JC
5 maart 2025
A number of different companies are making these Leatherman clones. Bibury, Daicamping, SwissTech, Nextool. I previously got the Bibury Surge clone and gave it as a gift. I have the Rocktol 12 in 1 pocket multitool and love everything about it, so when it came time to get a Surge clone for myself, I went with Rocktol again. While the Bibury was definitely good for the price, its fit, finish and action was noticeably inferior to my Leatherman. This one on the other hand, is scary good. Because the Leatherman is a Leatherman, USA made, and 4x the price, I will assume it is still better, more durable perhaps, and with a better warranty. But initial impression I see no obvious difference in quality. Fit and finish is excellent, action is smooth, all the tools lock up perfectly. And the 1/4” bit driver is far superior to the Leatherman driver and its proprietary slim bits. The bits included with the Rocktol are retained with a ball detent, but I will be epoxying a magnet into the driver and using my Wiha double ended bits. With a magnet installed, my Leatherman ratchet driver and bit driver extender will plug in no problem. Or you could get hex end bit driver extenders and a hex end 711 ratchet for much cheaper than what Leatherman charges.One thing I would change, and this applies to all of these Chinese clones, is the sheath. It’s junk. There are large cutouts on the sides of the sheath that expose the tool to dust, dirt, moisture etc., and you won’t be able to put anything else in the main pocket without the risk of them falling out. The small elastic pocket on the front of the sheath that contains the bits does not seem very secure while at the same time making it awkward to take the bit card out, which is always snagging. There are no extra internal pockets. The side pockets are not elastic like on a Leatherman, but nylon, and one of them is stitched mostly closed so that it can only contain the Torx Allen key for disassembling your tool and a small ziplock baggie with your spare wire cutter blades. If you really want to replicate a Leatherman kit with bits, flashlight, ratchet, and t-shank accessories, you will not be able to do it with this sheath. Certainly not a deal breaker as there are plenty of affordable options out there, but since these Chinese companies have done such a good job of duplicating a Leatherman at 1/4 of the price, it seems it shouldn’t be too hard to provide a better sheath.I cannot guarantee that you will have the exact same experience as me. You may get a Bibury that is better than the one I got, or a Rocktol that is not quite as perfect as mine. At these prices the quality control may not be as exacting as that of a US company selling a $150 tool. But I am very impressed and also a little worried for Leatherman. These companies are beating them at their own game and responding more quickly to customer demand and feedback. When a tool isn’t working quite right, they fix it. They include bits, spare saw blades and wire cutters, all for 1/4 of the price. Bibury sells a spare parts and accessories kit that fits exactly with this Rocktol. I got it solely for the t-shank scalpel holder which I modded to fit my Surge, but Leatherman should already be offering accessories like this if they want to stay competitive. I recently snagged one of their ratchet drivers after waiting over a year for it to be back in stock and seeing it go on ebay for upwards of $250. That is unacceptable. Someday soon one of these Chinese companies might make their own ratchet driver and put it out there for $12-15, and always have it in stock. I’m all for buying American, but it is also a buyer’s market. If customers are made to fight tooth and nail for your products, they will go elsewhere as soon as they are able.
Antonio Jesus Calvo Ferrer
1 december 2024
Me faltó calidad en el producto. Para salir del paso llega. Al final me compré la pata negra leatherman surge. No hay comparación de calidad.
Val
26 oktober 2024
I'd never expect this quality from a mulitool sold at this price point. It feels great in hand and looks great. Fit and finish is very impressive.This is a big tool. I'd not carry it every day, but it's a good option for a backpack or a car, or a bike.Comes with a very well made sheath and includes quite a few extras. Included screwdriver bits are of very good quality.The only thing I don't like in this tool is that the holder of the file (which can be used to hold saws) is not very tight, so the part it holds is kind of shaky in it. Not a big deal and hardly affects the functionality, but I wish it was tighter.Comes in a nice box, can be a good gift to someone who loves tools or a treat for yourself.Overall, I'm super happy with my purchase, it's a great value for money and is a very nice tool overall.