Comparison of the Leatherman Charge Ti to the Wenger "Evo 18"

[geothorn]

It's in the June 2005 issue of Popular Mechanics, in the "Upgrade" section. Here is a picture and description for those of you that are unfamiliar with the Wenger "Evo 18."

I'd better not reveal who "won" the 'competition.'

GeoThorn

 

[geothorn]

Ok, the Leatherman Charge Ti won. Not too much of a comparison, in my opinion.

GeoThorn

 

[JoeBW]

If that wasn't an apple and basketball comparison, nothing is. Too bad the Poular Mechanics/Science people have lost it since their great years of the 40's and 50's.

Joe

 

[JohnJ80]

boy, does that comparison make no sense. One is a multitool and one is a pocketknife. Maybe the should have compared the Charge TI to a barbeque set too.

Stupid.

J

 

[RickJ]

I was thinking the same thing too! Just did'nt want to make the guy feel bad!

You are comparing apples to oranges!

Rickj

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Most people would tend to put them in the same catagory as knife based tools and a comparison is thus meaningful.

Even if you see them as completely different, discussing where one is to be preferred has merit.

Calling one a winner, seems kind of insensible though, a solid SAK and mult-tool both have their strong and weak points.

How were they judged? What was the rating system?

-Cliff

 

[geothorn]

How were they judged? What was the rating system?

It wasn't too much of an in-depth comparison. Basically, it compared size, weight, "beauty," and how capable each were, for the widest variety of tasks.

I've gone to the Popular Mechanics web site a couple of times, since you responded to my post, and they are still "featuring" the May 2005 issue as the current issue, despite the fact that my barber shop already has it on their magazine rack. If I get over to my barber shop, I might photograph the June 2005 Upgrade section, and post it here.

To me, it seemed like a comparison between a heavyweight boxer and a flyweight boxer. If they wanted to compare the Leatherman Charge Ti to the Swiss Champ, then I could see it as a more "fair" comparison.

GeoThorn

 

[cardimon]

I've gone to the Popular Mechanics web site a couple of times, since you responded to my post, and they are still "featuring" the May 2005 issue as the current issue, despite the fact that my barber shop already has it on their magazine rack. If I get over to my barber shop, I might photograph the June 2005 Upgrade section, and post it here.

I wish more sites would function using Firefox. Opening up creaky old IE is such a drag.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

If they wanted to compare the Leatherman Charge Ti to the Swiss Champ, then I could see it as a more "fair" comparison.

Depends on the conclusion, if they extended it to a general multi-tool vs SAK then it would be lopsided, but for specific cases it can be of benefit to compare lighter vs heavier tools as it can be informative to develop scope of work issues. In this case the writer may not be aware there are other choices.

-Cliff

 

[geothorn]

I wish more sites would function using Firefox. Opening up creaky old IE is such a drag.

As a "old time" web page 'designer,' I was taught to make every web page as readable by the widest possible number of Internet browsers. However, I learned that lesson back in "the good old days" when the only browsers were Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) and Netscape Navigator. I presume that new web page designers are being taught the same lesson, but, from your reaction to the Popular Mechanics web site, I'm not certain.

GeoThorn

 

[cardimon]

As a "old time" web page 'designer,' I was taught to make every web page as readable by the widest possible number of Internet browsers. However, I learned that lesson back in "the good old days" when the only browsers were Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) and Netscape Navigator. I presume that new web page designers are being taught the same lesson, but, from your reaction to the Popular Mechanics web site, I'm not certain.

GeoThorn

I learned HTML during the Golden Age of web page design. The early 1990s. Taught myself, the hard way, using notepad, typing every tag in by hand. It was fun and I learned from the ground up. That would be laughed at today.

I am slowly beginning the search for a new car. I want All-Wheel Drive. Damn near every car site is IE-only because they insist on using Flash. I use Firefox.

I emailed a handful of these sites, explaining my situation fully yet briefly. The replies I got belonged in two camps. The first was, "We recommend IE." No ****, Sherlock. The second camp was more shocking, "Then don't visit our site." Yeesh. I guess they have more customers than they can handle and money is falling from the sky.

 

[geothorn]

I learned HTML during the Golden Age of web page design. The early 1990s. Taught myself, the hard way, using notepad, typing every tag in by hand. It was fun and I learned from the ground up. That would be laughed at today.

We both learned HTML the same way, at about the same time. I got my first computer in March 1996, and, by January, 1997 I had my first web site, at GeoCities. I've chosen to stick with IE6 because I was daunted by the number of plug-ins that FireFox had, at least in the beginning.

I am slowly beginning the search for a new car. I want All-Wheel Drive. Damn near every car site is IE-only because they insist on using Flash. I use Firefox.

I emailed a handful of these sites, explaining my situation fully yet briefly. The replies I got belonged in two camps. The first was, "We recommend IE." No ****, Sherlock. The second camp was more shocking, "Then don't visit our site." Yeesh. I guess they have more customers than they can handle and money is falling from the sky.

I find that to be a shocking response, too. However, I can also understand the web sites' choice in that regard. Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), as far as I know, is the only Internet browser that comes included with all Windows® computers, and, also as far as I know, FireFox isn't included with *any* computers. So, those web sites have chosen to be created so that MSIE will properly view their sites so that the largest number of Internet users will be able to see their sites perfectly.

I'd suggest "biting the bullet" and use MSIE for just as long as you're shopping for your car, and then blissfully return to FireFox after that shopping ordeal is completed.

GeoThorn

 

[cardimon]

GeoThorn,

I've chosen to stick with IE6 because I was daunted by the number of plug-ins that FireFox had, at least in the beginning.

Just dive in. Learn as you go. More fun that way. Extensions, plugins, themes...

FireFox isn't included with *any* computers.

Nope. That's why Microsoft is a monopoly.

I'd suggest "biting the bullet" and use MSIE for just as long as you're shopping for your car, and then blissfully return to FireFox after that shopping ordeal is completed.

Firefox offers a "View in IE" extension. If I have problems, I back up and open the site in IE.