Lamy Safari and AL-Star: Two Iconic Fountain Pens Worth a Second Look

Introduction

Few pens divide opinion quite like the Lamy Safari, yet there is little argument that it belongs on the short list of true fountain pen icons. With its straight clean lines, utilitarian look, and unmistakable ergonomic grip, it has passed through the hands of nearly every fountain pen user at one time or another. Alongside it sits the Lamy AL-Star, essentially the Safari’s aluminium-bodied sibling, offered in colors like Aquatic and Fiery. Both start around $20 and climb toward $50 depending on materials and special editions, which makes them remarkably accessible entry points into quality writing.

A Design Story That Started in 1980

The Safari was unveiled at the Frankfurt fair in 1980 after five years of testing and development. It was designed by Wolfgang Fabian and the Manheim development group under the direction of Professor Börn Spiegel. Fabian, born in 1943 and trained as a goldsmith, went on to design eight pens for Lamy along with many other industrial and consumer items.

The pen was originally marketed toward young people and beginner writers. Fabian described his inspiration simply: as a young designer he still remembered his own school days of inky fingers, and he wanted a pen that lay comfortably in the hand without fingers sliding onto the nib while writing. That ergonomic thinking has been present from the beginning, and the triangular grip remains the defining feature. Without it, this would simply be some other pen.

The name itself was a marketing decision of the early 1980s, when everything safari-themed was in fashion, from adventure films to clothing lines. Two launch colors, Terracotta and Savannah green, were chosen to fit the adventurous tone of the era. Fabian credits much of the pen’s lasting success to its marketing and the tradition of releasing a new pen color each year, a practice Lamy continues today. By 1985, the company had acquired its own injection molding and tool-making machines so the pens could be manufactured wholly in Germany, and ink production began in 1989.

Unboxing and First Impressions

The AL-Star arrives in the same simple, well-designed boxes as the Safari, with clean notched packaging that is worth preserving. Setup is refreshingly straightforward: unscrew the barrel, remove the spacer, and screw the pen back together so the spacer forces the ink cartridge into the feed. You hear an audible click as the cartridge is pierced, and within a few moments capillary action has the nib ready to write.

The AL-Star bodies are aluminium, which gives them a satisfying lightness. Overall weight is only 18 grams, with the pen itself around 10 grams, ideal for everyday use. The glossy black steel nib is a genuine highlight, and the translucent grips are lovely: Fiery red reads as a warm translucent tone, while Aquatic looks like a sapphire blue.

Nib Performance and Writing Experience

Both pens use the same nib platform, and each is checked before shipping. The medium nibs are smooth with a slight bounce, producing a pleasant scribing sound right out of the box. The Fiery AL-Star tested slightly narrow for a medium, but remained very smooth with no false starts even when approached from different angles.

A Z28 converter works well enough if you prefer bottled ink, though the included cartridges are perfectly serviceable. The Lamy blue ink included with the Aquatic is lighter than expected and looks great on the page.

A Quiet Tool for Writers and Sketchers

Because the pen is so light and tough, it carries easily and suits more than journaling. It makes a nice sketching pen, great for details, doodles, and quick studies of your surroundings. Approaching the nib from all directions during a sketch quickly reveals the quality of the ink flow, and these pens handle it gracefully.

Posting the cap is possible but makes the pen ridiculously long; most users will be happier capping it or resting the cap on the desk. Unposted, the pen is plenty long enough and perfectly balanced in the hand.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Safari remains the classic choice with its familiar plastic body and huge color range refreshed annually. The AL-Star’s aluminium body adds a different feel and finish at a similar price, and the Aquatic and Fiery editions are particularly attractive. Both write identically, so the decision mostly comes down to material preference and color.

For anyone starting with fountain pens, adding a reliable daily writer, or looking for a creative tool for poetry, journals, and sketching, either pen earns a high recommendation. They are affordable enough that you never need to worry about them, yet they feel like genuine instruments.

Conclusion

The Lamy Safari is a design that has remained true to itself for decades, and the AL-Star proves the formula translates beautifully into aluminium. With smooth in-house nibs, thoughtful ergonomics, and a price that welcomes beginners, both pens make it easy to see why this design keeps finding new fans.