I don’t often revisit old reviews, but I’ve been in a nostalgic mood lately as I prune back my collection and decide what to keep and what I should pass along to others. I also periodically get questions about whether my opinion on certain pens I’ve recommended heavily in the past still feature prominently in my own daily use. One of those pens is the Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint, more commonly referred to as the Lamy 2000 Multipen. For a refresh on my opinions of this pen, you should start by reading my original review.
A small split in the Macrolon, which is pretty shallow and hasn’t “moved” at all since I first noticed it 2 years ago. I still use the pen without incident.
Nearly five years later, everything I said in that original review still holds true. The “gravity drive” refill system, where you rotate the pen so that the refill you desire to use faces up, continues to work flawlessly, and the pen itself has withstood significant use fairly well, including relatively heavy pocket carry and briefcase travel. My pen does have a small split in the Macrolon around mid-barrel, though it’s stable and hasn’t expanded in the two years since I first noticed it.
The Sailor Imperial Black Multipen features a .5mm mechanical pencil, which is great even though I prefer the Lamy’s form factor. (The Lamy also rattles less.)
If there is one “regret” I have with this pen, it’s that the Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint doesn’t feature a mechanical pencil option. If I were able to roll with three pens and a pencil in this form factor, this pen would never leave my bag. As it stands, if I think I’m going to be in a situation where a pencil might be necessary, I’ll carry the Sailor Imperial Black Multipen instead. While that particular pen is quite a bit heavier and not as comfortable to use as the Lamy, the mechanical pencil option is a huge plus.
My two preferred multipen options: the Sailor Imperial Black and the Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
While I don’t use multipens in general as much as I used to, the Lamy 2000 4 Color Ballpoint still makes its way into my regular daily carry. I use the same four D1 refill options as I did five years ago (two .5mm Jetstreams in blue and red, a Lamy highlighter refill, and a standard .7mm blue-black ballpoint refill that I bought in bulk years ago and which I think is Monteverde). While this particular pen is going on six years old, and carries some “battle scars,” I’d consider it stable and a worthy investment, especially given how much use I’ve gotten from it and the fact that I only paid $50 or so. You can still get these in the U.S., though the price these days is more around $80. If this particular pen ends up breaking, I’d have no hesitation about investing in another one. I’ve linked here to Jetpens, the U.S.-based retailer that also features a wide range of D1 refills that should be compatible with the Lamy 2000 Multipen.
Disclaimer: I purchased this pen with my own funds, for my own use, years ago. This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges from the T.G.S. Patreon Program.