you carry pens in your clothes and don't want them messed up, the answer is a simple yes. for me, my pens are always carried in a suit or a dress button down and the first version of the pen cost me a shirt. so the longer stroke is a very big deal. if you don't care about that kind of stuff, then the pen might not be a must-buy upgrade. it is certainly better. it is now one of my one or two favorite non-fountain pens ever, but the original was damn good too. for me, the question of upgrading is really simple--whether you appreciate the longer stroke or 