Lamy
Recommended 32× on r/BuyItForLife
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Safari Fountain Pen
Designed for everyday use, the LAMY safari fountain pen has been a global success since the 1980s. With its iconic design and cult following, this writing instrument is a favorite...
Safari Ballpoint Pen Pina Colada Special Edition
LAMY Safari – The bestseller. Many attractive colours, timeless design, perfect ergonomics. The LAMY safari is a timelessly modern pen for the young – and the young at heart – and...
Nexx Fountain Pen
Discover the LAMY nexx, a fountain pen that combines functionality with elegance. Crafted by Lamy, this pen is designed to provide a superior writing experience. Its capped feature...
AL-Star Rollerball Pen
Offering a range of high-quality and vibrant colours along with a light-weight writing experience. The LAMY AL-Star range of pens offer the perfect writing instrument for both begi...
Lx Rollerball Pen
LAMY balloon Rollerball Pen
AL-Star Fountain Pen
The Lamy Ocean Blue AL-Star is well known for its modern style and dependability. The aluminum body and self sprung metal clip that makes Lamy pens instantly recognizable. A contou...
LAMY AL-Star Fountain Pen
LAMY AL-star – The light aluminium-experience. This aluminium writing instrument by is part of the AL-star collection. The Lamy AL-star is the attractive, young writing instrument...
Safari Fountain Pen Metal Clip M Nib Matte Black 100Th Anniversary 17-M-100
Lamy Safari Fountain Pen** The Lamy Safari fountain pen stands out as a smooth and reliable writing instrument, gaining appreciation from both novices and seasoned fountain pen ent...
Al Star Fountain Pen Model 027
The Lamy AL-star fountain pen in the colour aubergine combines modern design with functionality. Made from high-quality, anodised aluminium, this fountain pen not only has an attra...
Joy Fountain Pen
Expressive calligraphy fountain pen with polished steel calligraphy nib and ergonomic grip. Robust cap and body made of high-quality ASA plastic. Includes 1 LAMY T 10 ink cartridge...
ST Tri Pen
A brilliant multi-purpose office tool contained in one beautiful writing instrument! The LAMY ST Tri-Pen is an exceptional 3-in-1, containing a blue and a red ballpoint pen and a 0...
Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Lamy
32 mentions from real owners
- #1Dec 30, 2025
Letter writing set recommendations
I’d buy a [Lamy Safari](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/lamy-safari-fountain-pen-shiny-black) and [Noodler's Black](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/noodlers-black-3oz-bottled-ink). Noodler's Black resists water, UV/light fading, forgery attempts, chemicals. It’s a good quality pen and ink combo that will not fade on paper and last a long time.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #2Nov 4, 2025
Which brands/products have gotten better over time?
The ones saucedgoatsauce mentioned are excellent japanese options. I also recommend Lamy Safari, Lamy Al-Star and Kaweco Sport for some good German options. The nibs are a bit worse but the pen itself feels a bit better imo.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #3Sep 5, 2025
Help me get the perfect present for my boyfriend (28M)!!
Leaning into the fountain pen idea is a great move. A good pen can last literally a lifetime and becomes a really personal tool. If you're worried about the design, maybe just a simple engraving of his initials would be perfect. Brands like Lamy or Kaweco are amazing and built to last without breaking the bank. Or, if you wanted to go for a true heirloom piece, you could look at something from Pelikan or Pilot. He'd get to use it for decades! And the exlibris stamp is such a cool, classic writerly thing to have. It's something he can use to make his entire library feel truly his own. You can find some incredible artists on Etsy who could design something unique for him, maybe even blending his love for science and writing. You could pair it with a beautiful, refillable leather journal from a place like Galen Leather. That way, he has a permanent cover for all his future thoughts and stories. If he does most of his writing on a computer, you could also think about a really nice mechanical keyboard. They feel amazing to type on and are built like tanks compared to regular keyboards. It's one of those "once you try it, you can't go back" kinds of things that he would use every single day.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #4Sep 5, 2025
What's a purchase under $50 that has genuinely improved your daily routine?
Hell yeah I have the safari and Al-Star and they’re awesome. I’ll add that the Travelers company brass fountain pen for $60-70 is an incredible everyday carry pen because it fits easily in your pocket, is durable as hell and the caps makes the pen easy to write with by extending the pen length.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #5Sep 4, 2025
What's a purchase under $50 that has genuinely improved your daily routine?
I’ve somewhat just gotten into the FP game recently. Been using Pilot Kakunos mostly, and just picked up the Safari a few weeks ago. It writes really smoothly. I do like that the nibs are fairly easily interchangeable as well.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #6Sep 4, 2025
What's a purchase under $50 that has genuinely improved your daily routine?
Out of this list I have a Lamy Al-Star, it's great. Usually I'm team low-maintenance ballpoint, but fountain pens are real workhorses. The thing will probably last forever. Love a good pen.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #7Sep 4, 2025
What's a purchase under $50 that has genuinely improved your daily routine?
Lamy Safari, and if you are concerned about a plastic pen, i guess you could go for a Pilot Metropolitan or Lamy Al-Star, which are metal bodies.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #8Aug 1, 2025
What products used to be well built back in the day but now are low quality?
Lamy 2000 fountain pen. Once an icon of German design, modern has a Shitty plastic interior piston designed to fail. So bad they don’t honor their lifetime warranty anymore. If you’re a pen person and considering one, go vintage only.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #9Jul 3, 2025
Your Top 3 BIFL Items
I love my Lamy 2000. Such a marvel of engineering. And fantastically smooth writer. I restore and collect vintage fountain pens and the Lamy is the only new pen I’ve ever bought.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #10Jul 3, 2025
Name your top 5 BIFL items
1 Manduka Pro yoga mat. At 6’3”, I wish I’d gone for the tall version, but the thing really IS built for life so I’m stuck with the standard size 😆 2 Nomos Tangente Watch (hand winding version). Aside from servicing, this is a (dressier) watch for life. 3 Lamy 2000 fountain pen. Classy yet durable! 4 Grohmann slimline folder pocket knife. 5 Feather safety razor. Honourable mentions: My seemingly indestructible meditation cushion set (brand unknown), and titanium gongfu/gaiwan tea set.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #11Jul 3, 2025
Your Top 3 BIFL Items
Rex Ambassador razor Lamy 2000 fountain pen De Byer carbon steel skillet
View on Redditopen_in_new - #12Jul 1, 2025
Name your top 5 BIFL items
Duluth pack bison wallet, Lamy fountain pen, Rolex datejust 41, Zojirushi rice cooker, Spiderco pocket knife
View on Redditopen_in_new - #13Jun 10, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
> If you really want a fountain pen r/fountainpens is the place to be :) I disagree STRONGLY -- r/fountainpens is *dangerous* if want just one pen. It's where to go if you want to end up with a collection of several dozen pens or more, a shelf or drawer of inks, a half dozen different papers and notebooks, and assorted fountain pen paraphernalia (modified nibs, custom feeds, nib tuning gear, etc). I say this slightly tongue in cheek, with love (as a semi-regular participant)... discovering r/fountainpens is what took me from "I love my Lamy" to full-blown fountain pen addiction.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #14Jun 9, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
I don’t really use ballpoints much, so have a couple other kinds of pens: For felt tips, Copic Multiliner SPs. Basically Microns, but with an aluminum body and refillable. Rollerballs, I have a lot of Retro 51s, and I’ve never had any trouble with them. They come in a lot of fun patterns. Fountain pens are a lot, and probably not a good answer to your question, but if you treat them right they will last a very long time (there are functioning ones from the 1800s out there). People recommending Lamy are likely correct; I don’t have a ton of experience outside of their fountain pens but those are quite good, and I do have a ballpoint from West Germany before the Berlin Wall fell from them that I use if I absolutely must use a ballpoint.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #15Jun 9, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
Lamy also has fountain pens and those are better in the sense that you can buy a refillable ink canister and just buy ink from that point on. (Also I’ve found that I prefer fountain over ballpoint or even rollerball)
View on Redditopen_in_new - #16Jun 9, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
Rec: buy a Lamy Safari fountain pen and a bottle of ink. That'll last you for a year, or more. And they're so much fun to write with !
View on Redditopen_in_new - #17Jun 9, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
Hmmm have you considered a fountain pen? I would recommend Lamy safari or Kaweco sports. They are relatively affordable for a fountain pen. And since it uses a converter to store the ink, all you need is just an inkwell (say Parker quink, widely available) and you will be good to go for the next few years.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #18Jun 9, 2025
Refillable pen suggestions
You can also try Lamy. They’re a very popular German brand. They have tons of colors. Come in rollerball, comfortable for long writing sessions and refillable.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #19Jun 3, 2025
Some of my favorite BIFL EDC items.
Got a real Cow Tools vibe about this before I read the caption. My BIFL EDC bits are: - Victorinox Classic SD, on a Nite-Ize S-Biner used as a key ring. - Streamlight Stylus Pro torch - Zeiss MiniQuick 5x10 monocular - Koyono Slimmy wallet (2 pocket) - Casio GW-M5610 G-Shock (or a Seiko SKX013 at weekends) - Lamy Pico All carried in a Tom Bihn Cafe Bag. In summer, add Maui Jim sunnies & a Canadian made Tilley T3 hat.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #20May 10, 2025
Brands you swear by that have Buy It For Life quality products
The truest proof for Pilot: there’s still a ton of their vintage fountain pens around, and many write like a dream. I’ve got several that are much older than me and only another fountain pen collector would be able to tell (from subtle design changes). Platinum and Lamy can say the same — although one does have to dip test modern Lamy nibs because the widths can be inconsistent. Modern Esterbrooks are also extremely well made, though quite different from their more budget vintage ancestors.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #21May 10, 2025
Brands you swear by that have Buy It For Life quality products
Barbour, Tweezerman, Lamy, Wolverine, Omega, Lodge, AeroPress, Toyota.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #22Apr 12, 2025
What is a pen that you have bought for life and you actually use it everyday and it is your first go-to, as if it’s become an extension of your arm and you feel connected with the page?
Fountain pens: Kaweco Sport Brass and Al, Lamy Safari (lasted 10-15 years only) but now have it in AL, Pilot VP, TWSBI Diamond.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #23Apr 12, 2025
What is a pen that you have bought for life and you actually use it everyday and it is your first go-to, as if it’s become an extension of your arm and you feel connected with the page?
If you are not going to commit to a fountain pen, as in Kaweco like suggested above, or a Lamy , then I would suggest a good real ball point like a Sheaffer or a Swedish Ballograf.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #24Apr 12, 2025
What is a pen that you have bought for life and you actually use it everyday and it is your first go-to, as if it’s become an extension of your arm and you feel connected with the page?
Lamy AL-Star. Doesn't need to cost a fortune to be durable, reliable, and comfortable.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #25Mar 3, 2025
Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?
Strong disagree on pens! I got a Lamy 2000 and everything from the ergonomics to the way the material warms up to skin temperature makes it worth the money. Of course, that is the one you should not lend out to others. Not only is it too expensive to lose, people who have not used fountain pens will damage the nib.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #26Mar 3, 2025
Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?
The sub's name is not meant to be taken that literally. From the sidebar: > This is a subreddit emphasizing products that are Durable, Practical, Proven, and Made-to-Last. > Products that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last a lifetime) are accepted. Also, your examples are weird. I don't think I've ever lost a pair of socks and I have had the same pen at my desk for decades now. Just used it a moment ago! (Lamy Safari, my first fountain pen - this pen has literally been around the world with me and I take it hiking as part of my watercolour kit)
View on Redditopen_in_new - #27Mar 3, 2025
Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?
Yes! I just commented that I am still using 2 LAMY stainless steel Multifunction Twin-pens - purchased in the mid-1980s!! Using one of them daily. "I WILL FIND YOU" is the right attitude. Haha.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #28Mar 3, 2025
Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?
I am still using (and loving) 2 stainless steel polished LAMY multi-function Twin-Pens/w.pencil leads and eraser - both purchased in the mid 1980s. One is always with my time planner and pretty much daily used, the other one is on the desk in the cup with other pens and pencils. Probably they are gonna outlive me. Just looked online, the same model is still available. Though, cost is around double the price than in the 1980s.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #29Mar 3, 2025
Where Does "Buy It for Life" Not Make Sense?
I hear Noodler’s Polar series inks are extremely fast drying, or inks like Pelikan 4001 series just are kind of dry to begin with. Get something like this, a fine or medium nib on something like a Lamy Safari (which forces a correct grip), and most of all, get used to writing with your paper laying about 45° clockwise, so you can work on having a relaxed hand position that will sit naturally below the line you’re writing on, and fountain pens should be a breeze for lefties, too! The part about hand and paper position is actually just a universal thing - even righthanded folks need to be mindful or their hand, if the ink isn’t a fast drier, you’ll just smudge the line above what you’re currently writing anyways.
View on Redditopen_in_new - #30Feb 7, 2025
What brands do you trust to always deliver a high quality product?
Apple, Costco (store), seki/ suwada nail clippers, omega (watch), Casio, Casio g-shock, REI (store), leatherman, shinola leather goods, canon, Sony, Anker, fenix (flashlight), Patagonia, lamy…
View on Redditopen_in_new - #31Feb 1, 2025
What’s one item you bought that has lasted for YEARS and was worth every penny?
I’ve fallen down the fountain pen rabbit hole and bought way too many of them, but love that I should be able to use them forever and donate or sell some if I so choose later on! Truthfully some of the entry level ones (LAMY Safari, Pilot Explorer) are some of my favorites
View on Redditopen_in_new - #32Dec 2, 2015
Young professional purchases
Focus on what suits *your* needs, rather than on the idea of what a young professional needs. Like, people could declare a certain coffee maker a kitchen essential, but if you don't drink coffee, there's no point in getting it. For the less fashion sensitive articles of clothing, LLBean has fantastic quality, and Lands End is also pretty good. If you lose your water bottle, BIFL status is less important than usability, although if you like the mouth of Nalgene, then obviously keep using it. I favor Contigo and Camelback because they encourage me to drink more water than I would with a Nalgene, even though they are inherently less durable. I have an STM backpack with a well padded laptop compartment that I love. It's held up better than any other backpack I've had. It's also quite comfortable. Watches usually last pretty well. The weak points are thin plating and canvas or leather straps (which are also more comfortable, imo, so I put up with them). I'd make sure to get something I won't be sick of in 10 years, because unless you get a really crummy one, you'll probably still have it. That might be one of the more important BIFL aspects with watches, really. Briefcase: Depends on your job. You want it to fit the environment. You might be interested in a fountain pen. It won't save you money, but it will mean you'll have the one nice pen instead of a bunch of cheaper ones. For a discrete pen, I like the Hero 616, which is modeled after the Parker 51. The standard pen recommendation is the Lamy Safari. I always use Noodlers Black ink, because it's impossible to remove from paper, which makes it great for signatures, but some people prefer washable ink to avoid clothing mishaps.
View on Redditopen_in_new