--- title: "Pilot Acroball: Acro Ink, Tip Sizes & BRFV-10 Refills" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-acroball/" description: "Pilot Acroball explained: low-viscosity Acro ink, 0.3 to 1.0 mm tips, BRFV-10 refills, how it compares with the Jetstream RT, and where it's made." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 22 products: - name: "Pilot Acroball Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; BAB-15)" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Recycled plastics (recycled PP barrel, recycled PC cap and front, per Pilot Japan), rubber grip" released: "2008" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America" model: "BAB-15" mpn: "BAB-15F-BB" gtin: "4902505375279" url: "https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000572" --- # Pilot Acroball: Acro Ink, Tip Sizes & BRFV-10 Refills > The Pilot Acroball is a retractable, refillable ballpoint that Pilot launched in Japan in 2008. Its Acro ink is an oil-based ink with about one-fifth the usual viscosity, per Pilot. Pilot Japan lists 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm at 142.5 mm and 9.5 g; it takes BRFV-10 refills, and US suppliers list Japan as its origin. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-acroball/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Side view of the Pilot Acroball 0.7 mm retractable ballpoint with the tip out, 142 mm (5.6 in) long retracted: black barrel with a textured black rubber grip, black plastic clip and push button, and a close-up of the conical tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pilot-acroball-16x9.png) *The Pilot Acroball 0.7 mm Fine, the size most US packs are sold in.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/pilot-acroball-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pilot Acroball Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; BAB-15) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Recycled plastics (recycled PP barrel, recycled PC cap and front, per Pilot Japan), rubber grip | 2008 | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pilot Acroball Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; BAB-15)): Japan. Per US business-supplier spec sheets: OnTimeSupplies lists Japan for the 0.7 mm 2-pack (item 31895), and Aztek lists Japan for the 0.7 mm 3-pack (item 31859). Australian and US retailers also label Acroball refills as made in Japan. Pilot's Japanese web catalog doesn't state it. Source: https://www.ontimesupplies.com/pil31895-acroball-7mm-retractable-pens-fine-pen-point-07-mm-pen-point-size-refillable-retractable-black-advanced-ink-ink-white-barrel-2-pack.html ## Key takeaways - Pilot launched the Acroball in 2008; Pilot says Acro ink has about 1/5 the viscosity of ordinary oil-based ballpoint ink. - Three common US ball sizes: 0.5 mm Extra Fine, 0.7 mm Fine and 1.0 mm Medium; Pilot Japan also sells a 0.3 mm Acroball 150 (BAB-15MF), after first offering 0.3 mm in the Acroball T on November 24, 2020. - Pilot's Japanese catalog lists the Acroball 150 at 142.5 mm (5.6 in) long, 11.4 mm wide and 9.5 g in every ball size; JetPens gives 14.2 cm and 9–10 g. - Refills are Pilot's BRFV-10 family: BRFV-10EF (0.5 mm), BRFV-10F (0.7 mm) and BRFV-10M (1.0 mm). - US business-supplier spec sheets list Japan as the country of origin. ## What is the Pilot Acroball? **The Acroball is Pilot's retractable, refillable everyday ballpoint, built around its low-viscosity Acro ink.** Pilot Corporation of Japan launched it in 2008, according to Impress Watch, and has sold it worldwide since. In March 2024 Pilot redesigned the body in Japan, then at ¥165 (about US$1.00) for the single-color pen and ¥660 (about US$4.20) for the Acroball 4+1 multi-pen. Pilot's price list raised the single pen, now sold as Acroball 150, to ¥198 (about US$1.30) on July 1, 2026. In the US it's sold in multi-packs, including Acroball Colors and the white-barrel Acroball PureWhite. ## Pilot Acroball specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Pilot Corporation (Japan); US seller Pilot Corporation of America | | Type | Retractable ballpoint, low-viscosity oil-based Acro ink | | Ball sizes | 0.5 mm Extra Fine · 0.7 mm Fine · 1.0 mm Medium; 0.3 mm in Japan (BAB-15MF) and in the Acroball T | | Refills | BRFV-10MF · BRFV-10EF · BRFV-10F · BRFV-10M | | Length (retracted) | 142.5 mm (5.6 in), per Pilot Japan; 14.2 cm per JetPens | | Widest | 11.4 mm, per Pilot Japan | | Weight | 9.5 g, per Pilot Japan; 9–10 g per JetPens | | Japan list price | ¥198 (about US$1.30) including tax, from July 1, 2026 | | JAN (0.7 mm black) | 4902505375279 (BAB-15F-BB) | | Launched | 2008 in Japan | | Made in | Japan (per US supplier spec sheets) | Size, weight, refills and price come from Pilot's Japanese web catalog, which lists the same 142.5 mm and 9.5 g for every ball size; JetPens' figures are close. In Europe the pen is sold as Acroball BeGreen, and Pilot's Nordic data sheet gives its recycled-plastic share as 78%. In Europe the pen is sold as Acroball BeGreen, and Pilot's Nordic data sheet gives its recycled-plastic share as 78%. ## What is Acro ink, and is it a hybrid? **Acro ink is an oil-based ballpoint ink that Pilot says has about one-fifth the viscosity of ordinary oil ink.** Pilot's Japanese catalog says that makes it flow almost like water-based ink and soak into the paper fibers for a dark, even line; JetPens puts the claim as "80% less viscous". Thinner ink lets the ball turn with less drag, which is why Pilot promises a smooth feel and starts without skipping. In the US, Pilot sells it as Advanced Ink, and retailer copy calls it a gel and ballpoint hybrid that dries quickly. It is still a ballpoint ink, not a gel. Pilot doesn't publish a dry time, and we haven't measured one. ## Which Acroball tip size should you choose? **Choose 0.7 mm Fine for everyday notes, 0.5 mm for small handwriting and 1.0 mm for a dark, bold line.** - **0.3 mm (Acroball T, and Acroball 150 in Japan):** Pilot released it on November 24, 2020, as its first oil-based ballpoint with a 0.3 mm ball. Good for planners and tiny writing. - **0.5 mm Extra Fine:** a crisp line and the least ink of the standard sizes. - **0.7 mm Fine:** the size most US packs come in. - **1.0 mm Medium:** sold in the US as Acroball Colors; the boldest line. The number is the ball diameter. Pilot names run a step finer than many brands, so its "Fine" is a 0.7 mm ball. ## What refills does the Acroball use? **It takes Pilot's BRFV-10 Acro ink refill, the same one used in the Acro 300, Acro 1000 and ILMILY.** | Ball size | Refill | Ink colors listed | |---|---|---| | 0.3 mm | BRFV-10MF | Black, blue, red (Pilot Japan) | | 0.5 mm | BRFV-10EF | Black, blue, red (Pilot Japan) | | 0.7 mm | BRFV-10F | Black, blue, red (Pilot Japan) | | 1.0 mm | BRFV-10M | Black, blue, red (Pilot Japan) | Don't confuse it with the BRFN-30, Pilot's Acro ink refill for its higher-priced pens. It uses the same ink but doesn't fit the Acroball. ## How does the Acroball compare to the Jetstream RT? **They are the two best-known Japanese low-viscosity ballpoints, and they're close in size and price.** The [uni-ball Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) came first, in 2006. | | Pilot Acroball | uni-ball Jetstream RT | |---|---|---| | Ink | Acro ink, low-viscosity oil | Jetstream, low-viscosity oil pigment | | US ink name | Advanced Ink | Super Ink | | Sizes | 0.5 · 0.7 · 1.0 mm (0.3 mm in the T) | 0.5 · 0.7 · 1.0 mm | | Refill | BRFV-10 | SXR-5 / -7 / -10 | | Length | 142.5 mm (Pilot Japan) | 14.14 cm (uni-ball UK, 1.0 mm) | | Made in | Japan (retailer sheets) | Japan (retailer sheets) | Against a classic paste-ink ballpoint like the [BIC Cristal](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/bic-cristal/), both write darker and smoother. If you want a wetter line still, a gel pen such as the [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/) goes further, at the cost of slower drying. ## Where is the Pilot Acroball made? **US business-supplier spec sheets list the Acroball as made in Japan.** OnTimeSupplies gives Japan for the 0.7 mm 2-pack (item 31895), and Aztek gives Japan for the 0.7 mm 3-pack (item 31859). Retailers in Australia and the US also label BRFV-10 refills "Made in Japan"; Pilot's Japanese web catalog doesn't state a country. ## How much does a Pilot Acroball cost? **It's in our lowest price band, $ (under $5 per pen), when bought in a multi-pack.** Most US listings are packs of 2 to 12; Pilot Japan's list price of ¥198 (about US$1.30) for a single pen since July 1, 2026 gives a sense of scale. For an even plainer everyday ballpoint at the same band, Korea's hexagonal [Monami 153](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/monami-153/) has been sold since 1963. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Pilot Acroball a gel pen or a ballpoint? It's a ballpoint. Pilot classes the Acroball as an oil-based ballpoint; its US packaging calls the ink Advanced Ink and retailer copy describes it as a gel and ballpoint hybrid because it writes more smoothly than ordinary ballpoint ink. ### What refill does the Pilot Acroball use? Pilot's BRFV-10 Acro ink refill in the matching size: BRFV-10MF for 0.3 mm, BRFV-10EF for 0.5 mm, BRFV-10F for 0.7 mm and BRFV-10M for 1.0 mm. Pilot's refill site says the same refill fits the Acro 300, Acro 1000 and ILMILY. ### Can I put a BRFN-30 refill in an Acroball? No. The BRFN-30 is Pilot's Acro ink refill for its higher-priced ballpoints. It uses the same ink but is a different refill size. ### Is the Acroball good for left-handed writers? Retailers market it to left-handed writers because the ink is quick-drying. Pilot doesn't publish a dry time, and we haven't timed it yet; the 0.5 mm puts down the least ink. ### Where is the Pilot Acroball made? US business-supplier spec sheets list Japan as the country of origin for Acroball packs, including item 31895. Pilot Corporation is based in Tokyo. ### What is the difference between the Acroball and the Acroball T? The Acroball T is a version sold with metallic-color bodies such as silver, gold and metallic red. Pilot released a 0.3 mm Acroball T on November 24, 2020, which it called its first oil-based ballpoint with a 0.3 mm ball; in Japan the 0.3 mm is now also sold as the standard Acroball 150 (BAB-15MF). ### How does the Acroball compare to the uni-ball Jetstream? Both are low-viscosity oil-based ballpoints from Japan. The Jetstream launched in 2006, two years before the Acroball, and uses pigment ink sold in the US as Super Ink; most US Acroball packs come in 0.7 and 1.0 mm. ## Sources - [PILOTウェブカタログ: アクロボール150 0.7細字 BAB-15F (Pilot Japan web catalog: 1/5 viscosity Acro ink, 142.5 mm, 11.4 mm, 9.5 g, BRFV-10F refill, recycled plastics, ¥198)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000572) - [PILOTウェブカタログ: アクロボール150 0.3激細 BAB-15MF (Pilot Japan web catalog: 0.3 mm, BRFV-10MF refill)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000588) - [PILOTウェブカタログ: アクロボール150 1.0中字 BAB-15M (Pilot Japan web catalog: 1.0 mm, BRFV-10M refill)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000587) - [パイロット: 価格表 2026年7月1日付 (Pilot Japan price list effective July 1, 2026: Acroball 150 ¥165 to ¥198, PDF)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/information/pricelist_202607.pdf) - [Pilot refill site: BRFV-10M Acro ink 1.0 mm refill (fits Acroball, Acro 300, Acro 1000, ILMILY)](https://pilot-refill.jp/en/oil/brfv10m) - [Pilot refill site: BRFV-10F Acro ink 0.7 mm refill](https://pilot-refill.jp/en/oil/brfv10f) - [Pilot Nordic: product data sheet (Acroball BeGreen recycled content, PDF)](https://justmore.dk/images/media/ProductsDocs/Pilot datablad.pdf) - [Impress Watch (Japanese): Acroball redesign, March 19, 2024 (launched 2008; ¥165 and ¥660)](https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1575884.html) - [Impress Watch (Japanese): Acroball T Series 03, Pilot's first 0.3 mm oil ballpoint (November 24, 2020; Acro ink about 1/5 viscosity)](https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1288814.html) - [JetPens: Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen 0.7 mm Blue (length, weight, viscosity claim)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Acroball-Ballpoint-Pen-0.7-mm-Blue/pd/4739) - [JetPens: Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen 0.5 mm Black](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Acroball-Ballpoint-Pen-0.5-mm-Black/pd/7123) - [JetPens: Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen 1.0 mm Black](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Acroball-Ballpoint-Pen-1.0-mm-Black/pd/34401) - [JetPens: Pilot BRFV-10M Acro ink refill 1.0 mm](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-BRFV-10M-Acro-Ink-Ballpoint-Pen-Refill-1.0-mm-Blue/pd/11121) - [OnTimeSupplies: Pilot Acroball 0.7 mm 2-pack, item 31895 (country of origin Japan; Advanced Ink)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/pil31895-acroball-7mm-retractable-pens-fine-pen-point-07-mm-pen-point-size-refillable-retractable-black-advanced-ink-ink-white-barrel-2-pack.html) - [OnTimeSupplies: Pilot Acroball Colors 1.0 mm 5-pack, item 31820 (hybrid ink copy)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/pil31820-acroball-colors-ball-point-pen-1mm-black-blue-green-purple-red-5-pack.html) - [Aztek: Pilot Acroball 0.7 mm 3-pack, item 31859 (country of origin Japan)](https://aztekc.com/product/1o2qrony3ie) - [Doublet: Pilot BRFV-10 Acroball refill 1.0 mm (made in Japan)](https://paperexpress.doublet.com.au/product/pilot-brfv10-acroball-ballpoint-refill-medium-10mm-black-box-12/7036220) - [Hunter Paper Co: Pilot Acroball refill 0.5 mm (made in Japan)](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/pilot-acroball-refill-0-5mm-black) - [Walmart: Pilot Acroball Colors 1.0 mm, 10 count](https://www.walmart.com/ip/433744441) - [Tingstad: Pilot Acroball BeGreen 0.7 mm (77.4% recycled plastic)](https://tingstad.com/se-en/office-supplies/pens-accessories/ballpoint-pens/acroball-begreen-fine-blue-pen-424090) - [unsharpen: Pilot BRFN-30F refill](https://unsharpen.com/refill/pilot-brfn-30f/) - [The Pen Addict: Pilot Acroball T 0.3 mm review](https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2022/1/31/pilot-acroball-t-03-mm-ballpoint-pen-review)