Charge vs Spirit vs Balance - An "Outsiders" View

[AimlessWanderer]

I was discussing multitools with a neighbour of mine who has a cheapo generic PST clone, and he was asking about the quality of the more expensive tools. He's seen me pull a SAK or MT out of my pocket several times and fix a problem while he's rooting around in his shed trying to find the "proper" tool. He's a very practical and skilled guy who knows his way round many tools, but isn't familiar with MTs. He'd happily buy top end spanners, chisels and other "proper" tools, but never knives and MT's. He was asking about the quality of screwdrivers, pliers and scissors, and after a while I lent him three tools to have a quick play with. I chose the Charge AL, Gerber Balance, and Spirit X for no other reason than they were the first three to hand.

After 10 minutes or so he declared the Phillips on the Charge was awful and kept slipping, the Spirit was "not bad", but the Balance was excellent and had the best purchase on the screw of all three. He also said the Charge was too bulky, the Spirit was "a little odd", but the Balance felt really nice. The scissors on the Balance were the only ones he liked too, and sneered at the other two's scissors without even trying them.

I offered a few alternate perspectives on the other tools such as the diamond file and OHO on the Charge, and his reply was "but what the smurf do I want those for?" I also brought to his attention the fit and finish of the Victorinox and the awl, chisel, and overall tool density ..... to which he just pointed at the Balance and said "but that Phillips works better". He works as a contractor in building maintenance and installations, so to him the saws (and to some extent, the files) were inadequate and irrelevant. I asked about his opinion on the pliers, and he just shrugged and said any one would do for him.

He did like the Spirit and the Charge as "shiny" items, but the Balance was the one he said he'd choose to carry in his pocket when working. I then dropped the bombshell that the Phillips driver bit was non-standard, and if he knackered it up he couldn't replace it. He snorted, handed it me back, picked up his beer and said he'll just stick with what he'd already got instead.

 

[kkokkolis]

It is obvious that he knows nothing about multitools . When taking pics for the forum, nice and shiny are always better than the irrelevant usability of a Philps driver. You should tell him that! 

[Nhoj]

Interesting... we still might be able to assimilate him with a different tool!

[jerseydevil]

Sounds like a man with excellent taste in pocket tools to me.....   

[styx]

Well I do find it a bit unusual that he has no need for a saw or a file as a contractor in building maintenance

[Mr. Whippy]

Sounds like he was evaluating Phillips drivers.  In that case, I'd take my Snap-on Driver with magnetic and non-magnetic tips.  Far better than any other driver. 

Currently, I've been extremely busy on the house renovation.  I've been doing a TON of rewiring and new wiring, removing sheetrock and framing and resheeting walls, installing windows and doors. When I'm on the ladder, having the ability to switch between pliers and driver AND saw and knife saves me a lot of time.  I could carry a tool belt, but honestly, in the attic, The less you have to lug the better.   

Just finished installing the porch light and outdoor outllet, then closed in the wall with my Charge ALX, and impact driver.  Much easier than having wire cutters, wire stripper, needlenose pliers, Phillips driver, standard driver and small tape measure that the Charge replaced.

As always, YMMV.

[kkokkolis]

Well, special tools might do it better, but a nice multitool is much more fun!

[AimlessWanderer]

His take on it all is a quick solution pocket tool to avoid having to go back to the van for another tool or cart around more tools than he can avoid. If there's the odd screw or two he'll use the PST clone, if there's more he'll go fetch the cordless or dedicated drivers. Knife and scissors are great for the occasional cutting task, but when he needs a saw it'll generally be easier for him to get a proper saw than try to make do with a multitool or SAK.

The order of preference of the Philips was very interesting, even more so than the lack of enthusiasm for OHO or chisel/scraper and awl. He quite willingly accepted that what he was carrying was a piece of crap, but didn't see the merit of carrying better tools.

Over time he might get a little more sick and tired of me having fixed the problem by the time he's been and found a dedicated tool, and be a little more open to suggestions 

[styx]

Do you know what quality of tools does he use in general? If someone considers everything a throwaway tool then it's no surprise that the close works well enough, but if he prefers high quality tools that could very well last longer then it is a matter of how much he really uses the clone. Speaking out of personal experience, my clones worked fine but the breaking and falling apart was irritating

[Mr. Whippy]

His take on it all is a quick solution pocket tool to avoid having to go back to the van for another tool or cart around more tools than he can avoid. If there's the odd screw or two he'll use the PST clone, if there's more he'll go fetch the cordless or dedicated drivers. Knife and scissors are great for the occasional cutting task, but when he needs a saw it'll generally be easier for him to get a proper saw than try to make do with a multitool or SAK.

The order of preference of the Philips was very interesting, even more so than the lack of enthusiasm for OHO or chisel/scraper and awl. He quite willingly accepted that what he was carrying was a piece of crap, but didn't see the merit of carrying better tools.

Over time he might get a little more sick and tired of me having fixed the problem by the time he's been and found a dedicated tool, and be a little more open to suggestions 

Add a trek back and forth across 10 or 15 acres to fetch tools and you're looking at a quarter's day work wasted in retrieving tools...

[AimlessWanderer]

Do you know what quality of tools does he use in general? If someone considers everything a throwaway tool then it's no surprise that the close works well enough, but if he prefers high quality tools that could very well last longer then it is a matter of how much he really uses the clone. Speaking out of personal experience, my clones worked fine but the breaking and falling apart was irritating

I'd say he was an expensive drill / cheap drill bits kind of a person if that makes sense.

Add a trek back and forth across 10 or 15 acres to fetch tools and you're looking at a quarter's day work wasted in retrieving tools...

Simple answer - quad bike!
The time retrieving tools will not be wasted - it will be fun 

Besides, it's your fault for putting the house so far away from where you need to work 

[Grant Lamontagne]

His take on it all is a quick solution pocket tool to avoid having to go back to the van for another tool or cart around more tools than he can avoid. If there's the odd screw or two he'll use the PST clone, if there's more he'll go fetch the cordless or dedicated drivers. Knife and scissors are great for the occasional cutting task, but when he needs a saw it'll generally be easier for him to get a proper saw than try to make do with a multitool or SAK.

The order of preference of the Philips was very interesting, even more so than the lack of enthusiasm for OHO or chisel/scraper and awl. He quite willingly accepted that what he was carrying was a piece of crap, but didn't see the merit of carrying better tools.

Over time he might get a little more sick and tired of me having fixed the problem by the time he's been and found a dedicated tool, and be a little more open to suggestions 

Add a trek back and forth across 10 or 15 acres to fetch tools and you're looking at a quarter's day work wasted in retrieving tools...

It must be billable hours if he's willing to do that... 

Def

[nuphoria]

Interesting point of view. Seems to be Gerbers have a love or hate reaction with many people. Philips do tend to be a sticking point for a lot of tools, certainly found them variable in the field myself.

It's all about compromise, and which ones are the best you can make for the type of needs you have (bit like marriage really)
I have a full set of very good quality screwdrivers here and they certainly get used a lot even though my pockets are burgeoning with multiltools

[Mr. Whippy]

Add a trek back and forth across 10 or 15 acres to fetch tools and you're looking at a quarter's day work wasted in retrieving tools...

Simple answer - quad bike!
The time retrieving tools will not be wasted - it will be fun 

Besides, it's your fault for putting the house so far away from where you need to work 

So, let's look at this:  Tractor and mower need something done in the field.  Walk back get tools and Quad.  Ride out.  Fix tractor/mower.  Ride back in.  STILL have to walk back out because I can't drive the tractor and quad at the same time.  Net time:  Same walk back and forth but add a quad ride into the mix. 

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Correct! See, I'm a genius 


 

[gafftapegreenia]

Sounds like one of the cheap multi's with nothing but a 1/4" bit driver on one side would be perfect for him. Or maybe a 4 in 1 screwdriver. 

[Cupboard]

put the proper Phillips (or Pozi) driver in instead of the size 1.5 one that LM ship by default - you'll get along a whole lot better.
I keep the PH1.5/medium flat in the bit holder and the long MUT proper PH2 in the side of my Wave, it grips much more securely.

[Styerman]

I can see a throwaway tool , but .... . I know from bitter experience , not to Smurf around with cheap Phillips drivers .

I've found high performance multi's , very handy on site . Mostly for the odd stuff . Blades rarely see use - the dedicated folder handles that end . Metal , and wood saws get used , better than climbing down a ladder to get a jab saw . I'm hard put to think of anything on my Spirit that hasn't been used , just not very often .

At work , I always carry a high quality multibit pocket driver . I also use a compact , quick detachable tool holster which I grab on arrival .

Chris

[3rdpig]

So Gerber finally learned how to make a decent phillips?  I guess it's a good thing you didn't hand him a Freehand, Flik or Octane.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Jetbo]

It sounds like he might like what I carry for work as a general traveling IT tech.  It's a mp400 with bit adapter, mini sharpie, Fenix E01 flashlight in a XL Skinth shield.  I use allot of odd security bits as well as the normal phillips bits for my job.  It's nice to not have to worry about striping out the phillips driver built in the tool and just use a standard bit that I don't mind replacing.