the line looks far nicer. Line variation is genuinely good for a non-flex nib, giving some character to your writing. Reverse writing works reasonably well, coming out slightly scratchier but at nearly the same width, and you can eke out a slightly finer line writing upside down.

What We Like

The material is the headline. Jonathan Brooks’s primary manipulation acrylics have a chatoyant, shimmering depth that photographs well and looks even better in person. The colorful finish makes this a conversation-starter pen, and the unbroken pattern with no clip or band shows the material off properly.

A gold nib at this price is another plus, even if gold nibs drive the price up. The construction is clean, with no sharp edges and smooth threads everywhere. The flared section lip is comfortable, posting works, and the eyedropper capacity plus cartridge-converter flexibility covers every filling preference. The pen is also very light, so you barely feel it in hand.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The dry nib is the main flaw, though tuning it wetter is straightforward. The nib on the review sample was also slightly misaligned, which was corrected before use and should not reflect on the pen itself.

The lightness cuts both ways. If you prefer a heavier pen, the Puma will feel almost insubstantial. More importantly, the material is thin enough that the cap visibly flexes when squeezed. With no center band to dissipate pressure, you want to be careful when posting and avoid over-tightening the cap.

There is no clip and no roll stopper, so this is a roly-poly pen that will happily roll off a desk. It suits the minimalist design and gives an unbroken view of the material, but a clip option, even a slip-on one, would be welcome. Finally, $295 is not cheap. The special resin, gold nib, and 90-pen limited run explain part of it, and the holidays 2022 discount code takes $20 off, but the value judgment is ultimately yours.

Buying Advice

Buy the Enso Puma if you love expressive acrylic materials, want a lightweight minimalist pen with a gold nib, and do not mind tuning a dry fine nib or living without a clip. Skip it if you prefer heavier pens, need a clip for pocket carry, or want a wet writer straight out of the box. With only 90 pens available, hesitation has a real cost.

Conclusion

The Enso Puma is an attractive, well-made limited edition that leans into color rather than metal or ebonite, and it mostly succeeds. The gorgeous primary manipulation material, comfortable flared section, and flexible filling options are genuine strengths, offset by a very dry nib, a thin cap, and the absence of a clip. At $236 with the discount code, it is a characterful pen for collectors who want something colorful and a little different.