STEEL X-701 Tactical Ballpoint Pen, Black Ink, 0.7mm, 1-Pack

I’m a (value) pen fanatic. I have bought hundreds of pens. I was a big fan of Zebra for many years but I strayed because I started to see some ink quality issues that seemed like more than a fluke. After years of reliable performance from the brand, I was seeing refills that didn’t work at all, worked a very short time and A LOT of skipping. This pen may bring me back into the Zebra fold. If you want performance in the absolute harshest conditions, your best bet is Fisher or Rite In The Rain. They are great for many things but, of course, there are tradeoffs. I think this pen is THE NEXT BEST THING for harsh conditions. What’s more, it has all the advantages of a good, normal pen with none of the disadvantages of those “extreme” performers. This pen can sit, unused, for 3 months in a freezing van in the middle of the winter or a broiling van in the middle of the summer and you can pick it up and watch it immediately write perfectly. No skipping, no early ink failures (so far). It does write on less than optimal surfaces that would be problematic for normal pens. Does it perform in conditions as extreme as a Fisher or RITR? No, but it is significantly better performing than pretty much any other pen, including other “extreme” pens I’ve used. And, I find that it does the job 99.99% of the time for essentially the same cost as a normal “nice” pen. This guy is perfect for the typical pen user in adverse conditions. It has performed excellently and has yet to let me down. It even has me giving Zebra another look after abandoning my fanboy status years ago.

The x701 has some pluses and minuses in comparison to other similar zebra products that I’ve used in the past (f402>f701>x701). I am right handed (for what that info is worth) and it is difficult to make smear unless I’m writing on glossy paper type. It dries in less than a second in my observation and flows effectively/does not have a tendency to skip. In my opinion, this ink type lies somewhere in between traditional ballpoint and gel if that makes sense. The pressurized ink feature of this pen doesn’t play a major role that I’ve noticed so far. I regularly use purple sani wipes on the pen and can update on the longevity of the paint as that’s a common issue mentioned in the comments. My previous pen was a f701 (0.8) and I went through 3 included ink refills so I have a good amount of experience in terms of the feel of the product. I will say that the x701 feels cheaply light in comparison to the all metal build of the f701 although you may not feel this way if you’re coming from more traditionally-weighted pens. It seems as though there is a thin outer layer of metal on some portions of the pen and plastic on others, all in a matte black paint coating. It !feels! as though it would snap if I accidentally stepped on it, although this may not be the case in reality. I would argue that my favorite ink type/diameter would be that found in the f402 (0.7), however the rubber grip was not very well adhered in either of the two examples of that product that came in the pack which lead me to go for the f701. Potentially, the purple wipes destroyed the adhesive over time, either way it didn’t last very long. While I no longer have the f402, its ink type is identical to the f701 minus the larger diameter and again, there is some difference in the x701 ink that I’m not fully able to describe (not bad just different). In terms of my opinion of the product, it is in between the superior f701 and the lesser f402. I would only rebuy this product if I preferred/wanted its lighter weight or needed to write upwards consistently. The product itself is fine which is why it has a five star rating but as time passes I’ll update how it performs with daily use.

Pen writes well, looks good, not sturdy enough to be a true tactical pen, a lot of plastic

Best pens. Can feel the weight an durability. Write SO SMOOTH, just wish i could get blue ink for it.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of this pen, especially for $10. Good weight and feel, and comes with two refills. I can't speak to it's longevity as I just received it, but I already ordered a second one. Note: these are fine point ink cartridges.

I’ve owned and used the Zebra X-701 Tactical Ballpoint Pen for about six months, using it regularly at work three nights a week. Out of the box, my first impressions were positive. The pen looks great - matte black with a tactical, rugged design - and it writes very smoothly. It’s comfortable to hold and has performed reliably during regular use. However, durability is where this pen falls short. Despite normal, everyday use, the black finish has worn off significantly. At this point, a significant amount of the coating is gone, which is disappointing for a pen marketed as “tactical” and durable. I’ve included photos to show the extent of the wear. Functionally, the pen still works well, but the premature finish wear undermines the overall quality and appearance. If aesthetics and long-term durability matter to you, this is something to consider before purchasing

I ordered a replacement X-701 after using mine every single day for the past 7 years. Ive gone through 5 replacement inks on my OG pen so I ordered a new one mostly because it comes with 2 extra inks. I attached a photo of the new compared to the 7 year old pen. This is hands down the best pen I've ever used. I own Cross, Parker, Bastion, Montblanc, Olight, Fisher Space Pen, Novium Hoverpen, and many many more. I have tried literally all of the other readily available department store pens out there (talking about you, Pilot G2 trash). There is something about the ink on these that the bad reviews just must not be getting right. I've used this pen rain or shine, snow or heat wave and it has NEVER given me an issue with leakage or ink buildup. That only happens when you drop it on the tip, and any other ball point pen (short of the classic Bic stick, those are legendary too) would also fail from doing so. The color is good, it doesnt skip on direction changes, it dries quickly and doesnt smudge on A5, Vellum, graph, construction paper, banana paper, tracing paper, parchment, or anything other than wax paper and plastic. The bad reviews get a few things wrong, and I can prove it with a photo: Claim: "its all plastic" Fact: the tip is brass, the grip is plastic, the barrel is a steel shroud over a plastic thread, the clip is spring steel, and the mechanism/button is mostly plastic. Claim: the paint chips easily Fact: paint DOES chip off of the brass tip very quickly, as does the spring steel clip (see photo). The mixed metals kinda look better anyway IMHO. Claim: the ink isnt waterproof Fact: this is simply false. I've been in the auto business for over a decade and this pen has gone from hot cars to freezing winters, indoors and outdoors and never has the ink smudged on A5 paper even when wet. Claim: Its cheaply made and breaks easily Fact: I've literally watched multiple cars drive over the pen (I drop things a lot) and it doesnt care. I'm left handed, I DO NOT treat my pens nicely. I've run through 5 inks in this pen over the course of 7 years and I just wanted another one because none of the other pens out there can hold up. In fact, only the Zebra F-701 is more "hardy" than this pen. I dont use my F-701 because the knurling is too aggressive and gathers gunk after awhile. Its not as comfortable. The metal inks are more expensive and the clip on the F-701 is flimsier than the X-701. The aggressive taper of the X-701 tip is also nicer if youre using it to draw. Hands. Down. The. Best. Pen. For 10 bucks you wont be disappointed!

Love this Pen. It is higher priced than normal pens, but way lower priced than Tactical Pens. This thing will write overhead or upside down all day long. On the Farm in super hot summer days, it performs perfectly. When it's 0° it performs excellent. It has Everything that an 80$ Tactical pen has, stainless steel barrel and tip, perfect diameter, and no, it definitely will not have a problem in defense. A tac pen may look more dangerous, but they have nothing on this Zebra. You get 2 refills that makes this pen last years. Try one, you'll love it!!

However, the reality is that the Zebra X-701 Tactical Pen has proven to be an incredible performer that surpasses my initial expectations. It operates perfectly well under all temperature conditions, unlike many other pens that often get stuck or skip under cold weather conditions. There is no problem with ink flow as this pen does not need much pressure when writing. As regards the construction of the pen, this item is worth special attention due to its premium quality. With a matte finish made of stainless steel and black color, it seems quite durable while having enough weight not to be excessively heavy. Interestingly, there is one surprising element to add here, which is that other people often comment on the pen, admiring its appearance and asking about it as the pen has rather an unusual look. In summary, this Zebra X-701 Tactical Pen appears to be reliable and sturdy. In addition, the quality of its writing performance is rather good. This pen can be considered an excellent choice for daily use.

胸ポケットにボールペンを入れて、頻繁に出し入れするので、いろいろなものを試している。 書き心地は普通のボールペンよりちょっと良いくらいだけど、ペン先にインクが溜まりにくく、ドバっとインクが出ることはない。 クリップ部もちょうど良いバネでスムーズに出し入れでき、抜け落ちることもない。 丈夫なボディには安心感がある。

Muito satisfeito. É extremamente leve, é muito agradável ao toque, tem uma escrita muito suave, a ponta é 0,7 mas parece 0,5 muito fina e escreve sem problemas de cabeça para cima.

Der Zebra PEN X701 Tactical stand schon sehr lange auf meiner Wunschliste, nun habe ich ihn seit ca. 1 Woche in der Hosentasche dabei und möchte ein kurzes Feedback geben. Der Mechanismus zum Miene ein/ausfahren ist sehr leichtgängig und angenehm zu drücken. Der Stift schreibt direkt und sauber. Ein weiterer positiver Aspekt ist, dass direkt zwei Ersatzmienen mitgeliefert werden. Optisch finde ich den Stift auch sehr ansprechend. Was mir absolut nicht gefällt ist, dass bereits nach wenigen Tagen in der Hosentasche tragen der Lack abgeht. Da habe ich von einem „tactical“ Pen mehr erwartet. Vorallem weil in der Produktbeschreibung steht dass die Lackierung verbessert wurde um ein absplittern zu verhindern. Das schränkt natürlich die Funktion in keinster Weise ein. Ich würde den Stift nur noch einmal kaufen wenn ich wüsste dass der Lack besser hält, vorallem für den doch nicht ganz billigen Preis von knapp 30€

Después de 1 año con esta pluma estas son mis conclusiones: PROS -Si deseas una pluma resistente, que no chorrea, escribe bien y aguanta el uso rudo (traerla en la bolsa del pantalón, en una mochila, en una chamarra o solapa) esta pluma es para ti. No es por completo de metal pero lo suficiente para ser resistente. -Si deseas una pluma "táctica", como posible opción para defensa personal, esto NO es para ti. No es suficientemente resistente. CONTRAS -Repuestos: no hay, no existen, nadie tiene. Si escribes mucho se te va a terminar a los dos meses y vas a tener que comprar otra. Busqué repuestos con el proveedor directamente y con varios distribuidores y nada. -Precio: sin repuestos disponibles, no es un precio competitivo. Es mejor comprar plumas desechables en lugar de estar gastando cada mes o dos en esta pluma. CONCLUSIONES: excelente calidad y durabilidad. Que no haya repuestos la vuelve una mala opción. Una lástima.