Zebra F-701 vs Rotring 600 (2026): Which EDC Pen?

Quick picks: Zebra F-701 vs Rotring 600 (prices at publish, Oct 2026)

Quick Picks

Our top recommendations at a glance:

• 1
  Zebra F-701$8.50, price at publish (Oct 2026)
• 2
  Rotring 600 Ballpoint$36, price at publish (Oct 2026)

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• Best value metal EDC pen: Zebra F-701, stainless steel, 21 g, $8.50 at JetPens.
• Best for a premium, slimmer grip: Rotring 600 Ballpoint, brass hex body, 23 g, $36 at JetPens (in stock).

The short answer: buy the Zebra F-701 if you want a tough, refillable all-metal pen you won't mind losing. Buy the Rotring 600 if you want a slimmer brass hex body with a drafting-tool look and you're happy to pay about four times as much. Both are retractable, knurled-grip, refillable metal ballpoints, and they weigh within 2 grams of each other.

Specs and prices are from the JetPens product pages for the F-701 and the Rotring 600, plus Zebra's own F-701 page. Retailer prices vary.

Build and materials

Zebra describes the F-701 as stainless steel from tip to clip, with a heavy-duty barrel, a knurled grip and a silent retractable plunger. Office Depot's listing adds that the barrel is 2 mm thick stainless steel and that the pen is metal and X-ray detectable.

The Rotring 600 ballpoint uses an all-metal brass body with a hexagonal shape, a band of knurling, a stainless steel clip and Rotring's red ring at the top, according to JetPens. It shares its look with the Rotring 600 drafting pencil.

Size, weight and grip

On paper the two are close. JetPens lists the F-701 at 21 g and 13.3 cm, and the Rotring 600 at 23 g and 13.7 cm. The bigger difference is thickness: the F-701 grip is 10.0 mm, while the Rotring 600 grip is 8.1 mm with a 9.0 mm maximum diameter. If you prefer a fatter barrel, the Zebra is the closer match. If you like a thinner pen, the Rotring is.

For more metal pens built for pocket carry, see our guide to titanium EDC pens.

Ink and refills

The F-701 ships with a 0.7 mm black oil-based refill and takes Zebra's F-Refill. The Rotring 600 ships with a 1.0 mm black oil-based refill and is refillable, with JetPens listing dozens of compatible refills and parts on its page. If you want a finer line out of the box, the Zebra's 0.7 mm tip is the smaller of the two.

Price and availability

At publish, Zebra's own store listed the F-701 at $10.50 but out of stock. JetPens listed it at $8.50, and office retailers such as Office Depot listed it for under $10. The Rotring 600 was $36 at JetPens for silver and black, in stock in silver, with Dark Stone and Chocolate Truffle at $39.50 and a few colors sold out. If you're building a budget kit around a pen like the F-701, see our EDC under $25 roundup.

Who should buy which

Pick the Zebra F-701 if you want a cheap, durable stainless pen with a thicker grip for work, the glovebox or a job site.

Pick the Rotring 600 if you want a slimmer brass pen with a hex body and a design-tool look, and the price difference doesn't bother you.

Want a pen that does more than write? Our Pockitrod modular pen multitool post covers a pen built around tools.

FAQ

Is the Rotring 600 worth it over the Zebra F-701?

Only if you value the brass hex body, slimmer 8.1 mm grip and Rotring styling. The two weigh 21 g and 23 g and both are refillable metal retractables, so the F-701 covers the basics for about a quarter of the price.

Which is heavier, the Zebra F-701 or the Rotring 600?

JetPens lists the Rotring 600 at 23 g and the F-701 at 21 g with ink, so the Rotring is 2 g heavier.

What tip sizes do they come with?

The F-701 comes with a 0.7 mm tip and the Rotring 600 with a 1.0 mm tip, both black oil-based ink. Both pens are refillable, so you can change refills later.

Is the Zebra F-701 sold out?

At publish (Oct 2026) Zebra's own site showed it out of stock, but JetPens and other retailers still listed it.

Bottom line

The Zebra F-701 at $8.50 is the value pick: stainless steel, 21 g and refillable. The Rotring 600 at $36 is the one to buy for a slimmer brass body and its classic hex design.