rOtring 600 Ballpoint Pen Review

A while back I picked up some Field Notes Expedition notebooks and became quite enthralled with their essentially indestructible nature.  The Expedition achieves this unprecedented durability through the use of a synthetic paper that, while incredibly robust, is a bit finicky when it comes to writing upon it.  The paper accepts pencil and some inks.  Through trial and error I found a number of solutions but remained disappointed with my choice of writing instrument.

The easiest and most prolific ink solution is the Fisher Space Pen refill; with its Parker style adapter the cartridge can fit into the wide variety of pens that accept the Parker refill, leaving options relatively wide open.  The trouble is this: while carrying around a Stainless Parker Jotter or other such widely available pen can certainly work it's just not exciting.

In an effort to find a solution a bit more my style I began searching for refills compatible with my rOtring 600 rollerball that has been lying around unused.  My hope was that I could find something that would be compatible with both the Expedition's synthetic paper and my rOtring rollerball.

Instead, I quickly discovered that the rOtring 600 ballpoint pens were designed around the Parker style refills.  Being quite content with the Fisher Space Pen refills I had been using I found a reasonable deal on a rOtring 600 ballpoint and hoped for the best.  I paid approximately $75.00 for the first one I picked up and about $60.00 for a second on eBay.  A simple search will yield quite a few results.

To be brief, the rOtring 600 ballpoint is nothing short of excellent and has been an excellent companion in the weeks it has been in my pocket.

As always, I'm utilizing my writing instrument review template found here.

Materials:  2/2

The 600 ballpoint's body is all metal.  This lends to a nice feel in-hand and enhances the user experience.

I greatly prefer all-metal pens as I don't find the additional weight troublesome (when compared to plastic pens) , even when carrying the pen daily.  From a construction, durability, and comfort standpoint the all-metal construction is superb.

Fit:  2/2

The barrel of the 600 screws together just above the grip section.  It mounts together quite well without any wiggle or other such annoyance.

Mechanism:  2/2

The 600 uses a standard Parker style click mechanism.  It is well-constructed and fits within my idea of how click-type mechanisms should work on pens.  The pressure required to click the pen is relatively firm and the plunger springs upward to its tallest position when the point is deployed.

Line:  2/2

The rOtring ink cartridge that was bundled with the pen (they are still available either through third party retailers or directly from rOtring) has a nice blue hue and lays down an excellent, smooth line.  For the purposes of scoring this category here, I must give the pen a 2, despite the fact that I am not using the rOtring cartridge.

Unfortunately, as much as I like the rOtring cartridge, the ink does not work very well with the Expedition series of Field Notes notebooks.  As such, I am running the Fisher Space Pen refill predominantly.  The Fisher refill leaves a bit to be desired as it is a bit inconsistent.  This, however, does not detract from the 600 as it is designed to be.

Writing Comfort:  2/2

I very much like the design of the grip section of the later 600 series (I don't have any experience with the knurled grip sections of earlier models, perhaps in time I'll pick one up).  The smooth grip area is comfortable and the slight flare toward the point of the pen gives excellent tactile feedback as to where your fingers are on the grip and allows for precise control without slipping down the whole grip.

Design Concept:  2/2

It is no secret that I absolutely love the 600 series from a design perspective.  The design is clean without unnecessary and ultimately annoying flourishes.

Markings and Insignia:  2/2

The rOtring logo is present on the pocket clip and their red ring adorns the top of the barrel.  Short of these markings the pen is clean.  It's understated and beautiful.

Carry Method:  2/2

A sturdy pocket clip towards the top of the barrel facilitates pocket carry.

Carry Durability:  1/2

The sturdiness of an all-metal pen like the 600 is unprecedented when it comes to carry durability.  You're not going to encounter any stress fractures as you might in a plastic pen and an all-metal clip isn't going to fail if you accidentally scrape it against something.

The one thing that prevents a two in this category is the fact that the 600, as with many other click-type pens, has a tendency to open in the pocket if your movement depresses the plunger.  In my time carrying the pen thus far I have had a few instances where I have pulled the pen out and found that it had been riding in my pocket with the point deployed.  Due to the fact that it's a ballpoint there is limited inking of my pocket (a fact that is further aided by the fact that I'm running a Fisher refill as opposed to a gel or other type of ink).  However, it's an annoyance that has resulted in my checking of the pen occasionally to verify that it's not in fact open.

Carry Comfort:  2/2

The 600 is quite comfortable to carry.  The ballpoint is slightly slimmer than the other models in the line (the rollerball and fountain pen, for example, are slightly thicker in the barrel).  It's not a bulky pen and the weight isn't noticeable.

Total:  19/20

Without reservation I would recommend the rOtring 600 ballpoint to anyone looking for a great everyday carry writing instrument.  Its elegant design features coupled with robust construction and versatile Parker-type refill compatibility are unprecedented in the writing world and make the rOtring 600 ballpoint an excellent addition to any pocket.

rOtring 600 Fountain Pen Review

My first rOtring product was a silver rOtring 600 series 3 rollerball.  I've had it for quite some time - over 10 years, I think - and I love it.  Ever since I picked it up I've had an obsession with the 600s but haven't found myself in a position to buy any more.

This past Christmas, though, was a surprise.  My girlfriend found me a rOtring 600 series 2 fountain pen and, pairing it with a few bottles of Noodler's Ink, put together an exceptional gift.

 
I'll be sticking to my review template which is available here.

Materials:  2

There's a good reason why the rOtring 600 has a cult-like following.  It's incredibly well-constructed and exudes quality.  Upon picking up the pen, one immediately realizes the quality of the build.

The body and cap are machines from brass and are chrome plated in a silver satin-tone finish.  The nib is constructed of steel.

Brass is the preeminent material for pen construction, or so it would seem.  It has a great weight to it, resists corrosion, and is incredibly robust.

Fit of Parts:  2

As mentioned, the build of the 600 line is impeccable.  The body sections screw together tightly without any play or wiggle.

The fit between the section and the barrel is as perfect as it can be.  There is no wiggle whatsoever between these parts.  I can say from experiece that the fit here does not loosen over time; my 600 rollerball has not noticeably loosened in the decade I've owned it.

 

Mechanism:  2

The 600 uses a simple snap-on design; two "snaps" on the body of the pen interface with the cap.  The pen cannot be capped without properly aligning the sides.  When capped, there is no noticeable play between the cap and the body of the pen.  Also, the cap cannot rotate while it is on.

When posted, the cap is secured by an o-ring; it can wiggle slightly if prompted, but it feels quite secure.  I haven't noticed it when writing thus far.  It's certainly not a wiggle worthy of condemnation.

 

Line:  2

Currently, I'm using Noodler's Blue-Black ink.  It's new to me, so I'm relatively unfamiliar with its performance in other pens.

The pen lays down a smooth, skip-free line.  This is the first fountain pen I've owned with an EF nib.  Until now I've had a drawer full of F nibs and a head full of EF dreams; for ages I turned my LAMY Safari upside-down to achieve a thinner line (who knows what kind of damage I did to that poor nib).  I have heard some people complain about scratchiness or other such problems with EF nibs.  I'm happy to say that I haven't encountered any such things with this particular pen.

I'm also pleased to report that the Noodler's Blue-Black ink has managed to tackle Moleskine paper without feathering, as I (and others, I believe) have experienced with other inks.  This is certainly a pleasant surprise as I wasn't planning on purchasing a new notebook any time soon.  The ink does appear to take a bit longer to dry on Moleskine paper than compared to others (20 lb. copy paper, for example); being right-handed, this doesn't bother me too much.

Writing Comfort:  2

The rOtring 600 series 2 is quite comfortable to write with.  The grip section, as aforementioned, is smooth (as compared to the rOtring 600 series 1 which featured a knurled grip) and slightly tapered toward the nib.

When the cap is not posted the balance of the pen sits approximately 3 inches from the nib (when the reservoir is full).  When the cap is posted to the top of the pen the balance point shifts to approximately 4 inches from the nib; on my hand, the balance point rests on the web between my thumb and index finger.  This is a very comfortable balance point, in my opinion, as it allows me to manipulate the nib as if it were almost weightless.

In the long-term the pen retains its comfort.  Over the past two weeks I have spent many consecutive hours writing notes and have not encountered any discomfort.

Design Concept:  2

If it hasn't been evident, I adore the design of this pen.  It's a perfect marriage of form and function; it seems as if every aspect of the pen has a purpose.

The pen measures 5.5 inches when capped; 5 inches when uncapped; and 6.75 inches when the cap is posted.  It features a hexagonal barrel which is the iconic feature of the rOtring 600 line.  The grip portion of the pen is smooth and slightly tapered toward the nib.  Just before the terminus of the grip there is a small raised ridge.

The nib is simple, particularly when compared to other fountain pens.  It's about as streamlined as I've seen (discounting hooded nibs, of course).

 

The underlying design philosophy (as I understand it) epitomizes the minimalistic teachings of the German Bauhaus school.  Conceived and founded in the early 20th century, the Bauhaus school focused on the unification of crafts, art, and technology.  The ultimate goal of such design was to create a "purely organic [product], boldly emanating its inner laws, free of untruths and ornamentation."  The philosophy embraced the machine culture of the period and attempted to reduce designs to their most basic essentials; this required the excision of sentimental choices and visual distractions.

I would have to say that the rOtring 600 line is an embodiment of the Bauhaus teachings.  The pen is uncompromisingly simple, it has been stripped down to its constituent parts with nothing more.

Markings and Insignia:  2

This pen is clean.  When capped, the only visible markings are those of the rOtring logo on the pocket clip and a small, laser-engraved "Germany" on the portion of the pocket clip attaching to the cap.  rOtring's signature red ring adorns the top of the cap while the black cap-retention o-ring is seated at the end of the barrel.  Uncapped, the nib has a small rOtring logo on the left side and the size designation (EF) on the right.

There is nothing on the pen that shouldn't be there; the logos are crisp and the signature "red ring" is unobtrusive and marries well with the design of the pen.  The design of the pen really speaks for itself; rOtring did not have to include any flashy trademark branding to identify this pen as one of theirs.

Carry Method: 2

The pocket clip is very well designed.  It offers enough space for thicker fabrics (denim hasn't been a problem) but remains streamlined outside the pocket (it hasn't caught on anything in the weeks I've been carrying it).  It sits low in the pocket but protrudes just enough to get a good purchase on it for retrieval.

Carry Durability: 2

The pen is bomb-proof in a pocket.  I haven't found any problems with the carry of this pen.  While it has only been a couple weeks of daily carry with this particular pen I can say positively that it hasn't given me any trouble

One concern articulated by some has been that of, "won't that thing leak in your pocket?"  While I strongly doubt I'll ever abuse this pen to a point of such catastrophic failure, here are a few observations.  The pen is designed for "tip-up" carry, meaning that the nib of the pen is situated at the top of the pocket - this is true of nearly all "capped" pens.  As such, there isn't the opportunity for the pen to be placed into the pocket while "open" as there is with click-type pens.  Arguably, the pen body could uncap itself while in your pocket and, assuming you have deep enough pockets, could become fully uncapped thereby exposing the nib and, through the capillary action of the fabric of your pants, empty a sizable quantity of ink.  I don't fret over that possibility, however, because the capping mechanism is quite strong.  Moreover, assuming catastrophic failure of the capping mechanism were to occur the body of the pen would have to drop over 1.5 inches before the nib could contact fabric.  In my analysis, it's simply not within the realm of possibilities to be overwhelmingly concerned about.  I would be more concerned with a "cheaper" pen cracking or otherwise failing in my pocket.

Carry Comfort:  2

It's a hefty pen but it's not cumbersome.  It sits nicely against the rear of my left front pocket and stays put.

Total:  20/20

Conclusions and Parting Thoughts:

While my wallet didn't feel this one, it's an expensive pen.  My girlfriend says she paid $150, buying from this seller through eBay.  It's also available here for $215.

It's quite the investment but it can survive a lifetime (this thread here has a great photo of an incredibly beat-up rOtring 600 series 1 fountain pen and it's (apparently) still going strong).

Part of me is tempted to knock a point off for the sheer "WOW" factor of the price point on these pens but, after consideration, I'm not willing to.  The saying I've run into before is, "Buy once, cry once."  I truly think that sentiment resonates here; if you're willing to spend the money, you'll get everything and more out of this pen.

While I have a nagging feeling that assessing a perfect score for my first review could give the wrong impression, this pen is nothing short of exceptional.  I have not found any flaws.  In the event that I encounter a glaring defect I'll be sure to pass it along.

The rOtring 600 is the pen to have if you're interested in EDCing a fountain pen.  Moreover, it epitomizes great industrial design.  This isn't an accessory for a desk; it's not something to keep in a pretty case with a bunch of vintage pens and old leather-bound books; it's a pen to use.  Anything less would be a waste.