My go to EDC pen is the BiC Round Stick.... 8 for 1.35 USD in Dollar Tree ... Most awsome pen for sketching. I like the Zebra F-701 for short note taking. I very much like the grib.
I once found one of these in high school, I used to use the grip to wear little half moons into the desk out of sheer boredom. I loved that pen. It was the best I ever had. Invincible the damn thing until I lost it one day and it made its way to its next owner no doubt. I just bought a brand new one today because I happen to be at staples. Excited to switch to an aftermarket refill!
I've been carrying the F-701 for a couple of years now, but frankly the whole range of Zebra pens are very good. The basic F-301 is certainly not bad as an entry into their pens, and is also available with gel ink for those who like that. If the rubber grip is your thing, the F-402 is also quite a stylish and functional EDC option. As for the F-701, I'm often in the position of handing my pen to customers to sign invoices, and I've had many of them stop to admire it and tell me what a nice pen it is. At the moment, however, I've returned to carrying the first pen I fell in love with way back in the 80's, a Parker Jotter. It is a very smooth pen to write with, and brings me a lot of joy and nostalgia, even if they're not quite made as robustly as they once were.
Dude as a nurse I believe that every nurse should carry a solid pen and therefore I have carried one every day for the last.... I think 8 years now. I have given these as gifts for coworkers or even given them to people who complimented them. The most consistent and solid pen I have ever used. I have probably went through 20 of them. I would highly recommend it.
I've been a big fan of the Zebra F301 and just ordered my first F701 which will be here tomorrow! I'm excited to check it out and some of the other Zebra pens such as the F301A, 402 and the X701 because I've never ventured beyond the standard F301 series. Btw I'm enjoying your content and keep up the great work and as always stay clean my brotha!
I've been carrying the F-701 for years and I'd never thought of it specifically as "EDC", but it's definitely that. Previously I had carried the F-402, which I liked, but the rubber grip would get nasty after a while. The first time I saw the F-701 on the peg at the store I knew I'd found something special. BTW, I switch out the cartridge for a pressurized Zebra F-refill because I do like the whole Space-pen thing. Sometimes I need to write on a vertical surface or even over my head and a regular cartridge just doesn't cut it.
my F-701 is what I carry 95% of the time with a Space Pen refill in it. I have one with a Parker refill too. I'm super psyched for Rotring to re-release the 600 ball point. It's about $25 and coming out in a few days. But you can't beat the F-701 for the price. Thanks for the review, brother!
Ooooh, I like the look of the rOtring 600. Both the black and the silver. I may have to pre-order them both. I ordered a few other budget EDC pens for future testing and a showdown. I’ll definitely add the rOtring to the battle! Thanks for the heads up. (I think you may have mentioned this pen to me once before). 👊
I am both a knife and pen guy; my choice for the best budget ballpoint is the Caren D'ache 849 metal series. They come in many different colors and are priced at 20.00 with a large refill. I use the Fisher space pen refill, you just need to make a small spacer to make the pen work.
I just ordered two of them! I’m getting a few other budget pens for future testing and I’ll eventually do an EDC pen video, maybe a showdown among several budget options. Thanks for the tip Barry!! 🤙👊🍻🖊🖊🖊
I used to be a corpsman and I’m now a social worker. I used to love the metal zebra with black hard plastic grip but recently moved to the plastic sharpie pens. I’m definitely going to give this one a try
Thank you for your review. I'm a commercial driver who has a love for good pens that doesn't crap out and feels good to write with. I commented on a security person's pen and he gave me his F-701. I loved it at first use. I liked the Pilot g2 .07, but it eventually gets the ink buildup of Doom at the tip. The G2 I'm using currently has the ink buildup as I'm typing, now. So irritating!! I appreciate you.
Navy seal and 100 deadly skills author, Clint Emerson, says that the zebra f 701 can also be used as a self-defense tool and an emergency glass breaker.
For $6 a piece you certainly can't go wrong with that solid looking Zebra pen! Years ago I had a few of the very pricey pens but they were either lost or stolen. After writing those off (pun intended :)) I've always gone with low cost, solid alternatives. Thanks for the "heads up" on these tough little jewels!
I appreciate the pun, JJ! Lol. Yeah these are great options for a pen that’s solid and you won’t mind if it gets lost. The F301 is also good, and even cheaper at around $20 for a 12-pack. I prefer the 701 but the 301 is great too. Cheers!
Zebra has made some great pens but crappy refills, so I just adapt/trim cheap plastic ballpoint pen refills to fit ... and they work great! I wish they also did the F-701 in sprayed-on black, blue, red, etc. I actually love the Zebra F-605, which is sadly no longer made ... I have two of them (plus the pencils) and they are beautiful!
After having about 5 of the standard ones I finally got the full metal one & it is infinitely better. 2 of my last ones had a gritty click & the last one didn't fully retract.
Was so happy they upgraded the top piece and cartridge! I haven't found myself writing upside down too many times, but it is nice to have options! I go with the blue fine point.
Right on. I often hang upside down to do my writing, otherwise I’m just wasting that great feature. Lol. I’m glad you mentioned the blue ink. I have a bunch of other pens I’m going to do a brief “EDC Pen Showdown” sonto soeak and I’m interested to hear ehinorefers which color and why. I’ve always been a black in guy, I have no problem with blue and have a few, but given the option I always choose black and I’m not sure why. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I just found out about this pen and yes, I do live under a rock at times. I didn't realize pens have come so far in such a short amount of time. The only stainless steel pen I knew about years ago was a Parker.
Very cool!! I only learned about it a few years ago, but it sure is a great pen for a fair price! Thanks so much for watching and enjoy the pen! Cheers.
I just got one of these, along with the mechanical pencil version. So far, I would agree, that it is a fantastic pen! I’ll also never own an expensive pen. I don’t do much hand writing, so I can’t tell the difference from a cheap ballpoint.
This is my favorite pen as well. I have one of the old versions that has the plastic top ring and plunger but I swapped the plunger and ring from the F-402 to make it all steel. The F-402 is also a really good pen, but it's not fully steel. Has a rubber grip. I bought a few backup 701s and they are the newer version thankfully.
The new f701 isnt full steel sadly, the part where both pieces screw together there is plastic threading(on the body). The mechanism is plastic most likely too
Try putting a magnet to it and you will see how the pen sticks. It's just a VERY THIN coat of stainless steel over it and the screw off bottom is still chrome plated plastic. I've tried just about every little trick you can do with these pens.
Don’t wanna bust your bubble but I just got the “all metal” one about 2 weeks ago and the internal threads are still plastic, as is the internal click mechanism. I still love it though, the part that they made steel is really what matters. I had the butt end of my last one crack and fly out of it so that was a bummer, but hopefully this one will last.
Hey, thanks for watching!! I assumed there were probably some small internal parts on the clock mechanism that might be plastic. But I never actually looked into it. It’s ok though, lol. I think you’re right, the one part they changed is what mattered most. Cheers!! 👊🍻
I love pens. Working in the sales business I use pens everyday. I have several of these and a few expensive ones. Retro 51 pens can be had for 20 range and they look really classy. People love of them for their collectibllity. Thanks for the the video. Look forward to more
Thanks so much for watching! I actually just filmed a video that should be posting within the next week that is all about pens for EDC. I compare 12 different models, should be a fun one.
My go to pen for years has been the Zebra F-301, but I just bought an F-701 with the stainless collar to experience a pen mentioned in EDC circles. I do like the knurling on the bottom of the pen. I will have yet to see if it is possible to defend myself with it but I like the way it writes.
I recently got a hinderer pen in a trade and have a love hate relationship with it. My go to pen is a Uni-ball Vision Elite. It is one of my favorites.
I used to love the Uni-Ball Visions. I think I had them in every color in high school. Are they still pretty inky? Like if you run your arm across it too soon it’ll smear?
@@GearedTowardGear1 Um I'd say they are pretty inky but in a good flow way. No I haven't had them smear, at least not with any individual ones I've had. I actually just to make sure just used 2 pens and write down something and immediately dragged my finger over it and there was not smearing.
Yep, I carried one of these for years at work, and nearly every day I'd get complimentary comments about how nice it is,,.. I never said how cheap it actually was,, lol,, A tough, smart, all round great pen, imho,,,
Just bought one of these along with a Lamy Safari fountain pen. I've been using U Brands (some Chinese company, I think primarily sold at Target) ballpoints and a Pilot V5. Love the Lamy, but it's definitely not EDC. I really like the weight and feeling of the F-701, but boy does the ink barrel it comes with suck, or at least the one mine came with. Going to replace it with a pressurized refill and see if that makes a difference, but in terms of the lines that come out on the page, I'd rather use just about any other pen I own.
This is the best all around all metal pen. I put the Space cartridge in mine because I like blue ink. The best all around plastic pen is the Bic clear pen.
After watching this video I ordered a F701 all metal. Within a couple weeks of daily use the action was messed up. Figured I may have gotten crud in it, I tried to blow it out to no avail so I just ordered another. Within another couple weeks that one failed entirely. Neither one making it through a single ink cartridge. Kind of bummed out, not sure if they're having production issues right now or what the case is, but neither one lasted me very long.
I've carried a Smith and Wesson tactical pen for almost a year now. Paid $22 at smokey mountain knife works. Model # is SWPENMP2BK .. its really all I'd ever look for in a pen. Although I think I'll try 1 of these zebra's you speak of.
This is far better than other pens that are made by people like Big TI. When buying pens, it should be primary for function and longevity, not aesthetic, it's better to buy a 6 dollars or cheaper pen than 120 dollars one which is more like to be lost than cheaper one.
Hello, I had a Zebra F-701 more than six years ago. Good pen, but, I like use polo style shirt, carrying pen inserted with clip near the shirt buttons, with time and sweet the coat of stainless steel began to loose. At that times, I made the mod of use the space pen refill at my zebra F-701, works fine, but with time the tip not show out its totally, it was necesaary many disasemblings for adjustment. I dont remember if the PLASTIC internal barrel broke or just began to stuck the mechanism. At end, I bought a jotter parker full metal body that was very useful until I loose, never loose coat (and I never did stupid mods). So all this story is for a question. the new F-701 has internal plastic parts ??? Do you think that improve the "stainless steel" metal of body.??
I used several of these pens in the course of my crime scene duties. I kept it in a pants pocket and found the the nose cap kept breaking the threads and falling off
Looks like a great everyday pen! Like the upgrades...lol!! Never used the 701. My favorite is the F301! Discovered them many years ago and never moved on! Great video brother...always good to get something different in from time to time!
The F301 is great! I carried two of them everyday as a Paramedic. I’d buy the box of 12 for like $20. So what, about $1.67 per pen. The 301 is still a great EDC option. 🤙👊🍻
Contrary to popular belief the pain is actually made of brass and a coating of stainless steel on the outside not to knock it I carry it everyday but just to let people know
Hard to say. I'm not much into EDC, because on youtube EDC items are usually quite heavy and expensive items that are not practical unless someone carries backpack with everything from first aid kit, survival kit, toolbox so my pocket organizer contains random pentel energel that writes, beaten plastic staedler triplus micro 0.5mm with chipped paint, tin can with some pills I may use for headache, digestion, sore eyes ... victorinox knive, sometimes opinel 10, sometimes leatherman rebar (but this is heavy) and zebralight headlamp with spare battery. And spare SD card and reader.Piece of wire and string. Few zip ties, safety pins. Spare battery, few banknotes. Actually various spare items and pens are the most useful stuff.
Tell us how you really feel..... lol. Great review. I have used these for years and love em. I didn't know that they had the all metal version though. Great to know, thanks!
Lol, thanks brother! I figured most people knew of this pens greatness but some don’t know it was upgraded. It was just a fun goofy video to make, haha.
Just bought this online 2 pieces , and didn't know it got multiple version. Got the plastic top one for like 50k (converted to around 2-3ish usd) It's pretty cheap imo for a pen that has a stainless body. And got the zebra delguard aswell. Need a bit of upgrade from the generic stuff lmao.
I will have to try them. I am not a pen person by any means. I got a tactical one once but wow dang thing can only go in bag won't fit a shirt pocket and would be like wearing an anchor. So I will give this a try. Like the price and isn't like my space pen that I would be upset if I lost it. I don't know if I will pull the trigger on it but we has one that matches the warthog SAK but definitely not budget.
Is it 100% FULL stainless steel or is it an alloy. For the price, I find it hard to believe that the entire body is made from stainless steel. Im allergic to nickel and im concerned this pen contains fine traces of it
I disagree. IMO, if it is an EDC then you should be able to switch between hybrid ink and gel. The Retro 51 Hex-O-Matic Ballpoint Pen to me is a great EDC because it accepts the Uni Jetstream SXR-600 group refills - shorturl.at/pwGV7 -, the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 refills - shorturl.at/alHT6 - and the Monteverde Capless Ceramic Ball Refills - shorturl.at/ajw49.
No problem with disagreeing! I personally do not like gel pens, but I can certainly see the versatility in something like the Retro 51, and I’m sure it would appeal to a lot of people. I like the simply utilitarian design as well. Thanks for the comment and for watching! I’m actually carrying a Pentel EnerGel Alloy this week as a personal challenge to see if I can learn to appreciate a gel pen. So far it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe I’ll check out the Retro 51 and do a video on it in the future. All the best, and thanks again for the recommendation. 👊👊👊
I've never bought a pen specifically for EDC. What I carry is typically a super fine point sharpie so I can sign things, write, draw (it's not great for drawing but I like drawing so shush,) mark TQ times, and easily write on skin. For just $5 (or $6 idk) that's not bad. It's not super high on my priority list t buy an EDC pen but a cool piece of kit. A carbide tip or something to bust windows would be nice on a tool like that. But that's just me. As usual I like the video and the dialogue on them.
Thanks, Roman! Yeah, it’s definitely not tactical, just a quality affordable pen. Carrying a fine tip Sharpie isn’t a bad idea either! Definitely handy and there’s nothing wrong with drawing! I enjoy drawing as well. Cheers!
Love my F-701. Can someone tell me how to tighten up the clip? It is the new all steel design. I can't figure out how to remove the clip to bend it. Any ideas?
When I did the 701-401 mod I read somewhere to put it in the freezer for a while then heat up the ring above the clip. It worked for me, I put a paper towel around the ring to not scratch it and twisted it off with a vice grip.
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for watching! That’s really odd that it won’t unscrew, my only guess is that perhaps it was over tightened at the factory. This may sound dumb, but just spitballing here I’m wondering if you could add some grip to the tip of the pen by using one of those rubber “jar openers”, wrapping it with a rubber band, or even wrapping a bit of duct tape around the tip to get something more to grab hold of as you unscrew it? Maybe an easier approach would be to hold the tip stationary in a pair of pliers and twist the body. If you do this make sure to cover the plier jaws to protect them from scratching and digging into the pen tip. You could wrap the jaws in some duct tape perhaps. Hopefully one of those ideas works for you, but it definitely seems like a potential defect. I’d love to hear if you have any success, so please feel free to write back and let me know if you have any luck. All the best, and have a great weekend!!
@@GearedTowardGear1 I did try using pliers, and I attempted to cover them with cloth but only manages to scratch the rip. Bad idea. I will try and find something rubbery for a grip. Id that doesnt work I probably will chalk it up to defect.
Hi Rebecca, I had the same problem, pliers were out of the question for fear of scratching, good old $1,29 all purpose grip gloves with rubber grippies to the rescue. Just that extra grip made the difference.! Good Luck.
This is NOT an all metal. All 701s have plastic threads on both the tip and the end. There is a plastic sleeve inside the main body. That sleeve is what the tip and click mechanism thread to. The metal body is not threaded.
Tombow Airpress not a tactical pen more of a true edc pen, writes upside down, on wet paper, will function in the coldest of weather ,its 6 pounds in the uk so probably same or less in dollars , has literally the pest clip ever on a pen as its sprung, downside's three refills are the same as a new pen, its a bit of a short pen and its a thic boy , but its so comfy to hold as they are rubberised and they are just a good pen .
Yeah it is a tactical pen! it's just as tactical as any "tactical pen" out there... because WTF is a tactical pen bahaha... if I have a pocket full of Torx screws on the job site are they Tactical? lol I'll forget my glock @ home occasionally, but I'll never go out to the sketchy parts of town without my tactical pen 😂 I surely hope no one is buying these " tactical pens" on the market for anything other than writing... btw good review
@@GearedTowardGear1 haha very true..you get it! hopefully the "Tactical" part of the pen is just a bonus for those who buy them for EDC to write with... Zach stuff just did a live stream I thought I would have seen you there
I guess I'm that one soul that got a junk one . Doesn't retract. J will have to take back to Staples .The cartridge doesn't go all the way so the click doesn't work . It stays open all the time .
Great review. I too like the F-701, the old and new versions. Too bad so much emphasis is put on the black plastic on top, although I think that Zebra did a great job of fixing most of the plastic parts associated with it. I found that upon inserting a space pen refill in one of the new models, a small piece of plastic is inside the bottom screw in guide the pen clicks better when taking out that plastic guide since the Fisher refill is a bit bigger. Zebra did a good job with removing the outrageous black top but left another piece of plastic, probably as a necessity for their refill size. While at my favorite discount store where I bought the new model, noticed that the old models are showing up too in their original packaging. Now I am wondering if these would be called a "collector's item" since it is as I said in the original blister package.
Here is the pen I current am using. www.amazon.com/EKLOEN-Ballpoint-Stainless-Steel-Silver/dp/B07D2869ZM/ref=sr_1_27?dchild=1&keywords=zebra%2Bf701%2Bpen&qid=1601957226&s=office-products&sr=1-27&th=1
Thanks for the review! I love the F-701 a lot and on my channel I have a playlist of great edc pens for under $10! I hope you guys check it out and enjoy it! 😊
Не хочу Вас огорчать, но производитель не честен с покупателями. Эта ручка не полностью из нержавеющей стали, в ней присутствуют детали из латуни с покрытием. Деталь с накаткой, наконечник, кнопка и кольцо вокруг кнопки выполнены из латуни. Проверьте сами с помощью напильника. Только трубка под клипсой из нержавеющей стали. 😕 Эта ручка не идеальна.
huh?!? plastic on a F701?!? whatchew talkin' about?!? the F701 I bought in 2021 don't got no plastic. The F701 I bought in 1985 didn't have any plastic. My M701 pencils bought at the same time (the set for one low price) does, but not the pens. You sure you ain't talking about the the pencil having plastic? The end of the push cap on your 701 with plastic looks like the cap on my pencil, which IS different from the cap on the pen. (lets you tell which is which by touch) the plastic on the pencil lets you know visually which is which if/when you glance at your pocket when you're getting ready to pull one out. If since I bought mine last year and now, Zebra has cheapened the F701 with plastic, I won't buy another. If I wanted plastic I'da bought a pair of F301's and saved a few bucks.
Tactical pens are a meme anyway, just like kubotans and self defense courses by grifters who teach you 12 simple steps to defend against a knife. Why would I want a worse pen that costs 10 times more just because I could use in as an impro weapon that give me no additional reach and doesn't barely do any more damage than the blunt impact of a fist or an ellbow? "Golly, now that I'm in a situation which might lead to fatal physical harm on my side I am glad that I have chosen a weapon for this very situation that's not too effective. I can't stand the thought of being not humane enough to this fatal threat to my health and life." Peak larp consoomerism for the most sheltered people out there.
the zebra pen clip is shit. it is so flimsy and easily bent and doesn't really load up until right about 2.5mm which is wider than my and most others clothing. it is so bad that if it brushes or snags on anything it falls out, if you need something in your pocket and go to get it even the littlest of tipy touches will launch your pen out of your pocket onto the ground. the pen seems really good otherwise but that clip makes it unusable for anything other than a desk pen.
My go to EDC pen is the BiC Round Stick.... 8 for 1.35 USD in Dollar Tree ... Most awsome pen for sketching.
I like the Zebra F-701 for short note taking. I very much like the grib.
I once found one of these in high school, I used to use the grip to wear little half moons into the desk out of sheer boredom. I loved that pen. It was the best I ever had. Invincible the damn thing until I lost it one day and it made its way to its next owner no doubt. I just bought a brand new one today because I happen to be at staples. Excited to switch to an aftermarket refill!
I've been carrying the F-701 for a couple of years now, but frankly the whole range of Zebra pens are very good. The basic F-301 is certainly not bad as an entry into their pens, and is also available with gel ink for those who like that. If the rubber grip is your thing, the F-402 is also quite a stylish and functional EDC option. As for the F-701, I'm often in the position of handing my pen to customers to sign invoices, and I've had many of them stop to admire it and tell me what a nice pen it is.
At the moment, however, I've returned to carrying the first pen I fell in love with way back in the 80's, a Parker Jotter. It is a very smooth pen to write with, and brings me a lot of joy and nostalgia, even if they're not quite made as robustly as they once were.
Dude as a nurse I believe that every nurse should carry a solid pen and therefore I have carried one every day for the last.... I think 8 years now. I have given these as gifts for coworkers or even given them to people who complimented them. The most consistent and solid pen I have ever used. I have probably went through 20 of them. I would highly recommend it.
I've been a big fan of the Zebra F301 and just ordered my first F701 which will be here tomorrow! I'm excited to check it out and some of the other Zebra pens such as the F301A, 402 and the X701 because I've never ventured beyond the standard F301 series.
Btw I'm enjoying your content and keep up the great work and as always stay clean my brotha!
I've been carrying the F-701 for years and I'd never thought of it specifically as "EDC", but it's definitely that. Previously I had carried the F-402, which I liked, but the rubber grip would get nasty after a while. The first time I saw the F-701 on the peg at the store I knew I'd found something special. BTW, I switch out the cartridge for a pressurized Zebra F-refill because I do like the whole Space-pen thing. Sometimes I need to write on a vertical surface or even over my head and a regular cartridge just doesn't cut it.
my F-701 is what I carry 95% of the time with a Space Pen refill in it. I have one with a Parker refill too. I'm super psyched for Rotring to re-release the 600 ball point. It's about $25 and coming out in a few days. But you can't beat the F-701 for the price. Thanks for the review, brother!
Ooooh, I like the look of the rOtring 600. Both the black and the silver. I may have to pre-order them both. I ordered a few other budget EDC pens for future testing and a showdown. I’ll definitely add the rOtring to the battle! Thanks for the heads up. (I think you may have mentioned this pen to me once before). 👊
I am both a knife and pen guy; my choice for the best budget ballpoint is the Caren D'ache 849 metal series. They come in many different colors and are priced at 20.00 with a large refill. I use the Fisher space pen refill, you just need to make a small spacer
to make the pen work.
I just ordered two of them! I’m getting a few other budget pens for future testing and I’ll eventually do an EDC pen video, maybe a showdown among several budget options. Thanks for the tip Barry!! 🤙👊🍻🖊🖊🖊
@@GearedTowardGear1 You are welcome.
I used to be a corpsman and I’m now a social worker. I used to love the metal zebra with black hard plastic grip but recently moved to the plastic sharpie pens. I’m definitely going to give this one a try
I got one. It’s awesome.
Thank you for your review. I'm a commercial driver who has a love for good pens that doesn't crap out and feels good to write with. I commented on a security person's pen and he gave me his F-701. I loved it at first use. I liked the Pilot g2 .07, but it eventually gets the ink buildup of Doom at the tip. The G2 I'm using currently has the ink buildup as I'm typing, now. So irritating!! I appreciate you.
If only the M-701 mechanical pencil was upgraded to an all-metal version....
Navy seal and 100 deadly skills author, Clint Emerson, says that the zebra f 701 can also be used as a self-defense tool and an emergency glass breaker.
Hell yeah. If Clint says so then this one is even more badass than it already was, lol. Thanks for watching, Mark. All the best!!
@@GearedTowardGear1 no problem man!
For $6 a piece you certainly can't go wrong with that solid looking Zebra pen! Years ago I had a few of the very pricey pens but they were either lost or stolen. After writing those off (pun intended :)) I've always gone with low cost, solid alternatives. Thanks for the "heads up" on these tough little jewels!
I appreciate the pun, JJ! Lol. Yeah these are great options for a pen that’s solid and you won’t mind if it gets lost. The F301 is also good, and even cheaper at around $20 for a 12-pack. I prefer the 701 but the 301 is great too. Cheers!
@@GearedTowardGear1 Awesome, thanks for the tip Sean!👍
Zebra has made some great pens but crappy refills, so I just adapt/trim cheap plastic ballpoint pen refills to fit ... and they work great! I wish they also did the F-701 in sprayed-on black, blue, red, etc. I actually love the Zebra F-605, which is sadly no longer made ... I have two of them (plus the pencils) and they are beautiful!
After having about 5 of the standard ones I finally got the full metal one & it is infinitely better. 2 of my last ones had a gritty click & the last one didn't fully retract.
Yep. My favorite too. The only pen 🖊 I fly with. We go to Disney several times a year and it always gets through their security too
That’s awesome!!
I have one and I thought that there would be no way I could get it on a plane
Was so happy they upgraded the top piece and cartridge! I haven't found myself writing upside down too many times, but it is nice to have options! I go with the blue fine point.
Right on. I often hang upside down to do my writing, otherwise I’m just wasting that great feature. Lol. I’m glad you mentioned the blue ink. I have a bunch of other pens I’m going to do a brief “EDC Pen Showdown” sonto soeak and I’m interested to hear ehinorefers which color and why. I’ve always been a black in guy, I have no problem with blue and have a few, but given the option I always choose black and I’m not sure why. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I just found out about this pen and yes, I do live under a rock at times.
I didn't realize pens have come so far in such a short amount of time. The only stainless steel pen I knew about years ago was a Parker.
Very cool!! I only learned about it a few years ago, but it sure is a great pen for a fair price! Thanks so much for watching and enjoy the pen! Cheers.
I just got one of these, along with the mechanical pencil version. So far, I would agree, that it is a fantastic pen!
I’ll also never own an expensive pen. I don’t do much hand writing, so I can’t tell the difference from a cheap ballpoint.
Right on!! I’m the same, I write a fair bit, but not enough to justify an expensive pen.
This is my favorite pen as well. I have one of the old versions that has the plastic top ring and plunger but I swapped the plunger and ring from the F-402 to make it all steel. The F-402 is also a really good pen, but it's not fully steel. Has a rubber grip. I bought a few backup 701s and they are the newer version thankfully.
The new f701 isnt full steel sadly, the part where both pieces screw together there is plastic threading(on the body). The mechanism is plastic most likely too
Sold my $60 Karas retrakt and started carrying this
No kidding? That’s awesome!!
Geared Toward Gear yep maybe buying another expensive pen in the future but for now this one will do
Try putting a magnet to it and you will see how the pen sticks. It's just a VERY THIN coat of stainless steel over it and the screw off bottom is still chrome plated plastic. I've tried just about every little trick you can do with these pens.
Don’t wanna bust your bubble but I just got the “all metal” one about 2 weeks ago and the internal threads are still plastic, as is the internal click mechanism. I still love it though, the part that they made steel is really what matters. I had the butt end of my last one crack and fly out of it so that was a bummer, but hopefully this one will last.
Hey, thanks for watching!! I assumed there were probably some small internal parts on the clock mechanism that might be plastic. But I never actually looked into it. It’s ok though, lol. I think you’re right, the one part they changed is what mattered most. Cheers!! 👊🍻
I love pens. Working in the sales business I use pens everyday. I have several of these and a few expensive ones. Retro 51 pens can be had for 20 range and they look really classy. People love of them for their collectibllity. Thanks for the the video. Look forward to more
Thanks so much for watching! I actually just filmed a video that should be posting within the next week that is all about pens for EDC. I compare 12 different models, should be a fun one.
My go to pen for years has been the Zebra F-301, but I just bought an F-701 with the stainless collar to experience a pen mentioned in EDC circles. I do like the knurling on the bottom of the pen. I will have yet to see if it is possible to defend myself with it but I like the way it writes.
Just got a Zebra F-xMD - the replacement for the F-701. Excellent!
I love this damn pen, I carried it everywhere with me. I have to go buy a new one, since I lost both of mine 🙄
I recently got a hinderer pen in a trade and have a love hate relationship with it. My go to pen is a Uni-ball Vision Elite. It is one of my favorites.
I used to love the Uni-Ball Visions. I think I had them in every color in high school. Are they still pretty inky? Like if you run your arm across it too soon it’ll smear?
@@GearedTowardGear1 Um I'd say they are pretty inky but in a good flow way. No I haven't had them smear, at least not with any individual ones I've had. I actually just to make sure just used 2 pens and write down something and immediately dragged my finger over it and there was not smearing.
Yep, I carried one of these for years at work, and nearly every day I'd get complimentary comments about how nice it is,,..
I never said how cheap it actually was,, lol,,
A tough, smart, all round great pen, imho,,,
I couldn’t agree more, John! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
Awesome pen . Ive a few . But i was working at a busy warehouse forklifts zipping by . They didn't survive. The bolt action bass pen did !
Just bought one of these along with a Lamy Safari fountain pen. I've been using U Brands (some Chinese company, I think primarily sold at Target) ballpoints and a Pilot V5. Love the Lamy, but it's definitely not EDC. I really like the weight and feeling of the F-701, but boy does the ink barrel it comes with suck, or at least the one mine came with. Going to replace it with a pressurized refill and see if that makes a difference, but in terms of the lines that come out on the page, I'd rather use just about any other pen I own.
This is the best all around all metal pen. I put the Space cartridge in mine because I like blue ink. The best all around plastic pen is the Bic clear pen.
Cool as I will check em out and I love that there is no plastico....Good stuff....
Thanks, Scott. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 👍
This and the Parker Jotter, are my favorite budget friendly pens.
After watching this video I ordered a F701 all metal. Within a couple weeks of daily use the action was messed up. Figured I may have gotten crud in it, I tried to blow it out to no avail so I just ordered another. Within another couple weeks that one failed entirely. Neither one making it through a single ink cartridge. Kind of bummed out, not sure if they're having production issues right now or what the case is, but neither one lasted me very long.
I've carried a Smith and Wesson tactical pen for almost a year now. Paid $22 at smokey mountain knife works. Model # is SWPENMP2BK .. its really all I'd ever look for in a pen. Although I think I'll try 1 of these zebra's you speak of.
Right on dude. You should grab a 2 pack of these and see how you like them. I’ll definitely look into the S&W pen you speak of! Lol.
@@GearedTowardGear1 I'll most certainly be trying these out. Thanks.
This is far better than other pens that are made by people like Big TI.
When buying pens, it should be primary for function and longevity, not aesthetic, it's better to buy a 6 dollars or cheaper pen than 120 dollars one which is more like to be lost than cheaper one.
Good video, thanks! You might try the Parker Jotter & the Classic...take a look at the Cross lineup, they have a pen & pencil set in Chrome...
I used to have one. Had no idea what the hell it was though and threw it away when it ran out of ink
Woodland Tactical funny 😂
They sell refills, but I’ve done the same thing too, lol. I don’t keep refills handy, I just keep a bunch of the pens around.
Sweet Sean thx for the heads up
You bet! Thanks for watching, Joseph!
Will it use Zebra Gel refills? I prefer the way those write.
Hello, I had a Zebra F-701 more than six years ago. Good pen, but, I like use polo style shirt, carrying pen inserted with clip near the shirt buttons, with time and sweet the coat of stainless steel began to loose. At that times, I made the mod of use the space pen refill at my zebra F-701, works fine, but with time the tip not show out its totally, it was necesaary many disasemblings for adjustment. I dont remember if the PLASTIC internal barrel broke or just began to stuck the mechanism. At end, I bought a jotter parker full metal body that was very useful until I loose, never loose coat (and I never did stupid mods).
So all this story is for a question. the new F-701 has internal plastic parts ??? Do you think that improve the "stainless steel" metal of body.??
I used several of these pens in the course of my crime scene duties. I kept it in a pants pocket and found the the nose cap kept breaking the threads and falling off
100% Uniball guy. Until I discovered the Zebra F701 .... but I use the F 1.0M blue refills. Imo. Best duty carry pen.
I actually completely agree with you love this pen. However the Grafton mini twist pen by Everyman is pretty amazing.
Looks like a great everyday pen! Like the upgrades...lol!! Never used the 701. My favorite is the F301! Discovered them many years ago and never moved on! Great video brother...always good to get something different in from time to time!
The F301 is great! I carried two of them everyday as a Paramedic. I’d buy the box of 12 for like $20. So what, about $1.67 per pen. The 301 is still a great EDC option. 🤙👊🍻
Contrary to popular belief the pain is actually made of brass and a coating of stainless steel on the outside not to knock it I carry it everyday but just to let people know
Why my F-701 clicky always feel gritty after several months of use...?
Hard to say. I'm not much into EDC, because on youtube EDC items are usually quite heavy and expensive items that are not practical unless someone carries backpack with everything from first aid kit, survival kit, toolbox so my pocket organizer contains random pentel energel that writes, beaten plastic staedler triplus micro 0.5mm with chipped paint, tin can with some pills I may use for headache, digestion, sore eyes ... victorinox knive, sometimes opinel 10, sometimes leatherman rebar (but this is heavy) and zebralight headlamp with spare battery. And spare SD card and reader.Piece of wire and string. Few zip ties, safety pins. Spare battery, few banknotes. Actually various spare items and pens are the most useful stuff.
excellent review. love the channel. subscribed
Tell us how you really feel..... lol. Great review. I have used these for years and love em. I didn't know that they had the all metal version though. Great to know, thanks!
Lol, thanks brother! I figured most people knew of this pens greatness but some don’t know it was upgraded. It was just a fun goofy video to make, haha.
@@GearedTowardGear1 Very clever! Good job!
My wife likes pens! And I like them to. Have to pick some up later!
Right on, TOJO!! Thanks for watching my friend. 👊🍻
Does it decolorize because of sweat?
I did the Parker quink g2 mod and I much prefer it over the space pen refill or the stock refill
Do you have a link to that mod ?
Just bought this online 2 pieces , and didn't know it got multiple version.
Got the plastic top one for like 50k (converted to around 2-3ish usd)
It's pretty cheap imo for a pen that has a stainless body.
And got the zebra delguard aswell.
Need a bit of upgrade from the generic stuff lmao.
Wow really amazing design looking pen reviews!!! :D
Thanks, Amos!
@@GearedTowardGear1 you're very welcome 😊
I will have to try them. I am not a pen person by any means. I got a tactical one once but wow dang thing can only go in bag won't fit a shirt pocket and would be like wearing an anchor. So I will give this a try. Like the price and isn't like my space pen that I would be upset if I lost it. I don't know if I will pull the trigger on it but we has one that matches the warthog SAK but definitely not budget.
Ooooh. I think I’ve seen that WE pen. It looks so nice. Is it the greenish colored bolt action pen?
F-701 & x-701 best pens 🖊️ out there.
Is it 100% FULL stainless steel or is it an alloy. For the price, I find it hard to believe that the entire body is made from stainless steel. Im allergic to nickel and im concerned this pen contains fine traces of it
replace refill with a fisher ;), then you got yourself a super pen!
New F-701 is the same as F-xMD?
Yo I have a visual now of writing upside down lol
🤣🤣🤣
I disagree. IMO, if it is an EDC then you should be able to switch between hybrid ink and gel. The Retro 51 Hex-O-Matic Ballpoint Pen to me is a great EDC because it accepts the Uni Jetstream SXR-600 group refills - shorturl.at/pwGV7 -, the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 refills - shorturl.at/alHT6 - and the Monteverde Capless Ceramic Ball Refills - shorturl.at/ajw49.
No problem with disagreeing! I personally do not like gel pens, but I can certainly see the versatility in something like the Retro 51, and I’m sure it would appeal to a lot of people. I like the simply utilitarian design as well. Thanks for the comment and for watching! I’m actually carrying a Pentel EnerGel Alloy this week as a personal challenge to see if I can learn to appreciate a gel pen. So far it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe I’ll check out the Retro 51 and do a video on it in the future. All the best, and thanks again for the recommendation. 👊👊👊
Retro 51 is top heavy and not recommended for heavy note taking. Quality control is also an issue with these pens.
I've never bought a pen specifically for EDC. What I carry is typically a super fine point sharpie so I can sign things, write, draw (it's not great for drawing but I like drawing so shush,) mark TQ times, and easily write on skin. For just $5 (or $6 idk) that's not bad. It's not super high on my priority list t buy an EDC pen but a cool piece of kit. A carbide tip or something to bust windows would be nice on a tool like that. But that's just me. As usual I like the video and the dialogue on them.
Thanks, Roman! Yeah, it’s definitely not tactical, just a quality affordable pen. Carrying a fine tip Sharpie isn’t a bad idea either! Definitely handy and there’s nothing wrong with drawing! I enjoy drawing as well. Cheers!
Wow sweet dude thanks for sharing........ I'll have to grab a couple for the draw at home sweet!!!!!!!!
Yeah brother! They’re fantastic, I think you’ll really like it.
between the Fxmd and F701 is there any difference?
I read that the FXMD is just the Canadian version. Still all metal.
At first I thought this was a joke. I used that pen for a week and thought the Pilot G2 was way better.
Love my F-701. Can someone tell me how to tighten up the clip? It is the new all steel design. I can't figure out how to remove the clip to bend it.
Any ideas?
When I did the 701-401 mod I read somewhere to put it in the freezer for a while then heat up the ring above the clip. It worked for me, I put a paper towel around the ring to not scratch it and twisted it off with a vice grip.
You can also use this pen as a stylus on your phone
How??
I can't open mine up. It won't unscrew. Any advice?
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for watching! That’s really odd that it won’t unscrew, my only guess is that perhaps it was over tightened at the factory. This may sound dumb, but just spitballing here I’m wondering if you could add some grip to the tip of the pen by using one of those rubber “jar openers”, wrapping it with a rubber band, or even wrapping a bit of duct tape around the tip to get something more to grab hold of as you unscrew it? Maybe an easier approach would be to hold the tip stationary in a pair of pliers and twist the body. If you do this make sure to cover the plier jaws to protect them from scratching and digging into the pen tip. You could wrap the jaws in some duct tape perhaps. Hopefully one of those ideas works for you, but it definitely seems like a potential defect. I’d love to hear if you have any success, so please feel free to write back and let me know if you have any luck. All the best, and have a great weekend!!
@@GearedTowardGear1 I did try using pliers, and I attempted to cover them with cloth but only manages to scratch the rip. Bad idea. I will try and find something rubbery for a grip. Id that doesnt work I probably will chalk it up to defect.
Hi Rebecca, I had the same problem, pliers were out of the question for fear of scratching, good old $1,29 all purpose grip gloves with rubber grippies to the rescue. Just that extra grip made the difference.! Good Luck.
I can stop wandering the earth searching, I found the love child pen - if Benchmade and Spyderco had a baby.
Hahaha. You can finally rest knowing you’ve found the $6 Excalibur pen.
Sure is a great pen!
Yes it is!!
This is NOT an all metal. All 701s have plastic threads on both the tip and the end. There is a plastic sleeve inside the main body. That sleeve is what the tip and click mechanism thread to. The metal body is not threaded.
Tombow Airpress not a tactical pen more of a true edc pen, writes upside down, on wet paper, will function in the coldest of weather ,its 6 pounds in the uk so probably same or less in dollars , has literally the pest clip ever on a pen as its sprung, downside's three refills are the same as a new pen, its a bit of a short pen and its a thic boy , but its so comfy to hold as they are rubberised and they are just a good pen .
Awesome!! I’ll add it to the wishlist. Thanks, Jamie!!
These pens are the closest thing to perfect I have ever seen.
Check out the X-701
2020 Zebra makes a BOLT ACTION PEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That would be sweet!!!
the old one had a plastic tube inside
Zebra F-701 with Fisher SPR4 cartridge; Fisher bullet space pen; Zebra Telescopic pen, SL-F1; Zebra F-xMD?; Zebra X-701:.. No
Yeah it is a tactical pen! it's just as tactical as any "tactical pen" out there... because WTF is a tactical pen bahaha... if I have a pocket full of Torx screws on the job site are they Tactical? lol
I'll forget my glock @ home occasionally, but I'll never go out to the sketchy parts of town without my tactical pen 😂
I surely hope no one is buying these " tactical pens" on the market for anything other than writing... btw good review
I’d use my tactical hands and tactical feet long before I use a “tactical” pen. 🍻
@@GearedTowardGear1 haha very true..you get it!
hopefully the "Tactical" part of the pen is just a bonus for those who buy them for EDC to write with...
Zach stuff just did a live stream I thought I would have seen you there
I like my BiC 😊
Haha. Nothing wrong with a BIC, lol.
@@GearedTowardGear1 👍✌🤟🤙🍻🍻🍻
I guess I'm that one soul that got a junk one . Doesn't retract. J will have to take back to Staples .The cartridge doesn't go all the way so the click doesn't work . It stays open all the time .
👍👍
Great review. I too like the F-701, the old and new versions. Too bad so much emphasis is put on the black plastic on top, although I think that Zebra did a great job of fixing most of the plastic parts associated with it. I found that upon inserting a space pen refill in one of the new models, a small piece of plastic is inside the bottom screw in guide the pen clicks better when taking out that plastic guide since the Fisher refill is a bit bigger. Zebra did a good job with removing the outrageous black top but left another piece of plastic, probably as a necessity for their refill size. While at my favorite discount store where I bought the new model, noticed that the old models are showing up too in their original packaging. Now I am wondering if these would be called a "collector's item" since it is as I said in the original blister package.
for me, plastic cartridge is no big deal.. you will change it afterwards anyways..
Very true.
Here is the pen I current am using.
www.amazon.com/EKLOEN-Ballpoint-Stainless-Steel-Silver/dp/B07D2869ZM/ref=sr_1_27?dchild=1&keywords=zebra%2Bf701%2Bpen&qid=1601957226&s=office-products&sr=1-27&th=1
F-xMD...? 100% metal.
100% metal exterior...100% plastic interior.
Thanks for the review! I love the F-701 a lot and on my channel I have a playlist of great edc pens for under $10! I hope you guys check it out and enjoy it! 😊
Still held together by an internal plastic tube. 😂
Still has a big ass plastic tube "liner" inside
Не хочу Вас огорчать, но производитель не честен с покупателями. Эта ручка не полностью из нержавеющей стали, в ней присутствуют детали из латуни с покрытием. Деталь с накаткой, наконечник, кнопка и кольцо вокруг кнопки выполнены из латуни. Проверьте сами с помощью напильника. Только трубка под клипсой из нержавеющей стали. 😕 Эта ручка не идеальна.
huh?!? plastic on a F701?!? whatchew talkin' about?!? the F701 I bought in 2021 don't got no plastic. The F701 I bought in 1985 didn't have any plastic.
My M701 pencils bought at the same time (the set for one low price) does, but not the pens. You sure you ain't talking about the the pencil having plastic?
The end of the push cap on your 701 with plastic looks like the cap on my pencil, which IS different from the cap on the pen. (lets you tell which is which by touch) the plastic on the pencil lets you know visually which is which if/when you glance at your pocket when you're getting ready to pull one out.
If since I bought mine last year and now, Zebra has cheapened the F701 with plastic, I won't buy another. If I wanted plastic I'da bought a pair of F301's and saved a few bucks.
I once thought highly of Zebra pens until I literally had two of them crumble in my hands just by picking them up.
Are you talking about this pen?
Tactical pens are a meme anyway, just like kubotans and self defense courses by grifters who teach you 12 simple steps to defend against a knife. Why would I want a worse pen that costs 10 times more just because I could use in as an impro weapon that give me no additional reach and doesn't barely do any more damage than the blunt impact of a fist or an ellbow?
"Golly, now that I'm in a situation which might lead to fatal physical harm on my side I am glad that I have chosen a weapon for this very situation that's not too effective. I can't stand the thought of being not humane enough to this fatal threat to my health and life."
Peak larp consoomerism for the most sheltered people out there.
the zebra pen clip is shit. it is so flimsy and easily bent and doesn't really load up until right about 2.5mm which is wider than my and most others clothing. it is so bad that if it brushes or snags on anything it falls out, if you need something in your pocket and go to get it even the littlest of tipy touches will launch your pen out of your pocket onto the ground. the pen seems really good otherwise but that clip makes it unusable for anything other than a desk pen.
You might try a 301 clip. They fit nicely on a 701.
I put this clip on my F-701's: Ti2's TECHLINER Titanium Clip: ti2design.com/collections/pens/products/techliner-clip-titanium
Come to Islam n success