my first Lamy... safari fountain pen in neon coral

Can you believe that this is my first Lamy? I'm a self-confessed stationery addict and cannot help myself when it comes to gel pens but it has taken me about three years of debate (with myself) to finally purchase a Lamy Safari fountain pen. To be fair, I think the range of colours in the past haven't really caught my eye or made me want to take the plunge but when I saw the neon coral colour (a limited edition colour for 2014), I knew that this was the one. 

I do like a finer nib so I opted for the Fine nib in this Lamy and I also purchased an Extra Fine one so that I could slot that in if I thought the Fine nib was actually too thick for me.

As soon as I picked it up, I loved the ergonomic feel of the pen. It was comfortable to hold and not too heavy either.

I tried out both nibs and thought I preferred the Extra Fine one. However, after using it for a while, I found it a bit scratchy and the flow wasn't as smooth with it compared to the Fine nib. In terms of thickness, there really isn't that big a difference between them - at least, I couldn't see any.

Comfort
I could hold this pen for years and it wouldn't hurt one bit. Quite often, pens leave a dent in my fingers but this Lamy hasn't. I've been using it a fair amount ever since I got it and for pen made out of plastic, it is ridiculously comfortable to hold.

Style
It isn't the most attractive pen out there but it is designed well and has all of the features needed for it to be a pen used continuously for a good hour or two without causing pain. The colour is a lot brighter than I imagined it would be - and any pictures you see on the internet of this pen won't be an accurate representation of just how bright it is. It really is a neon coral colour and I definitely expected it to glow in the dark when I first got it.

Price point and cartridge price
Lamy Safari fountain pens are incredibly affordable - you can get one for less than £15 if you look in the right place and opt for the right colour (Amazon, I'm looking at you). However, ink cartridges are fairly pricey. I've taken to buying them from online retailers (sorry, local shops) where I can buy them in packs of four for just over a fiver.

I don't think I'm accomplished enough to use a converter so for now, ink cartridges will just have to do. Bottles of ink will inevitably be cheaper than cartridges in the long run but I love the flexibility of using a blue ink cartridge one week and then a turquoise one the next. I think a bottle of ink would dry out quicker than I could use the ink itself.

Overall, I really am questioning why it took me so long to purchase a Lamy Safari fountain pen. Why did I um and ah for so long?! I used a Parker 45 while in sixth form at school and I liked it but it didn't compare to my mum's vintage Parker 45 as the nib wrote a finer line. Unfortunately, her vintage one broke and I think my fountain pen-loving heart died at that moment in time (or at least I thought it did... Until now!).

However, if you are like me - umming and ahh-ing over whether or not to buy a Lamy Safari fountain pen, I think you should take the plunge. Provided you can find one in a colour you love, there really should be nothing stopping you from acquiring one of these beauties.