Reate Hills vs. Olamic 247

Stumpy72

Stumpy72

Joined
Jul 5, 2018
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I’ve read all the specs on both and I understood what I read. Price-wise, the Reate Hills goes for ~$180 and a comparable (i.e: bare bones, bottom end plain Jane) Olamic 247 goes for ~$400. My questions are: Is the bare bones, plain Jane 247 truly worth 2.2x the price of the Hills? If so, how and why?
 
I have both and like the 247 best. It just seems a bit more refined and it's thinner and still offers a great feel. Whether or not it's worth the extra money is up to you. Both are well made and the Hills is a great deal. These I traded into for about 140 and 200 each. I'd keep the 247 if it came down to getting rid of one.

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I just got a wayfarer and love it. Quality and great feeling blade.

I dont have a hills but reate does make quality blades.

However I would say these are two different categories, the hills is a production where as the wayfarer is more of a mid tech. Thus high price but more refinement etc
 
Stumpy72 said:
I’ve read all the specs on both and I understood what I read. Price-wise, the Reate Hills goes for ~$180 and a comparable (i.e: bare bones, bottom end plain Jane) Olamic 247 goes for ~$400. My questions are: Is the bare bones, plain Jane 247 truly worth 2.2x the price of the Hills? If so, how and why?
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From a practical standpoint, no. The hills is just as high quality as the 247.

But a Corvette is every bit as fast as some Ferraris. Do you want a Chevy or a Ferrari?
 
Just personal opinion, but I like my other Olamics enough that I'd rather spend $395 on a plain 'poonfarer than $180 on a Hills.
 
I think that ultimately it boils down to the same question as:

Is the hinderer knife worth 2x that of the ZT-Hinderer collaboration? From a user standpoint, they are probably equal in performance.

For that extra $, you need to get something more out of it. Lots of people do. But it's a personal thing because the "value added" to the hinderer is subjective rather than objective.
 
Have the Hills and had a 247. I like the Hills much much more. Feels so much stronger and it is better made in every way to the 247 I had, and not that there is anything wrong with the one I had. It’s just that quality reeked from the Hills. Much better flipper, funnier fidget factor, grip is better and less one-way or the highway, and being full flat ground slices 3x better IMO, grind is perfect whereas the 247 flared toward the tip, detent better on my Hills, and I could go on and on.

If the cost was the same I would still get the Hills. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the 247 and only sold it to fund another knife. Will get another someday but IF I had to chose I would run to the Hills.
 
if i was going to pick one off the shelf i'd take the reate. i think olamic shines when you pick stuff you want and take advantage of their amazing artistic capabilities. think that's where a lot of value to the customer is added too. can find really cool ones done for someone else to stay cheaper too. i think they're very solid knives even buying one sight unseen tho. good luck with your decision, don't think you can really go wrong
 
Never handled an Olamic but I own a Hills and it's a great knife. Same action as my other Reates. Detent is strong with a crisp break. Pocket clip works very well and is unobtrusive when gripped. Only thing I didn't like was the blade shape so I straightened the spine.
 
I own one of each and they’re both great knives. I think the Hills is one of the best bargains in the knife world. The Olamic is maybe a little better in hand, but ergo is a matter of personal preference. I consider build quality to be very close although the Hills is a simpler knife.

I’ve always thought the hump on the Hills blade makes it look a little gawky and the 247 looks a little sexier.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with each knife. I don’t think the 247 is 2.2X the knife the Hills is, but you really need to get the one you prefer.

One comment on the 247; Olamic offers so many options to make the 247 uniquely your own. Would you really be happy with a plain-Jane, vanilla 247? Just a question to ask yourself.
 
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