2-Pack Aluminum Bamboo Solo Stylus

The stylus is a nice add on to any tablet whether you're just browsing the internet in bed, or using it to create an original work of art with one of the many drawing apps available. I have an ipad 2 and have been testing and using stylus since my original ipad. I've used stylus from ebay, nameless $5 stylus shipped direct from Hong Kong and I've used stylus from reputable manufacturers sold at Best Buy, Amazon, etc. The bottom line is I have a lot of experience with stylus and in this review I'm going to share that experience.The subject of this review today is the Wacom Bamboo. This is what I would consider the high echelon of stylus in both design and price. The stylus is expensive, there's no question about that. But is it a good value? That's the question now isn't it.Not everyone has upwards of $30 to spend on a stylus. Especially in todays economy where you're average citizen has trouble coming up with $30 to spend on food let alone a stylus. However, for those of you that have an extra $30, maybe you found it on the street or hit a scratcher at the local mini mart and decided to splurge on a styuls, here's what you'll get.'The bamboo is a nice looking stylus, attractive with just enough heft to it. It features a removable pocket clip, no pen like some of the lower cost competitors. The replaceable tip is where the magic happens. For those of you that don't know this, making a stylus tip is especially tricky. You have to begin with a conductive material capable of mimicing the touch of a human finger. The Capacitive touch screen was designed to be used and manipulated by the human finger, therefore a certain amount of screen real estate must be contacted before the screen will recognize it. Herein lies the greatest challenge in stylus design. How to make the stylus accurate enough to be useful, yet contact enough of the touch screen to be recognized. The first stylus were bulky with large bolbus tips making any kind of accuracy difficult if not impossible. The bamboo tip is a hollow rubbery bulb about the size of a pencil eraser. It feels nice to the touch and performs very well whether you're plucking away at a web page, or creating a masterpiece with one of the many drawing apps available.I waited 6 weeks for my bamboo from Amazon as it was on backorder. When it finally came I used it exclusively for about a month before I noticed the tip getting a bit flatter. Upon careful inspection I found a crack in the tip. When I contacted Wacom at first, I was told by a customer service agent that the tip was a consumable item, however in the spirit of good customer service I would be sent a replacement. I'm not generally one to make a deal out of such a seemingly trivial matter, however this stylus cost 3 time what my previous stylus cost and that one has a pen in it. I felt that for what I paid for this stylus, they shouldn't be doing me a favor by shipping me a replacement after just a month of use. In fact, the stylus should have come with a pack of replacement tips for that price; and I let them know it. Wacom surprised me with their response which was prompt and courteous and acknowledged my concerns effectively. In the end Wacom shipped me that replacement tip and a few extra to boot.Bottom line: The Bamboo stylus is an excellent choice if you're looking for something in its price range ; which is as previously mentioned is quite high. While there are many cheaper alternatives available that are quite acceptable, nothing I've used to date equals the feel, balance, and touch of the Bamboo.