F-701 ALL METAL Ballpoint Retractable Pen
The 7-Series of the Steel Family offers a premium writing experience. The F-701 Ballpoint Retractable Pen is designed for the serious communicator looking to embody their personal style in their writing instrument. Features designer stainless steel tip, barrel and clip and a knurled metal grip for writing confidence. Refillable with premium F refill.
- Stainless Steel – from tip to clip. NOW with an all metal ring and refill.
- 0.8mm Point Size
- Black Only Ink Color
- Easy Glide Ink Performance
| Weight | .020 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | .5 x .38 x 5.25 in |
| Country of Origin | |
| Has Grip | |
| Pen Type | |
| Refillable | |
| Barrel Type |
Buying Options
-
F-701 ALL METAL Retractable Ballpoint 0.8mm Black 1pk
$8.99 per pack -
F/M 701 BP/MP 0.8mm/0.7mm Black/Lead 2pk Gift Box Set
$20.99 per pack
-
All Metal F-Refill 0.8mm Black 2Pk
$3.30 per refill
Brad Boettner –
Everyone at the city I work for uses the 701. From public works to the Mayor, nothing but good things are said.
Shawn Fuller –
Great pen it takes both F and metal refills
Shawn Fuller –
I really like the new pen and the new refills. I also like the fact it can take regular F refills and Sarsa refills cut to length. Price meats value.
Joseph –
These pens look and feel premium. I first saw this type of pen when someone at a car dealership handed me one to sign with. After that day I bought 2 of them. One right away wrote like a dream and the other one writes as if it was running out of ink. The one that works well has gotten some miles on it and the alloy of the tip of the pen is painted silver … its chipped away noticably and is more a brassy color in spots. The clip and springs wear with time but aren’t too hard to bend back into shape. Other pens by then would have made it to the recycle bin but not this one. Would recommend but buy multiple because some write better than others.
Aaron –
I literally love this pen. I stumbled across it by accident at work one day and haven’t used any other pen since. I was wondering if there was a blue ink refill option?
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Hi Aaron. Thanks for being a fan of Zebra! As of October 2018, Zebra does not offer a blue version of the all metal refill, but we do offer the standard F-Refill in blue ink that fits in the F-701.
Nic –
Best pen ever. Feels great in the hand. Solid and weighty. The only problems are the plastic plunger and why, for the love of all that is holy, is there not a Gel refill? If those two things were remedied (and it seems like the easiest, cheapest changes), this would be a 5-start pen all day long.
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Hi Nic. In August 2018, Zebra relaunched the F-701 to feature an all metal body and updated metal refill. While there are no plans to offer a gel refill yet, we are working on some things coming out down the line that you may be interested in! Keep an eye out on our social pages for some exciting product news.
Russell –
Are they available in store?
Jameson W. –
The new 701 is outstanding for the price. I have many other more expensive pens. This one is always a joy to use.
manzira –
I’m quite pleased with the new all metal F-701. But where are the all metal refills? The F-Refills listed still appear to be mostly plastic and are unlike the all metal one shipped with the new F-701. Can we expect an all metal refill to be offered by Zebra?
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Hi! Refills are coming this October.
russelljustice –
I have always loved the tough as steel feel and weight to these pens. I can’t wait to try the new 701. When will these begin to show up in retail stores?
Kris –
I am really impressed with the new Steel F-701. I used to mod the old 701s with the 402 button and ferrule. I also had a problem getting my Fisher pressurized refills to fit in the old 701 without modifying it. The refills fit perfectly in the new steel pen. Great Job, Zebra!!!!!
ralst4 –
I love my original F-701 and I just received a F-xMD. What is the difference between the new All Steel F-701 and the F-xMD?
new_bucci –
Overpriced for having a spring too weak to retract the ink-refill
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Thank you for reaching out. We apologize for any issues you have had with our F-701 ballpoint pen. Please reach out to our customer service team at [email protected] so we can resolve this for you. Thank you.
Rafael G. –
Great pen, although I deducted one star since the inks have been sometimes defective. By the way, I notice that it has been mentioned that a newer version of the F-701 will be launched. Will it be the F-xMD?
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Hi Rafael. We will be launching an updated F-701 later this summer. While it is not the F-XMD, it is very similar.
Rafael –
It’s a great pen, although buying them has been a hit-or-miss experience as some of them present physical defects upon unpacking them (i.e. clicker not functioning properly). Ink has also been an issue, but when the ink works it performs marvelously. I wonder if the updated F-701 will have less of a defect rate in terms of clicker functionality. Please improve your ink because many times, after only a few pages of writing, the ink skips and stops working.
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
We are glad that you enjoy our F-701. We apologize for any issues you have had with our product. Please reach out to our customer service team at [email protected] so we can resolve this for you. Thank you.
Artyom –
Are the reffils of 0.5 in size suitable for this handle?
Zebra Support (verified owner) –
Hi Artyom! Currently, only 0.7mm, 1.0mm, and 1.6mm refills are available for our F series Steel ballpoint pens. We will pass along your request to our product team. Thanks!
Dean D. –
VERY STURDY PEN, HOWEVER IT STOPPED WRITING AFTER LIMITED USE AFTER ABOUT A MONTH. I DO ALOT OF WRITING ON JOB SITES WHERE I DONT GET THE PEN VERY DIRTY AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD SOLUTION FOR MY ON SITE NEEDS BUT IF IT STOPS WRITING SO SOON WITH AN ALLMOST FULL INK SLEEVE THATS NOT TOO GOOD. PLUS I HAVE TO SEND THE 9 DOLLAR PEN IN TO THE COMPANY FOR REPAIR? THATS NOT TO GOOD EITHER.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Dean, thanks for reaching out. Please email our customer service team at [email protected] so we can resolve this for you. Thanks.
Rod –
My favorite click pen! (My favorite pocket pen is the Fisher Bullet Space Pen – which I carry in my billfold.) I always modify my Zebra F-701s by enlarging the exit hole with a 7/64″ drill so it works with a Fisher Space Pen refill. Sorry Zebra but although the Space Pen refills cost twice the Zebra refills, they last far longer and write at any angle.
Timothy Griscom –
I have had the pen and pencil since they were introduced, replacing an M and F 402. They are easy to grip and durable. The bottom cap is easy to use if you wrap a rubber band around it to increase your grip. I have used a dab of nail polish to mark the clicker for ink color.
J Coppock –
I freakin love this pen. It has the quality and feel of a much more expensive pen. If it came with a blue ink option, I would give it 5 stars all day long!
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hello! Blue and Red F-Refills are available in a 0.7mm point size. Check out our refill page, here: https://www.zebrapen.com/refills/
Kevin –
Why put the cheap plastic parts on an otherwise all stainless steel pen? As has been stated here before, the 402 has steel parts that are plastic on the 701 and vice versa. I was able to swap the parts after some gentle coaxing (watch a few YouTube videos on how to separate the pieces). I then swapped out the cartridge for a fisher space pen refill, now I have a solid steel zebra custom “space pen” for around 11$ total.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Kevin – stay tuned for exciting new coming summer 2018!
Rod Brown –
I love the F-701 pen. I use it at work and journaling. Recently, however, brand new refills last only a couple of pages of writing and the ink flow starts to skip, then quit. This is both irritating and sad being it’s such a nice pen to write with. Having thrown out multiple full refills that won’t write, I can’t, at this point, give more than two stars. I hope the ink problem can be resolved.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Rod. Thanks for your feedback. If you send our customer service team an email at [email protected], they can assist you. Thank you.
Nathan –
It really needs the capability to have a gel ink refill!
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Thanks for your feedback! We’ll pass along the suggestion to our product team. Have you tried our new G-402?
Warren –
I love this pen. I just wish it came with a bolder/ larger cartridge. Perhaps like a 1.0, 1.6, or even wider.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Warren. 1.0mm and 1.6mm refills are available for the F-701 on our Refill page!
JMO –
Almost the perfect pen except for the black plastic bit at the top by the actuator. Should be metal like on the 402 then I would rate it 5 stars.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hello! Be on the lookout for our new F-701 launching in 2018.
Patrick Van den Bossche –
What happened to the promise of replacing the plastic ring holding the clip and clicker by a stainless steel one?
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Patrick. The new F-701 will be launching mid-2018.
Leeds Currie-Hackman –
Can you please make a red and blue version on the 7 series? I see that there is a black dot on the black pen , we need a red and blue one. These are great pens and the pencil I use every day. Just need a red and blue version asap!
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hello, thanks for the suggestion! While we currently do not have plans to launch the F-701 with blue or red ink, blue refills are available and red refills will be available later this year!
Daniel R –
The perfect pen! I have been using the F-701 for a few years and love it. I recently lost my pen and bought a new one and it just doesn’t write the same. It is jumpy and does not have an even flow. (The reason for 4 stars.) Has the quality gone down or is this a fluke? It’s a $9 pen so I expect it to write better than the free pen in the hotel room.
If it’s a fluke, do you offer a warranty?
Kadeem Myrick (verified owner) –
Hi Daniel. Sorry you had an issue with our F-701. Please fill out the contact form on our website and a customer service representative will be in touch with you. Thank you.
Terry –
Mine quit working, the button on top to push out tip won’t push down on this pen.
Kadeem Myrick (verified owner) –
Hi Terry, sorry you have had issues with the F-701. If you could fill out the contact us form on our website, one of our customer service reps will be in touch shortly. Thank you!
Laura Knaack –
I have used this pen for years and have actually converted other people to buy this pen as well. I have always kept 2 at my desk, one in my pocketbook, one in my backpack and one in the car. Lately though, both with 2 new pens and 2 refills the ink just doesn’t last that long and it starts working and then stops. I don’t know if it’s just me or I had a bad batch. But it’s starting to get aggravating and I may be looking for something new. Zebra – any ideas?
Kadeem Myrick (verified owner) –
Hi Laura. Thank you for your feedback. We will pass this along to our product development team. If you could fill out a contact us form on our website, a customer service rep will be in touch shortly to help. Thank you.
Dude –
And now is July 2017, where is the new modified version? 🙂
John Perrin –
I LOVE the F-701 I have modified mine throughout the years due to its 2 flaws. 1. Use the F-402 stainless clicker piece and the pen is now indestructible. #2 get rid of the fine point add a F-301 BOLD ink cartridge and done! The perfect pen. I had mine for 14 years and the other day someone stole it. I almost had a panic attack!
Donald Seymour –
This is a great little pen. The only thing I would change is to increase the size to fit larger hands. a 25 percent increase in diameter and about a inch longer would be great. I would do this by increasing the barrel thickness to add some weight to it. Then I wouldn’t have to carry any other pen.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Donald, thanks for your feedback. We’ll be sure to pass this along to our product development feed for future references.
Matt –
Where is modified version? Its almost July
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Matt, due to unforeseen circumstances Zebra does not know if and when a modified version of the F-701 will come out. Be sure to follow us on our social sites, because as soon as if we find out if and when we are relaunching the F-701, we will announce it there. Thank you for your understanding and your commitment to Zebra.
MarkL –
Hit and miss on writing. Really love the F701 but it would be better to have a 1mm ball that worked all the time instead of the 0.7mm ball that only work sometimes.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Mark, thanks for your feedback. The F-701 ships with a 0.7mm black refill, but is compatible with 0.7mm, 1.0mm, and 1.6mm refill. The 0.7mm and 1.0mm refills are available in black and blue!
Dude –
Still waiting for new modified model!
Fran –
I love Zebra pens and have used them almost exclusively for over 20 years but since moving to the States I have to say my loyalty is waining since the refills have been atrocious. What use is a pen if it cannot write? The feel of the F-701 is matched only by the Roting Rapid but the clarity and definition makes the F-701 (and F-402) a must for everyday use if you write a lot. In the past year I have been lucky to get more than 8-12 pages out of a refill which, although still plentiful with ink, choose to stop working mid sentence. It seems as though the quality of ink has changed in the past year, and not for the better. As a lefty with fine handwriting I am very particular and need a quality instrument which Zebra had always provided. From scoring music with your mechanical pencils to ardent note taking for studies I’ve been a champion of the brand until now. I’ve changed the paper multiple times thinking that perhaps it may have been a Moleskin issue but regardless of the notebook I use the problem recurs with each subsequent refill and pen. I have spent well over $100 on numerous pens and refills through Staples, Amazon, OfficeDepot and CVS to name a few but the issue persists, and could have picked up a couple of Rotring for that price but I’m still hopeful Zebra will get its act together and return to the quality of ink you used to have.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Fran, sorry for the issues you have had with our F-Refill. Please fill out the contact form here https://www.zebrapen.com/contact-us/ and a customer service representative will be in touch with you shortly. Thank you for your commitment to Zebra.
Michael W. –
Zebra is still can not figure it out for the modified version with their own ink or third party ink, and with all stainless steel body & parts. The wait is much longer than the promises. 🙁
Benson –
I love the feel of the pen. However, the refills are hit or miss. Unless I am writing at an exact angle on 20 lb bond paper, I can’t guarantee this pen will write. I have tried to write on recycled paper and it is hit or miss. If I write in my pocket notebook, it skips. Trying to write on glossy sales brochure – forget it. I have had this been fail me in 2 important meetings. I love the weight and ergonomics of the pen, but Zebra really needs to develop a better cartridge, or modify the pen so it accepts other manufacturer’s refills. After giving up on the Zebra refills, I paid $5 for Fisher Space Pen refill – it writes reliably, but the trade off is it does not exactly fit in the M-701, so it does not retract smoothly like the Zebra refill. However, I want a pen cartridge I can rely on – and the Zebra refill sadly is not it.
Jacob –
Great pen. Probably the best in its price range.
Request for modified pen: Can they come in blue ink as well? Obviously I can switch out the ink refills, but it would be nice if the plunger could have a blue dot as well as the black dots to make for quick and easy distinction between the colors.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Jacob, thanks for your feedback. We will pass along your request to our product development team.
Steven N. –
No, it’s not all stainless steel construction. Definitely not.
Corey M –
My favorite pen for use at work. The all-stainless construction makes it a cinch to clean all the grease and motor oil off: a heavy-duty hand wipe, all good! While I haven’t had one a trim ring break yet, I have to agree with other reviewers: it’s a weak point in the construction. What I have had happen is all of the guts pop out the top of the pen when the trim ring loses it’s grip on the barrel.
My main complaint as of late are the refills: Zebra’s new all-plastic refills are TERRIBLE. They consistently stop writing with 30% ink still available! The old metal-bodied refills were one of the chief things that set Zebra apart from the rest in my mind: They wrote well, were smooth, didn’t over-saturate the paper, and lasted till the bitter end. The new plastic refills aren’t quite as smooth, under-saturate the paper, and leave too much ink in the reservoir before “running dry”. I certainly understand having to cut costs to maintain profit margins (it’s a business after-all), but I’d be willing to pay an extra $0.50 a 2-pack to get the old refills back.
Steven N. –
Can you tell me the release date for the modified model F-701?
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Hi Steven. Zebra is currently in development and testing of the modified F-701. There is no launch date as of yet, but be sure to follow us on our social media sites for all the latest product news. Thanks!
Steven N. –
What took you so long to launch the metal update? You’ve already got the metal parts in the model 402. What you do is just use these parts and install it to 701. Add the option for the blue ink refill. Don’t care for the noise of the click sound of the metal parts and your new 701 will sell like a hot cake! Do it dude! Do it quickly, your promise is due since february last year.
Tomas –
I am waiting for the new updated 701 to come out before I purchase. I like the 402 but I find the rubber grip tends to slump after a while. The only other issue I have is that I actually like a loud click, which the Parker offers. Clearly I’ll get over it, but just thought you’d know. I bet there are others out there like me.
Steven N. –
1. Need a stainless steel ring and part on the top.
2. Blue ink option
I will buy it with few hundred for my employees and customers as gift.
Do it now!
Clint Furgason (verified owner) –
Very nice pen, been using this pen sense it came out, and always have it with me. I drive a truck and I am always having to fill out some type of paperwork. I still have two 701s that need the top replaced, and still bought more online when I could not find one in the store, when I lost the one I had, but found it after the new one arrived in the mail. It would be nice if you could send me two tops so I can fix the ones I have. I have bought the 402s and taken them apart to fix my 701, but that just cost more money to try to keep fixin the one I have. I still love the pen and will still buy them, just a shame we have the old style out here and cannot use them. That is the only bad thing about it. Just hope the Company will stand behind the product. Will help sales on this product go through the roof. Like everybody says when someone uses it they want one. Fix this problem and it will be a defendant 10 stars.
wakil ahmed –
is zebra f 701 available in indian store
wakil ahmed –
can i get in india your brand f 701.is it avialable in indian zebra store.
Sidney Rempel –
I’ve been using the F-701 for years now and still consider it the best pen I’ve ever had.
One issue mentioned earlier: the actuator. As an archaeologist, I use these pens indoors as well as outdoors a lot. I’ve found that even the slightest bit of dust/dirt will render the actuator useless, and not water, WD-40, or both will get it working again. Never had this problem with the F-402. It would be a perfect 5/5 if the same actuator could be used, or an improvement made on the existing one.
J.C. Taber –
Love this pen so much! It is my EDC pen. That being said, I only have one real complaint, which has been stated several times. The Button mechanism is largely plastic. I recently bought an f-402 (another zebra pen I love) and modded the f-701 by swapping it’s plastic button piece with the all-metal button piece from the f-401. I love the modded version and have been thuroughly extolling it’s virtues to anyone sad enough to listen to me ramble about my favorite writing implement for an hour, but it would be nice to see an all metal varient sans old school modding. I also prefer the pocket clip from the F-401, as although it is a bit shorter, it has always seemed a tad bit more sturdy. Those two changes would make the f-701 the PERFECT pen to everyday carry. I mean, I can make it that way myself using an f-701 AND an f-401, but it would be nice to not have to buy two pens to Frankenstein together to make the perfect inexpensive pen. When you guys DO change those aspects of the f-701, please email me with a link to buy one, or at least a notice, as I have recently lost my beloved modded F-701 and want to replace it with an original all-metal pen from my favorite pen company that I don’t have to mod! Thanks!
Mark –
This is my go to pen. I never leave home without it. In meetings this pen always stands out and speaks for itself. Everyone who uses this pen is instantly converted, the only problem is staff who try to walk away with it. I won’t use anything else.
Joe Mignone –
Great pen – it’s my EDC, and literally goes everywhere with me! The ink is smooth, the grip is fantastic, the weight & width are perfect.
The only flaw is the black plastic ring, though I modified the pen and replaced the plastic ring and clicker wth the analogous steel components taken from an F402. A post-reply indicates Zebra is working on a version made entirely of steel – I look forward to the release.
Rich –
Oops – I mean the Fisher space pen refills SPR4.
Rich –
The F-701 is a great all around pen. I’ve been using it for 10+ years. Other than fixing the plastic clip holder issue, has Zebra Pen given any thought to providing an F-refill option (medium and bold point sizes) that uses the Zmulsion (emulsion) ink? Like many of the folks, I use the Parker space pen refill SPR4 because of the superior ink quality and darker ink.
Jeremie –
This is a wonderful pen for a great price. It looks very sharp and is incredibly durable. I keep this pen in my back pocket all day at work and the weight of it keeps it securely in place where other pens break or fall out. Also I would like to mention that the customer service is excellent. If there is any problem they are very helpful and willing to fix the problem.
Highly recommended whether you have a desk job or are out in the field with this pen.
Michael Wacewicz (verified owner) –
Thanks for being a fan, Jeremie!
Ian –
Can I please get that piece that attaches the clip to the top. My plastic one has split just like the other reports above. The pen overall is fabulous, but as usual the “robustness” is thrown into question by a simple plastic component.
CFU –
You can remove the plastic top from the 701 pen and replace it with the metal top from an old 402 pen if you are having troubles with the plastic part breaking.I’ve had my pen for 10+ years.
CFU –
You can remove the plastic top from the 701 pen and replace it with the metal top from an old 402 pen if you are having troubles with the plastic part breaking.
LRPS –
F-701 is WORTH EVERY PENNY; one of best pens i ever used! the design is worth the price; VERY SOLID. might be the last pen i ever buy. it is had to find a completely durable solid-metal pen. this would have been a 4.5/5 rating but took 1-star off because:
MY only complaint is black-plastic retaining screw kept loosening-up on all pens. resulting in clip sliding around and if gone unnoticed pen fell apart. frustrated after 2nd pen, i ended up securing (loctite and epoxy-gluing) both ends shut to ensure it doesn’t happen again. instead of changing ink cartridges i now just change the complete pen 2/year.
as “Patrick Van den Bossche – September 28, 2016” requested redesign pen to exclude external plastic pieces. metal possibly with 1)press-fitted or 2) screw version would need to be torque or loctite. (i wouldn’t mind spending extra $2-3, if metal and doesn’t fall apart)
will try M-701.
Zachary Moore –
Used by automotive tech. Indestructible. Worth every penny!
Patrick Van den Bossche –
Real top quality pen both in functionality and design. One little suggestion, if the plastic ring holding the clip and clicker could be replaced by a stainless steel one you guy’s would have the best pen in the world! A happy customer!
Michael Wacewicz –
Thanks for your feedback. We’re glad you like the F-701!
Will D –
Been a fan of the Zebra F-301 for years, although I can feel a tiny amount of flex in the black plastic which always nagged at me a little. Saw the F-701 at the store yesterday and hesitated because of price. But, decided to get one anyway. I love it!!! Several co-workers have commented on it already, and the clip works better on an Army uniform sleeve than the clip on the 301. 😉
fruitypuffs (verified owner) –
Really nice quality, but heavy. I like it and if course you should expect it to be heavy but I thought it was really nice quality which is why I bought it. I’m not disappointed.
Sheldon –
I’ve been using this pen for several years, love this pen and so does every one of my clients that use it. I’ve been buying the 1.6 bold pens for years just for the refills. I just ordered a dozen 2 packs of 1.6 bold refills instead of throwing all those pens away. Only complaint is the end cap/clicker is not stainless steel, the plating wears off, looks bad and you have to replace the pen just for that. Other then that the pen would be indestructible. Never had a problem with any refill like I’ve been reading in others posts. Thanks for a great reasonably priced product. (I sell Mercedes Benz and appreciate well made products)
Sarah Soriano –
I buy these as gifts for my friends/family in law enforcement. Unfortunately, it seems most departments are requiring blue ink and the pen doesn’t come with that option! I can buy it in black ink and get refills, I suppose, but it would be nice to order in blue right off the bat.
Jory Jimenez –
Great pens. I have 2 that I have used for a year on patrol as an officer. One I keep an ink cartridge in and one I have modified a Nintendo DS stylus to fit in the barrel (to use on our touch screen in-car laptops and hald-held touch screen ticket writer. These pens really stand up to constant use and the physical nature of the job.
The only problem is I have had to replace them each once due to the locking mechanism deteriorating and not wanting to lock the pen out or retract the pen when clicked.
Jason –
The tip/nub and metal click and head from the 4 series and this is a tank. However, it would be (and appears it will be in the future) a 5 star job if those minor tweeks were made. Another suggestion would be a medium point and blue ink option.
DennisPhD –
I love this pen. It has the weight that I want with a fine point. I am on my second one though because I actually bent the covering where the ballpoint comes out and it wouldn’t anymore. Also, I too hate the plastic at the top. The nice thing is that I also have several 402’s in my bag. I have found out that you can take the top off the 402 and it fits perfectly on the 701. I now have the SS pen that really gets some complements. As a college professor, I am constantly writing things down. People often ask what pen I am using and where can they get one. My only qualm now is with the refills. I have found that the plastic refills will sometimes quit writing even when they are mostly full. The metal refills have never done this. Thanks Zebra for one of my all time favorite pens.
dios.csaba4 –
Very good pen! I’ve lost, I’m sorry! 🙁
HEfromNJ –
LOVE THIS PEN. I bought two pens in NJ a few years back and I haven’t used another pen since. I travel a lot, especially in the middle east and this little pen has gone everywhere with me. Always does a great job, and has withstood the rigors of the desert. Such a joy to write and sketch with; heavy/strong feel, yet smooth and easy flow on paper. If I could have personally designed my own pen I don’t think I would have done any better than this Zebra ballpoint. I get a lot of compliments, and (because of its popularity) I always make everyone aware that it has an owner!
I have to agree with the comments above tho, if there were a GEL REFILL (quick drying) option that would be awesome. I hope zebra can shed some light on future refill options.
Erik –
There is nothing quite like it in its respective price range, this is an almost perfect pen. Every internet blog says the same thing; the two things holding this pen back from perfection are the plastic end cap and the refill. I am excited to hear Zebra will soon do away with the plastic ring, and I strongly suggest Zebra make a Gel refill compatible version in the future. This is a very popular EDC pen and those two tweaks will be warmly welcomed. One last thought, does this pen have the same width opening for the ballpoint tip as the F-402? My F-701’s end hole seems to be too big for the F refill (I’ve bought more F cartridges so it’s not the refill), and the extra space allows the cartridge to bend within the pen and create an uncomfortable angle of writing. I have not seen this problem elsewhere on the internet so perhaps I have a fluke? I would greatly appreciate any feedback on this! Thanks!
Eric Marcus –
I like this pen, it looks good and had good heft. I replaced the cartridge with a Fisher blue cartridge and it’s fine. However, I question the “stainless steel” construction – only the pocket clip attracts a magnet, no other part of the pen does. What’s it really made of?
Joyce Chan –
Hi Eric, good to see you’re enjoying your F-701! In regards to the stainless steel in our pens, we promise it’s real! There are actually 2 main types of stainless steel: austenitic and ferritic. The former is the kind we use in the majority of our products and is non-magnetic.
J Peloquin (verified owner) –
This is a great pen that I use all the time. I am a baker and am constantly around intense heat. This can cause the plastic at the top to be brittle and break. This is sad, since when this happens I still have 99% of a good pen that needs to be trashed. Not good (hence the 4 stars, not 5)
Also, it would be nice to have it come with blue ink as an option.
George Allison –
This Pen would get five stars from me if the ink did not skip or all together just stop working. I have put new refills in only to have them stop writing the very next day. This whole concept is spot on. I like that it is a fine line ballpoint with ink, not gel. The ink acts as if it just dries out and begins to clot. Then stops. Please address this issue. Great Product!! ????????????????
Rdelao –
I enjoy this pen. I loved it because when I’m in the field doing inspections, I don’t have to worry about getting broken because I bump my left side of my chest on construction equipment. Others are constantly braking. I do have an issue, the refill can’t seem to fit on the pen. I believe there is something stock at the top, I got the correct refill. I hate to buy another, when the casing is still good. It would be great to know if I can get it fix.
Thanks
Dzevad –
Excellent pen for the money; I prefer slick streamlined pens such as Parker Jotter and lately am using Zebra f701 which is very comfortable. Would like to see same pen with different colors of plastic ring (near the clip which is only black now) such as blue, red, green to be able to differentiate different ink colors when using more than one f701 pens.
Aaron Pressel –
Great pen only wish I could get gel refills
Jeff Grams –
I would give it a 5 star if you had a gel refill for the F-701. It’s been my every day carry for 5 years and I’ve been “hacking” another companies refill.
Claudia –
It’s a great pen to have! One of the best that I have bought so far BUT now I am unable to unscrew it in order to refill it. Please let me know what’s the best way possible since I already bought the refill. THANKS!!!
Jackie Ausbrooks –
I have all three F-301, F-401 and F-701. These are the best writing pens I have ever owned. They are all built to last and refills are readily available. I never have an issue with these except having to ask for them back when loaned to a customer to sign something. They always want to keep them. Thanks for a great product!!!!!!!!
Hap Cummings –
This has been my go-to pen for 15 years. It always gets positive comments.
Fraser –
I work in a very big, very busy hospital, and this pen has always been my go-to; I never leave home without it. Being (almost) all steel it’s easy to disinfect, has some weight to it which is really useful for flicking bubbles out of syringes, IV tubing etc, and tends to hold up very well overall.
However, it does have one major flaw in the plastic ring around the top. Accidentally drop it at the right angle, and boom, the plastic cracks, all the pieces come shooting out all over the floor, and your pen is done. As a result, I’ve been through three or four of these in the last year. It’s such a shame that an otherwise perfect pen has such a fixable flaw like this. Were it not for that plastic ring, it would easily get a 5/5.
Alex D. –
I bought 4 of these pens in 2009 and after countless refills and loosing 2 to coworkers that after using the pen would not give it back and another just gave me $20 for one because he loved the feel and weight of the pen. Pen is great and the only flaw it might be the plastic ring at the top. Why? it should be all metal. So far i have had one pen fail because of the plastic ring becoming so brittle that it just fell apart one day , kept the pen for part for my other one . Today (10/10/15) im buying a couple pens to replace the one my stepdaughter borrowed so she had a nice pen to sign the dotted line after joining the Marines.
John Stradling –
I love this pen! It has a sleek design and is built like a tank – compared to all other pens I own. It is a first choice when I reach to my desktop pen cup. My son borrowed it a couple of times and then asked me if he could take it back to college with him! On my wish list, I would really like to see a finer line width choice in their ballpoint refills.
Timoteo Saldana Honesto –
I am using both the pen and pencil at the community college I am studying at. They are very durable and take the rigors of being on the go. Since normal plastic bodied ones have the tendency to break in my pocket. I recommend both!
Sal, Jr. –
The pen is great for the exception of the black plastic ring at the top around the actuator. That piece just broke as the clip got caught on the lip of the top pocket it was in as I took it out to use it! Now the pen is useless. I agree with the review just prior to this one! The all metal piece holding the clip on the F-402 should be on this pen. I am not sure that I would buy another one as I feel like it will happen again.
Please fix this issue and I will buy a bunch and rate it a 5!!!!
Tom Hurley –
It writes excellent, has a great look, and feels great in the hand. The knurled barrel is just fabulous!! This is a 5 star pen, however, I rate 4 stars because of a cosmetic issue and an ink cartridge issue.
The pen has a black plastic ring which surrounds the actuator, also the actuator is plastic with a metal sleeve over it. This makes the pen look cheap on the back and not high-end like I think they were going for here. Had Zebra incorporated the same parts they have on the F-402 instead (which are metal parts) the pen would be a true all metal body pen. Also, it only comes in Fine point and I prefer medium point ball points. Hopefully some day I will be able to give this one 5 stars.
Rachel Brooke –
This really is a great pen. I love the way it feels and the way it writes. I would give it 5 stars except for one thing. It just stopped working, even though the ink if still full. If this problems gets fix, I will change my rating.
Robert Chambers –
This is by far the best pen in Zebra’s line up. It is robust, and stylish too. I have had the plastic piece on the F-301 break, and the rubber grip on the F-402 grabs everything in your pocket and pulls it out with the pen. The only thing that keeps this pen from being the best pen on the market is the lack of a gel ink refill. JMHO.
Daniel R. –
Best pen Ive ever used for a low price pen. SS body looks sharp and wont slip out of your fingers due to excellent grip.
Brent Hance –
Great pen. Love the metal barrel over the plastic of the F-301 but I wish it was available in blue trim also. When carrying in my pocket or bag, it makes it easier to see which color I am grabbing.