Fountain Pens · owner-verdict comparison

Lamy Safari vs Pilot Custom 823: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 69% of 386 Lamy Safari owners recommend it, vs 72% of 279 for the Pilot Custom 823.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Lamy Safari

69%of 386 owners recommend
69% recommend · 10% neutral · 21% don't
Owners praise
  • Excellent value, quality writer for the price
  • Smooth, reliable nib that rarely skips
  • Durable, near-indestructible workhorse that lasts decades
Owners complain about
  • Nib quality is inconsistent, dry or scratchy
  • Triangular grip section uncomfortable for many
Full owner report →

Pilot Custom 823

72%of 279 owners recommend
72% recommend · 20% neutral · 8% don't
Owners praise
  • A nib owners describe over and over as buttery or glass smooth, with almost no tooth
  • Huge ink capacity from the vacuum filler, enough to go a long time between refills
  • Consistent starts for most owners, and a cap seal that holds ink through weeks unused
Owners complain about
  • The Fine runs finer and drier than many owners expected, with noticeable feedback
  • The Medium runs wide and wet, and owners who came from a Fine repeatedly call it too broad for their hand
  • A run of owners got a dry or skipping nib that needed a wetter ink, a feed swap, or a replacement nib
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Lamy Safari if
  • ✓Beginners buying their first fountain pen
  • ✓Daily writers and journalers wanting a reliable workhorse
  • ✓Pocket-carry and rough-use owners needing near-indestructible durability
  • ✓Tinkerers who like quick, easy nib swapping
Skip it if
  • Writers who dislike the molded triangular grip
  • People wanting large ink capacity between refills
Get the Pilot Custom 823 if
  • ✓Writers looking for one pen to settle on instead of a growing collection
  • ✓Heavy daily writers who want to refill rarely, for notes, journaling and long work sessions
  • ✓Anyone who prefers a wet, glass-smooth nib over one with tooth
  • ✓Buyers who can try the nib grades in hand before picking one
Skip it if
  • Owners who rotate inks often and do not want a slow flush between them
  • Small, cramped handwriting that the Medium's wider, wetter line would swamp

What Lamy Safari owners say

“Nothing has changed which speaks for its quality.”
— @SaraX2024 on YouTube
“I think the thing is built like a tank.”
— @AndreasPinkert on YouTube
“they would always bust ink everywhere in my pockets or worse your school bag”
— @philipwillingham5950 on YouTube

What Pilot Custom 823 owners say

“823 is perfect if you already found your "main" ink and in my case, the iroshizuku shin-kai because the ink capacity is awesome but cleaning and switching inks can be a hassle.”
— Different-Relation21 on Reddit
“It feels much more substantial in the hand and is nicer to hold, IMO (because of the metal mechanism) and I feel like the nib writes smoother and wetter, which is my preference.”
— tidy-dinosaur323 on Reddit
“I personally didn't love it enough for the price. It's a thick pen, so you have to like something a little girthier in your hand, and I didn't love the vacuum feed, either.”
— Travels4Food on Reddit

Lamy Safari vs Pilot Custom 823: frequently asked questions

Is the Lamy Safari or the Pilot Custom 823 better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 69% of 386 Lamy Safari owners recommend it, vs 72% of 279 for the Pilot Custom 823.

Who should get the Lamy Safari?

Owners point the Lamy Safari at beginners buying their first fountain pen, and daily writers and journalers wanting a reliable workhorse.

Who should get the Pilot Custom 823?

Owners point the Pilot Custom 823 at writers looking for one pen to settle on instead of a growing collection, and heavy daily writers who want to refill rarely, for notes, journaling and long work sessions.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Lamy Safari is nib quality is inconsistent, dry or scratchy. For the Pilot Custom 823, it's the Fine runs finer and drier than many owners expected, with noticeable feedback.