In less than 10 days, The Gentleman Stationer will be 10 years old! That’s a milestone that sort of snuck up on me, and while I’ve certainly thought about it over the past few months, the significance really hit me this past week. I have some fun ideas for the month of April, including a bit of a retrospective and a few giveaways. But the main project I’ll be continuing is catching up on my review backlog. After 10 years, there remains a long list of pens that I've (inexcusably) never reviewed, including today's subject: The Lamy Vista.
Is The Vista Just a Safari by Another Name? Kinda. But It’s Still Cool.
Yes, the Vista is “just” a demonstrator Safari, but it's a well-executed example of a demonstrator that costs no more than the standard pen. (As enthusiasts know, sometimes adding “demonstrator” to the product also adds to the price.) For those new to fountain pens, a "demonstrator" is the term used to refer to a transparent pen that allows you to see the pen's internal mechanisms. Traditionally, these pens were used by salespeople to showcase a pen's filling system and other internal components to potential customers. Collectors covet rare vintage demonstrators, and most modern manufacturers have introduced at least one "demo" into their standard lineup because clear acrylics tend to look good and sell very well, especially once you get into colored transparent materials. (More on that later.)
You can add a pop of color to the Vista by using a bright ink (here, Laban Hera Green).
There's nothing fancy about the Lamy Vista - except for the transparent plastic, the Vista shares the same shape as the Safari, feels exactly the same in the hand as the Lamy Safari, and uses the same interchangeable stainless steel nib. I've long considered the Safari a core "Workhorse Pen" due to its combination of quality and value, and I view the Vista the same way. As with the Safari, some people will have issues with the pen's triangular grip. Fortunately for me, it fits with how I hold a pen, but you're either a "Safari person" or you're not. It's one of those pens that either works for you or one you have to pass on it and there's not too much you can do given that the molded grip is a key part of the Safari (and AL-Star) identity.
WHERE ARE THE OTHER COLORS!?!
Most notable about the Lamy Vista is the conversation surrounding the pen. Lamy has kept the Vista as part of the standard lineup for years, without giving it any sort of special treatment in the form of a special edition, a new color, or even updated trim (wouldn't a black clip and nib look great!?). Don't get me wrong, it's fine to have a standard clear demonstrator in your lineup, and the Vista continues to sell relatively well, but Lamy (and it's retailers) would literally print money if Lamy started releasing the Vista in blue, green, red, yellow, smoke black... you get the point.
I’m quite excited about his year’s AL-Star releases. Wouldn’t those sections look great in a full-sized Vista demo?
We know that Lamy is capable of making transparent acrylics. For example, the promotional photos of the new Lamy AL-Stars in "Fiery" and "Aquatic" (metallic red and blue) show transparent blue and red sections on those pens. I should have them in-hand early next week and will post live photos, but how great would those colors look on a full demonstrator? Similarly, the Lamy Balloon rollerball adopts a similar format to the Vista, in full-color transparent acrylics. Why not expand this to the fountain pen formula?
IMHO, there’s no reason why Lamy couldn’t go full TWSBI ECO or 580 with the Vista lineup. The Vista (center) is shown here with the TWSBI ECO in Creme and Rose Gold (left) and the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Matte Black.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
I love demonstrators, and keep a bunch in my personal collection. The Lamy Vista is an excellent, often overlooked pen that I just wish Lamy would expand on a bit more. The company could really take the demonstrator concept and run with it, and it strikes me as a bit of a no-brainer from a business perspective. That said, I have no visibility into Lamy's manufacturing situation so there may very well be logistical issues that to date have prevented them from expanding the Vista line. (The demand would be insane, for one thing, and probably difficult to predict and manage.)
The other way to add a pop of color to the Vista: Use the converter with the red piston knob!
If you enjoy the look of the Vista, you can get one directly from us! The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lamy pens, and while we don't stock the full Safari range (yet?), we do offer the Vista in all of its various formats. With the Safari, if you like a color you can typically assemble as set that includes the fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, and mechanical pencil in matching colors. You can do the same with the Lamy Vista. Pricing is identical to the Safari, with the fountain pen at just under $30, the rollerball at $20, and the ballpoint and pencil both at $16. Also, the latest Lamy AL-Star pens are now available for pre-order, and should start shipping Monday along with a full restock of the new Safaris.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Your loyal readership and support is what has kept us going for the past 10 years, and we greatly appreciate it!