--- title: "Pilot Juice Up: Synergy Tip, Sizes & LP3RF Refills" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-juice-up/" description: "Pilot Juice Up gel pen explained: the Synergy Tip, pigment gel ink, 0.3/0.4/0.5 mm sizes, 142.8 mm body, LP3RF refills, Juice Up vs Hi-Tec-C, and origin." category: "Pens" type: "Gel pen" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 14 products: - name: "Pilot Juice Up retractable gel pen (Japan LJP-20S3 / LJP-20S4 / LJP-20S5; 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm)" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Plastic barrel and grip, metal Synergy Tip" released: "2016-08-10" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan)" model: "LJP-20S4" mpn: "LJP-20S4-B" gtin: "4902505521423" url: "https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000942" --- # Pilot Juice Up: Synergy Tip, Sizes & LP3RF Refills > The Pilot Juice Up is a retractable, refillable gel pen that Pilot launched in Japan on August 10, 2016. Its Synergy Tip blends a needle point with a cone tip, and it holds water-based pigment gel ink. Pilot lists the 0.4 mm at 142.8 mm long, 10.5 mm wide and 11.6 g; US buyers get it as an import. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-juice-up/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Side view of a Pilot Juice Up 04 0.4 mm retractable gel pen drawn to scale, 142.8 mm long and 10.5 mm wide: black body and black grip, metal front ferrule, and an inset of the thin Synergy Tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pilot-juice-up-16x9.png) *The Juice Up 04 in black, 142.8 mm long (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/pilot-juice-up-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 Juice Up retractable gel pen (Japan LJP-20S3 / LJP-20S4 / LJP-20S5; 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan)) | Japan | Japan | Plastic barrel and grip, metal Synergy Tip | 2016-08-10 | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pilot Juice Up retractable gel pen (Japan LJP-20S3 / LJP-20S4 / LJP-20S5; 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm)): Japan. Per importer Simple Paper's listing (Origin: Japan). Pilot's Japanese web catalog doesn't state the country of manufacture in the pages we found. Source: https://simplepaper.co/products/pilot-juice-up-gel-pen-0-4-mm-pastel ## Key takeaways - Pilot Japan lists the Juice Up 04 (LJP-20S4) at 142.8 mm (5.6 in) long, 10.5 mm across and 11.6 g. - The black 0.4 mm writes a 0.2 mm line, per Pilot; the pastel colors are listed at 0.3 mm. - Pilot's list price in Japan is ¥275 (about US$1.70) for the pen and ¥132 (about US$0.80) for an LP3RF12S4 refill. - Pilot launched the Juice Up on August 10, 2016, in 0.3 and 0.4 mm, with the new Synergy Tip and a new pigment ink. - Retailers that import it, such as Simple Paper, list Japan as the country of origin. ## What is the Pilot Juice Up? **The Juice Up is Pilot's fine-point, retractable gel pen built around the Synergy Tip.** Pilot launched it in Japan on August 10, 2016, in 0.3 and 0.4 mm and 22 colors, at ¥200 (about US$1.30) before tax, with what it called a new pigment ink. Pilot's launch release describes a slim body with a metal front ferrule for a low center of gravity, and a grip colored to match the ink; standard colors have a black body. Pilot doesn't sell it under its US brand, so US buyers get it through importers such as JetPens. The Gentleman Stationer reviewed it again in April 2026, alongside Pilot's newer Juice+. ## What is the Synergy Tip? **The Synergy Tip combines the strengths of Pilot's pipe (needle) tip and cone tip: a thin pipe for fine writing that resists bending.** Pilot's launch release says the back of the pipe is thicker, widening the ink path so ink reaches the point smoothly. Pilot now uses the same tip on the Juice+, launched in December 2025. The Gentleman Stationer found the Juice pens much less prone to clogging and drying out than the [Pilot Hi-Tec-C](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-hi-tec-c/). ## Pilot Juice Up specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Pilot Corporation, Japan | | Type | Retractable gel pen, water-based pigment gel ink | | Sizes | 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm (0.4 mm most common) | | Line width (0.4 mm) | 0.2 mm black; 0.3 mm pastel colors (Pilot) | | Length | 142.8 mm (5.6 in) | | Widest diameter | 10.5 mm | | Weight | 11.6 g | | Refill | LP3RF12S series, e.g. LP3RF12S4 (0.4 mm) | | Japanese list price | ¥275 (about US$1.70); refill ¥132 (about US$0.80) | All figures are from Pilot's Japanese web catalog for the black Juice Up 04 (LJP-20S4-B) and the LP3RF12S4 refill. ## Which Juice Up size should you choose? **Choose 0.4 mm for planners and everyday notes, 0.3 mm for tiny writing, and 0.5 mm for a bolder line.** ![To-scale drawing of the three Pilot Juice Up ball sizes magnified 200 times: 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm and 0.5 mm; Pilot gives a 0.2 mm line for the black 0.4 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/pilot-juice-up-tip-sizes.svg) *The 0.5 mm ball is two-thirds wider than the 0.3 mm.* At launch, Pilot offered 10 standard colors in both sizes and 6 pastel and 6 metallic colors in 0.4 mm only. Pilot says the pastel and metallic inks write on black and dark paper, and called them the world's finest retractable pastel and metallic pens (its own survey). ## What colors and versions are there? **Pilot sells standard, pastel, metallic and Classic Glossy colors, plus sets and multi pens.** It added the Classic Glossy colors and the Juice Up 3 and Juice Up 4 multi pens in its November 30, 2021 releases, and sells a 10-color set (LJP200S4-10C). Limited editions come often: a 0.5 mm Sanrio set on June 28, 2025, and a travel-themed series in September 2026. ## What's the difference between Juice, Juice Up and Juice+? **All three are Pilot gel pens; the Juice Up and Juice+ share the Synergy Tip and the same refill, which Pilot says fits both.** The original Juice comes in larger sizes too: The Pen Addict reviewed a 1.0 mm Juice set in 2017. Pilot introduced the Juice+ in its November 18, 2025 press release as a fine gel pen for students, in 0.4 mm with the Synergy Tip. Because it takes the same LP3RF12S refills, ink colors carry over between the two. ## What refills does the Juice Up use? **It takes Pilot's LP3RF12S refills, which also fit the Juice+.** Pilot lists the 0.4 mm blue (LP3RF12S4-L) at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan, in water-based pigment gel ink. JetPens sells LP3RF refills in the US. ## How does the Juice Up compare with other fine gel pens? **It's the colorful, refillable fine-liner; the Hi-Tec-C is finer and the G2 is easier to find.** | Pen | Ink | Sizes | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Pilot Juice Up | Pigment gel | 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 mm | Synergy Tip; many colors | | [Pilot Hi-Tec-C](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-hi-tec-c/) | Gel | 0.25 to 0.5 mm (Pilot Japan now catalogs 0.3 to 0.5 mm) | Capped; needle tip; no refill from Pilot Japan | | [uni-ball Signo 207](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-signo-207/) | Pigment gel | 0.38 to 1.0 mm | Wide US availability | | [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/) | Gel | 0.38 to 1.0 mm | US best-seller | Our [best gel pens roundup](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-gel-pens/) picks one pen for each job. ## Where is the Pilot Juice Up made? **Importer Simple Paper lists Japan as the country of origin.** Pilot, which makes it, is based in Tokyo; its Japanese catalog pages we checked don't state where the pen is made. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a Synergy Tip? It's the point Pilot developed for the Juice Up. It combines the fine reach of a needle-point pipe with the strength of a cone tip, so a very small ball stays durable. ### What sizes does the Pilot Juice Up come in? Pilot launched it in 0.3 and 0.4 mm in 2016, and has since sold 0.5 mm versions such as a 2025 Sanrio limited edition. The 0.4 mm is the size most colors and sets come in. ### What refill does the Juice Up use? The LP3RF12S series, for example LP3RF12S4 in 0.4 mm. Pilot says it fits both the Juice Up and the newer Juice+, and lists it at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan. ### Is the Juice Up waterproof? It uses water-based pigment gel ink, which retailers describe as resistant to water and fading. Pilot doesn't publish a test standard in the sources we found, and we haven't tested it. ### How does the Juice Up compare with the Hi-Tec-C? Both are fine-point Pilot gel pens. The Gentleman Stationer wrote in April 2026 that the Juice pens are much less prone to clogging and drying out than the Hi-Tec-C. ### Can you buy the Pilot Juice Up in the US? Yes, as an import. Pilot doesn't sell it under its US range, but JetPens and other importers carry the pens and LP3RF refills. ### How big is the Pilot Juice Up? Pilot lists the 0.4 mm Juice Up 04 at 142.8 mm (5.6 in) long and 10.5 mm across at the widest, weighing 11.6 g. ### Where is the Pilot Juice Up made? Importer Simple Paper lists Japan as its origin. Pilot's Japanese catalog pages we found don't state it. ## Sources - [Pilot Japan web catalog: LJP-20S4-B ジュースアップ 04 (size, weight, line width, price)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000942) - [Pilot Japan press release: ゲルインキボールペン『ジュース アップ』発売 (August 9, 2016)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2016/08/09/post_22.html) - [Pilot Japan: ジュースアップ 新開発激細ボールペンの秘密 (Synergy Tip story)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/promotion/library/023/index.php) - [Pilot Japan web catalog: LJP-20S4-POR ジュースアップ 04 パステルカラー (0.3 mm line)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100000963) - [Pilot Japan web catalog: LP3RF12S4-L ジュースアップ、ジュースプラス専用替芯 0.4 (refill)](https://webcatalog.pilot.co.jp/products/DispDetail.do?volumeName=00004&itemID=t000100002729) - [Pilot Japan press release: 『ジュースアップ３』『ジュースアップ４』発売 (November 30, 2021)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2021/11/30/a.html) - [Pilot Japan press release: 『ジュースアップ クラシックグロッシーカラー』発売 (November 30, 2021)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2021/11/30/content_2.html) - [Pilot Japan press release: 『ジュースアップ サンリオキャラクターズ』限定発売 (June 10, 2025; 0.5 mm)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2025/06/10/post_143.html) - [Pilot Japan press release: 『Juice+（ジュース プラス）』発売 (November 18, 2025)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/2025/11/18/content_18.html) - [JetPens: Pilot LP3RF Juice Up Gel Pen Refill, 0.4 mm, Black](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-LP3RF-Juice-Up-Gel-Pen-Refill-0.4-mm-Black/pd/18192) - [JetPens: Pilot gel pens (Juice Up listings)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Gel-Pens/ct/2567) - [Simple Paper: Pilot Juice Up Gel Pen, 0.4 mm, Pastel (origin Japan, Synergy Tip)](https://simplepaper.co/products/pilot-juice-up-gel-pen-0-4-mm-pastel) - [The Pen Addict: Pilot Juice Gel Pen 1.0 mm, 8-Color Bundle Review (March 2, 2017)](https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2017/3/2/pilot-juice-gel-pen-10-mm-8-color-bundle-review) - [The Gentleman Stationer: the Juice Up, the Juice Plus and Pilot's Synergy Tip (April 18, 2026)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2026/4/18/pen-review-the-juice-up-the-juice-plus-and-pilots-synergy-tip)