Review of Zebra F-701 - Addition to My EDC

Today we shall be looking at a new addition to my EDC, the Zebra F-701 pen. Before that though, let me give some background information; I've been using Pilot G2's and other run-of-the-mill pens all my life, and I thought I'd change that by investing in a pen fit for EDC, which would serve to fill the pen slots in my 5,11 Rush 12 too. I wanted a pen that had good build quality, preferably metal construction, as well as good writing performance; nothing outrageously demanding in my opinion.

A quick search on Google showed that Fisher Bullet Space Pens, Parker Jotters and crowdfunded efforts on Kickstarter ruled the day. These were all great choices in their own rights; the Space Pen is known for the refills which can write in highly demanding environments, the Parker Jotter for their classic design and the multitude of Kickstarter pens for their custom craftsmanship and special designs.

The Kickstarter efforts were of course, way beyond my budget, nice as they were, while I didn't like the idea of fidgeting with a cap for the Space Pen. I already in fact have a Parker Jotter pen in stainless steel, and the Jotter's design just doesn't speak to me. I disliked that the barrel of the Jotter tapers towards the tip, something which I think will compromise comfort whenever there is considerable writing to be done. Where does that leave me then?

Enter Zebra F-701, the darling of many an EDC forum.

This pen has a reputation which precedes itself. The reason why is clear when you pick one of these pens up. It features a fully stainless steel barrel, which although isn't monocoque in construction (the knurled grip and smooth barrel are separable), feels very solid indeed. The weight is satisfying, reassuring and feels like something much more expensive than the price F-701's go for; the presence of the F-701 in hand is truly outstanding for the price. Top points to Zebra for the well-designed feel of this pen.

Writing with this pen has been a pleasure thanks to the addition of the knurled grip which is both functional and classy at the same time. It does its job well, allowing you to get a nice grip on the pen. The pen has remained comfortable to use for even for extended periods of writing. Perhaps the grip is a little less comfortable than the rubber grips on G2s but the tradeoff for the good looks is ultimately a plus for me. Of course, that is also dependant on how tightly one grips the pen while writing.

On the back end of the pen, we have a retraction mechanism which Zebra claims as being quieter than usual. It is indeed a little quieter than a standard Pilot G2 I'd say, and is a nice touch for those who like to click their pens on occasion. The retraction mechanism has a nice, springy amount of tension to it, and while may not be the most authoritative of clicks, is nice enough that I have no qualms. The plunger retracts fully when the tip is out, meaning that it won't rattle around when writing or turned upside down.

The surprising thing about the retraction mechanism is that it is plastic in construction, while its lesser brethren, the Zebra F-402 actually lays claim to a metal retraction mechanism. I certainly see myself hacking my F-701 to accomodate the F-402 retraction mechanism in the near future. Not that the stock F-701 mechanism is awful, it is actually quite decent, but I'd like my F-701 to have metal construction as much as possible.

Next, we come to the writing performance. The Zebra F-701 plays host to a fine ballpoint refill. For all intents and purposes, the stock refill is decent enough. The lines are clean, and is comparable with a typical ballpoint. It's by no means a great ballpoint, but that might be a problem rectifiable!

There are numerous topics on the Internet on people hacking the F-701 to fit Fisher and other refills. Having not tried a Fisher refill yet in my life, I don't know how these refills stack up against each other. Again, I'd certainly hack my F-701 to fit a Fisher refill in the near future.

The F-701 comes right out the box with a metal clip that is nicely adorned with the Zebra logo and the model number. It serves its purpose well enough, clipping onto shirt pockets and other objects firmly. The amount of tension is not too little such that it flops around after being clipped and not too much to make clipping a hassle. The clip feels solid enough and seems unlikely to break as long as it isn't abused. Hopefully, the tension will stay the same with usage. In a word, I have to say the clip on the F-701 is nice.

Coming to the price, the F-701 costed me SGD$8.30. I have nothing but good things to say about the F-701 and that would stay the same even if costed twice as much. At the price it goes for, the F-701 is astoundingly good value for money. Of course, there are some things that stop this pen short of being the best that it can be; plastic retraction mechanism and writing performance which is just average. Even still, I am thoroughly impressed with this pen, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nice writing instrument but doesn't want to burn a hole in their pocket.

So that was the review of the Zebra F-701, thank you for reading and stay tuned for upgrades to the refill and retraction mechanism!

New Strap for the MDV106 - Paros

As mentioned in my review of the Casio MDV106-1A here, the stock resin strap that comes with the watch was downright awful. It's thin, creates a creaky sound as it rubs against the lugs and just reeks of cheap.

Now don't be mistaken, the MDV106 is one of, if not the most brilliant watch I've ever come across for the price. Thankfully, although Casio chose to cut corners with the strap, this is a problem that can easily be remedied given the standard lug width of 22mm.

Therefore, I went off in search of a strap today, one that would be worthy of playing host to the venerable MDV106. That of course means paying a visit to K2 Watch Company, for nowhere else in Singapore will you find a watch shop which prices their straps so fairly.

And this is the the result of the trip; a Paros black leather strap with red stitching. More pictures to follow.

I'm quite pleased with the strap so far. It is quite supple and has a nice leather smell. It also claims to be waterproof as stamped on the back so I'm expecting it won't deteriorate upon getting wet. We'll see how true those claims are in due time. Overall, it's quite a nice strap and really fitting for the MDV106 in this aspect; value for money. I got this strap for all of SGD$13, a really good price for a leather strap in my opinion. The red stitching also complements the red tipped second hand well, and I'm loving the MDV106 more than ever!

The thumbnail type buckle that comes with the Paros has pleasantly surprised me. I was expecting a cheap stamped, tinny buckle to come with the strap but on the contrary, the buckle is actually quite thick and features a nicely brushed finish all over.

What happens when two kings of value for money come together? You get a beautiful combination. Paros meets Casio, this is definitely one for the ages.

Review of Casio MDV106-1A

The end of my internship has brought about a bout of retail therapy to calm my nerves from the stresses at work over the last two months. Today, I acquired the Casio MDV106-1A, a watch which has a cult following on several watch forums. In this review we shall discern if the MDV106 is worthy of its cult status.

Now let's start off with the quality, fit and finish of the MDV106. The MDV106 is 44mm across in diameter, inclusive of the crown. It comes in at about 92g in total, which does make the watch feel solid. 

The MDV106 can be had for about USD$40 onwards. The quality of the case construction though, is good. I don't even have to add that it's good for the price because it is that good, case quality is has not been compromised in spite of the low price. The finishing has been well done as well, with no rough edges or machining marks as far as I could observe.

We should consider that at USD$40, this watch is something of the next step up from the MQ24 rubber quartz series they offer, and it's a very big step up.

The case is polished on the sides and is brushed on all vertical surfaces. It is curved down at the lugs which is great for preventing overhang on smaller wrists. Flanking the sides of the crown are the crown guards, which I always prefer my watches to have. It is an attractive case design and I give Casio top marks for case quality and finish. Make no mistake, this is no Blancpain or Audemars Piguet but the case will hold its own very well against just about any nonluxury steel watch.

Over on the back, there is an engraved marlin which is a nice touch by Casio. Now I can brag about my $40 watch caseback being more decorated than on a $5000 Rolex. The caseback is screw-down which is great to see on a watch this affordable.

The crown is screw-down, which helps the MDV106 achieve a 200m water resistance rating. The crown is a just a little on the rough side when screwing down, but is not a major problem at all to me. It's very impressive Casio has managed to implement such water resistance measures on a watch of this price.

It features a mineral crystal which is flanked by a unidirectional coin edged bezel. The bezel clicks along nicely although there is some play, and it can move backwards by about half a click. Still, it's not too bad and I've certainly come across bezels which are much worse. On my watch, the bezel lines up exactly to the 12 marker so that's great too.

If there's another great thing it's that the seconds hand hits all the markers spot on. This is something I can't guarantee of all MDV106's so it's always best to buy quartz watches at a brick and mortar store. The movement is also one of the most silent I've ever come across; you really have to put your ear right up to even be able to hear the ticks. I guess some people like loud watches but I'm definitely for quiet movements, so the MDV106 is again a sweeter deal because of this.

 Moving onto the dial, it is really clean and simple, which is a good thing. No unnecessary subsecond indexes, just good old one whole seconds. It features a marlin on the bottom half which is quite tastefully done in my opinion.

The hands are really well done on the MDV106. They are long enough, such that telling the time at a glance is a breeze. Finished in polished steel, the hands add some flair to the dial and reflect light in a very attractive way. The seconds hand is tipped in red which is a nice addition.

Eventually though, Casio has to cut corners somewhere. That is clearly evident in the lume used on this watch. It won't hold a candle to any Seiko diver, losing it's charge extremely quickly and after about one hour the lume is pretty much nonexistent. Even after exposure to my brightest flashlight, the initial bloom is not that impressive at all. This watch won't please lume fanatics, that's for sure!

To set that off, the MDV106 features a universal lug width of 22mm. That was great for me since I found the stock resin strap to be pretty bad. It is pretty soft and comfortable, but only because it's so thin. It doesn't seem hefty enough for the watch head and makes lots of creaky noises. I will definitely be looking for alternative straps in the coming months.

In conclusion, the Casio MDV106-1A is really an excellent watch. It has nearly all the makings of a good watch; good build quality, nice dial and hands, good water resistance and well thought-out design. Even without being as affordable as it currently is, I would think that the MDV106 is a great watch. It IS however affordable!

This is the shining moment of Casio, where excellent design meets affordability. About the only thing this watch doesn't excel in is the lume department, but that's easily forgivable by me. To answer my own question at the start of the review, yes, this watch does indeed deserve its cult status.

So that's it for the review of the Casio MDV106-1A. I know I'll be thoroughly enjoying and appreciating the MDV106 in the months to come, all $40 of it. Thanks for reading!

5.11 Tactical Rush 12 Review

A week ago, I took delivery of something I've been looking to acquire for a long time; the 5.11 Tactical Rush 12 backpack. Now the Rush 12 is a highly popular bag among EDC hobbyists for many reasons; among some of which are a good, solid quality, great compartmentalization options, well-thought-out design, all these at a rather good price. Being quite the EDC enthusiast, I had to verify these claims myself.

I present to you, the review of the 5.11 Tactical Rush 12.

As is customary, let's go through the specs on the Rush 12 before anything:

- 16 individual compartments
- Hydration pocket
- Wrap-around MOLLE/SlickStick web platform
- Internal multi-slot admin compartment
- Zippered fleece-lined eyewear pocket
- Hook and loop fastener nametape and flag patches
- Water-resistant 1050D nylon construction
- 18" x 11" x 6.5" main compartment
- 1476 cubic inch / 24 liter capacity
- Adjustable height sternum strap
- Two external compression straps
- Contoured yoke shoulder strap system
- Self-repairing YKK® zippers
- Glove-friendly pull tabs

I've only started using this backpack recently so my loadout is still very much a work in progress. I meant to build my EDC around my backpack of choice so this review will be focused on the backpack itself as much as possible, for my loadout could only be planned after getting this bag.

Right, onto the Rush 12 then. Now, before coming to the Rush 12, I've been using various fashion backpacks, none of which are tactical in nature. They were designed to look good but I can't say the same for their functionality.

This means that coming to the Rush 12 was a big departure from those packs. The Rush 12 quite simply excels at functionality. I think the Rush 12 is also quite a decent looker to me, although it does definitely tip towards being quite militaristic given the MOLLE webbing. I chose black as I'm primarily going to be using this as a school bag and I prefer to keep things stealth, instead of say, going for the multicam.

Let's start with the compartments that this bag has. At the front, there is a large admin pouch for all the small and important items. There is a plethora of pouches here; two pen-sized slots, a larger slot which I chose to put my Fenix LD22 in, two larger pouches that encompass the pen and flashlight slots, and one large pouch that is zippered and almost as large as the admin pouch itself. On the opposite, there are another two medium sized pouches, one of which I chose to put my scientific calculator in.

You have lots of room to play with here, and having this many compartments constantly tempts one to think of the next piece of EDC to acquire to fill up all the pouches. I think the admin pouch has been really well done.

Picture credit of CandlePowerForums

The main compartment features two zippered mesh compartments that allow you to easily see the contents. On the other side, there is a compartment that can be cinched by an adjustable drawstring. It's good for making sure items stay still while carrying which can be a big annoyance. The main compartment will fit a 15" laptop quite snugly, which is perfect for my Dell XPS15. It has been able to comfortably fit my gym gear such as shoes, shaker bottles and whatnot. Of course, the clamshell style really makes things easier as you don't have to fight with the size of the opening.

Flip it over to the back, and you will see the padded straps which make for a very comfortable carrying experience. The straps incorporate a neck yoke system which partially distributes the weight of the pack onto your neck as well. I have found the Rush 12 to be a very comfortable backpack to carry.

Additionally, there is a hydration bladder compartment located where your back touches the backpack, which purpose is quite self-explanatory. It also has a hard plastic backing to make sure that irregularly shaped contents don't poke you in the back as you're carrying them around. I've never had a backpack that had this feature before and I think this is simply fantastic. It's been a problem I've faced with my fashion backpacks and I've always had to create a makeshift hard plate but to have one designed from concept is much better.

All in all, I have to say the 5.11 Tactical Rush 12 is brilliantly executed. The design has been well thought-out to maximize the comfort of the user, providing numerous options for the user in terms of customizability (adding of pouches via the MOLLE webbing) and the huge number of compartments means one will be able to find the space to put almost anything. Top that off with 1050D nylon construction, this backpack is meant to last decades, if not a lifetime.

About the only gripe that I had with this backpack is that it does weigh quite a bit even when empty, which can be a problem especially when you're carrying it in your hands by the carry handle. Of course, there had to be a flipside to this pack. Even still, the Rush 12 is pretty much fantastic in most other aspects and I'm very happy with my purchase.

This review is little less specific than I usually do for reviews of my gear, so I think I might come back and do an in depth one when I have assessed it over a longer period. Stay tuned for it and thanks for reading!