LAMY Vista Fountain Pen Demonstrator, Clear Fine Nib (L12F)

I will start by saying that this is the 2nd of this same pen I have ordered in the last 6 months. Reason being is that people like it. My first one 'grew legs' after 5 months. Now, for the pen its self. It writes well, and keeps up perfectly fine with my writing speed. Unless I'm drawing circles as fast as I can it hasn't had an ink flow speed problem with writing, which is on the faster end than most people. The nib feels good and with an ink type change will write on sticky notes of all kinds (I found that the supplied blue ink doesn't write or flow well on colored sticky notes). I like that its clear, where as some may want a design. It lets me see my ink levels and I like that. The shape of the pen fits well into my (and others) fingers. For the ink option, I've only used Noodlers Bullet Proof Ink, so I can not make any comments on how it handles others; but with Noodlers i can write on damn near anything. It will work on inexpensive copy paper without bleeding through, It will write on the cheap leather bound notebooks sold at walmart like a dream, and most importantly for me; it does colored sticky notes. There is something to note though about when you get a refillable converter. If you look at the converter, you will see two small bumps opposite each other it. When you insert it into the pen, it will allow you to insert it at almost any rotation, but if you look at it close, you can see that there is a set of narrow groves that end in a round channel. Make sure you put it in that way. I'm sure that's self explanatory, but the first time i used it I didn't do that, and I couldn't figure out why my pen didn't get good ink flow. Thankfully i didn't do anything that would cause it to come completely free from the feed tube, but i could imagine the mess it would cause. Anyway, for the pen overall, it is great. It's great for use in a place where it might walk away while on lunch or if you forget it at your desk and go home for a couple days off.

If you are looking at this page then you must buy this pen! This pen is amazing. I spent upwards of $70.00 on a supposedly "good" fountain pen at the local office supply store, and it isn't half as good as this Lamy. I love the lightweight and durable plastic, and the fact that it is clear is a big plus for keeping an eye on your ink. I prefer the less elegant, more utilitarian look; I felt like some kind of snob when I wrote (ehm, attempted to write) with the fancy chrome-trimmed pen. This writing tool is a steal at $22.80, and for that price the loss will be more emotional than monetary if you misplace it. I was amazed when it wrote after 2 seconds once I installed the included ink cartridge. My expensive pen required that you squeeze the cartridge and keep scribbling until it works. The ink that comes with the Lamy is brilliant blue, and it flows like a dream, even on my cheap notebook paper. The ink doesn't bleed or feather, and doesn't creep up on the nib like some. The cartridge is large enough that I'd probably be able to take a few weeks worth of notes in my college engineering classes before it even comes close to running out. I ordered the converter for it, but it has not yet arrived. I will update in the future on the pen/converter combo, but I imagine it will work exceedingly well. I am a Lamy customer for life. UPDATE: I've now used this pen for over a year, and my opinion has not changed a bit. I carry this pen everywhere clipped in my left pants pocket, just in case. I've used three different inks so far, and all have worked better than a dream. The only one showing any issues is Noodler's "Bulletproof" black ink, which is not 100% standard. Even it only suffers from an occasional dry-start and a little bit of feathering of the ink on the steel top of the nib. It must be something to do with the surface tension, but I'm no chemist. The only noticeable sign of wear is the metallic Lamy logo, which has rubbed almost completely off in my pocket. The converter kit works flawlessly with it, and I've had no leaks of any kind. I definitely recommend getting a converter with this, if only to save money in the long run. It's also nice to be able to change out ink whenever you want. I still love this pen.

I own five fountain pens. A Cross Titanium Townsend with a medium nib, Two Waterman Phileus', one with a medium nib and one with a fine nib. And I own to safari's, a Charcoal with a fine nib and the vista with a fine nib. The Cross is a super cool and smooth pen, but the line is too thick for most of what I need to do on a daily basis. It also has my signature etched in gold in it, so it is not a pen I like to carry around and potentially lose. The Phileus' are good pens. The Medium is slightly smaller than that of the Cross, and serves me well in my larger notebooks or on cheaper stock, such as copy paper or post it notes. The fine nib is nice for the smallest Moleskine. My favorite value by far is my Vista with the fine nib. It is not a flashy pen, but works really well. It is super smooth in the Moleskin, no skipping at all. The clear plastic has pros and cons. The pros are that it looks really cool and makes it easy to see the ink level (I bottle fill with Noodlers bulletproof). The con is that it looks sort of like a cheap clear bic. Another con is that it feels scratchy on Post it notes or copy paper. I am still giving this five stars, because you can't beat the value of the pen, or the value of using the same pen over and over by just refilling. It writes very smoothly over decent stock. Its a good pen that writes well, doesn't leak, has good ergonomics, doesn't take a lot of pressure to write with, and leaves a line of the width that I like. I recommend it, or if you prefer a more expensive looking model, the charcoal model.

I fell hard with my first Lamy Safari pen and quickly added the Vista. They’re the same, but somehow the demonstrator Vista just feels as though it has something extra. Maybe it’s the difference in the Lamy colors and the nakedness of this pen, or maybe it’s my imagination. I have always loved fountain pens but didn’t discover Lamy til recently, and now I can’t stop! I love the colors, but as I stated, the Vista has that ‘something extra’ that I’m so extremely drawn to. My other pens are jealous, and rightly (or ‘writely’) so. Nothing feels like a Lamy. And with arthritis getting the grip of a fountain pen is the ultimate must -have. My hand doesn’t tire, and I can always easily see the ink level in this pen, yet they still put the ink level view windows. I’m thinking of getting a medium nib, though I prefer the fine, just as an excuse to get another Vista. Yes, they are that addictive! What a perfectly fine tuned little pen. The craftsmanship is over the top, but the price is definitely not. I’m so, so in love!

It may not be mightier than a sword, but it's certainly a step up from the usual roller-ball/gel pen that you're using now. I chose the "Fine" nib which creates a nice thin line that is perfect for normal everyday handwriting. The flow through the nib is very good, with the understanding that it takes a moment to get the ink flowing if you haven't used the pen in a while (just like every other fountain pen). I haven't had any skipping or flow issues to this point, so that's also an improvement from some of the other fountain pens that I have. Lamy certainly has put together a quality product here, even if it is plastic. The writing is as clear and firm as some pens I have that cost multiples more, so when it comes to the actual functioning of the nib and ink system, Lamy definitely didn't skimp. I also have some cheap Asian knock-off fountain pens that are metal and other materials that feel much heftier and "expensive" in the hand, but don't write nearly as well. They are prone to skipping and ink flow issues. So, if you're looking for an inexpensive "daily driver" fountain pen, the Lamy Safari models are highly recommended. The Safari comes in a nice modern styled box which isn't burled hardwood, (it's cardboard) but is definitely a step up from your usual blister pack. The Vista pen itself has the cool see-through factor that you can only get with a plastic pen. So, while it doesn't have the heft and presence of my other metal pens, it certainly has a "cool" factor that they don't have. The wire clip is one of those things that you'll either love or hate. Personally, I like the style of it, but the functionality of it is a slightly different matter. If you clip this pen to a piece of paper, it's going to bend the paper around the barrel of the pen because of the two pinch-points rather than one on a normal clip. Not a big deal for me since I hardly ever use the clip, but something to consider. One other word of warning, the Safari model has a non-uniform triangular grip which means that you're forced into holding the pen in one specific way. If your hands are too big or too small, you might find this somewhat uncomfortable. I neither hate it nor love it. Mostly I still prefer a simple round grip area, although this one isn't too bad. I haven't written with it for an extended period of time yet, so time will tell whether this leads to any particular fatigue or not. Overall, I'm very pleased with the pen and plan on using my Lamy Safari regularly.

This is probably one of my best purchases ever. I would go through a pack of Zebra pens in a month or so, they write nice, but bloody murder those things get lost so easily. I bought this with a converter and a bottle of Noodles Ink. I have had it for two years now, and while I often lose it, I always find it again. It may be due to the fact that no body will steal it because no body has any idea how to write with a fountain pen. But also perhaps, because anyone will swipe a Zebra, but this clear demonstrator is most unusual. It does not age well. It looks pretty hot when you buy it, but that clear plastic shell gets scratched up soon enough, and add the red converter in, and it just looks kinda funky, not something fancy like that the average person would swipe. The ink bottle is still half full, so I figure I'm coming out ahead in terms of saving money and buying endless Zebras. Further it really improves your handwriting. The only negative is that the nib becomes rather broad over time. But it might just be due to the fact that I've dropped this thing repeatedly. It has never given me a leak despite the fact that I give it terrible abuse and taken abroad on flights. I highly recommend this if you will be writing in blue ink or another colored ink because it will show off through the barrel, especially if you only plan to keep it on your desk, because as I mentioned, if you keep it on your person it will scratch up soon enough.

I've been using Waterman and Pelikan fountain pens for some time, along with some Muji; I'd been lusting after some ink like the J.Herbin 340Th Anniversary Ink Bottle - Limited Edition and wanted more pens for them instead of running the risk of clotting the ones I had by mixing ink from different companies... But without breaking the bank like with a Pelikan Souveran 805 Black ST Fine Point Fountain Pen - 925438 ... Something I could carry everyday and wouldn't look as serious or old fashioned as the black and gold pens... This fits the bill perfectly: Great price, very good looking, the transparent body gives them a very futuristic look, particularly with the Lamy Safari Converter Z24 and they seem to work fine (I got two). Both flow smoothly on Clairefontaine paper, just a tad "scratchy" on regular paper - but it's still barely noticeable, I just realized how spoiled I've been with what I've had, particularly the unflappable Pelikans and a high end Waterman... If you've never used a fountain pen but want something that's *yours* and not generic, and if you want to refill it with ink instead of eventually throwing it away... This is a great and cheap alternative. You'd have to watch the paper you use, but once you find it the combination of a good pen and good paper is amazing.

I just receieved this pen today and I'm already in love with it. It writes very smoothly and the blue ink that it came with isn't so bad, even though I dislike blue inks. This is my first non-disposible fountain pen and I plan on keeping this for as long as possible. But since it's see through, I'm just wondering if it's normal for ink to 'spill' into the upper portion when I first put in the ink cartrige? Dispite the minor spill in the upper portion (which I'll post a picture of soon), I can't wait to get the black converter and fill it up~ Edit (2/15/2014): Turns out the 'spill' I thought was weird is actually normal. I was worried about nothing! The pen works perfectly and I feel so professional while using it. I haven't stopped using it since I've gotten it, so I need to hurry and buy my new ink before this one is all gone. I also need to buy an extra fine nib since this fine one is too thick for my style of note taking. Or I may just buy another pen all together from Lamy with the smaller nib. By the way, customer service was very nice and quick with a response, but made me giggle when they misspelled my 4 letter name. They were probably just starting shift or ending a busy day, so I can't fault them on it.