Cosmonaut - Wide-Grip Stylus for Capacitive Touch Screen Tablets (iPad Air, iPad Mini, Surface, Kindle Fire, etc.)

I love this stylus! I mainly purchased it because it was the only stylus that didn't have the "broke in 2 weeks" reviews. EVERY other stylus I looked at, even ones with 4 star average ratings, had at least 3 reviews which said that the stylus broke in little time. I wanted a durable stylus since they're not cheap. I really really love this stylus. I love the name, the feeling, the shape, the texture, the size, everything. It's obvious that the stylus was made from quality materials.I've written full page notes with this and it's like using a felt tip marker on paper, so smooth and easy to handle. It just glides over the glass on my new Ipad. I find any excuse to use it just because I really like using it, I know that sounds weird but it's true. I'm a 21 year old college girl who will use this mainly for writing notes in class but I draw for fun and the Cosmonaut is great for both. Also, I think the durability is awesome enough to be able to give to children, I really can't picture this thing falling apart at all. Watch the "How it's made" video that was on "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood", it's on the Cosmonaut website. If it's good enough for mr. Roger then it's definitely good enough for me.Best of all, they're MADE IN AMERICA.In case you're shopping for a notes app, I use notability with this stylus and really like it.***edited after a month of use***The customer that gave a four star review must be using a sub par drawing app. At first I didn't comment on intensive use for drawing with the stylus because I hadn't really drawn anything incredibly detailed but now I have. I use sketchbook and I've been able to draw awesomely well with the Cosmonaut. I wish Amazon allowed for photo attachments so that I could show a drawing that I have finally completed after an entire day of drawing with the Cosmonaut.

This gem of a little stylus is perfectly weighted, supremely comfortable, has substantial hand feel, and is simply a joy to use on my iPad 3. It is best suited for artwork like Paper53 in my opinion, although I use it for note taking constantly in apps like PDF Expert and NoteTaker HD. It is by far my favorite stylus. It does take a bit of extra effort if you use a high friction screen protector like the Zagg Invisible Shields. I prefer using a matte finish screen protector - Tech Armor (available here on Amazon) makes some of the best and they're super affordable and lifetime guaranteed in my opinion; fingers and styli flow effortlessly over the smooth finish. I've had the same TechArmor screen protectors on my iPhone 5 and iPad 3 since I first bought them. Also – please note that while the Cosmonaut tip is non-replaceable compared to other styli, it lasts an incredibly long time. I've had my Cosmonaut for several months now and it's still going strong. What's more, it's quality construction gives you that sort of F-150 build quality sensation ... no need for kid gloves with this stylus. This fella is the Tonka truck of styli. I just throw it in one of my backpack's pockets and forget about it. And best of all ... despite the playful Russky space-race name, this little Cosmonaut is made in the good old USA by American workers (which gives me the warm & fuzzies). :-)

When I initially got this product, it worked great on my iPad 2. I love the form factor. I bought the iPad Air, and was super bummed to realize it hardly works at all on that screen. I have been storing it on my desk in a magnetic container used to store paperclips. I realize that the core of the Cosmonaut is made of aluminum, so it shouldn't matter. For some odd reason I t doesn't work as well on the iPad 2 now either. The tip shows almost no signs of wear. I'm wondering if other people have had this problem as well or if someone from Studio Neat could explain what is happening.If I'm doing something wrong, or if there's an explanation, I would be happy to change my rating. I'm a native Portlander and I would love to support a locally based company, but i can't give misleading reviews.Update: while researching stylus options for the iPad Air, I have learned that many people are having major issues with different stylus that worked well on past model iPads no longer working on the Air. I have amended my rating to reflect this, as no company should be expected to be able to make a product that will be useful on technology that doesn't exist yet. Studio Neat is a good company, and I didn't say enough about how much I liked the product initially, right down to the packaging.Apple changed their screen sensitivity on the Air, but it works with a finger, which is all they promise it will do. It also wasn't Studio Neat's problem or responsibility, since they were tonly making a product for older iPads. It's still a bummer that mine isn't working like it used to, but perhaps the rubber nib got stretched out? or it was coated with something and it wore off? I may try ordering a new nib, if they sell them, to see if that changes anything for how it works with my iPad 2. For Air users, you may be out of luck unless Apple has a trick up their sleeve in a software fix? Or Studio Neat has a softer (?) replacement nib that works with the Air?Update #2: I was contacted by the company (Studio Neat) and asked to send an email regarding my issue. I should have given them the chance to resolve my issue before posting a negative review. I forgot some companies care enough about individual customer care enough to burn a calorie dealing with the people who purchase their products. I've been down that road a few times in the past and it didn't occur to me to give them a chance. I explained my issue and got a reply the same day requesting my address.A week later I received a new tip for my stylus. It was a bit harder and smoother than the previous one. I switched them out and the difference was immediate. It actually works! This thing works better than it ever did before. I love the form factor. Small hands may or may not agree, but I have big hands and this feels perfect.The only criticism I have now is that the eraser doesn't work very well (I'm kidding!)