Rotring Surf (Medium Nib) Fountain Pen Review

[snehsab]

I have just seen the review of the Rotring Surf pen on Youtube. It looks like a basic pen, with a smooth nib.

 

Does anyone have this pen? If yes, then how cool is it?

 

Here, have a look at the full review first:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEM_gAsrMm4

Edited July 26, 2015 by snehsab

[Dickkooty2]

The review was enough to sell me, or rather, to make me buy one. I just ordered a Surf from Germany on ebay.

 

My extensive 15 minute research project found no Surfs on Amazon. The first group of listings on ebay were a sickly pale green Surf and an invisible blue Surf ... not inspiring colors. Available from California (quick delivery) and India (what you expect for time).

 

BUT by the way ... where is the ROT RING! An ionic brand component since the Tintenkul in 1927. The brand name was changed to ROTRING in the 70's because of the distinctive feature.

 

In the second set of 'International' listings are the Surf in ROT and yellow from Germany with shipping by Deutsche Post. The difference in price to the US/India offerings was about $4. So for about $11, with fast delivery and in ROT, you can guess what I ordered.

 

I'll wait till I receive it to decide whether I need the converter. I just got a big pack of Diamine Imperial Blue cartridges for small, low cost pens like the Jinhao 886 which I have in four colors and are a great fit in a shirt pocket with the a small note book.

[snehsab]

yes, even i have ordered one from the seller mentioned in the description. You should get the one from califronia, if you want it fast. Else, this seller, like the guy in the video said, is nice and helpful. I've ordered the blue one n not the brown one.

 

Coming to this review, it's very different from the ones we see from SBRE and matt armstrong.. A job well done

Edited July 26, 2015 by snehsab

[Dickkooty2]

And I received the pens today ... Deutsche Post/sign for them.

 

I say pens because there were two. I paid $11.00, so I get two for $5.50@. What the reviewer had estimated without shipping or the time from the sub continent.

 

I think that the reviewer's writing test was an accurate and fair and well-done test. The writing is not my hang-up.

 

My hang-ups are the aesthetics. I received a transparent kinda weak purple and a so-called orange opaque in a color I would call bad salmon. The colors are off-putting: weak, off-register for what you would think the colors should be. I don't like weak looking pens. I think the name 'Surf' might have been chosen because they thought the colors were softer and beach-like. They are not. they are throw-up like.

 

Oh where is the red ring that used to symbolize the strength of German design and performance? Oh where is the feel of construction, the elegance? These dopey pens are not a good competitor to the Preppy. The Preppy is honest . These are the products of the new owners thrown together to meet price points. They have the look and feel of eye-droppers from India. Jinhao is doing a much better job at the same price points in plastic with the 599 and 886 ... both beautifully realized products.

 

I hate to see a proud name used as a come-on for a sleazy product.

 

If any one wants them, I will send them free of charge to a US mailing address. Just send me a message through Wim's Magic Decoder Ring with your name and address.

 

Dick

 

AND IN SPITE OF MY REVIEW, THE PENS HAVE FOUND A LOVING. BUT PERHAPS COLOR-BLIND, MEMBER OF FPN

[snehsab]

I have got mine a few days ago. I got the exact same colour.

 

I am very pleased with the build quality. Though, i wouldn't call it rock solid... But that's also the reason why it is so light.

 

I didn't get a converter. I may use one from my previous pens. The nib is very smooth (touch wood) and writes perfectly. I am not happy with the section area. They could have used a rubberised grip.

 

And did you get this orange colour?

 

http://image.rakuten.co.jp/atn/cabinet/rotring/rotring-70.jpg

 

Gee, it looks cheap!! I am happy i took the blue one :-) Goes well with the name too

[Dickkooty2]

As a footnote, the new owner and his wife have up-graded my description of the colors as 'weak purple' and 'bad salmon' to 'red' and 'peach'. Much nicer!

[subbu68]

Saw the review. the nib is probably from Ambitious. http://www.ambitiousindia.com

 

I have the same nib on my Reynolds FP I got a decade ago. It is a very good nib in my opinion.

[subbu68]

I got 3 of red-ring Espirit. Wonderful pen it is. There's review by another FPNer on review section.

 

Possibly this Surf is cobbled up by some local guy. It resembles Reynolds school pen my daughter got for $0.3 or Rs.20.

Edited August 14, 2015 by subbu68

[Plumette]

The Surf looks exactly like the Reynolds pen I bought in the bookstore of the Université Laval in 2003. The colors of mine are different—a kind of pale peach trimmed with, um, periwinkle? I kind of agree with Dickkooty2 about the throw-up aesthetic... But the pen writes very pleasantly. I saw a Reynolds pen just like mine, colors and all, being sold on fleabay by someone in Australia who said that the nib was "finely-etched ruthenium." Do what? Is that true, or creative advertising copy, do you think?

[snehsab]

Even I had one Reynolds pen that looked just like this one. Back in the old days, many popular companies were interested in manufacturing good quality pens - Reynolds, Montex, Rotomac, Flair...

 

The focus has now shifted to Platinum Preppy type cartridge pens.. I won't blame them as there is no demand for fountain pens among general users...