REVIEW: LAMY SAFARI SAVANNAH & TERRACOTTA SPECIAL EDITIONS (2021)

In the almost 8 years of existence of this website, I seem to have succeeded at - subconsciously - ignoring one of the most ubiquitous and widespread 'beginner' fountain pens on the planet: the Lamy Safari. 

Ok, I have done 'quick look' posts on some of the previous special editions throughout the years, but I've never actually made a complete and in-depth review about it. Despite that, the Lamy Safari has played an immense role in my pen journey throughout the years (and still does so today, as my father and I share a mutual hobby of collecting old special edition Safaris!), and it embodies a lot of what I seek in a true 'workhorse' pen. I guess, because it's so ubiquitous, the Safari is just a pen I've always taken for granted.

So today, while we take a look at 2021's Terracotta and Savannah special edition Lamy Safaris - two colors that immediately got me very excited! - I'll go a bit more in-depth on why I like this pen so much. Before we dive deeper into some of the details of the new Safari special editions, I'd like to thank sponsor of the blog, Penworld, for providing these pens for review!

Unfortunately, EU customers don't get the same pretty packaging as the American and Asian regions (Why Lamy?), so enjoy this gratuitous detail shot of the cap finials instead!

Let's start at the beginning: the Safari is a textbook example of a love-it-or-hate-it design, but that's also what makes it so interesting. The Safari goes at the Bauhaus design with an extra dose of brutalism and modernism (strong Oscar Niemeyer vibes) added to the mix: pronounced flats and angles, exaggerated proportions,...

... absurdly large 'paperclip' clip,

... and in-your-face branding on the back of the barrel. And yet, somehow, there's something strangely attractive about it.

The Safari has of course seen every single color of the rainbow over the years, but only two are true grail pens for the wintered Safari collector. Like so many Lamy Safari aficionados, my dad and I never found the two OG Lamy Safari colorways, Savannah and Terracotta (the two original colors released in 1980). To be honest, they may be a bit too grail-like, as prices for the original Savannah and Terracotta go insane on the second-hand market. That is, if you'd even find one for sale! Against all odds, Lamy seems to have actually listened to what the pen community wanted to see, so I'm VERY excited to see a re-release of the Savannah and Terracotta. Heck, for once they might really be listening, as we even saw rumors of a new colored 2000 (though I'll refrain from getting too excited about that just yet... they can still botch it like they did with the Bauhaus release!).

The argument you can hear left and right that this re-release will have a negative impact on the collectibility of the highly sought-after originals? I don't think so. True collectors will know how to spot the differences ('Germany' marking on the bottom, slightly different finial, etc), and the originals are so hard to find, I think this will just create even more awareness and demand to track those down...

In terms of how close the colors actually are to the originals? Well, I - unfortunately - don't own any of the originals, but from the few comparisons online, it seems that the Terracotta is quite spot-on, while the Savannah looks to be a touch less olive-green than the original (though in real life, it certainly looks olive-green to my eye). 

The Safari is a medium-sized pen, fitting in perfectly with some of my other favorite starter pens, like the Pilot Metro, and TWSBI Eco. The Safari measures just shy of 14 cm/ 5.5" capped, and retains a comfortable size of 12.9 cm/ 5.1" when uncapped. It weighs just 17 grams in total, thanks to the all-plastic (ABS), injection-molded construction. The cap posts securely and rather deep (it covers the entire 'LAMY' logo), which - together with the light weight - makes this one of the more comfy pens to use posted.

The section is nice and long, and transitions seamlessly (well, not seamless, but without a step... You get what I mean!) into the barrel. The diameter of the section is a bit tricky to translate into numbers, but it roughly tapers from 12 to 10 mm towards the nib. Talking about the section: just like the general design of the Safari, the section is quite controversial.

The pronounced triangular profile definitely favors a more 'traditional' tripod grip, so that's certainly something to keep in mind if you tend to hold your pen in a funky way. With my - fairly standard - grip, the Safari has always clicked very well. Even though shaped grips are typically regarded as a beginner feature, I still enjoy the controlled and precise grip it provides.

The firm - but fairly quiet - snap cap, as well as the ink window through the barrel, are both useful features to have on a workhorse 'EDC' pen. Additionally, I find the Safari beats the AL-star (another controversial debate!) due to its sturdy and durable injection-molded ABS construction. Especially the matte finish on the Savannah and Terracotta (and many other Safari colorways), is particularly good at hiding signs of wear and tear, though they do become shinier over time! In contrast, I'm always a bit nervous about putting a dent or scratch in the thin aluminum construction of the AL-Star.

Lamy nibs are well-known to provide a subtle amount of pencil-like feedback while you write, which I actually enjoy. They are very responsive, reliable nibs with a well-balanced ink flow. I especially enjoy the fine nibs, which lay down a nice medium-fine, crisp line of ink. In the grand scheme of things, Lamy's nibs aren't exceptional in any way, but they do what they have to do without hesitation, and they're easy and cheap to swap out, too. Certainly another reason why the Safari makes for a reliable workhorse pen!

While I'm still a bit ashamed that it took me this long to do a full review of the Lamy Safari, I'm fairly confident that my general sentiment on them hasn't really changed in all those years. Ok, I may have found the last two years of the Safari special editions (the Pastel and Candy trio's) a bit lackluster, but the re-release of the iconic Terracotta and Savannah are a perfect way to reaffirm my love for the bold and playful - perhaps a bit fugly - workhorse of a pen that is the Lamy Safari. Yes, I think it still absolutely deserves its status as one of the best affordable fountain pens on the market.

The Safari Savannah and Terracotta comes in a choice of fountain pen, roller, and ballpoint, but not the mechanical pencil. In Europe, the special edition fountain pens retail for 20.9€ (at Site Sponsor Penworld, use discount code 'pencilcase' for 10% off!), which is about one euro more than the standard colorways. Overseas, the US price seems to be the same regardless of the color you choose, although you do pay more across the board, just under 30$.

Note: Penworld is a sponsor of this site. I received a discount on this purchase, which enabled me to write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: 5TH ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY #1

Touchdown! The first 5th Anniversary giveaway has come to an end! Thanks to everyone who participated, and big thanks to the kind folks over at Penworld, who sponsored this giveaway. Only one thing left: to announce the winners who will receive either a brand new Lamy Al-Star Vibrant Pink or Safari All Black fountain pen! 

The Winners, as chosen by the Random number generator (in order of drawing): 

Aditya
(@adi_anything on Twitter)

Winner of the Lamy Al-Star Vibrant Pink fountain pen!

Nabi
(@dastaran on Twitter)
Winner of the Lamy Safari All Black fountain pen!

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Congratulations to both, we'll get in touch with the winners via email to get their prizes sent out!

Thanks again for all the support, and thanks for entering the giveaway! Didn't win this time, or missed out? Stay up-to-date on current giveaways by following The Pencilcase Blog on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, GOOGLE+, or subscribe to the NEWSLETTER!

[CLOSED!] GIVEAWAY: LAMY SAFARI ALL BLACK + AL-STAR VIBRANT PINK!

[GIVEAWAY CLOSED] The 5 year anniversary of The Pencilcase Blog obviously can't go by without a giveaway, so in the next few weeks you'll be able to win a ton of cool prizes from my five amazing sponsors.

Starting today with Penworld, who has the Lamy Safari All Black and Al-Star Vibrant Pink up for grabs! Want to win one of these two great special editions? Get in on the giveaway by entering below. Act fast because this giveaway will only run for 3 days, after which the winners are chosen!

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RULES: Open worldwide! Giveaway ends 6/29/ 2018. Winner will be chosen via random.org, and announced in a separate post. The winner will be contacted directly via email, if he/she fails to reply within one week, a new winner will be picked. Only entries with valid email address are eligible to win. Invalid entries are denied.

Want to stay up-to-date on current giveaways? Follow The Pencilcase Blog on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, GOOGLE+, or subscribe to the NEWSLETTER!

LAMY LX GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!

Touchdown! The Lamy Lx giveaway has come to an end! Thanks to everyone who participated, and big thanks to the kind folks over at Milligram, who sponsored this giveaway. Only one thing left: to announce a winner who will receive a brand new Lamy Lx fountain pen! 

From a total 240 (!) participants the winner, as chosen by the Random number generator, is: 

Simon Morrison-Baldwin!

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Congratulations Simon! We'll get in touch via email to get your prize  to you!

Thanks again for all the support, and thanks for entering the giveaway! Didn't win this time, or missed out? Maybe consider following The Pencilcase Blog on social media , that way you'll never miss future giveaways!

LAMY LX FOUNTAIN PEN REVIEW

The Safari and Al-star are undoubtedly the two first pens that come to mind when thinking about German brand Lamy. They are easily the most popular models, so it makes sense that the well-known Bauhaus brand tries to expand on this success. And so the Lx -or Live Deluxe- was born!

But... the Safari and Al-star are of course affordable pens. Their success is based mostly on the fact that they are excellent writers at an accessible price, nothing about them screams 'luxury'. With the Lx they wanted to incorporate a more luxurious look and feel in the same tried and trusted design of the Al-star, so how does that work? 

Well, more than one year after the original release (yes, it's already THAT long ago!), the Lx struggles to catch on in the market. It's now part of the standard product lineup (not a special edition as was first anticipated), but I've heard many retailers complain about the dissapointing sales once the original excitement for the 'Iphone colors' diminished... 

And that has everything to do with the rather high price of the Lx. So with that in mind, and with the 'hype' (if you can even call it that) way behind us, let's look at the pen in its own respect: how do I like it now? My thanks to Milligram for sending over the Palladium version which, together with my Ruthenium and my parents' Gold and Rose Gold, made it possible to show you all four versions side by side!

The Lx is an interesting pen really. From afar it's impossible to tell it apart from the Al-star. It's VERY similar, but on the same time it's as if they took the Al-star and put it on steroids. It's a more 'premium' version of an entry-level pen... which is a bit strange really. You see, no matter how you look at it, it's hard to see it as the Lx, and not 'just another Al-star'. But before we draw any conclusions, let's look at what the Lx has to offer:

The more refined finish and detailing on the Lx sets it apart as a more elegant version of the Al-Star, but it follows the exact same design for the most part. The straight cylindrical shape of the rather wide cap continues in the barrel, which has two flat sides. Not much special, nothing ornate... in true Lamy style. But the devil is in the details! The body finishes are more refined and the colors have a nice pearlescent finish to them. 

The 'biggest' changes are definitely the metal trims on top and bottom finial. It's funny how such a seemingly small detail can do so much in terms of appearance. For me this actually does succeed in setting the Lx apart quite a bit, as I'm not at all a fan of those black plastic inserts in the Al-star. The same finish of the finials is also found on the metal wire clip, which are also plated to match the rest of the pen.

The matching color of the anodized barrel and plated trims helps give the pen a more uniform, less cluttered look. The only thing I wish they would've also changed is the black plastic ring behind the section. It would've been really nice to see this made from the same plated metal as the rest of the trims. 

Branding is clean and unobtrusive, despite taking up quite some real estate on the barrel

There are two other details that set the Lx apart from the rest. One of which is the logo on the flat side of the barrel, which is now raised and has a glossy finish to make it stand out, but not too much. A small, but noticeable improvement over the cheap-looking stamped logo on the Al-star.

The second change is the nib, which received a small facelift. The black nib received a different coating compared to the regular black nibs. It's a deeper black color and it's glossier. The nib face also has a laser-etched design similar to the black-plated 14k gold Lamy nibs on the Lamy Imporium.

Oh, and I'd almost forget about the packaging. A big part of the upgrade (and probably also the price) comes from the matching anodized aluminium presentation case that each Lx comes in. It makes for a nice gift, and can be used as desk storage for your pen. Personally though, I'm not that big on the packaging. Apart from the initial moment of receiving the pen, it doesn't offer much added value for me. It's big and bulky to use as a carrying case, and the anodized finish is a paradise for scratches and bumps if you decide to throw it into your purse or bag.

L to R: Pelikan M805, Lamy aion, Lamy Studio, Lamy Lx, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Lx -just like the Al-star and Safari- is a relatively sizeable pen. it measures in at 13.9 cm (5.5") closed, and remains a comfortable 13 cm (5.1") uncapped. The aluminium and plastic construction makes for a very lightweight pen that -in combination with the triangular shaped section- makes for a rather comfortable writing experience. Shaped sections like this are the fundation for one of those forever ongoing arguments between good and bad. It's very much a personal preference, you'll find out rather fast if you love or hate it. For me, it's comfortable up until a certain point. I can write with it for quite a while, but eventually I'll start feeling the need to adjust my grip.

Then for the writing end: these new nibs are about 90% the same as any other steel Lamy nib. Nothing you haven't seen or used before... I was fairly convinced at first that they had a somewhat 'grittier' feel on the paper with more feedback. But when I did a side-by-side comparison with regular steel Lamy nibs, I couldn't notice any difference. Lamy doesn't overpolish their nibs, so they always have some feedback to them. In return, this ensures that the nibs provide a consistent flow of ink and a crisp line without skips. 

Overall, the Lx is a bit of a tough call. The price increase is rather steep, and in essence it's still the same pen as the Al-star. I think they did an excellent job on the small details such as the finials, the colors and even the presentation. So much so that it feels like a more 'complete' Al-star... It's what the Al-star maybe should be? In that regard, it's not difficult to acknowledge that Lamy did something very right when designing the Lx. But it's without a doubt a rather large premium to pay. 

If I nitpick about the small details (and I do!), the Lx will always have my preference over any Al-star. So ultimately, if you should pay the premium depends on how much you personally care about the little details. Prices vary quite strongly depending on where you live: 55 EUR seems the going rate in Europe, while the MSRP is around 70 USD in the US. If you're in Australia, Milligram has them for 99 AUD.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED: NOW FOR THE BEST PART: YOU CAN WIN A BRAND NEW LAMY LX FOUNTAIN PEN FOR YOURSELF, COURTESY OF MILLIGRAM! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ENTER IN THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET BELOW. GOOD LUCK!

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RULES: Giveaway ends 5/8/2018. Winner will be chosen via random.org, and announced in a separate post. The winner will be contacted directly via email, if he/she fails to reply within one week, a new winner will be picked. Only entries with valid email address are eligible to win. Invalid entries are denied.

This product was sent to me by Milligram so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affilate links.

QUICK LOOK: LAMY SAFARI ALL BLACK & AL-STAR VIBRANT PINK SPECIAL EDITIONS!

Some may disagree with me, but I think Lamy has been on a great run in the past couple years with their annual Safari and Al-star releases. The last three special editions have been rather consistent in terms of what we could expect: a bright and colorful new Al-star color, and a contrasting dark and subtle Safari.

Yet this year I think they outdid themselves on the combination of the two! The All Black met some criticism that it's not different enough from the standard 'Umbra' Safari (judge for yourself from the picture below), but I love how it came out. Over the years I've come to enjoy more colorful materials and finishes (If you've been following this blog since the beginning, you'll know that I used to be quite exclusively into monotone pens!), but I will still grab for the subtle and subdued colorways when I can. 

The All Black is indeed very similar to the Umbra, but especially side by side there's a difference to be noticed. The Umbra isn't really grey either, it's more like a really dark brown. I tried my best to show the very nuanced difference in the picture below. In any case, both are simple and office-appropriate, colors. Whether you choose the Umbra or All Black, both are sleek pens suited for everyday use, without drawing too much attention to your pen.

Umbra (used, so the finish has become glossier over time) on the left, All Black on the right.

As much as I like the subtlety of the All Black, the Vibrant Pink also grew on me in the past weeks! Pink and black match exceptionally well, so I think they did a great job putting these two colors together. Yes, the pink may be a slightly girly pen, and it may turn heads in the meeting room. But heck, why not! Want a pink pen, just go for it! For what it's worth, I think they went with a classy shade of pink, more like magenta, not Barbie-like hot pink.

As I said, Lamy has been pretty consistent over the past three years, there's quite a noticeable trend when you put the most recent Safaris and Al-stars next to each other! Continuing the trend, the All Black received the same matte finish as its direct predecessors, and the Vibrant pink is again a very vibrant (well, duh!) and fresh color, ideal for spring!

Put them side by side, and you'll realise just how much Lamy loves red and pink!

Of course along with the new special edition pens, come new special edition inks. Well almost... Remember last year's debacle with the Pacific blue 'special edition' ink that was just Lamy Turquoise in a slightly different packaging? Well they haven't learned from their mistakes over in Heidelberg, because this year they tried the same trick with the All Black ink! It's just the regular black ink, again in an ever-so-slightly different cardboard box. Not cool Lamy! 

Fortunately the Vibrant Pink ink IS a new color, and it's a strong release too if you ask me! Just like the Dark Lilac ink -that I obsessively hoarded as much as I could- Vibrant pink is a nice shade that is plenty saturated and quite legible. The saturation gives this ink a fantastic green-gold sheen, just like Dark Lilac... I'm smitten! 

Dat sheen tho!

Overall, I'm quite pleased with what Lamy came up with this year. The Safari and Al-star special editions continue to grab my attention each year, and both the pens are affordable enough to continue buying them. The price point they are at makes them excellent collectibles, and on top of that they are also just really good pens for everyday use.

Yes, the All Black ink was a bit of a dissapointment. I secretly expected a grey ink to accompany it, which oviously didn't happen. But perhaps this means we can hope for a re-release of the awesome Griso Grey as next year's special edition (still my all-time favourite color!) with a Griso Grey ink? At this point all we can do is guess, but it would be pretty awesome!

The Safari All Black retails for around 20 EUR (30 USD), and the Al-star goes for 27 EUR (37 USD). The ink is 2 EUR for five proprietary Lamy cartridges, or 11 EUR (12 USD) for a 50ml bottle. Both the pens and inks are decently priced, but especially the Vibrant Pink ink is hard not to recommend at this price point. The All Black ink can be ignored, save your 12$ for next year's release...

La Couronne Du Comte and Penworld are sponsors of this blog. I received a discount on the purchase of these products, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, nor was I otherwise compensated monetarily. The opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affilate links.

Bonus picture, just look at that magnificent green-gold sheen!

LAMY AION GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!

That's a wrap people! Our Lamy aion fountain pen giveaway has ended! Thanks to everyone who participated, and big thanks to the kind folks over at Casa Della Stilografica, who sponsored this giveaway. So here is the winner:

From over 180 participants the winner, as chosen by the Random number generator, is: 

Louise Maglanque!

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Congratulations Louise! We'll get in touch via email to get your prize  to you!

Thanks again for all the support, and thanks for entering the giveaway! Didn't win this time, or missed out? Maybe consider following The Pencilcase Blog on social media , that way you'll never miss future giveaways!

LAMY AION FOUNTAIN PEN REVIEW

It's finally time to take a look at the Lamy aion. I originally intended to write a review immediately after the release. Well... in the end it took me a lot longer than expected. Theoretically that's a good thing though: the longer I take to write a review, the better I like the product! In case of the Lamy aion, that rule certainly applies. 

The Lamy aion faced somewhat of a cold, 'meh' response when it was first announced. My reaction, on the other hand, was definitely filled with a lot more excitement. I'm quite partial to the brand of course, I'm sure you know if you've been following this blog for a while. So don't take my word for it. 

Lamy receiving flak with new releases seems to be a recurring theme (Remember the debacle with the 2000 Anniversary Black Amber?) When Lamy announced the aion, it was immediately written off as the lovechild of the Lamy 2000 and Studio, a pen that -I quote: "lacked creativity". 

Honestly, I never really understood the comparison with the 2000 and Studio in the first place, because they are nothing alike in my opinion. But most of all, I thought the criticism about the lack of creativity was rather unfair. Lamy is known for pure and minimal designs. It's their style and that's either something you like or not. If you expected flashy materials (ok, ignore the Safari and Al-Star for a moment) or elaborate details, that was guaranteed to end up in disappointment. 

Let's cut straight to the chase: I think Lamy did a fantastic job on this one. It's not a design to turn heads, but again that's not Lamy's style. It's large -I'll get back to that in a minute- yet in all its' robustness and bulky appearance, they managed to make it appear elegant and sleek. 

If anything, it's not the symbiosis of the Studio/2000 but the design style of Apple products that this pen reminds me of. The deep-drawn unibody aluminium barrel and cap give the pen a seamless look, as does the monotone color and use of multiple textures. I really like how they worked with contrasting finishes: brushed aluminium on the body and a satin finish on the grip section. It combines nicely and is finished with a contrasting chrome-plated ring on the cap.

The simple, rectangular clip is somewhat similar to the one on the Lamy CP1, but has more rounded corners. Actually rounded corners are quite the central theme on the aion. Between the rounded finials on the cap and barrel, and the rounded edges on the clip, it also marks the introduction of a new nib design with, you guessed it... a more rounded profile! 

Standard design on the left, new Aion nib on the right

All in all, the nib doesn't look much different from the standard one. But I have to admit that it works together nicely with the rest of the design elements on this pen. The aion is a pretty complete package with a very minimal, peaceful design. Regardless of what some may think of it, I think the design is quite on point. 

The only part about this pen I don't like is the name of the silver version: 'Olive Silver'?. I don't know where they came up with the 'Olive' part, it's just silver.

L to R: TWSBI Eco, Pelikan M805, Lamy Aion, Lamy Studio, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000.

As I mentioned earlier, the aion is quite a large pen. It measures 14.3 cm (5.6") closed, and 13.7 cm (5.4") uncapped. It's not an overly girthy pen, with a grip section that averages at around 11 mm (0.43"). The aion has a completely metal build, and especially the solid metal section adds quite a bit of heft to give a total weight of 33 grams. 

In terms of comfort, the aion is about as good as it gets! A long pen weighted around the section and no threads or step to interfere with your grip. It would've been even better if the section had the same subtle brushed texture as the rest of the pen. The satin finish is nice to hold, but it gets a touch slippery at times. 

Now for that new nib. It really isn't that much of a difference from the old one in terms of performance. I've heard people find it smoother than the normal ones, but in practice I found little to no difference. That's not a bad thing though, I always enjoy using Lamy's nibs. 

The steel nib strikes a fine balance between smoothness and feedback. Lamy nibs typically aren't overpolished, which in turn makes them reliable and consistent writers. That's what they are: simple, no-nonsense reliable performers. No fuzz, just like their designs!

The best part about the aion, I think is the affordability. The aion comes in at 49 EUR (71.2 USD), which positions it in between the entry-level Al-Star and more 'premium' Studio. Given the excellent, sturdy metal build quality and sleek design, I think that's a very fair price point, and it's worth your consideration if you're looking for an upgrade over the Safari or Al-star.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! NOW FOR THE BEST PART: YOU CAN WIN A BRAND NEW LAMY AION FOUNTAIN PEN FOR YOURSELF, COURTESY OF CASA DELLA STILOGRAFICA! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ENTER IN THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET BELOW. GOOD LUCK!

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RULES: Giveaway ends 4/1/ 2018. Winner will be chosen via random.org, and announced in a separate post. The winner will be contacted directly via email, if he/she fails to reply within one week, a new winner will be picked. Only entries with valid email address are eligible to win. Invalid entries are denied.

Note: I received a discount on the purchase of this product from sponsor Casa Della Stilografica.  I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affilate links.