What Makes The Lamy Safari So Popular?

[The Blue Knight]

I brought one a week ago, nice pen but it's not that much better than other pens in the same price range e.g. parker frontier and platignum studio.

Edited June 17, 2013 by top pen

[soum]

The Safari has a few things going for it: it's quite durable. Throw it in your bag and it'll write just as well even after taking a beating. The colours that it comes in also quite a plus.

 

For me, one of the biggest advantages of the Safari is the easily changeable nibs. I've a range of the nibs and each time I want a different nib, I can simply hot swap and continue to write with zero mess.

 

As many have said here before, the section is either a love-it-or-hate-it. Personally, my grip fits the section beautifully and it's very comfortable for extended writing sessions.

 

The one negative with the Safari has to be the proprietory cartridges that it takes. However, all my Lamys are now fitted with convertors, so all's well.

[msolok]

A few things make it popular. It's easy to get (can get it almo

st anywhere), cheap, choice of colours, very durable, nice nibs that are easily replaceable, come with a great warranty backed by a fantatsic company.

 

Also perfect for people just starting with FP due to it's grip (which means the nib always faces the correct direction).

[UK Mike]

In terms of its marketing appeal - the design of the Safari makes it instantly recognisable, even to people who have no real interest in fountain pens. You can see a Safari from a long distance.

 

That immediately sets it apart from the competition who generally only have a trade mark clip.

[andreamcantu]

The are cheap, and durable. Also they are not too flashy. Plus they don't skip or dry out , I couldn't say that about other pens I own that are much more expensive. I own three safaris and those are the ones I usually take with me wherever I go.

Edited June 17, 2013 by andreamcantu

[smiorgan]

There's two different kinds of people the Safari may be popular with.

• as a first pen it's durable, reliable and iconic. It helps if you've seen other people with the pen.
• for someone buying yet another Safari the price is just low enough to be an impulse purchase and the collectability and nib options make it easier to buy on impulse, too.

 

Saying "it's not much better" is the same as "it's slightly better". I think that's the thing. It gets everything right at the right price point, if you like the looks. It just shaves the competition.

 

My charcoal EF is one of my favourite pens. Can't understand why they only make one model in textured plastic.

 

[View from the Loft]

Availability of the pen itself, availability of a range of nibs for them, available in a range of colours, modestly priced, good customer service, availability of spare parts for them. Apart from the love it or hate it grip, what's not to like about it?

 

I was an out an out Parker die hard fanatic - but for a first and second pen, I would suggest the Safari/Vista/Al-Star family nowadays (if someone wants a brand new pen - if they want a NOS or don't mind a second hand pen, there are lots of choices available at that price point that I can suggest instead).

 

I echo the comment about it being a shame that only the charcoal Safari being available with the textured finish.

[mirosc]

Over here It's been the first school pen with a distinctive look. And it nailed the design ideas of its time and has become a distinctive icon ever since.

And most people still keep and use their school pen and - having children of their own - will buy a Safari again. Lamy made a clever move when targeting children as main buyers in the 80s. From that starting point they expanded the market and while the kids grew up the fame spread with them so that by now it's also a quite reputable pen for adults.

 

Take a look at the people who actually use a Safari. It correlates a lot with their age. At least over here.

[NedC]

They have a 'fun' factor that few other pens have and yet don't look garish like the current generation of Pelikanos. Although some hate it many do find the grip very comfortable, Lamy has great customer service and you can get spare parts for - wll, just a bout any part of the pen, something that is rare even with high end pens. The practice of coming out with new limited colour runs every year as well as regional colour variants makes them appealing to people who like to collect stuff, the entry cost for a Safari collector is quite low compared to other sorts of things people collect and Lamy does do this deliberately to cultivate a market.

[dorothynotgale]

I like the Safari because the nib is nice and smooth; because it's durable; because it's just exactly the right mix of affordable and utilitarian in appearance to give me a quality writing instrument that I still feel comfortable taking out of the house; and because the colors are cute. The 2012 Apple Green just cheers me up when I hold it. The grip doesn't bother me, but I can see why it would others who don't hold their pens the way I do.

 

In terms of its marketing appeal - the design of the Safari makes it instantly recognisable, even to people who have no real interest in fountain pens. You can see a Safari from a long distance.

 

That immediately sets it apart from the competition who generally only have a trade mark clip.

It's funny - that's not why I have one, but I did once get into a conversation with a guy after class because while sitting at opposite sides of the room in a lecture, we noticed that we owned twin purple Al-Stars. Lamy's design is THAT distinctive, and I suppose it is a plus.

[amk]

Several reasons.

 

First the quite extensive range of colours. I think many of us are turned of by the black-and-chrome-only 'serious corporate' look of many of the other pen ranges; these are pens that are serious, not for kids, but have fresh and bright colours. (And not the dreadful 'well okay, for the little ladies here's a pen IN PINK' get-out clause of many of the big pen cos. Personally I'd rather have black than washed out girlie pink.)

 

Secondly the swappable nibs. So many other brands seem only to manufacture with a medium nib (or maybe, most stockists only bother with medium nibs), and you can't swap the nib afterwards. With Lamy you can go for a big wide italic or a fine, depending on taste. That's a huge plus.

 

Third the classical looks. Compare the 'I am funky' school of pen - Rotring Core, even Pelikano - and you can see how stripped-down the Safari is. Just pen, and form, and colour - no stripes, insets, bulges.

 

But I think the colour range has a second dimension to it, a psychological one. Simply because there are so many colours, plus special editions, Safari owners easily get drawn into wanting another one... and from there, it's only a tiny, tiny step to actually collecting... and that may be why so many people get obsessed with the Safari.

 

After all, there aren't all that many COLLECTABLE pens at this price level!

[HDRoot]

I don't know why they're so popular. I tried to like them but I couldn't. Clunky, scratchy, ugly, dry. Same thing with two Safaris, one Joy, and 3 nibs, in all combinations. Recently sold it all in a lot.

 

Herb

[chad.trent]

I have 5 right now (including an Al-Star and Vista). They all write smoothly, never skip, and have proven themselves to be super durable. I know some people don't like the section but it doesn't bother me at all. I have recently started trying other nibs than the fine I normally prefer. I'm really enjoying how easy it is to swap them. It reminds me of my other fountain pen passion - Esterbrooks. To me, Safaris are sort of like Esterbrook J's for the modern day. Inexpensive, durable pens that come in a lot of colors and allow you to try different nibs whenever you want.

 

My current go-to pen - the one that I reach for before any other - is my Lamy 2000. But, whenever someone wants to try a fountain pen, I hand them a Safari.

[DRWWE]

The Safari is a great design. It is instantly recognizable and looks different that most other pens. I like that about it. The nibs write well (not as well as some of my gold nibs) and are durable. I've never dropped one of my pens on the nib but with almost 20 years of normal use my Safari nibs have held up well.

 

It is simply a good product at a fair price. You can argue that there are cheaper pens or better pens but you can't argue with its success.

[GabrielleDuVent]

It's durable, so for many of us who are terrified to bring out the good pens out into the public, Lamy is a good compromise. It also writes well (for me), and it seems to handle Japanese and alphabet with equal finesse - not the best, but up there - which is rather nice. The affordability in comparison to the quality is also a bonus.

 

It really is a good go-to pen for many of us, and I don't mind carrying it around. It's like the really cheap mug you just keep using because it's big and won't break, even if you drop it.

[PAKMAN]

To me it is the price, durability, range of color options for the pen, and the wide range of inexpensive user replacable nib sizes available for the pen.

[harrietthespy]

I love that if someone grabs one of my Safaris and uses it, I don't have to hold my breath (and my tongue) while waiting for my heart to start beating again! This is the pen that I am not afraid to leave out. If one of my neighbor kids uses it, no big deal. If I forget one someday at the airport or elsewhere, I know I can replace it without breaking the bank. Safaris also fly well...they have never leaked (nor have my TWSBIs). This is the pen I can give away if I meet someone who wants to get into fountain pens or used to be into fountain pens...it just gives me an excuse to go buy a new pen, heh heh.

[arcadeflow]

I guess they are reliable, and the design is a winner, it is very recognizable around the world. It became a modern classic. They are not the cheapest, but they are cheap enough. They could cost a lot less, but pens are also "fashion" items and they regulate price according to demand and market positioning too, not only thinking about the cost to produce. That is why some asian companies can build great pens that are cheaper than a Safari, like the Pilot Metropolitan and many others, while looking more "luxurious" somehow. The Kaweco Sport is another example of a pen that could cost less (it used to) but the company wanted to market it at a higher price, probably to compete with the Safari and other pens at that price range, because it surely has a nice classic design and an increasingly good reputation.

 

I find the Safari to be very beautiful, all the colors and limited model make it an instant classic and a collector's pen, but I have not bought one yet because it has a grip that some people dislike (it seems I would dislike it too) and I don't like the fact that the ink window is cut into the body, it makes me fear leaks. But I will eventually buy one.

[Parse Error]

-Converter has an above average capacity of around 15 pages

-As long as the feed is not saturated, it will fly without any problems.

-Ultimate modularity -- you are getting a coherent set of a barrel, section, nib, and cap with each purchase, and parts can easily be replaced for each other. (If any other cheap pen breaks, you're out of luck.)

-It looks better with age, and is meant to be thrown around.

-It's $30 for a reliable pen. Runs dry, but not really anything you can say about that.

-Available in any color you want -- so long as it's not neon green or hot pink.

-Does not look flashy enough to merit attention.

-Does not roll around on the table

-Could handle being uncapped for an entire day and only have a hard start

-Stubs/italics available (not a deciding factor for me, but still a consideration)

-Doesn't cause any troubles and have any personality.

[The Blue Knight]

I guess they are reliable, and the design is a winner, it is very recognizable around the world. It became a modern classic. They are not the cheapest, but they are cheap enough. They could cost a lot less, but pens are also "fashion" items and they regulate price according to demand and market positioning too, not only thinking about the cost to produce. That is why some asian companies can build great pens that are cheaper than a Safari, like the Pilot Metropolitan and many others, while looking more "luxurious" somehow. The Kaweco Sport is another example of a pen that could cost less (it used to) but the company wanted to market it at a higher price, probably to compete with the Safari and other pens at that price range, because it surely has a nice classic design and an increasingly good reputation.

 

I find the Safari to be very beautiful, all the colors and limited model make it an instant classic and a collector's pen, but I have not bought one yet because it has a grip that some people dislike (it seems I would dislike it too) and I don't like the fact that the ink window is cut into the body, it makes me fear leaks. But I will eventually buy one.

 

I'm not too keen on the safari's grip however when I saw the neon yellow/green 2013 version i had to buy it! As for me it is the most appalling color there has been in recent years and obviously i could be waiting up to 5 years+ till another color I liked came along.

 

I don't hold Lamy in as high esteem as Parker and rotring however I do apreciate some of the designs. I'm happy with my safari however it's taken about 10 years to grow on me enough to make me purchase one.