The F-701 (sometimes written as the F701) is the top-of-the-line retractable ballpoint in Zebra’s Steel Series. It uses an 0.8mm ballpoint refill that is good on lots of surfaces, but is also compatible with the Fisher Space Pen PR pressurized refill. The F-701 is known for it’s rugged build quality and incredible value. It is considered by many to be the ultimate in “everyday carry” value. The Zebra F-701 has always been one of the most popular ballpoint pens. Then, Zebra upgraded the design and made a great pen even better. In this Zebra F-701 review, we compare it to other ballpoints and the other Zebra ballpoints.

We’re glad you dig this post! But first, please take a few moments to sign up as a member of our EDC community below. In 2018 the Zebra F-xMD was released outside of the US. This is an entirely steel pen that was basically the same thing as a modded F-701 with a different ink refill. The refill was almost interchangeable with that of the original F-701 but with the change of some internal components the fit of the internals changed slightly as well.Since the F-701 is a great bargain at an entry-level price point, your other options will likely run you more money. With that said, you get what you pay for, from different design language or materials all the way up to enthusiast-level features. Here are a few at some different price points to consider: At this point you should now realise that the plastic inside the steel tube is the same as the plastic inside the other pen( the only difference being the pen clips and the metal part we want). Remember, we want that metal peice for our all metal pen, so right now if you want you can just proceed to the next step. But if you are like me, and really like the clip on the zebra F-107, then we have to unscrew the part metal part(and the plastic one with the clip we want) off the tube so we can swap them. The plastic one screws off easy, whereas the metal one needs some encouragement, so let's try using that handy jar opener to remove it. Don't lose that spring inside! Have you carried the F-701? Did you feel the need to upgrade at all? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this EDC classic in the comments below.

Now that we have successfully swapped the clips, we now slide the F-701's steel body over the F-402's plastic body. We are almost done. From a writing perspective, it performs along the same lines as other traditional ballpoints. The ink is a bit splotchy and light, and the 0.7mm size makes a very fine line. It never has issues starting or skipping, and I've never had any defective refills in my years of using this pen. Apart from the normal downsides of a ballpoint refill, this is a top notch example of a great performing refill. Zebra F-xMD– Technically another model primarily sold outside of the US, but essentially an updated F-701 The ink is great and rarely blots, but it can’t write on all surfaces, and it may skip if you try writing on the wall or other unusual angles. If you want to be able to write on any kind of paper, surface, condition, and angle, we recommend you get a Fisher Space pen with pressurized ink. Zebra F-701 Pros and Cons ProsThe X-701 was highly awaited by fans of “everyday carry” pens but it faced problems shortly after its August 2018 release. The pen was in very short supply initially and only sold directly from Zebra, where it sold out. In 2019 Zebra released the X-701 as an a rugged, outdoor-friendly pen. It was highly expected but failed to impress most buyers once it was released. The refills are easy to get. Aside from the official Zebra refills, the pen is also compatible with Fisher Space Pen refills. What We Don’t Like About Zebra F-701 Our servers are getting hit pretty hard right now. To continue shopping, enter the characters as they are shown