Kilimanjaro?

[acidhammer]

Has anyone had any experience with Kilimanjaro multi-tools.

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/multi-tools/

[kirk13]

New one on me

[enki_ck]

New to me too.

[Sazabi]

They popped up on Reddit around... half a year ago or so?  I don't think they had any items for sale back then, as they were still in the prototyping stages.

[Syph007]

Almost everything on that site, tools, machetes even packaging look like gerber to me.  Even the site name, http://www.kilimanjarogear.com  its a variation of http://www.gerbergear.com/ 

Tell me this isnt the gerber gator machete.  IM sure its just as bad too.



Not identical, but this sure looks like a dime to me.



The plier head, including internal spring looks identical.  Probably from the same factory.

The whole site is just weird.

[Grant Lamontagne]

New one on me too.  I might have to see if I can get my hands on some of those.

Def

Sent from a digital multitool

[Syph007]

"Kilimanjaro was founded in 1979 and is located in the Southern California city of Long Beach"

Founded in 1979?

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/about/

[Ryo Saeba]

I'm laughing at the on that turns into a smartphone stand.

[Grant Lamontagne]

My thought too was that they are very Gerber-esque but the scissors on the Ascend are absolutely not Fiskars scissors.

Also, some of the blades on that one remind me more of the various (better) China made cheapies, like my Mountain Gear tool.  The prices would seem to reflect that, but I'll reserve judgment until I actually have one in my hands.

Def

Sent from a digital multitool

[Syph007]

Yes the price and pics all say china made and cheap.  I see most of it as rehashing the same old ideas and a big waste of time, but who knows.

They even have identical screws.  I mean they made their bottle opener on the inside though.. INOVATION! 

[Syph007]

"Kilimanjaro was founded in 1979 and is located in the Southern California city of Long Beach"

Founded in 1979?

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/about/

Found my answer.  That domain was bought by a company called alltradetools.  Looks like THEY were established in 1979.   

http://www.alltradetools.com/about/

[Higgins617]

"Kilimanjaro was founded in 1979 and is located in the Southern California city of Long Beach"

Founded in 1979?

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/about/

Found my answer.  That domain was bought by a company called alltradetools.  Looks like THEY were established in 1979.   

http://www.alltradetools.com/about/

Their MTs look worse than the pretend Gerbers!

[Syph007]

 

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/product/led-swivel-light-910075/

Swivel Hang Hook
Magnetic Handle
18 High Power LED’s

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-on%C2%AE-LED-Swivel-Light-871054/dp/B00IWWR6TQ

18 LED Swivel Light
Light Head Swivels Up To 180 Degrees For Versatility
Retractable Swivel Hanging Hook & Rare Earth Magnets

[babola]

I own a set of Powerbuilt tools and their tool-chest. They're popular in NZ and Australia, but nothing to write home about. All the tools are made in China, so me higher some mediocre quality.


As for the Kilimanjaro brand, it appears like they de-briefed their design team to harvest the recognizable design clues and elements from other leading MT manufacturers like Gerber and Leatherman but arrange and slightly twist them in the way people wouldn't be able to tell they were direct replicas or copies.

These could well be made by Ganzo in China...for what I know or care.

[babola]

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/product/led-swivel-light-910075/

Swivel Hang Hook
Magnetic Handle
18 High Power LED’s

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-on%C2%AE-LED-Swivel-Light-871054/dp/B00IWWR6TQ

18 LED Swivel Light
Light Head Swivels Up To 180 Degrees For Versatility
Retractable Swivel Hanging Hook & Rare Earth Magnets

Haha! 

[Syph007]

Ok I can find any product on their site with another brand name on it.  I'll stop now as I think I wont have a problem finding them all.  Again.. WEIRD.

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/product/led-roto-lite-910077/

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-on-Snap-on%C2%AE-LED-Roto-Lite-871070/dp/B00IWZENOY

[Higgins617]

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/product/led-swivel-light-910075/

Swivel Hang Hook
Magnetic Handle
18 High Power LED’s

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-on%C2%AE-LED-Swivel-Light-871054/dp/B00IWWR6TQ

18 LED Swivel Light
Light Head Swivels Up To 180 Degrees For Versatility
Retractable Swivel Hanging Hook & Rare Earth Magnets

Looks like ALLTrade makes the crappy snap-on MTs so they likely make that light too, or should I say source it

[babola]

Ok I can find any product on their site with another brand name on it.  I'll stop now as I think I wont have a problem finding them all.  Again.. WEIRD.

http://www.kilimanjarogear.com/product/led-roto-lite-910077/

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-on-Snap-on%C2%AE-LED-Roto-Lite-871070/dp/B00IWZENOY

Probably similar practice NiteIze employs.

This one is slightly more "disturbing" though. But good for them if they are able to pull it off without a lawsuit looming.

[Syph007]

Looks like ALLTrade makes the crappy snap-on MTs so they likely make that light too, or should I say source it

Ya looks like they have just rebranded the snap on lights and MTs, and added $10-$20 to the price.

[Noa Isumi]

So I looked at their sight and saw an MT called the Ballast.

I wonder if they realize that ballast is just another word for dead weight.





Ballast VS Ballast

[babola]

So I looked at their sight and saw an MT called the Ballast.

I wonder if they realize that ballast is just another word for dead weight.

(Image removed from quote.)

And what a poor attempt at that "Skeletool" look-alike pliers head. 

[Etherealicer]

Its a glitch in the matrix... its from an alternative earth where Gerber signed up Les Stroud instead of Bear

[kirk13]

So I looked at their sight and saw an MT called the Ballast.

I wonder if they realize that ballast is just another word for dead weight.

(Image removed from quote.)

I've seen this tool for sale in the UK,by a gadget shop called Red5. Bout £20,very Ganzo-esque

[Grathr]

Lynn should test one


Sent from a device made from star dust using tapatalk

[Chako]

Some of those designs are striking me as familiar. I had to go take a look and true enough, I have the Ballast and the Rappel, only under the guise of Olympia Edge. I found these this past summer at a tourist trap along the Trans Canada Highway.

Let us look at the Ballast version that I have. Appears to be identical.









My take on it? This is big and heavy. Fit and finish is rough around the edges, but overall not a bad multi-tool so long as you can live with the weight. It feels like it weighs more than a Surge although it is shy a few ounces. No locking tools to be found on this one either. Not the cheapest, but not exactly top tier quality either.

Next up is my copy of the Rappel also branded Olympia Edge.







This one is a nice looking MT, especially in black and red. It is smaller than a Skeletool. This one does feature an internally sprung pliers, and a pocket clip. Unlike the ones shown at kilimanjaro, my copy does have a partially serrated main blade. Overall, not the cheapest out there by a large margin, but not exactly top tier quality either. The knife blade features a liner lock. All other tools are non-locking.

One could do worst than to own these two models. I have quite a few cheaper alternatives in the quality department. I would label them mid level quality tools based on construction and finish. For the price, not bad. Not exactly great either. Is mediocrity an aspiring position when it is heads above quite a few truly dreadfully designed and constructed multi-tools out there?

The comparison to Gerber designs are obvious. I would go as far as to state that these tools look and feel like something Gerber might make in their cheaper Carolina tool lineup...that is if Carolina Tools still exist. It has been a while since I have seen anything new bearing that name. Finding some of these tools under another brand...albeit one that is largely unknown, is also another piece of this puzzle.

The Kilimanjaro site states they hold around 100 patents, and that they are patent pending the Magnus design. Not exactly sure what is patentable on the Magnus, as that design is nothing new in the multi-tool industry. 

Def, you are correct, these are part of the better made China made items.

[Chako]

Forgot one.



 

[parnass]

Good work, Chako. 

[Chako]

Thanks parnass. I tend to be an excellent topic killer on these forums it would seem.

[dks]

Thanks parnass. I tend to be an excellent topic killer on these forums it would seem.

I used to think the same, regarding my posts, as once I noticed that the final posts in a few threads were all mine for a loooong time.   

I have also started some threads some time ago that got no replies.

Maybe nobody cared or maybe the threads or my final post was so complete, nothing further could have been added.   

I just post what I feel like and assume that it is of some use, even if it helps me to find something, like a link, next time I am looking for an item I bought previously etc. (happened a couple of weeks ago)

Some threads are popular for years for no apparent reason, or, with no apparent, to me ofcourse, value and some just die off, for no reason.

[Higgins617]

It's good to see the actual tools, it gives a better idea of how generic they really are. But you guys have said about all that can be said, the Carolina point is spot on. They literally look like they took Gerber's cheaper options(Dime, Crucial, Suspension) and dialed  the fit and finish back a few notches. They don't look terrible but they don't seem to offer anything at all that would make them worth a second look, especially since the tools they look to emulate don't cost much to begin with.