Roller ball vs. ballpoint?

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I can only speak from personal preference. Overall, I prefer a ballpoint (gel/hybrid). I like the Pentel Energel needle point cartridges. They look weird on some rollerball pen styles, though. Standard rollerball ink is water based, making it feather on some paper and slow to dry (on paper, but quick to dry up in the cartridge if left sitting around too long). Another consideration is that a slower drying ink is not good for lefties.

If a friend or customer asks me for a personal recommendation, I always ask what they usually write on. A regular cross style ballpoint is the best bet for post-it notes.
 
Between the two, I prefer rollerball, but then I'd prefer a fountain pen over both.

If the kit is a Parker style ballpoint, I DO like the Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 refill.

Todd's (@sorcerertd) point about what you write on is a VERY good one. If you write on cheap paper, you won't like fountain pens, and even rollerballs will feather and bleed through.
 
For me, it's more about the ink cartridge than the pen style. My everyday carry pens are all rollerball kits, however I replace the rollerball ink with a blue, broad tip Pilot G2 gel ink cartridge. If I ever come across a Parker style refill that has similar writing characteristics I would use ballpoint kits as well. - Dave
 
I don't sell my pens at shows or fairs, so I can only offer my own opinion.

If you are willing to find decent paper to write on, I'll take a fountain pen 9 times out of 10.

Rollerballs are next up for me as long as I'm not writing on SUPER cheap paper. They'll do fine on standard printer paper and most notebooks, for example, particularly if you use a fine tip.

I avoid using ballpoints when I can. If I have to use one, the Schmidt 9000 is far and away the best one, though of course it only works for pens that take a Parker style refill. I think I even prefer the Schmidt 9000 to a gel refill, though I also like a Monteverde gel type.

I'm making a pen for a left-handed coworker, and after trying all the fancy fountains and rollerballs and whatnot, he said a ballpoint works best for him. It's what he's used to, he didn't "catch the bug" of using a higher-end writing implement, and instant drying = no smearing for him. So I'll be making him something that takes the Schmidt 9000.
 
I am a fan of rollerballs and FPs, but most of my customers what ballpoints because of the practicality. I only sell with Schmidt 9000s or Fisher refills though.
 
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