SHOT 2017- What were you hoping to see?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I had planned to buy a set of earring pins (the kind you get to make your own earrings) and stick a couple of flat Leatherman bits to it as a joke- I was going to say that Leatherman had released a set of earrings to go along with last year's bracelet.

What they actually came up with was even further out there than what I'd planned to do as a joke, but that got me wondering what people were actually looking forward to?

What were you hoping Leatherman would announce at SHOT this year?

Def

[LoopCutter]

I am not very tuned in to the industry, yet from the little time I have been using MTs and LM, I expected a third gen Wave with new design plier head w/replaceable cutters and better scissors and but holder to allow more than one bit on the tool. 

A Rebar with diamond file, a scissors, or added one side with OH blade access. 

But since that did not occur, very disappointed they even wasted time showing at Shot what they did.  No innovation


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[Poncho65]

I am not very tuned in to the industry, yet from the little time I have been using MTs and LM, I expected a third gen Wave with new design plier head w/replaceable cutters and better scissors and but holder to allow more than one bit on the tool. 

A Rebar with diamond file, a scissors, or added one side with OH blade access. 

But since that did not occur, very disappointed they even wasted time showing at Shot what they did.  No innovation


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In tune or not I was hoping to see some of the same things LC

[ReamerPunch]

Something new. Anything. If not entirely new, then some updates in existing tools. Wave with replaceable cutters, Rebar with 154CM blade, and maybe scissors.

A civilian version of the MUT, a large scissor-oriented tool, a prybar, a ratchet at the end of a handle, an updated MINI, and a partridge in a pear tree.

[Padre]

LMs lineup is pretty large and growing. I expected that they would retire some models.

[tosh]

Re: SHOT 2017- What were you hoping to see?

Oh, I don't know. How about something practical for UK edc?  Ah ha...that's stumped 'em.
It occurred to me just now, that virtually nothing within 10yds of me uses slotted screws??
I cannot remember the last time I went to fetch needlenose pliers from the garage
nor, do I recall when I last needed to stab something in order to cut it (wave blade)

But hey, they look  tacticool and that's all what really matters....isn't it?

[gregozedobe]

But hey, they look  tacticool and that's all what really matters....isn't it?

I think what really matters is "What makes a profit"  If it doesn't sell in sufficient quantity it won't make a big enough profit, so marketing is usually geared towards sale volumes, not actual utility.

That is the driving force for most businesses these days (along with high salaries and bonuses for the top-level executives/board members)

[Etherealicer]

But hey, they look  tacticool and that's all what really matters....isn't it?

I think what really matters is "What makes a profit"  If it doesn't sell in sufficient quantity it won't make a big enough profit, so marketing is usually geared towards sale volumes, not actual utility.

That is the driving force for most businesses these days (along with high salaries and bonuses for the top-level executives/board members)

I agree. We may not like that the colorful cellidor scales on the classic are Vics most profitable line, but we have to face reality. Those tool manufacturers do not cater to our needs, they cater to their own needs and that is to make profit.
Rushing a new tool out can get quite pricey with warranty claims and it can damage the name of a company.
Taking time to "innovate" is pricey, so while it is an investment in the future of a company, over-doing it can lead to financial ruin (yes, I'm looking at you Wenger)

[tosh]

But hey, they look  tacticool and that's all what really matters....isn't it?

I think what really matters is "What makes a profit"  If it doesn't sell in sufficient quantity it won't make a big enough profit, so marketing is usually geared towards sale volumes, not actual utility.

That is the driving force for most businesses these days (along with high salaries and bonuses for the top-level executives/board members)

That's all well and good Greg, but nothing moves on.
Wasn't it Henry Ford who quoted ".......any colour, so long as it's black"?
Obviously what I'm getting at (seeing as we are stating the obvious) is that - as I said above - nothing moves on. Until of course some enterprising competitor decides to offer the customer an alternative, who knows, maybe even listens to the competitors customers wants and needs?.

But hey, they look  tacticool and that's all what really matters....isn't it?

I think what really matters is "What makes a profit"  If it doesn't sell in sufficient quantity it won't make a big enough profit, so marketing is usually geared towards sale volumes, not actual utility.

That is the driving force for most businesses these days (along with high salaries and bonuses for the top-level executives/board members)

I agree. We may not like that the colorful cellidor scales on the classic are Vics most profitable line, but we have to face reality. Those tool manufacturers do not cater to our needs, they cater to their own needs and that is to make profit.
Rushing a new tool out can get quite pricey with warranty claims and it can damage the name of a company.
Taking time to "innovate" is pricey, so while it is an investment in the future of a company, over-doing it can lead to financial ruin (yes, I'm looking at you Wenger)

Well Well, I wasn't going to mention Wenger...but seeing as you have lets use it for some discussion.
Maybe you are correct. Wenger should not have been so bloody stupid as to try and be clever and innovative...fat lot of good it did for them. Ha
Funny thing is Victorinox were clearly threatened by Wengers presence and thus also realised the threat would be even bigger God forbid an overseas investor were to get their greasy mitts on that brand name. No Sir!!
And so, being the wonderfully patriotic company it claims to be it (from what we heard/read) Victorinox went public and guaranteed the jobs of all those happy yodelling workers if it were sold to them.
Today we know that wasn't actually the case. Victorinox gained the patents, thus preventing ANY other competitor from coming to the table. Marketed Wenger products as their own (cloned) and laid off Wenger staff to boot. Yep, that's true. Still got the email from a lovely Wenger employee who I had corresponded with several times during my frantic searches. Both she and all her colleagues had learned that very day we spoke,  it had just been announced they would all be losing their jobs...And yet,  she and her colleagues had also been told what Victorinox had categorically stated in the public takeover. That in the interests of job security Wenger had agreed to the Victorinox takeover bid.
It's all gone now, I'm happy, my collection is growing more valuable by each passing year. It was an unbelievably fantastic set of circumstances that I realised back then I needed to get as much as possible. I'm grateful to MT'o for the 12 months notice we got that gave me a head start in amassing Wenger gear.
But back to the topic on the thread
It's no big deal, honestly. I really don't wish to be made to feel as though I "NEED" to carry a tool with me at all times. Can you imagine that? constantly patting your pockets to check that you are "equipped" it's bad enough ensuring my smartphone never leaves my side...even when I'm in the bloody bath. In fact my smartphone takes precedence before, cash, keys...absolutely anything. Now that is a real lifeline  in the REAL WORLD. Unless, of course I intend to go off for several months and transverse the Appalachian Trail, definitely the time to be equipped with a good survival tool - Don't you think?

Good luck to Leatherman and all the other manufacturers. Don't change a bloody thing, that way I'll never become reliant to the extent I fret before I leave the house. It's all just a bit of fun, gadgets to fumble with, forums to browse upon. I say lets keep it that way. 

And my wallet grows fatter by each passing month, and that can only be a good thing..right?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Innovation from the competition?

You mean like Gerber and SOG are doing? 

Def

[mr626]

I thought it was pretty much a given that they would announce the new Wave with the rebar plier head. Apparently not.

[ironraven]

I thought it was pretty much a given that they would announce the new Wave with the rebar plier head. Apparently not.

This at a minimum.

Hoping for an updated Crunch or maybe a slim, no blades, no file no saw Rebar variant. More BTNs or other OPTs.

What we got is.... not very ambitious. I swear that they sometime in November there was meeting that when along the lines of "What did I design for SHOT? I thought you were designing something for SHOT"

[Deano3]

Hi everyone i agree i am really hoping for a wave with replacable cutters, i am holding off buying a wave or a tti until this happens hoping won't be long.

I am quite new to this my first leatherman is a skeletool what i have had for years and a few victorinox models etc but what you think chances are of a wave with changeable cutters this year ? Unless they keep seperate so have to buy a few models

Dean

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[tosh]

Innovation from the competition?

You mean like Gerber and SOG are doing? 

Def

I admit, I'm smitten by the Centre-Drive.
I've tried hard to fall for Gerber in the past. Members would sing the praises of both the 400 & 600 series....and for a short time I did try both. BUT I truly detested fumbling for the inside tools.

The Centre Drive is now in my sights and if they release the Blunt nose version later I will possibly edc that here in the UK.

[Grant Lamontagne]

It only makes sense to update all of the tools with the same plier head, as it means they only need to have one type of plier head in stock rather than two.  The down side is that few people will probably buy the Rebar if the Wave has the only thing the Rebar currently has over it.  That means discontinuing a model rather than adding a new SKU.

I don't know- I understand that a company can't revolutionise everything every year, but knife companies manage to do something fresh, and they have a lot less to work with.  I mean really, how much can you do with just a blade and handle that hasn't been done before?  You would think that adding a bunch of variables such as various tool configurations, different plier heads, different handle configurations and materials etc would give you a lot more potential options.

Anyways, what I was really hoping to see was probably the last thing you would expect from Dear Ol' Def considering how much flack I give them about it, but I would have liked to see more functions for the Tread.  One of the great things about a configurable tool like the Tread (it's biggest strong point IMHO), or the Coleman Pro Lock or the CRKT Flux is that you can customise the loadout any which way you like.  That's great and all, but you really need to support these types of tools afterwards- give the Tread Owners a reason to come back.

"Oh, I love my Tread because I can get on an airplane with it- I just wish I could __________, because then it would be perfect.  What's that you say?  There is a new tool that allows it to _____________?  SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"

They have dedicated tools for skateboards, archery, surfboards, military weapon maintenance..... why not start adapting Tread components for those markets (and others) as well?  The neat thing about a component based multitool is that you don't have to develop a whole new tool, just interchangeable parts, and thankfully that is already half done because the mounting points have to be the same.

Maybe a removable compass unit?  Maybe a flip out magnifier?  There are lots of options....

Def

[tosh]

It only makes sense to update all of the tools with the same plier head, as it means they only need to have one type of plier head in stock rather than two.  The down side is that few people will probably buy the Rebar if the Wave has the only thing the Rebar currently has over it.  That means discontinuing a model rather than adding a new SKU.

I don't know- I understand that a company can't revolutionise everything every year, but knife companies manage to do something fresh, and they have a lot less to work with.  I mean really, how much can you do with just a blade and handle that hasn't been done before?  You would think that adding a bunch of variables such as various tool configurations, different plier heads, different handle configurations and materials etc would give you a lot more potential options.

Anyways, what I was really hoping to see was probably the last thing you would expect from Dear Ol' Def considering how much flack I give them about it, but I would have liked to see more functions for the Tread.  One of the great things about a configurable tool like the Tread (it's biggest strong point IMHO), or the Coleman Pro Lock or the CRKT Flux is that you can customise the loadout any which way you like.  That's great and all, but you really need to support these types of tools afterwards- give the Tread Owners a reason to come back.

"Oh, I love my Tread because I can get on an airplane with it- I just wish I could __________, because then it would be perfect.  What's that you say?  There is a new tool that allows it to _____________?  SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"

They have dedicated tools for skateboards, archery, surfboards, military weapon maintenance..... why not start adapting Tread components for those markets (and others) as well?  The neat thing about a component based multitool is that you don't have to develop a whole new tool, just interchangeable parts, and thankfully that is already half done because the mounting points have to be the same.

Maybe a removable compass unit?  Maybe a flip out magnifier?  There are lots of options....

Def

Err...

You mean like a charm bracelet ??
(Tosh feels unwell and begins hyperventilating)

Dear Def

You are quite right....that really was the very last thing I ever thought would come from you. Now, if you had proposed a revolutionary MT aimed at people...people like yourself with fold out emergency shovel (would have to be a very serious emergency, mind you) or a tool with fold out spikes for canoeist to schit themselves in the middle of god knows where, I could have seen your point. But a Charm bracelet!! You're sending me up!!

P.S wrote anchor and spellcheck changed it to schit! Maybe both could apply!!
lol

[Demel]

 

In a word: refinement.

Add some type of awl to the wave (I'm not convinced it needs replaceable cutters) get rid of the micro driver. Bring back old style tti scales.

A civilian version of the signal or mut, remove saw, add scissors (or file) remove plastics parts and add an extra bit or two.

Maybe try something no one is really trying right now. The Rebar has a great frame for experimenting with different plier heads. Offer blunt nose, shears, even diagonal cutters.

Although the Gerber Center-Drive is not exactly for me, they really went all in and pushed the envelope which they deserve a lot of credit for. SOG has really opened the floodgates to introduce some great tools to the market. Both Gerber and SOG are listening to their customers.

Leatherman seems complacent and you'd think with all the mods done here alone would give them enough inspiration to do it themselves. I've never heard some say, "I'd love a single arm Skeletool!"

[ironraven]

Tim Leatherman carries a custom Tread as a watch band. I think they could could market an adjust able watch band adaptor and maybe make a smaller "ladies" size Tread. Maybe even a Tread link that holds some bits and serves as a handle.

Heck, a belt buckle the size of a business card that holds five or six bits and and an extension would be possible