Lamy Safari
The
Original Lamy Safari was unveiled in 1980 featuring three colors: Savannah Green, Terracotta Orange, and Charcoal Black. The Lamy Safari was originally designed for young writers and fountain pen beginners due to the tripod pen grip; however, over time, the Safari became an icon amongst all pen lovers due to its writing technology, affordable price, and a wide variety of different colors. The Savannah Green costs around $1000 on the secondhand market as a result of the pens being quite rare. Fortunately, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Lamy Safari, Lamy is bringing back the original colors in Savannah Green, and Terra Red for their Lamy Safari 2021 series. Owners of the originals, do not worry, as the current pens will deviate from the originals.
While
Lamy usually releases matching ink colors with the pens, they have chosen not to do that this year. The original Lamy Safari cartridge colors were a dark blue. Since these are classic colors, the best way to re-release them is with the classic ink color that they came with. While I am a bit disappointed in that decision as I thought Savannah Green and Terra Red ink colors could be beautiful, I do agree that you should match a classic pen with classic ink color.
Fountain Pen Design
Over time, I've become more and more enamored with Lamy's designs. The Safari is one like no other. The tripod grip makes it easy to use and leaves no fountain pen lover behind. I've always hoped that Lamy would release more matte colors, and they delivered in the 2021 series. I also love the fact that you can use a converter with the Safari and pair it up with an ink of your choosing. The colors are spectacular, and I'm happy that Lamy brought back these colors. Over 40 years, the Lamy Safari has been a staple of the fountain pen industry, the pen really hasn't undergone many design changes which speaks to the quality of Lamy products. The texture is comfortable, the pen is easy to use, and looks stunning, what else is there to ask for?
Fountain Pen Nib
Lamy is quite minimalistic with their nibs for the Safari. While many brands like
TWSBI and
Diplomat have different nib designs, the Lamy Safari has a basic nib; however, it's quite understandable for the price. This observation is from an aesthetic viewpoint, the functionality of the Lamy nibs is splendid. Especially since this is a classic pen, a minimalist nib will match the aesthetic quite well. For this review, I used a Medium Nib, which had a great flow, and moved across the paper quite smoothly. Lamy nibs tend to be on the smoother side, and the writing is thicker than other German counterparts, such as JoWo. Overall, I have no complaints. The nib works perfectly, the writing is smooth, and there's very limited skips or blotches ( I experienced none over my time testing).
Fountain Pen Writing
As somebody who mostly writes with fountain pens that have round grips, it was a bit weird transitioning to the tripod grip. After a while, I didn't notice a hindrance in my writing. I think that Lamy does a great job catering to everybody with the Safari grip, especially young writers. The writing was smooth, the pen rested easily in my hand, and the writing flow was fantastic.
Rollerball Pen Design
As much as I love the Lamy Swift, it's push top mechanism does occasionally cause the refill to dry up. This is not the case with the Safari. The rollerball is enclosed with an airtight cap which allows for maximum longevity for the refill. Other than the pen being a rollerball, the design is the exact same as the fountain pen.
Rollerball Pen Writing
I love rollerball pens. To be honest, I prefer using rollerball pens over ballpoint pens due to the less amount of pressure needed to write. This allows me to be able to write notes, record lectures, and write over long periods of time without straining my hand. The flow of the pen is wet, smooth, dries quickly, and creates an exceptionally enjoyable writing experience. For the price, I don't see another rollerball pen giving you the same experience for the same price. I honestly feel like the Safari could compare pretty well with the Swift.
Ballpoint Pen Design
As stated before, I love the tripod grip; furthermore, I love the rubber push-top mechanism. The ballpoint pen has a different aesthetic compared to the rollerball and fountain pens. I still like it, especially cause it does stand out from the other two. The design is also quite minimalistic, but the push-top does bring a different style to the pen.
Ballpoint Pen Writing
I am not the biggest fan of ballpoint pens, I don't use them often due to my collection mostly being composed of fountain pens. I have tested different ballpoint pens such as the Leuchtturm Drehgriffel, which I enjoyed, but not many ballpoint pens really stood out for me. The Lamy Safari Ballpoint pen is the first pen that I could see adding to my collection. I didn't feel like I had to push extra hard to get the ink out and the writing was functional. I don't see myself investing much money into ballpoint pens, which is why I like the Safari. The price is extremely reasonable, and I believe that this pen's writing and feel can compare to others with higher price ranges.
Verdict
To be honest, I don't know how Lamy does it, the Safari is essential in any fountain pen collection. The fact that their pens go for around $40 is mind-boggling, especially with the quality that you receive. The first pen I ever tested was the Safari, as my knowledge of pens has increased I've come to appreciate the Safari more and more. I'm happy Lamy brought back a piece of history in the Lamy Safari Savannah Green and Terra Red for their 40th anniversary. For the price that these pens go for, I don't see a better purchase option. As always, thank you for tuning in to this review. To keep updated about Buchan's Stationery, subscribe to our newsletter! Shop a wide variety of stationery, gifts, office supplies, and more online or in-store at
Buchan's Stationery in Vancouver, Canada.
Order the 40th Anniversary Lamy Safari Colours
Lamy Safari Savannah Green
Fountain Pen
Rollerball Pen
Ballpoint Pen
Lamy Safari Terra Red
Fountain Pen
Rollerball Pen
Ballpoint Pen
