I go for Faber Castell X5 too. But I think buying this pen really require some luck, sometimes I buy the 3-in-a-pack kind one, only one of them function well (or even none of them zzzz..... )
For gel pen, Pilot G2 is still my favourite over the years

Liked Faber Castell Grip X5. But currently using Unicorn BP-333DT~ not to bad though~

Well, it seems like this forum was last discussed in Year 2014.
Things are different now more or less in Year 2016.
I am a Pen Enthusiast too, and seriously I'm really frustrated with the Ball Point Pens available on the market nowadays. I am not sure if it is because it is cheap, thus the quality of it is really frustrating?
Note that I am talking about Ball Point Pens.
No matter which brand it is, from Faber Castell to Pilot to Papermate.

Most of the Ball Points, though promoted to be the best with so many features and guarantees marked on their packaging, but the moment I bought it home use around for a week or two, then the ink starts to get stuck and the result is a less visible/fader ink coming out of the Ball Point Pen.
So to be really honest its quite frustrating, given that we bought these BallPoint Pens for maybe RM1.50 or around there, and usually for students, they just grab a whole box of it. Go home give it a try and then perhaps a few of the pens are like that with the same problem all over again.

I think perhaps for the moment, the BALLPOINT Pens that I find it to be still of Reasonable Quality would be the ones from Zebra Z-1 Needle and Faber Castell Ball Point Pens, GRIP X7 and CX7.
Yet again, take note that at times they too have the same problems at times.
Not sure any one of you out there feel the frustration as much as me.

Note: Some might suggest Gel Pens, but at times its just not that convenient to use it, as they smudge easily when interact with water. In addition to that, they are not acceptable for usage when you are writing for an examination paper.

So if anyone out there, if you truly feel my frustration. Have you found your solution yet? Or are you just like me feeling totally frustrated with these poor quality BallPoint Pens?

Faber Castell X5 and the Pilot G2 0.38mm

I'm the 'don't care what pen as long as can write' type.

Most of my pens also I don't know where I got from haha.

But never was a fan of gel pens. Can get messy sometimes

I prefer ball pens as compared to gel pens because my handwriting can be messy sometimes if I used gel pen (pilot G2 is a disaster for me) and the price of a ball pen is cheaper than gel pen.

However, ball pen has its own problems too. Sometimes the quality of a pen varies over time. If you're unlucky, you will get pens which will smudge or dried out ink. I am the one who is always unlucky if I bought ball pens in bundles.

Before form 4 I was a loyal user of Faber Castell pens, however now I stick to Zebra ball pens instead.