lol long post are sometimes good and informative, I can appreciate them. Now I don't mean to sound like a Leatherman basher, for the record I think they make very good tools, I think they listen to us the most, they have so many variations and styles and come up with some innovative designs (like the Skeletool).
TFin the Charge is a great MT, you've picked a good one, it should serve you well for a long time, please give us pictures and reviews when you get it, that would be great.
Price is usually a factor that I approach by looking for the best deal on the specific product I want. On a major purchase involving thousands of $, I might compromise, and certainly it is a consideration for something you buy often, like gasoline, but in the range of $100 or less, which is what multitools go for these days, I see no reason to consider price. My first multitool purchase was an on sale Leatherman Super Tool that I carried for many years before getting another (a Swisstool, actually.) The same $40 could have bought a cheap evening out. Why be concerned about that amount of money spent so seldom? Best, of course, is when the thing you want is less expensive than the competition, which is sometimes the case.
you have a right to do with your money whatever you want sir, I understand and believe that, I respect it, but I can't and won't waste mine, not even 1 dollar. If I can save a buck on a tool, be it a multitool or a knife I will, and I will save that if only to buy more!
Leatherman has saturated the world wide market so much and positioned themselves so snuggly they think they can charge whatever for their products and I'm not buying it.
example from amazon;
the charge TTi retails for 160.00 usd but you can get it (new) for 90.
the charge AL or ALX for 130 usd but they have it for 101.01 (also new)
look how much money we can save! what a deal!
now the Swisstool retails for 100. but you can get it for 55.70
and the Spirit is 98 but right now it's 44.99 (I got mine from them for 36).
why is aluminum more expensive then titanium? usually the price is the same for either (Ti TTi AL ALX).
I don't want to waste my money, I don't want to waste anything!
Only the Leatherman Charge is "by far" more expensive than the Spirit.
not in wholesale prices, the Spirit and Swisstool are half the price of many LM tools (or close).
the Charge and Spirit are of two different categories, defined by titanium handles and a premium steel blade in the Charge, both of costly materials that are more difficult to manufacture.
yet they charge the same or more for aluminum handles!? and IMO the steel Victorinox uses is as good or better than Leathermans and Victorinox's finish is far superior, leave your Leatherman (any) and a Swisstool in the ocean a few days and see what happens!
Titanium handles are an upgrade, small but quite noticeable, in handling comfort, and the 154 cm blade provides clearly superior performance. Some users find those things important and are willing to pay the extra
what is purpose of titanium handles but not the rest of the tool(s)? when the tools rust up and seize what will they have? pretty titanium handles?!
I'm an older guy, pretty sure that for me, 25 year and lifetime warranties are about the same. However, I would be willing to bet that Leatherman will continue to honor their warranty even beyond the stated limit.
I would like to pass my tools down to my family and friends and I won't take Leathermans nice gestures now because their tools have recently passed 25 years of existence, I want it in writing, I want it real.
I do appreciate and respect your discussion znapschatz but one seems to be way to expensive and adding plastic and is cutting corners (the company name is Leatherman and have you seen their sheaths lately?) and it doesn't stand behind their product in time.
, price at these levels should be a small consideration for something that is seldom purchased and intended for long term use. Even at twice the price, factored over years the cost difference is negligible.
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