Twsbi Eco Or Lamy Vista?

[Sasha Royale]

I like the TWSBI 540 and 580. The LAMY Vista is reliable and will last 30 years. The ECO is still new, and its record is short. Aesthetics and ergonomics are personal.

 

I used an ECO for a month. It's okay. Meh ! If i want to use I TWSBI, I'll reach for a 540.

[baik12]

Thank you everyone for your advice!

I decided to go with Vista this time, and will buy Eco later.

Both of them sound like fine pen, but what I prefer now is Lamy's reliability over Eco's wow factor.

[Blue_Moon]

Thank you everyone for your advice!

I decided to go with Vista this time, and will buy Eco later.

Both of them sound like fine pen, but what I prefer now is Lamy's reliability over Eco's wow factor.

 

Excellent choice. You may even decide later to forego the Eco altogether. While you're at it, grab a couple of additional nibs for your Lamy.

[Drone]

I have both, and I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

If pressed, I'd recommend the ECO, as I really like the look, feel, and filling capacity.

 

Yes, there could be a troublesome cap posting issue. If this affects you, I wrote of an easy fix for it, which has so far lasted well for me:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/295342-twsbi-eco-cap-falling-off/?p=3441270

 

Note: Posting is important for those who are writing on the go and not always sitting down at a desk. Depending on the pen weight distribution and the shape of your hands, it also often helps with balance.

 

Another big positive about posting is the clip acts as a roll-stop if you put the pen down on the writing surface. There are many many cases of unposted pens rolling off tables and (of-course) falling on the nibs.

[Drone]

Thank you everyone for your advice!

I decided to go with Vista this time, and will buy Eco later.

Both of them sound like fine pen, but what I prefer now is Lamy's reliability over Eco's wow factor.

 

Good choice. Give TWSBI some time to see if they're going to come out with a version of the Eco that posts properly.

[max dog]

A no brainer for me, I'd go with the TWBI ECO for superior value. For sub $40 you get a piston filler, jowo nib, and great looks. There is just nothing special about the cartridge converter Lamy. At least the ECO looks like it's worth a lot more than it's price. Can't say that of the somewhat toy-ish looking Vista.

Edited November 16, 2015 by max dog

[Phormula]

Lamy. My TWSBI have been quite disappointing.

The company has still quality issues to address: cracks, leaks and pieces falling apart.

[Blue_Moon]

Lamy. My TWSBI have been quite disappointing.

The company has still quality issues to address: cracks, leaks and pieces falling apart.

 

Exactly! Wouldn't happen to a Lamy 99.99% of the time. Never say never.

[max dog]

Lamy. My TWSBI have been quite disappointing.

The company has still quality issues to address: cracks, leaks and pieces falling apart.

Are you referring specifically to the ECO or TWSBI in general? I know earlier models like the 540 had cracking issues but I heard recent models are improved. Edited November 16, 2015 by max dog

[Phormula]

I haven't tried the ECO so I cannot comment, also due to the fact that all my TWSBI started developing issues after at least one year from the purchase.

Cracks are the most common issues, but I also experienced leaks and had a VAC 700 that literaly split in two in the body section and another that did it in the cap.

[Aquaria]

The ECO is the far better pen. Looks terrific, huge ink capacity, writes beautifully and with buttery smoothness--even as an EF nib, has a piston fill, and it's not at all bulky or heavy in the hand. I've had zero problems getting it to post--and stay posted, although I don't use that feature often.

 

Everyone gives TWSBI grief about their quality control, but, in my experience, Lamy has been far--far--worse at that. TWSBI at least will acknowledge any issues. Lamy? Unless you get one of their top of the line pens, good luck with getting them to work with you to get a pen you can live with.

 

Which brings me to my opinion about the Lamy Vista.

 

This is the one pen I utterly loathe.I despise that ridiculous triangular grip and the chintzy, juvenile clip. The ink capacity is a joke.

 

I don't like the looks of it at all. It's just plain ugly from how bulky and clunky it is. The balance of the pen is terrible in the hand. Who in their right minds would post this monster of a pen? It makes the pen intolerably heavy and even more unbalanced.

 

As for writing with it? The Lamy nibs write exceedingly wide, even by European standards. The "EF" that I had wrote a far wider line than my Pilot Metropolitan Medium, and it got worse the longer I had it. It writes well enough for its price point, but it's barely on a par with the Pilot Metropolitan, a much cheaper option. And don't get me started on the notorious Lamy nib creep.

 

One of the most overrated pens, ever.

[dip_n_flow]

Thank you everyone for your advice!

I decided to go with Vista this time, and will buy Eco later.

Both of them sound like fine pen, but what I prefer now is Lamy's reliability over Eco's wow factor.

I think, you made a good decision. The TWSBI seems great too, but the Lamy is a featherweight. If you carry it on your chest, you don't notice it. The EF-nib is indeed on some papers a little bit scratchy, but the inkflow stays well. The Vista with ef-nib is my efficient pen for notes: it writes very fine/small with a good inkflow for fast writing.

[Martinsroom]

Eco

[Runnin_Ute]

Haven't tried either, but have an Al Star and a TWSBI 580. The 580 gets far more use.

 

Is this a valid comparison? Maybe maybe not. Al Star is aluminum but in other respects is the same pen as the Vista. The 580 a "big brother" to the Eco.

 

I bought the AL Star in the late 90's and it has seen a lot of use. Even a repair.

[mmg122]

I have both pens and like both pens. If I had to chose, it would be the TWSBI Eco...I find it to be a more attractive pen especially when filled with a stunning ink...and you can't beat the looks of the TWSBI clear plastic...almost like leaded crystal.

Both have easily interchangeable nibs (TWSBI...nib, feed, section)

 

Caveats:

I never post my pens.

I've never had a QA problem with any TWSBI I've owned and I have approximately 10 of them.

 

As other posters have commented, you really can't go wrong with whichever pen you chose.