Kaigelu 316

Overview

The Kaigelu 316 is a budget Chinese Duofold-style pen Garry has owned since mid-2021, with a standard #6-size two-tone steel nib carrying a kangaroo-and-joey logo on both the cap and the nib -- a detail he finds amusing, since it is a Chinese-made pen and he lives in Australia where he regularly sees real kangaroos near his home. He owns at least two of these in different colourways (an Aloe-vera-themed green/white pattern, and a second green/white pattern he calls 'Aloe' -- likely a mis-transcription, see the Fuzzy Match table below). It sits alongside the Jinhao 100, Moonman M600s, HongDian 1841/960 and Wing Sung 601 as one of several Chinese pens in his collection visually inspired by the Parker Duofold, and is the predecessor to the slightly updated Kaigelu 316a.

Design & Appearance

Shape: Classic Duofold-style silhouette -- same width nearly the whole way down, with a noticeable drop-down step near the bottom. Very similar in profile to the Jinhao 100 and Moonman M600s.
Colourways owned: at least two -- an Aloe-vera-themed pattern (green and pearly white, with some translucency) and a second very similar green/white pattern he calls 'Aloe'.
Cap: gold-coloured bands with a thin black inlay strip running between them, a springy clip, and a kangaroo-with-joey logo medallion at the top. Cap removal takes a long ~2.5-3 turns across multiple reviews.
Body: translucent in places, letting him see the converter inside. Finished with a flat black end finial and a black section -- a look he is less keen on than the colour-matched finials and section on the updated 316a, though he still says he 'likes the 316 anyway.'
Posting: only posts loosely, to around three-quarters of the way down the end finial, and feels wobbly/back-heavy when posted -- he does not use it posted.
Pen Looks scores across reviews: 8/10 (Fountain Pen Focus), 9/10 (vs HongDian 1841), 7/10 (vs 316a) -> averaging around 8/10.

The Nib

Material: Steel.
Size: Standard #6.
Grade (stock): Medium on all his copies -- he was pleased about this, since most Chinese AliExpress pens he buys only come in fine or extra-fine.
Decoration: Two-tone -- mostly steel-coloured with gold highlights, a kangaroo picked out in gold, and the word 'Kaigelu' beneath it. No size marking appears on the nib itself.
Feel: Very smooth -- described more than once as feeling 'like writing on glass' -- with only a slight hint of tactile feedback. He generally enjoys this but has occasionally wished for a bit more feedback.
Wetness: A consistently generous, wet writer -- he says 'all my Kaigelu pens' have very wet, generous nibs, and likes the slightly wider line this gives compared to similarly priced alternatives.
Hard starts: An occasional issue, especially after the pen has sat unused for a few days -- usually fixed with a few seconds of scribbling and not something he worries about long-term.
Line variation: Noticeable with added pressure (it is a steel nib, so he cautions against pushing too hard to avoid railroading); minimal on its own.
Writing Experience scores: 9/10 (Focus), 8/10 (vs HongDian 1841), 8/10 (vs 316a) -> averaging around 8.3/10.

Filling Mechanism

Cartridge/converter -- the included converter is branded 'Candlelight' in one review. Metal fittings rule out eyedropper conversion. One recurring gripe: the converter window is quite small, making it hard to check ink levels at a glance.

Measurements

Measurement	Value
Total length (capped)	13.5-13.8 cm
Length unposted	12.5-12.7 cm
Length posted	17.7 cm
Body width	1.29-1.3 cm
Cap width	1.46-1.5 cm
Section width	1.0-1.13 cm (tapered)
Full pen weight	41 g
Body weight alone	26 g
Cap weight	15-16 g

Writing Experience (Ink Flow and Comfort)

Ink Flow scores: 8/10 (Focus), 8/10 (vs HongDian 1841), 8/10 (vs 316a) -> a consistent 8/10 across reviews.
One isolated flow hiccup was observed during the dedicated 316 vs 316a showdown (the ink appeared to fade out mid-scribble), but he has not seen this repeated in normal day-to-day use, and scored the pen based on his usual experience rather than that one incident.
Comfort scores: 9/10 (Focus), 8/10 (vs HongDian 1841) -- comfortable in the hand, doesn't dig into his fingers, and he specifically prefers its wider section compared to some narrower comparison pens.

Inks Used (as referenced across reviews and photo logs)

Ink	Context / Notes
Diamine Soft Mint	First Impressions video and original June 2021 inked video (Aloe pattern); a cool, bluey-green that he felt was a reasonably good match for the pen's colour
Robert Oster Spearmint	Fountain Pen Focus review; a green ink he liked, with some shading visible
Robert Oster Tranquility	Pens In Use rotations (Jan 2022) and a photo-log entry; a combination he says he absolutely loves
Diamine Alpine	vs HongDian 1841 showdown; a dark green ink-vent ink he felt contrasted nicely with the pen
Robert Oster Vine Leaf	vs 316a showdown; a green sample ink
Diamine Mint Twist	My Currently Inked Fountain Pens - July 2025 rotation, alongside a chameleon-type ink used in the same period
A chameleon ink (unnamed in transcript)	Fountain Pen Showdown Heat 2 of the 2025 Tournament, and the July 2025 currently-inked rotation

Comparisons and Rankings

vs HongDian 1841 (Fountain Pen Showdown, Diamine Alpine vs Diamine Red Robin)

Both Chinese pens but very different shapes -- flatter ends on the 316 vs a curved torpedo shape on the 1841. Garry preferred the look of the 316's pattern (9/10 vs 8/10 for the 1841) but rated build quality, writing experience, ink flow and comfort identically (8/10 each) for both pens. He felt the 316 offered slightly better value for money in its own price bracket than the 1841 did in its.
Kaigelu 316 = 8/10, HongDian 1841 = 8/10

vs Kaigelu 316a -- First Impressions of the 316a (comparison only)

Not a full showdown of the 316 itself, but a direct side-by-side while introducing the 316a. Key differences noted: the 316a's end finials and section match the body colour, whereas the 316's are black; otherwise the nib and section shape are identical. Garry says the 316a is definitely an upgrade in terms of cohesive looks, but still says I like the Kaigelu 316 anyway and confirms the 316 posts and works fine for him.

vs Kaigelu 316a -- dedicated showdown (How different are they?, Robert Oster Vine Leaf vs Robert Oster Light Green)

A closer, more detailed comparison. Both pens use the same nib (Garry can see no difference between them) and the same filling system. The main physical differences are the colour-matched 316a sections/finials (vs black on the 316) and a flow issue seen only on the 316 in this particular video (ink seemed to fade out partway through a scribble test, not repeated elsewhere). Looks-wise he preferred the 316a (8/10 vs 7/10 for the 316), but writing experience and ink flow were scored identically (8/10 each), and the 316 scored higher for value for money (9/10 vs 8/10).
Kaigelu 316 = 8/10, Kaigelu 316a = 8/10 (total scores end up tied once value-for-money is factored in)

Fountain Pen Tournament - Heat 2 (vs Jinhao x250 and Majohn P136)

An audience-decided tournament heat rather than a scored review. Garry personally noted the Kaigelu's nib was the softest-feeling and most whispery of the three, and said his own preference (given he likes broad nibs) leaned toward the Kaigelu's wider line, while acknowledging the other two fine nibs were perfectly good in their own right. No personal winner was declared -- the result was left to a community poll.

Fountain Pen Showdown Heat 2 of the 2025 Tournament (vs Asvine P20 and Jinhao 100)

Another audience-decided heat. Garry highlighted that he likes the extra width he gets from the Kaigelu 316 compared to the other two pens, and repeated that all my Kaigelu pens have very generous, wet nibs. Again, no personal winner was declared -- left to a community vote.

Top 5 Pens of 2021 - Between 20 and 50 AUD (grand-final qualifier video)

Going into this video Garry expected the Kaigelu 316 to be his pick to represent this price bracket in the grand final, but after writing with all five candidates side by side, the HongDian 960 ultimately won the slot instead.

Pens In Use - January 2022 Price Range Winners

Named the winning pen for the AUD 20-50 price bracket for that month's Pens In Use rotation, paired with Robert Oster Tranquility.

Overall Scores Summary

Review	Score
Fountain Pen Focus (Robert Oster Spearmint)	8.5/10
vs HongDian 1841 (Diamine Alpine)	8/10
vs Kaigelu 316a (Robert Oster Vine Leaf)	8/10
Average	~8.2/10

(The Fountain Pen Tournament Heat 2 and the 2025 Tournament Showdown Heat 2 were audience-decided rather than personally scored.)

By category (averaged across reviews where explicitly scored)

Category	Average
Pen Looks	~8/10
Build Quality	9/10
Writing Experience	~8.3/10
Ink Flow	8/10
Comfort	~8.5/10
Value for Money	~8/10

Build Quality

Consistently strong -- no issues reported with hard stats, slipping, or cracking across his copies. The nib has needed no pulling or cleaning beyond normal use. Build Quality scored 9/10 in the one review where it was explicitly rated.

Value for Money

Generally rated well (7-9/10 depending on the comparison), though Garry has noted on more than one occasion that Chinese pen prices have risen noticeably over time, and that there are cheaper, virtually identical Duofold-style alternatives available (he specifically points to the Jinhao 100 as better value in the same style). In the dedicated Fountain Pen Focus review he says he personally would not buy another 316 at the price it had risen to by that point, even while still rating the pen highly overall.

Key Recurring Themes

Kangaroo-and-joey branding -- a recurring source of amusement given it's a Chinese-made pen and he lives in Australia, where he genuinely does see kangaroos near his home.
Glassy-smooth nib feel -- repeatedly described as feeling like writing on glass, generally enjoyed though occasionally he'd like a touch more tactile feedback.
Generous, wet nibs across the whole Kaigelu line -- a trait he attributes to all my Kaigelu pens, not just this model.
Visual kinship with the 316a -- viewed as a close sibling/upgrade, with the main difference being colour-matched vs black sections and finials; Garry says he still likes the original 316 regardless.
Posts poorly -- consistently wobbly and loose when posted; he uses it unposted.
A strong contender, not always a winner -- repeatedly shortlisted in his top pens and tournament-style videos, sometimes the pen he expected to win a price-range face-off, but it didn't always come out on top (losing the price-range grand-final slot to the HongDian 960).
Rising Chinese pen prices over time -- a recurring observation that has, at least once, made him say he wouldn't rebuy at current pricing.
Owns multiple in different colourways -- at least two 316s (Aloe and Aloe patterns), separate from his 316a.

Source Files

#summary