Laban 300 Skeleton Rainbow Review: A Budget-Conscious Take on the Rainbow Pen Trend

Introduction

Rainbow finishes have become one of the more noticeable trends in fountain pens over the last couple of years, and Taiwanese brand Laban entered that space a little over a year ago with the Skeleton Rainbow. Technically listed by many retailers as the 300 Skeleton Rainbow, this model pairs a skeleton-style metal overlay with a rainbow coating, and it positions itself as a more budget-conscious alternative to high-end skeleton pens from brands like Montblanc and Visconti.

Laban provided this pen for review, and it also previously offered the same model in a gunmetal finish. The two share a lot of DNA, but there are some subtle differences worth knowing about before you choose between them.

Design and Build Quality

The pen is torpedo-shaped, and the skeleton overlay is the headline feature. The cap and barrel are made from a high-quality Italian resin, with the transparent acrylic letting you see straight through to the ink, while the metal overlay is brass according to the company and the majority of retailers. A couple of retailers list it as copper, but brass is the more commonly cited material.

Laban describes the overlay pattern as filigree with a rainbow coating. Compared to the gunmetal version, whose acrylic is translucent rather than transparent, the metal here is slightly narrower in width, and the edges of the overlay have a bit more bite, bordering on slightly sharp. The gunmetal model feels softer under the hand.

The patterning itself is nicely handled. The outlined shapes appear fairly random at a glance, and while closer inspection reveals the cap and barrel share the exact same pattern, the barrel simply extends it a bit farther. The result is that the two halves do not look overly matchy, which works in the pen’s favor.

Cap, Clip, and Nib

The top of the cap is rounded and made from two separate pieces, transitioning into a clip that looks sharp and functions well. The cap angles up toward a band stamped with the Laban name, then steps down to the barrel, which tapers to a metal cone with a rounded end.

The cap unscrews in one and three-quarter rotations, a nice reduction from the two and a half turns required on the gunmetal version. Underneath is a number six stainless steel Bock nib stamped with the Laban name, available in extra fine, fine, medium, and broad, fed by a plastic feed. The metal section is concave and carries the same rainbow treatment.

One trade-off: the section is a bit slick, though the concave shape keeps your grip from sliding. The sharp overlay edges can feel slightly uncomfortable where they press against the inside of your hand during longer sessions.

Filling System and Ink Visibility

This is a cartridge converter pen that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included. The converter is branded with the company name, which looks a little awkward here since the exterior overlay partially breaks up the lettering, though on most other Laban pens that branding would not be an issue.

Eye dropping the pen is not recommended, because the metal parts in the section and some exposed metal inside the barrel would come into contact with ink. On the plus side, the transparent barrel gives you an excellent view of your ink level, and the cap can post securely if you apply enough force, without back-weighting the pen. It is also long enough to use unposted comfortably.

Writing Performance

The writing sample used the broad stainless steel nib with Laban Zeus, a new ink from the brand’s Greek god line. That line includes Hera (a darker green), Ares (red), Poseidon green, Artemis (navy blue), and Apollo (orange), all in 50 ml bottles with enough depth to accommodate just about any nib.

Zeus itself is a nicely saturated purple. The broad Bock nib is fairly smooth with just a hint of feedback, laying down a thick, generous broad line with good flow. Line variation is limited, and reverse writing is a little scratchy, but it produces a very fine line. Fast writing poses no problems at all.

Buying Advice

The Laban 300 Skeleton Rainbow sells for right around $225 from a number of retailers, while the other versions of the 300 retail for about $20 less. At that price, the rainbow treatment does not feel over the top, and the overall valuation is reasonable for what you get.

If you love the skeleton aesthetic but do not want to spend wallet-busting money on a Montblanc or Visconti, this is one of the more compelling entry points. Just handle one in person if you can, since the overlay edges may bother writers with a very high grip, and keep in mind that the rainbow coloring varies from pen to pen, shifting from gold and yellow tones on one side to purplish tones on the other.

Conclusion

The Laban 300 Skeleton Rainbow is a genuinely sharp-looking pen that captures the skeleton rainbow trend without a flagship price tag. With a quality Italian resin body, a brass filigree overlay, a reliable Bock nib, and a comfortable overall writing experience, it is well worth checking out if this style appeals to you.