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Compare ShotLog peptide pens
ShotLog sells four reusable pens, and all four take the same standard 3 mL glass cartridge and the same screw-on pen needles. They differ in body, in how far the dial goes per press, in how the button pushes, and in what comes in the box. The cells below come from each pen's product page and from ShotLog's own specs. Where neither states something, the cell says "See product page".
New to pens? Start with what a peptide pen is and how a reusable pen works.
| Reusable Peptide Pen V2, Original Style | Reusable Peptide Pen V2, New Style | 510(k) Reusable 80 Unit Pen for 3 mL Cartridges | Auto Pen for 3 mL Cartridges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Metal; the cartridge holder screws onto the body | Metal; the cartridge holder pushes on, then twists to lock | Polymer body (RoHS and REACH compliant), ergonomic grip | Polymer (plastic) body, green, with black cap, knob and holder |
| Dial range per press | 1 to 60 units | 1 to 60 units | 0 to 80 units (0.8 mL) | 1 to 60 units |
| Step | 1 unit per click | 1 unit per click | 0.01 mL (1 unit), audible click per unit | 1 unit, click you can hear and feel |
| How it delivers | Turn the dial to your dose, which extends the button, then press the button all the way in, back to zero | Turn the dial to your dose, which extends the button, then press the button all the way in, back to zero | Turn the dial to your dose, which extends the button, then press the button all the way in, back to zero | Turn the dial to your dose (the button does not extend), then press the button and it delivers the dose |
| Dial back a too-high setting | Turn the knob back to the dose you want | Turn the knob back to the dose you want | Turn the knob back to the dose you want | Turn the knob back to the dose you want |
| Cartridge | Standard 3 mL cartridge with a long stopper; ShotLog sells only the long stopper | Standard 3 mL cartridge with a long stopper; ShotLog sells only the long stopper | Standard 3 mL cartridge with a long stopper; ShotLog sells only the long stopper | Standard 3 mL cartridge with a long stopper; ShotLog sells only the long stopper |
| Cartridge holder | Screws on | Twists and pulls off; pushes on and twists to lock | Screws on | Screws on |
| Pen needles | Universal screw-on | Universal screw-on | Universal screw-on | Universal screw-on |
| Use with the cap on | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Keep the needle in after pressing | 10 seconds | 10 seconds | See product page | At least 6 seconds (maker) |
| In the box | Pen and 1 cartridge | Pen and 1 cartridge | Pen, carrying case, user manual | Pen, zippered nylon carry case, certificate of conformity |
| Colors | 10 (Sky Blue, Gold, Purple, Pink, Emerald Green, White, Lilac, Hot Pink, Tangerine, Royal Blue) | 6 (Slate Blue, Silver, Gun Metal, Black, Red, Turquoise) | See product page | Green |
| Regulatory record | Research use only | Research use only | FDA 510(k) cleared, K240774 (June 18, 2024) | Research use only |
| Storage conditions (pen) | See product page | See product page | 10 to 30°C, below 80% RH; 5-year shelf life | Above freezing, below 30°C, out of direct sunlight |
| Rated life | See product page | See product page | 3,000 cycles; drop- and vibration-tested | See product page |
| Made by | ShotLog | ShotLog | Nest Scientific | Tonghua Dongbao on the Ypsomed ServoPen platform |
Which one fits
- Most colors, works with the cap on: the V2 Original Style. It is the original ShotLog pen, metal, dials 1 to 60 units a click at a time, and the cartridge holder screws onto the body.
- The same dial with a push-on holder: the V2 New Style. Same 1 to 60 dial and the same cartridges and needles. The cartridge holder twists and pulls off, then pushes on and twists to lock, and it also works with the cap on. Six colors.
- A device with an FDA 510(k) record, finer steps and a bigger single press: the 510(k) 80 unit pen. It dials 0 to 80 units in 0.01 mL steps with a click per unit, lists its pressing force and its rated life, and ships with a carrying case and a manual.
- A spring that does the pushing: the Auto Pen. Set the amount, press the button, and a spring delivers it; if you dial too high, turn the knob back to the dose you want without wasting liquid. It is currently listed as coming soon.
If you only want to try the pen idea, the V2 kits bundle a pen with five cartridges and a box of 100 needles in the size you choose ($38.27 today).
Reusable pen or U-100 insulin syringes
Two ways to get liquid out of a container through a fine needle. The differences are mechanical and about what you pay over time. We sell both.
A reusable pen is a metal or polymer body you keep. You fill a 3 mL glass cartridge yourself with a 3 mL transfer syringe and a vent needle, load it, prime, and dial each amount in 1-unit clicks that you read in a window. Per use you spend one pen needle. Per fill you spend one cartridge and one transfer syringe. The pen is a one-time cost.
A U-100 insulin syringe is the whole device, single use. You draw from the vial each time and read the amount off the graduation lines on the barrel. Nothing to load, prime or store between uses beyond the vial itself, and no pen or cartridge to buy. The trade is a fresh draw every time and lines on a barrel instead of a dial.
What the hardware costs
Computed from today's store prices, assuming one needle per use and one cartridge plus one transfer syringe per fill. ShotLog hardware only, not whatever goes in it. Quantity pricing on cartridges and syringes lowers the per-fill number further.
| Reusable pen | U-100 syringes | |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Pen, $18.99 to $64.99 | – |
| Per use | One pen needle, about $0.13 ($12.99 a box of 100) | One 0.5 mL syringe, about $0.20 ($19.99 a pack of 100) |
| Per fill | One cartridge ($0.95) and one 3 mL syringe ($0.75), $1.70 together | – |
| What you read | A number in a window, set in 1-unit clicks | Graduation lines on the barrel |
| Between uses | Needle off, cap on, loaded pen stored with the cartridge | Only the vial is stored |
Not sure a cartridge you already have will fit? See cartridge compatibility. Setup and use are covered in the guides and the V2 vs 80 unit pen video.
For research use only. Not for human or animal therapeutic, clinical, or diagnostic use. Not FDA-approved.
