Charr
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,545
I have owned both and personally liked the Strider much more. But really, they are rather different knives with a rather different actual philosophy of use in my opinion.
Though the Manix 2 XL will do just about everything with pretty good versatility, the SMF is, in my experience, much more pocketable. The Manix XL is super wide in the pocket, and to me felt a little weird in the hand as well, likely because of all of the protruding gimping all over the handle.
The Strider costs more, and whether or not that price is warranted is not something I will discuss, because I paid the money for both happily, but it is also something to take into consideration seriously. The XL costs much less than the Strider, and for most people that is going to be the real thing that defines whether or not they will buy one or the other, then comes the actual design.
I will say that the Manix XL performed in a MUCH different way than the Strider, and though I ended up selling my Manix 2, Manix 2 XL, SNG, and SMF, of those 4, the ones I would gladly pay the money for again are the SNG and the SMF. Is that to say you will feel the same? No, and that is the fact of our hobby, and all hobbies.
I will also say this to really tell you how I think about this:
If you are looking for a "poor man's _____", then you need to really just save your money for the real thing and get it when you can. Trying to cheat by finding a less expensive replacement will never live up to the actual product itself, as long as it earns the price tag.
Though the Manix 2 XL will do just about everything with pretty good versatility, the SMF is, in my experience, much more pocketable. The Manix XL is super wide in the pocket, and to me felt a little weird in the hand as well, likely because of all of the protruding gimping all over the handle.
The Strider costs more, and whether or not that price is warranted is not something I will discuss, because I paid the money for both happily, but it is also something to take into consideration seriously. The XL costs much less than the Strider, and for most people that is going to be the real thing that defines whether or not they will buy one or the other, then comes the actual design.
I will say that the Manix XL performed in a MUCH different way than the Strider, and though I ended up selling my Manix 2, Manix 2 XL, SNG, and SMF, of those 4, the ones I would gladly pay the money for again are the SNG and the SMF. Is that to say you will feel the same? No, and that is the fact of our hobby, and all hobbies.
I will also say this to really tell you how I think about this:
If you are looking for a "poor man's _____", then you need to really just save your money for the real thing and get it when you can. Trying to cheat by finding a less expensive replacement will never live up to the actual product itself, as long as it earns the price tag.
