Lamy Safari Ballpoint Piña Colada Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

At this point in the year, summer vacations are winding down and everyone is settling in for the last big push before the end of year holidays are upon us. When I think of piña coladas, I instantly associate that with beach-side vacations and carefree living. While the 2024 special edition Safari can't replicate that experience, it can certainly lighten the mood with these bright colors.

The Lamy Safari Piña Colada is a light blue and bright yellow color combo that I haven't been able to put down. I'm using the ballpoint version, though you can get this in fountain pen, rollerball, and pencil variants as well.

If you've ever used a Lamy Safari ballpoint before, then there's nothing new here aside from the unique color combination. The refill included inside is Lamy's proprietary M16 medium point with black ink. As far as ballpoint refills go, the M16 is decent, but not my favorite. Unfortunately, there aren't other refills that you can easily drop-in to replace the M16, but Lamy do offer some other point sizes and color options for the refill.

The body of the Piña Colada is a light blue with a touch of green. There's a clear finish on the body that catches the light. The clear finish also provides a nice feel when writing, but can cause some oil build-up after writing for a while. The pen is easy to wipe down, though!

The accents (nose cone, bellows/nock, and clip) are all a matte bright yellow color that goes perfectly with the light blue-green body.

The squishy bellows mechanism requires a good amount of force to operate, but it's so satisfying to use, just like any other Lamy Safari ballpoint. I love the bellows cover — it would be easy to identify this pen as a Lamy just from the clip shape, but the squishy accordion nock is another signature clue.

The grip section is a three-sided contour that provides three flattened areas for resting your fingers. This works well for how I grip the pen, but it might not be to everyone's liking. The nose cone is long enough that you can even grip the upper part if needed for more control.

The only branding on the pen is a LAMY logo debossed into the side of the body right under the bellows and opposite the clip. It's subtle and can be easy to miss in low light. The clip is strong and will keep the pen secured to whatever you clip it to.

At $16, this Piña Colada special edition Safari is a good deal on a classic pen. For me, this was a compulsive purchase just because of the colors. The fact that it's a great writing instrument is just a bonus. If these colors speak to you, be sure to pick one up before they're gone!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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OHTO Minimo Ballpoint Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

The wee OHTO Minimo Ballpoint Pen takes the cake as the miniest of minimal travel. The 3.7 mm diameter and 3.5 inch length makes this pen about the size of a Q-tip, minus the fluff. It slides into a clear plastic sleeve that is attached to a plastic card that fits easily in a wallet pocket.

Typically, even when I'm traveling light, I have a decent pen on me. At the very least, my Spoke Roady is always in my wallet, and then there's usually at least one other pen within arm's reach. So why do I need the world's tiniest pen? Because it's cute, that's why.

I figured this would be a last-resort pen--the emergency, better-than-nothing pen, but it's actually a decent writer. Not terribly comfortable, but a perfectly decent choice for making quick notes.

The pen's body is plastic, and while it's sturdy, there's just not enough of it to be really strong. It does feel delicate in the hand, and I wouldn't want to be too rough with it. It has a thin, flexible metal clip, silver metal accents, and the teeniest click mechanism ever. The click deploys the ballpoint tip, and you're ready to write very small notes. To retract the tip, press on the little bump of wire exposed on the side of the pen.

You probably won't want to write for a long time with this pen, but if you should manage to write out the ink supply, this pen is actually refillable. It takes a standard D1 refill, which are available from many brands in a bunch of fun colors. The pen itself is available in several colors. I picked black, but there's also orange, green, and pink.

There's not a whole lot to this pen. Its whole deal is just being the most simple version of a simple tool that you might need while on the go. And while it will totally fit in your wallet, it won't drain it. This wee treasure is only $7.50 at JetPens, which is fair, I think. It could be less--there are bigger pens for a third of that cost--but the specialty parts that have to exist just for this one pen likely explain that difference. Pretty much every millimeter (few as there are) of this beauty is proprietary, I'd imagine.

What am I going to do with this strange wee thing? It's going in my work badge. It will be the perfect tool for when I need to make a quick note when I'm running around my library, four floors away from my desk and pen cup. And I think it's perfect for the hardcore minimalist travelers who want to lighten the load at all costs and may only need a pen for customs forms and singing up for adventures. Hooray for tiny pens!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint Pen Review

“Brad, why do you like the Caran d’Ache 849 so much? I just don’t get it.”

I’ve reviewed the 849 before (back in 2019,) had my own Pen Addict Edition made, and yes, I keep bringing it up in conversation, and buy special editions of it. I’m a fan, but why?

For starters, the style. First launched in 1969, the design of the 849 is a stationery classic. Like a LAMY Safari or a Pelikan fountain pen, the design of the 849 is noticeable from across the room. That likely comes from the unique clip design, tailored perfectly to the fit the hexagonal barrel.

The size of the 849 is also an important factor. This is a small pen. Modern pen designs tell us that the market prefers slightly wider and longer pens, but designs like the 849 and Parker Jotter have sustained for decades by keeping their original silhouette. At 5 inches long and 0.5 oz. in weight it may not necessarily seem or feel small, but in comparison to similar pens it does land on that side of the ledger.

Attached to the Traveler’s Passport notebook.

Ballpoint refills sometimes get a bad rap, but the Goliath (yes, that’s what they named theirs,) is excellent. Only standard colors (Black, Blue, Red, Green,) and sizes (Fine, Medium, Broad,) are available, but the ones I’ve tried (Black and Blue, Fine and Medium,) have all been excellent.

I prefer the Fine Blue Goliath refill, but the Fine Black version may make me reconsider. The line is clean, consistent, and mess-free.

The sum of the above reasons I like the 849 brings us to main one: fun. Caran d’Ache makes fun pens. Look no further than this Caran d’Ache 849 Year of the Dragon Ballpoint for one example why these pens are so popular. This Limited Edition features a Red body with Gold trim, and is filled with dragon scales, including a random layout of gilded-edges. The entire package pops, including the Gold slimpack it ships in.

For all of the upside I see in the 849 lineup, the one downside is the price. The base single color models start at $22, with various Limited Editions on up from there. This Year of the Dragon model is $47. I paid over $100 for a chromed-out Keith Haring edition. So yeah, I’m way in on the Cd’A 849 lineup.

Left to right: Kaweco Sport, Cd’A 849, LAMY Safari.

Should you be? I think there is a checklist to run down if you are thinking about making a purchase. As I discussed above, think about how the size fits your hand, if you like ballpoint refills (the 849 is compatible with Parker-style refills,) and does the style match yours. Am I going to tell you that the 849 provides better performance for the price than the Jetstream Lite Touch that I just raved about? No. Am I going to tell you it’s cooler? I might.

I know that the Caran d’Ache 849 is a staple in my lineup, and I always look forward to what the brand will come up with next.

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)