Fountain Pens
LAMY Safari vs LAMY AL-star
These are the same pen in two materials. That sounds like a simple decision, and it is - once you know which differences are real and which are marketing.
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LAMY makes one beginner pen and sells it in several materials. The Safari is the plastic one, the AL-star is the aluminum one, the Vista is the transparent one, and mechanically they are the same object: the same steel nib unit, the same triangular grip, the same cartridge and converter, the same oversized wire clip.
So the honest framing of this comparison is not which pen is better. It is whether the material difference is worth roughly twenty dollars, and for whom.
What is genuinely identical
Most of the pen, which is the point people miss when comparing writing quality.
- The nib. Both use the same interchangeable LAMY steel nib unit. Not a similar nib - the same part, which you can physically move from one pen to the other in about five seconds.
- The grip. Both have the molded triangular section that permits one hand position. This is the single most divisive design decision in beginner fountain pens and it is identical on both.
- The filling system. Both take a LAMY T10 cartridge or a Z28 converter. Neither takes anything else, because LAMY's cartridge is proprietary.
- The clip. The same oversized bent-wire clip, which is either the design signature or the ugly bit, depending on who you ask.
Because the nib unit is shared, the two pens write the same. Any difference you feel is coming from weight and balance, not from the part touching the paper.
What actually differs
| Safari | AL-star | |
|---|---|---|
| Barrel and cap | ABS plastic | Anodized aluminum |
| Feel in the hand | Light, warm, unremarkable | Heavier, cold to first touch, more substantial |
| Grip section width | Slightly narrower | Slightly wider, which suits larger hands marginally better |
| How it ages | Scuffs but stays looking the same | Anodizing marks and wears through at the edges |
| Price | The cheaper of the two by a clear margin | Roughly half again as much, sometimes more |
| Color range | Wide, including annual limited editions | Narrower, mostly metallic finishes |
LAMY does not publish weights for either pen on the listings we read, so we are not printing figures. The difference is noticeable in the hand and it is not dramatic - this is not a brass pen.
The two pens
Quick picks
Ranked for the beginner buying their first setup. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LAMY Safari A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it. | Learning a correct grip | $30.95 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded |
| 2 |  LAMY AL-star The Safari's design in anodized aluminum, with the same swappable nib and the same triangular grip you will either love or return. | A Safari that feels like a grown-up pen | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
| 3 |  LAMY Vista A clear-bodied Safari, so the feed, the converter and the ink level are all visible while you learn what they do. | Seeing how a fountain pen actually works | |
| 4 |  LAMY Z28 converter The piston converter that turns any modern LAMY cartridge pen into a bottled-ink pen. | Bottled ink in a Safari, AL-star or Vista |
1. Learning a correct grip
LAMY Safari
A molded triangular grip forces the pen into the right position, which is either the best or the worst thing about it.
#ad Price as of October 18, 2026. How this is funded
The grip section is the entire argument. It is molded into a triangle, so there is exactly one way to hold the pen, and it happens to be the way that keeps the nib flat against the paper. For someone who has spent twenty years white-knuckling a ballpoint, that is a genuine teaching aid.
It is also the reason some people hate it. If your natural grip is unusual, the Safari will fight you every time you pick it up, and no amount of practice makes a molded plastic triangle move.
Everything else about the pen is deliberately easy. The nib pulls off and pushes on by hand, so if you buy a Fine and want a Medium later, that is a five-dollar part rather than a new pen.
| Nib grades offered | Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, plus a dedicated left-hander nibSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Nib | Interchangeable steel nib unit — pulls off and swaps without toolsSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Filling | LAMY T10 proprietary cartridge, or the LAMY Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Body | ABS plastic with a molded triangular grip sectionSource: LAMY Safari, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Swappable nib units mean one pen can change its line width
- A dedicated left-handed nib grade exists, which is rare
- Nearly indestructible plastic body
What it does not
- The triangular grip is not optional and does not suit every hand
- LAMY cartridges are proprietary — the Z28 converter is a separate buy
- German Fine is wider than a Japanese Fine, which surprises people
Skip this if you hold a pen unconventionally, or if your handwriting is small enough that a German Fine will fill in your loops.
2. A Safari that feels like a grown-up pen
LAMY AL-star
The Safari's design in anodized aluminum, with the same swappable nib and the same triangular grip you will either love or return.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
Mechanically this is a Safari. Same nib unit, same grip geometry, same filling system, same clip. What changes is the material, and the material changes how the pen feels rather than how it writes.
If the Safari's triangular grip suits your hand, the AL-star is the version to keep on a desk. If it does not, the aluminum body will not fix that.
Anodized finishes scratch. It is a working pen, not an heirloom.
| Body | Anodized aluminum barrel and capSource: LAMY AL-star, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib | The same interchangeable LAMY steel nib unit as the SafariSource: LAMY AL-star, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Filling | LAMY T10 cartridge or the Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| In the box | One ink cartridge, so the pen writes without a further purchaseSource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
| Model code | L26M - the trailing letter is the nib grade, M for MediumSource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
| Warranty | The listing states no warrantySource: LAMY AL-star, Graphite, Medium (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
What it does well
- Metal body without a large jump in price
- Shares nibs and converters with the Safari
- Larger grip section suits bigger hands slightly better
What it does not
- Identical grip constraint to the Safari
- Anodized finish marks with use
- Costs meaningfully more than the plastic version that writes the same
Skip this if you have not already confirmed that the LAMY grip section works for your hand — buy the cheaper Safari first.
3. Seeing how a fountain pen actually works
LAMY Vista
A clear-bodied Safari, so the feed, the converter and the ink level are all visible while you learn what they do.
A demonstrator body is a teaching tool disguised as a style choice. You can watch the converter draw ink, see the feed's channels fill, and know exactly how much ink is left — three things that are otherwise invisible and mysterious.
It is the same pen as the Safari in every other respect, so everything true of that pen is true here.
Clear plastic shows ink staining. Some inks will tint the section permanently, which bothers some people a great deal and others not at all.
| Body | Transparent plastic (demonstrator)Source: LAMY Vista, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Nib | Interchangeable LAMY steel nib unit, FineSource: LAMY Vista, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Nib width in mm | Not published |
| Filling | LAMY T10 cartridge or the Z28 converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Model code | L12F - the trailing letter is the nib grade, F for FineSource: LAMY Vista, Demonstrator Clear, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
| Country of origin | GermanySource: LAMY Vista, Demonstrator Clear, Fine (retail listing, read 2026-09-27) |
What it does well
- Everything the pen is doing is visible while you learn
- Shares nibs and converters with the rest of the LAMY range
- Ink level is never a guess
What it does not
- Ink staining shows
- Same triangular grip constraint
- Cartridge is proprietary
Skip this if a permanently ink-stained grip section would bother you, or if you already dislike the LAMY grip.
4. Bottled ink in a Safari, AL-star or Vista
LAMY Z28 converter
The piston converter that turns any modern LAMY cartridge pen into a bottled-ink pen.
Buying a Safari without a converter is the most common first-order mistake in this hobby. The pen ships with one cartridge and no way to use bottled ink.
The Z28 is a twist piston: put the nib in the bottle up to the section, twist, and it draws ink. There is no trick to it.
Check the number. The Z24 looks nearly identical and fits a different set of pens.
| Fits | LAMY ABC, AL-star, joy, Lx, nexx, nexx M, safari and vistaSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Type | Piston converterSource: LAMY Z28 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Capacity | Not published |
| Not to be confused with | The Z24, which fits older LAMY modelsSource: LAMY Z24 converter (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Fits the whole current LAMY range
- Simple twist piston with nothing to break
- Turns a cartridge pen into a bottle pen for a few dollars
What it does not
- Holds less ink than a T10 cartridge in practice
- Easy to confuse with the Z24
- LAMY-only
Skip this if you only ever use cartridges — it is a part you will never fit.
The grip is the decision, not the material
Everything above is secondary to this. The LAMY grip section is molded into a triangle with three flats, and it permits exactly one way to hold the pen: thumb and index finger on two flats, middle finger supporting on the third.
For a lot of people that is genuinely helpful. It is the correct tripod grip, and if your handwriting has always felt effortful, being forced into it can be a revelation. This is why the Safari gets recommended to people learning to write properly and to children.
For other people it is unusable. If you hold a pen with a thumb wrap, or hooked above the line, or between the wrong fingers, the flats fight you for the length of the pen and there is no adjusting to it. The Safari review covers this at length because it is the single most common reason the pen gets returned.
Where the Vista fits
The Vista is the Safari in clear plastic, at roughly the Safari's price. Same nib, same grip, same everything - it simply shows you the ink.
That is worth more than it sounds for a first pen. Seeing the cartridge empty is the difference between knowing your pen is low and concluding your pen is broken. If you are choosing between the three and the aluminum is not calling to you, the Vista is the quietly sensible pick.
Nib width, and the thing LAMY does not tell you
LAMY sells the nib units in EF, F, M and B, plus the left-hander grade, and publishes no width in millimeters for any of them. That is standard across the industry and it is still frustrating.
What is worth knowing is that LAMY runs broad by Japanese standards. A LAMY Fine puts down a noticeably wider line than a Pilot Fine, and a LAMY Medium is wide enough to show through on thin paper. If you are coming from a Japanese pen, order one grade narrower than you think - the nib size guide covers why the letters do not mean the same thing between makers.
The upside is that swapping is trivial and cheap. A spare nib unit costs a fraction of the pen, pulls off with a piece of tape, and pushes on by hand. Buying the wrong width is a recoverable mistake on a LAMY in a way it is not on most pens.
Which to buy
- If this is your first fountain pen: the Safari, in Fine. It is the cheapest way to find out whether the grip works for you, and the grip is the whole question.
- If you already own a Safari and use it daily: the AL-star is a real improvement in feel, and the nib you already like moves across in seconds.
- If you want to see the ink: the Vista, at Safari money.
- If the grip does not suit your hand: neither. That is not a failure of this comparison, it is the comparison working.
One accessory note: none of these pens includes a converter, and the cartridge in the box runs out. If you intend to use bottled ink, the Z28 converter is a separate purchase and cartridge versus converter covers whether you want to make it.
Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between a LAMY Safari and an AL-star?
The material. The Safari is ABS plastic, the AL-star is anodized aluminum, and the AL-star's grip section is slightly wider. The nib, grip geometry, filling system and clip are identical, so the two pens write the same.
Is the LAMY AL-star worth the extra money?
Only if you already know the LAMY grip suits your hand. It buys a more substantial feel and nothing else - no writing improvement, because the nib is the same part. Buy the Safari first and upgrade if you use it daily.
Can I swap nibs between a Safari and an AL-star?
Yes. They use the same Z50 nib unit, which pulls off and pushes on by hand. That also means a nib you buy for one pen fits every other LAMY in this range, including the Vista and the left-hander grade.
Does the AL-star have a different grip from the Safari?
It is very slightly wider, which larger hands may prefer. The triangular shape and the single permitted hand position are the same, so if the Safari's grip does not work for you the AL-star will not fix it.
Which LAMY nib size should I order?
Fine, unless you know you want otherwise. LAMY runs broad by Japanese standards, so a LAMY Fine is closer to a Japanese Medium. Nib units are cheap and swap by hand, so a wrong choice is easy to correct.
Do LAMY pens come with a converter?
No. They ship with one proprietary T10 cartridge, and the Z28 converter is sold separately. If you want to use bottled ink, budget for it as part of the purchase.