A3

Things always come in threes—or so they say—and after the Moonman capless A1 and A2, the A3 was bound to appear.

As was described on previous Chronicles, the A1 is essentially a copy of the regular Pilot Capless FC first introduced in 1998, while the A2 recreated the style of the faceted Pilot Capless FCN from 1984.

From top to bottom, Moonman A1 with clip, clipless A1, and A2.

This time, the model being copied—or, if one prefers, used as inspiration—is the Pilot Capless LS from 2019. As with the previous models, the nib unit is fully compatible across the different Moonman models and with those made by Pilot. In this regard, Moonman is creating a parallel ecosystem of capless pens with interchangeable nib units across brands.

But is the A3 third time’s the charm? How does it compare with the original LS?

Moonman A3.

Visually, the A3 and LS are very similar. Needless to say, they share the same dual mechanism for extending and retracting the nib: push to extend, rotate to retract. Moonman’s version, however, feels rougher and more abrupt in the rotational action, making it less refined than the Japanese original. Still, it works.

The most striking feature of the Moonman is its peculiar clip. Positioned halfway along the body, it is difficult to imagine anyone actually clipping it to a pocket. In practice, it seems to function mainly as an oversized roll stopper. Fortunately, it can be removed by sliding it out through the nose of the pen.

As for nibs, Moonman offers only two options—EF and F—both in steel. In use, they proved correct and reliable. Whether that range is sufficient is another matter.

Dimensions:

	Moonman A3	Pilot _Capless LS_
Length closed (mm)	146	146
Length open (mm)	141	139
Diameter (mm)	13.5	13.5
Weight (1) (g)	43.3 / 40.7 (2)	40.3

(1) Dry weight with an empty cartridge. (2) Weight of the A3 without clip.

In summary, the A3 is a functional copy of the Pilot Capless LS at roughly one tenth of the price. It is less refined and offers only two nib options. Whether that is enough, the market will decide.

Moonman A3 without clip, and Pilot Capless LS.

So far, Pilot may have been shielded from a flood of copies by the lack of a distribution network capable of making these Chinese pens widely available. However, the repeated price increases—with yet another announced for this coming July—may make it easier for these pens to find their way into a stationery shop near you.

Sailor “Gold from the Swiss Bank” – Montblanc “Around the World in 80 Days”

Bruno Taut
May 15th, 2026
etiquetas: Pilot, Moonman, capless, mercado