Regarding price:
http://www.doml.com/product.asp?id=727&model=multifunctionpen

It may be out of stock, but a few colleagues of mine have already purchased it. I'm planning on getting one for myself.

Constantine Dokolas

Dear Julie,

I am on my fourth (4th) pen. The Graphite finish on this thing is as durable as a paper umbrella in a rain storm. I have never missused any of the pens nor have they come in contact with any chemicals.

You also have to sacrifice writing quality for convenience.

I would not reccommend this pen to anyone unless it sold for under $15.00.

Best regards,

Jeff

I was looking for refills for the Quattro I got my husband a few Christmases ago when I came across your article. I just thought I'd email this link where I found the pen for $37.50 -- which is much cheaper than what you have posted and VERY fair, I think. Paradise Pen also carries the refills for this pen. You might be interested to know that they carry a pen in a graphite finish for the same price (since you weren't crazy about the feel of the black one).

http://www.paradisepen.com/paradise/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=21640&

I stumbled across your web page while searching for Rotring refills. I have had a Rotring Quattro Executive for several years and the shiny chrome finish has proven to be extremely durable. I substituted the stylus tip for the highlighter and have been very pleased. After two years of use, the tip indicator paint has worn off, but I know where all the tips are.

I too used to have problems with my lead breaking every time I retracted the mechanical pencil. However, being an engineer, I disassembled the pencil and located the problem. There is a small ribbed ring at the base of the spring. This was loose, allowing the pencil to bend slightly and break the lead. I tightened the ring with my fingers and the lead has not broken in quite some time. I hope this helps the rest of those with broken lead.

Regards,

Mark

I wanted to purchase a "nicer" stylus than the one I now carry, something with a little more heft. Because I want a pen/pencil/stylus that is selected by a click (as opposed to a twist of the barrel), I've kind of narrowed my choices down to the Rotring Quattro & Rotring 600. After reading the reviews and comments, both sound like nice pens, especially since StylusCentral has a new finish available for the Quattro and the price has dropped. However, I'm also drawn to the 600 for it's looks of durability and weight. I do, however, carry my pen in my shirt pocket and some have indicated it might be a little heavy for that. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Paul

I have one and the main thing that bothers me about it is how often the attachments fall out of the barrel. I find that either pencil or the pen comes loose and out of the barrel. I have to constantly tighten them up. This happened on my first one and I sent it back to Rotring. They sent me a replacement and this one is doing it again. You would think that for $65 the pen would be free of defects like this. Have you heard any one else complain about this? What are your thoughts on what I should do?

Thanks,
Sergio Espinosa

I've got my hands on my first multi-pen when I bought one in the Microsoft campus store in Redmond, probably around 1997. I think that it was as a Yasutomo.

At that time neither I nor anyone that I knew had seen anything like it...... I was hooked.

When that pen went missing in about 2000 my wife bought me a rOtring as a gift.

Since then the rOtring has been used every day, and has never failed me.
I treat it as I would any other pen and it has stood up admirably.

The black finish has lasted longer than my original quad-pen, especially around the barrel of the cap (or is it a button....)

I am a big fan of the rOtring.

PS. As stated in these reviews, all of the pen/pencil/stylus/highlighter refills seem to be interchangeable between all manufacturers...

Oh, and the original quad-pen showed up last year, in a pen slot of a seldom used briefcase, right where I left it.....

double-o-don

I have had a Rotring Quattro multi-pen (pre-Quattro Data model - blue/black/red ballpoint and 5 mm pencil) for about 5 years. I personally do not like the Rotring refills, but found that the refills sold by Franklin Covey for their "Quad" pen fit the Rotring and write much smoother (they cost $2.25 ea). Franklin Covey also has a stylus tip that fits as well. I have noticed that the pencil lead does tend to break more often than with other mechanical pencils, that the pencil mechanism loosens and needs to tightened fairly often and the gunmetal gray finish does wear/peel off to leave a lighter gray finish. Having said all that, the bottom line is that I still love this pen and, using the Franklin Covey refills, it is the only pen I use. I tried the "Quad" pen sold by Franklin Covey and felt that it did not measure up - it didn't feel as solid and didn't have the weight/heft of the Rotring. As mentioned in other reviews, the non-Data model is considerably less expensive and both the highlighter and stylus refills can be substituted for one of the ballpoint pen tips.

Alicia

I just purchased one of these 2 weeks ago. The ink, highlighter, and pencil ran out within one week - probably it was a display or used some by potential buyers. However, I noted several days later that the ink had leaked all over in the inside of the barrel. I bought it at Fahrneys Pen Shop in DC who are graciously sending me a new one. [My favorite pen shop - they always stand by their products and it is easy to exchange or get replacements etc.]

I liked the pen because of the weight [i.e. waterman lover], but I found the pen and the highlighter to deliver inconsistent flow - like you said in your review. I travel and frequently find myself in situations where

I wished I had a highlighter - so this combo is perfect for me. I

actually would prefer a red pen instead of the stylus.

I am getting a replacement and stumbled across your web site because I too did not like the finish and was looking to see if there were any

others- but love the versatility enough that I want another.

I have such a beast !

Wrost thing I EVER bought !!

Went one time for repair, then the thing just self-destructed on my hand...

It's the second rotring pen (different models) that show big mechanical problems, design problems, whatever.

Will never buy rotring again in my life !!

Best Regards
--
Shafik Mahomad

I really like the matte finish on the pen. It offers better friction than a smooth metal surface (which is nice if you have just put lotion on your hands). The all in one aspect of the pen replacing several writing instruments in my pocket allows me to lose that geek stigma associated with carrying multi writing instruments... until I whip out my Palm VII.

I have two of these instruments and have been using them for over 6 months. Neither of my Quattros acquired a scratch yet. Nor do I have problem with breaking pencil leads. 

The HI-Lite refill will crust over with infrequent use; however, a quick scratch on a pad gets the ink flowing evenly & correctly again. As to the cap slipping off a little each time you release the selected refill, simply reseating the cap by pressing it firmly each time you use the pen eliminates this problem.

All in all a good pen... minor adjustments compensate for slight deficiencies one might expect from a do-all instrument Wylie Coyote would be proud of.

Tom
Austin, Texas

I bought my rOtring multipen in 1998. I really like
it. It is the matte black finish, quattro, with
orange highlighter. I really like the "feel" of this
pen, and so scuffs to the finish yet. However, I am
not really thrilled with the ballpoint refills. The
ink is just not very dark. I love the look of the
"gel ink" pens (such as the Pilot G2)but I would
rather only carry 1 pen. I recently bought a Visor
deluxe PDA, so I replaced the highlighter with the
stylus refill. I found it a bit sharp and rounded it
off slightly to protect my PDA from scuffing. Has
anyone ever found a refill that is like a roller ball
or gel pen, I mean really bold ink, for this miltipen?
I would really appreciate finding one.

Thanks, Don 

Julie,
Actually, I think I was wrong about the lead breaking -- Levenger told me 
a little later that problem was due to the very brittle lead from Rotring. 
I switched a couple days ago to a Japanese Zebra lead and that has ended my 
problems, best I can tell. I have to give customer service there big 
points; they are always quite responsive.

Greg

I ALSO find that the manufacturing tolerances on the mechanical pencil
produce an annoying number of lead breakages. It appears to be an old
.5 mm design, probably all they could fit in the barrel.

Further, I am having trouble finding a replacement for the ballpoint.

Greg

Greetings,

I purchased a rotRing Quatro several months ago at a Colorado Springs Office Depot. In general I've been happy with the pen. It does, however, have one severe flaw. My unit breaks the .5mm pencil lead between uses. I'm not sure exactly why, however, it is probably due to a slight bend in the pencil shaft as that part of the pen is extended and retracted. Therefore, as a pencil, IMHO, the rotRing is a bit shy of useless. And it wastes a, comparatively, huge amount of pencil lead.

- Nelson Ingersoll

Hi Julie,

I just bought the Rotring Quattro Data pen since I had a standard
Quattro pen (black/blue/red pens/0.5mm pencil) already.  I'm not real
hot on the finish either.  The original Q-pen has a smooth
titanium/gunmetal finish that feels much better in your hand, though
there must be a certain amount of personal preference to the feel
(though my girl friend prefers the matte black Data pen).  I like the
highlighter, and the point of the stylus.  However, the stylus has a bit
of vertical play that could be annoying compared to a solid one-piece
stylus.  I got mine though Costco online for $30...much cheaper than
list.

In my search to replace the abominable stock stylus for my Visor Deluxe,
I've bought the PDA Panache replacement stylus which I like, with the
exceptions in my review comments for that item.  I also ordered the PDA
Panache's Quattro Pen stylus insert.  It has a good point of course, and
it can replace the Quattro data pen's stylus if you prefer the PDA
Panache tip.  I originally bought it to replace one the tips in my (non
data) Quattro, but now I haven't decided what to do with it.  PDA
Panache also sent me a "cheapie" stylus similar to a Paper Mate
disposible pen that works well for my desk.  It was a nice surprise.

Additionally, even though it doesn't directly refer to the Data Pen, I
also bought the Premium stylus 5 pack from Handspring.  The design
matches the Visor exactly and fits like the original stylus (comes with
1 each of the 5 Visor Deluxe colors).  The top of the stylus even
unscrews to expose a reset pin while the tip unscrews to reveal a small
philips screwdriver that will fit the Visor's case screws.  However, the
functional tip of the stylus is disappointing.  The plastic is harder
than the OE stylus and nowhere near PDA's.  I'm trying to think of a way
to shave off some of the tip and dip it in Low Density Polyethylene or
polypropylene (and then reshape it) to get a smooth, soft tip.  It's too
bad that these "premium" styli are form over function, because they fit
the Visor's stylus slot and match well.  I'll keep using PDA Panache's
Chrome Visor stylus and the Roting pens.

Chris

Hi,

Didn't see anything about my problem when I scanned the responses to the
review.

I use the pencil most often, and find that the leads are constantly breaking
off inside at about 1/4" length.  This makes the lead recede back into the
tip, and turn as I write.  Has anyone else had this problem, or better yet,
solved it?

Thanks,

Lynn

Dear Julie,

Just read your review on the Rotring Quattro and found them to be pretty much on the mark. I have been a loyal Rotring user for over ten years and I would be hard-pressed to give up this line of fine writing instruments.

In today's age when Mont Blanc's cost anywhere from $100.00 to several thousand dollars I don't mind paying fifty dollars for this unique writing pen. The versatility of having four different writing utensils in one package makes each one only about $12.50 each and I only have to carry one pen instead of four. It's no wonder that once I got rid of the pocket protector and all those pens that they quit calling me "geek". Though I'm still not sure if that is a good thing or not.

Thanks for the great review and I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Best Regards,
Dieter Sellers

Just a quick note/question --

It's time to replace the ballpoint-pen part of my Quattro.  I've bought the
refill, but it seems like a lot of "pull" is required to get the old one
out.  Is this normal?  In other words, do I just yank hard until it comes
out?  I can't find the "coffin" my pen came in, which I'm sure had
instructions.

I use and like all four parts of the pen, but I find that with the orange
highlighter, I have to "start" my line on a separate piece of scrap paper to
get a smooth line, before using it to underline something.

Very glad to have found this site!

John

You're lucky - these bloody pens are almost $135 in Australia !!!

And no, they're not worth it.

Jon

I just read your review. I thought you might like to know that Office Depot
has now started carrying this pen/stylus for $45. I'm not exactly sure if
it's available nationwide but it definitely is available in the SF Bay Area.
I had 2 available as of today (6-13) at the store where I work.

Bryant.

Hi Julie!

I must say I was a lot more positive about the Rotring Quattro Data than you. I liked it enough to start stocking it last summer, as well as all the refills(see http://www.sphipps.com/, price including shipping to the US from here in the UK is around $48 most of the time - but my views here are genuine, not sales talk). In his travels around the US, my husband reports he's seen the Quattro Data in the specialist pen retailers in many shopping malls, so I don't think it's as rare as you think, and now that Rotring have been purchased by Sanford the pen is being driven into the marketplace much more aggressively.

My pen is still unscratched after a year of careless use - the marks that look like worrying scratches just wipe off, the finish is extremely durable. I especially liked the weight, balance and feel of the pen, I much prefer it to my Cross Digital writer (although that has a better stylus). Like you, I sometimes picked the wrong insert, but I now flick the pen slightly as I put it horizontal and I think that makes the gravity latch drop more reliably as I now almost never pick the wrong tip. I've had no trouble with any of the ballpoint refills, but the highlighters are sometimes slow to start and I've now put a red refill in my pen in place of the orange highlighter as an experiment. I've never seen the 'Coffin' box over here, all ours come from Rotring in just a cardboard sleeve.

One point you don't mention is that pretty much the whole pen is available as spare parts from Rotring, so if it suffers any damage you can either buy a spare inexpensively or get Rotring to fix it for you. I've had mine engraved as friends seemed keen to keep it after borrowing it!  All in all I'm still very pleased with my pen & it's the only one I choose to stock.

Best wishes,

Susanna

CAUTION! If you use a Fisher pressurized refill instead of the one
supplied, be VERY CAREFUL! Ink beads on the ball of Fisher refills, and
before you know it, there is a blob of sticky ballpoint ink somewhere. In
my case, the ink got onto the tip of the stylus, and as soon as I wrote on
my unit, there was an ink blot on the screen.  Fortunately I use screen
savers. Frankly, it is best not to use the Fisher  with the quattro.
Philippe Radley

I agreed with your review - in particular the comments about the Rotring
scratching easily (I could no longer put it in the same pants pocket as
my keys, for example) and the highlighter skipped ink almost every time
I used it.

I wish I had known about your site and the review before I spent some
$45 from Levenger.com in buying it.  But, I have bookmarked the
gadgeteer now and will avoid another costly mistake in the future!

Thanks for your service to others!
Tony

Hi Julie,
nice review for the rotring pen. I can confirm everything you mentioned.

I am using the pen since 1 year now and I get really nervours if I can't
find it.
Maybe for your interest: The mechanic works with a ball which drops into
a slot for each tip. So if you look at a symbol make sure that gravity
can move the ball. Than the system works more accurate.
You can see that also if you open the front,  the select tip is on the
oposite site of the picture.

Bye
       Alexander

On the "Quattro": I find most of the complaints either misguided or based
on ignorance of how a writing instrument works. Two recurring points in
particular seem to me off base.
1) Your commenters don't seem to know much about writing instruments.  You
could never put a rollerball in such a configuration. Rollerballs use
liquid fountain pen ink, and a cartridge the size of the quattro's would
hold no more than one page worth of writing. BTW, I replaced the Rotring
cartridge with a Fisher, because it is pressurized, and I sometimes have to
write up against a wall, in bed.... I have used Fisher cartridges for
years, as have the astronauts. Contrary to one of your commenters, I must
note that, far from being smoother, they are rougher, with a thicker ink,
that beads on the point, so be careful.
2) The placement of the cartridges is probably arbitrary. I doubt that it
is based on frequency of use. I, for one, use the stylus and highlighter by
far the most (since I write mostly with a fountain pen, and use a ballpen
only to sign my name where I need to make a copy). Picking cartridges by
feel, in any case, is foolish: as the very same commenters agree, you don't
always get the right cartridge when you push, so you must look to be sure.
Otherwise, you might find yourself writing on the Palm screen with a pen or
pencil. Thus, it makes no real difference where the cartridges are. And, of
course, the top pops up when you release a point: the point is on a spring! 

Philippe D. Radley

It's a great pen. I too thought the finish would come off, but so far it is
holding up quite well. It is a very elegant design and a very comfortable
diameter. Not too thin, not too thick. A couple of recommendations though: If
the orange highlighter does not appeal to you, Levenger
(http://www.levenger.com) sells a special version of this pen that uses a
blue ballpoint, red ballpoint, stylus and pencil. The stylus is positioned
where the orange highlighter normally is and the whole pen is two-tone. The
clip and the tip is matte silver, as is the cap and the section-band. It too
is a very handsome pen. Otherwise the pen is identical to the Quattro data
pen in every way (even though it is only sold by Levenger, it is still a
Rotring) It's also only $49.

Also, I wasn't thrilled with Rotring's black refill, which isn't very smooth
and writes kind of "grey." This is pretty common in pens of this type.
Fisher, the Space pen company, makes a refill that will fit the Data Pen.
Comes in Black or Red and is pressurized, so it will write in space,
underwater, etc. It is however very smooth and dark, much more pleasing than
Rotring's pen refill. Each Fisher refill is about $1.50 and I think they
have a web site.

My only complaint echos the other reviewer who noticed that the cap tends to
pop-off just a little each time the tip retracts. Other than that it's an
awesome pen which has replaced three other pens in my pocket.

Eric

I agree with your pro and con comments. The thing that sold me on it was
the fact that I can now carry in my pocket ONE device, instead of a pen,
a pencil, a red pen/highlighter, and stylus tip, since, in the course of
my workday I use them all.

Catherine Pensyl

I think the pen is a definite plus for people who doesn't like to carry two
or three pens in their pocket.  The stylus is definitely improves the
recognition aspect of the Palm Pilot.

I totally agree with the strange feeling of the finish of the pen.  It does
feel strange and does take some to get used to.  I disagree with the
durability issue of the finish however.  I have been using the pen for half
a year without special care.  Actually, I drop it quite often.  It seems to
work fine and still looks good.

Although the pen is well made and great to look at.  I really think the
price should come down another 20-30%.  I paid $75 Canadian for mine.

Kevin Lo

I have used the Rotring Data Pen and I would give a grade of C.

Pros:
*4 writing instruments
*option to swap position of 3 pens/stylus
-then icons won't match, though
-you can buy blue, red ballpoint and orange highlighter refills
-AFAIK, the 0.5 mechanical pencil's position seems fixed. I have not dared to use more force to pull it out

Cons:
*Having stylus icon on one side of clip makes sense but doesn't make sense to have the highlighter pen on the other side of clip. Would be better to have the pen icon instead of the highlighter pen icon because most people would probably use the pen more than the highlighter and its easiest to get the two instruments on either side of the clip. Most people would probably want to be able to quickly select stylus or pen by feeling the position of the clip without having to look at the icons.
*Perhaps as a general comment to all styli, the mechanism in the Data pen(and perhaps others) seems to be too hard to use with one hand(afterall, you?re probably holding your Palm with the other) to get to the two instruments furthest from the clip. In my opinion, these styli should be designed for one-handed operation. Getting the two instruments furthest from the clip is definitely a two handed operation.
-one handed operation for 2 instruments furthest from clip: F
-one handed operation for 2 instruments closest to clip: B
-two handed operation for 2 instruments furthest from clip: C
-two handed operation for 2 instruments closest to clip: A
-the endcap that you turn is way too thin and smooth to be easily used with one hand
-there is no audible/tactile ?click? that would tell you which instrument youre aligned with

*After retracting the instruments several times, the removable endcap would start coming partially off. I had to basically squash the end cap a bit so that it would fit more snugly and not slide off(it still does slides off a millimeter or two). Maybe the spring is too strong.

Misc: I, too, accidentally left it in the same pocket with some change and seemed like that some metal from the coins rubbed on the pen. Pen was not scratched in anyway. Minimal problem with sweat marks.

Overall comment: This instrument does seem to be like a 1st gen product, with all its shortcomings
I know that I am being picky, but after paying >$50, you?d expect quality in all aspects for that much.

Verdict: You decide. I only wished that I had read Mr. Kizner?s comments before I purchased mine.

S.L.

The Rotring Quattro is in fact not so hard to find (at least, in New York).
It is in stock, and has been for months, at the penshop I mentioned in my
last email, Arthur Brown & Bro. ([email protected]). It is available at
discount and should cost significantly less than the $59 suggested list (I
thought "list" prices had disappeared long ago). I just bought one and I
already like it to the exclusion of other styli. It combines the four
features I personally like in a combined writing instrument (though I do
most of my actual writing with a fountain pen). The point selection
mechanism has been in use on combined pens for many years: in my opinion,
it is far better than the ugly system that uses four levers to activate
each point (as in the cheap Bic 4-color pens, and the old, now extinct
Norma pencils and 4-color Montblanc ballpens and pencils). BTW, the
highlighter is meant as an underliner or strike-through emphasizer: I can't
understand why you would have tried to write with it (and the color is,
frankly, unreadable). Regards.

Hi Julie,

I've been using the Quattro for around 2 months now. On balance, it's a
great step forward from both the standard metal Palm3 stylus and some of
the replacements (eg. Black Nail).

The thing I've noticed most is an improvement in Graffiti recognition.
However, I think this is largely down to having a writing tool which is
the same size as a pen. It's only going back to the original stylus
which makes me realise how small it was.

I'm glad I tried it, but I wish I'd had the chance to try it out against
some of the competitors you mention. My one was bought mail order in the
UK and came in a simple cardboard tube, but only cost the equivalent of
$45.

Gripes:

- the tip selction process is a bit hit and miss
  and has seemed to get worse over time

- the data tip doesn't seem that rigid and I
  often notice a little wobble when writing
  (mainly when lifting the tip off the surface).
  This negates a lot of the benefit.

- the ball point pen is better than I thought, but
  (like your other contributors) I'd rather have
  a proper rollerball tip or one which was less
  "fine".

- I worried about the surface getting rubbed off
  though it hasn't happened yet.

Colin

I use this pen everywhere, I think the highlighter feature is something
that is a very nice addition to this pen. I now have everything I need
to take notes, review documents and use my palm pilot. I like this
because now I dont have to carry four or five different writing
instruments.

I agree with the 95% rate on getting the correct tip, and the case is a
little extavagent for the pen, but I found my pen at Colorado Pen Co for
about $49. The tips ran about the same price as your review states. I
have been using Rotrings for awhile, the only thing I wish the Quattro
had was a true rollerball instead of ballpoint.

Nice article

Duane Grant

Hi Julie,

     I don't have the Quattro Data model, but a regular Quattro
multi-function pen (blue/black/red ballpoint and a .5mm pencil). I
purchased mine for around $29 here in the US at OfficeMax, wrote to Rotring
from their website (www.rotring.com) and requested the stylus insert (I
offered to pay for one, but they sent it for free). Simply replacing the
blue ink refill with the stylus insert, gave me a great combo pen, without
the drawbacks that are mentioned concerning the Quattro Data pen; the
regular Quattro has a smooth gun metal grey finish and is significantly
less expensive (and you still get the cool "coffin" box :-).

Keep up the great reviews!

~Michael Kizer            

Hi Julie,

just read your review about the Rotring Stylus. Good to know that this
gadget is available. I'm using a comparable Rotring since a year but
instead of the stylus there is a red ballpen. Maybe the tips are
changeable...?
What i wanted to say: This Pen costs here in Germany about 69,- Marks
that is something around $40. So ask anybody who travels to
Germany/Europe to bring one of those or come over yourself :-), they
should be available in every "Papiergesch?t" or big store.

Greetings

Carsten Eisfeld

Julie,

I have a Quattro Data for several months now.  So far it is the best unit I have found.  I
agree that it is expensive, but the functionality is worth it.  Also it has a great warranty.  I
damaged my stylus and they are replacing it.  The highlighter is a bit problematic as it does
not write as well as I would like.

As far as the finish, I have had no problems.  I scared myself when I put in the pocket with
my change, the finish looked to be polished off.  What had happened was the coins had left
material on the surface of the pen.  I wiped it down and all is fine.

All the way around I really like the instrument.

Bob Fairbairn

PS the "coffin" case is cool for demos.  Real geek factor!

Hi Julie,

  I have been using the Rotring multi pen since it first came out about
three months ago. I found it at Sharon Luggage. I bought it primarily
for the stylus, pen, and highlighter which I use frequently at work and
it saves me a little pocket space since before I had to carry all three.
It has worked well and I haven't really had a problem with the finish on
mine. I did trade the positions of the highlighter and ink cartridges.
Let me explain why. I normally use the ink and stylus cartridges the
most. The ink cartridge comes placed in a position in the pen where you
must look at the pen to make sure you have the ink icon facing up. The
highlighter icon is on one side of the pocket clip and the stylus icon
is on the other. By switching the ink with the highlighter I can
activate the pen by feel without actually having to look at the pen. The
actual cartridge holders inside the pen are all the same size so this
poses no problem. It's no big deal but it does make switching back and
forth between the pen and the stylus a little easier.
  For me the harder tip on the stylus was a selling point. I use the
"WriteRight" screen protectors on my Pilot and they tend to make a
softer tip drag, slowing the writing process. I had this problem using
the "Pilot" stylus pen. It has a soft tip which was great with an
unprotected screen.
  I found that if you are rotating the pen while you make a selection it
will activate the tip you are rotating away from. The tip selection
method is the only gripe I have about the pen. I wish they could have
come up with a better method. Overall the pen has worked great. It was
worth the price for me.

David