Lamy Safari vs Lamy Vista??

[ladyinthemists]

I may have missed this somewhere along the line but could someone please tell me what the difference is between the Lamy Safari and the Lamy Vista?

[Ron Z]

The Vista is clear.

[Dillo]

If I remember correctly, the Vista is also made of a different type of plastic (cellulose proprionate) than the Safari is (ABS). However, otherwise, they perform, feel, and work the exact same way, and the parts are interchangeable with each other. They have the same nibs and feeds, take the same converters, and many parts are shared between the two.

 

The Vista is sometimes considered a part of the Safari family as well.

[ladyinthemists]

Thanks! I had been thinking that the clear Lamy Safari was the demonstrator. So your information has “cleared things up” for me (pun intended 😉)

[Beechwood]

The two feel a little different, the vista feels like a better quality product, worth any extra cost imho.

[Paul-in-SF]

12 hours ago, Beechwood said:

The two feel a little different, the vista feels like a better quality product, worth any extra cost imho.

 

I had the opposite reaction, although I owned them at different times -- I thought the Vista felt marginally cheaper. 

[Estycollector]

I am using the Visa today for the first time in a while. The inexpensive Lamy pens are truly a Bauhaus product functional and affordable.

[Astronymus]

On 1/5/2025 at 4:33 AM, ladyinthemists said:

Thanks! I had been thinking that the clear Lamy Safari was the demonstrator. So your information has “cleared things up” for me (pun intended 😉)

It was when it was still a prototype. After some tweaking they made a new model out of it.

[SpencerianDream]

I just got a Vista yesterday. It feels very much built to its price, but yet, it’s a decent pen. I opted for the Vista because I thought a demonstrator is kind of supposed to look cheap and futuristic, whereas the colored Safaris, personally, are so far outside my threshold of “cool” that I just couldn’t see myself actually ever using one, either in the house or in the office. The demonstrator will fit in very nicely in the office though, with all the miscellaneous rollerball pens that are so ubiquitous these days. 

[PBWilson1970]

I've got several of both and I appreciate the slight differences. 

 

On any given day, I may appreciate the color variety of my Safaris (especially for matching pen to ink) or the more futuristic look of the Vista. I waver back and forth with the idea of which one holds more quality. I love that the Safaris seem nearly indestructible (like LEGOS) and sometimes that gives them an edge (in my mind) over the Vistas. On other days, I appreciate the polishing of the Vistas even if they seem to me to be maybe, possibly a touch more fragile. (maybe all the cracked TWISBI pens are fueling my fear). 

 

Either way, I like them both. 

[Astronymus]

On 2/9/2025 at 9:16 PM, SpencerianDream said:

I just got a Vista yesterday. It feels very much built to its price, but yet, it’s a decent pen. I opted for the Vista because I thought a demonstrator is kind of supposed to look cheap and futuristic, whereas the colored Safaris, personally, are so far outside my threshold of “cool” that I just couldn’t see myself actually ever using one, either in the house or in the office. The demonstrator will fit in very nicely in the office though, with all the miscellaneous rollerball pens that are so ubiquitous these days. 

I think the matt Safaris look quite sophisticated. I don't like the glossy versions either. The matt surface emphasizes the edges and curves of the Bauhaus design.

[jchch1950]

Lamy should offer Lamy Vista in different shades of transparent material. What about a blue or orange Vista?

 

[Dillo]

I'd consider buying it in other colors

[Mercian]

On 2/17/2025 at 9:31 AM, jchch1950 said:

Lamy should offer Lamy Vista in different shades of transparent material. What about a blue or orange Vista?

 

 

I would like to see one made entirely in the same 'smokey' colour that Lamy uses for the grip-sections on the Al-star.

[PBWilson1970]

Those two ideas would mean more sales from me.

[Estycollector]

Not opposed to various shades, but the clear allows the chrome and silver to pop! I use a converter with red, silver, and black components which is a nice contrast. 

[Jim Holzemer]

And let us not forget the "Vista Black".

The black clip and black convertor lend itself to a nice combination!

[inkstainedruth]

I'll admit that the look of the Vista never wowed me, although I have a number of Safaris and al-Stars (all SE colors, as it happens).  I'm not a big fan of "demonstrator" pens to begin with, although I have a few low end ones (Pilot Preppies and the Noodler's "Charlie" pens) that I got as freebies with bottles of ink.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[boilermaker1975]

I really like the color of this new Lamy Al Star, mint.

 

 https://www.penboutique.com/products/lamy-al-star-fountain-pen-mint-special-edition

 

I may have to get my first Lamy Al-Star.

[Astronymus]

Ordered them both 15 Minutes ago. And LAMY sent out a 15% email coupon last week. 🤑👍