I'm cool now.... sort of...

[Aloha]

Ok last video.  Here is the Urban Prep'r a year later with a Tread.  The link at 6:08 is without the collar.
 

[ThundahBeagle]

Y-yikes. Care for some muddy water, anyone?

Seems that this could be solved rather easily. While not beholden to any manufacturer, this site is all about Multi's. I'm sure that contact could be arranged with Leatherman - not a customer service rep, but a contact with the boss or an engineer who can give us the scoop on what constitutes a real Tread and any variations.

Their interests lie in confirming real ones, especially if we are doing a review of sorts. No? A review or test of an inferior fake, if we didn't know it was fake, would reflect poorly on Leatherman.

Honestly at this point, I'm surprised they don't send Grant one of each new tool when they come out, expressly for the purposes of reviews. They would expect it back, of course, but it would make the rounds for reviews...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Interestingly, the barrels don't appear on the individual links on the Leatherman site:

https://www.leatherman.com/tread-metric-488.html?dwvar_488_color=10&cgid=tread#start=1

I think I am going to have to send the folks at Leatherman a few questions now.... 

Def

[Aloha]

I did see that as well on Leathermans web site.  I wasn't sure the picture was accurate.  It'll be interesting to hear what they have to say. 

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I agree- the really interesting thing to me is that we could be looking at multiple production versions resulting from a change in manufacturing, and this is the kind of info that really interests collectors.  I have to say that I am getting more and more interested in purchasing Treads because of this potential variance... and I am going to have to try to find an early version with the barrel ends.   

Def

[Aloha]

If any members purchased a Tread from a reputable supplier early in its release,  please chime in. 

It's very interesting indeed.     

[clown]

I have zero interest in owning a Tread but this thread is proving to be a great read. 

 

[Mechanickal]

A fake popped up on our local site:
https://www.2dehands.be/bijoux-horloges/bijoux/armband/leatherman-tread-380458292.html

[ThePeacent]

I have zero interest in owning a Tread but this thread is proving to be a great read. 

 

hahaha just what I thought: "why the hell am I following this thread with such interest if I have no Tread nor do I care for it?  "

MTO illness 

[magentus]

I have zero interest in owning a Tread but this thread is proving to be a great read. 

 

hahaha just what I thought: "why the hell am I following this thread with such interest if I have no Tread nor do I care for it?  "

MTO illness 

Lol +1

[Grant Lamontagne]

The opposite seems to be true for me.  I have been wearing the fake almost non stop since I got it, and it is annoying the crap out of me.  Maybe it's because I'm not a "bracelet guy" but I am finding that it catches on things or it digs into my wrist.

Except that there are times when I don't know it's there, and there are times that I sort of find the weight on my wrist reassuring for some reason.  These are the good times.

I haven't actually used it for anything yet, but this fake is making me want a real Tread more and more, despite the fact that I have yet to find an actual use for this one.  I can't find a use for it to even test whether it's worth anything or not, and yet I find myself absolutely wanting a real one, specifically one with the barrel ends because that has somehow become the uber collectible early version in my mind.   

And I keep telling myself it is just for the sake of comparison, which is even worse because that means I also need to get a newer, non-barrel version as well, you know, just to be scientific and compare apples to apples..... you know, both real Tread models, the real and fake barrel-less models, all three together......

Someone above suggested I wear it as an ankle, but I am concerned that when I am done it will be a belt, or worse, a Chewbacca style bandolier of tiny wrenches and stubby screwdrivers.....

 

Def

[Aloha]

HAHA.  While neat the Tread for me is a novelty.  I enjoyed wearing it but I also didn't find a use for it.  I guess with my MT on my hip and SAK in my pocket it really wasn't fair.  If one were to wear it say on vacation instead of carrying their normal tool, maybe then it would have a fighting chance.  Once I adjusted mine to fit comfortably it wasn't bad.  The weight was noticeable but not terrible.  You'd certainly know if it were to come off thats for sure.  I see the judge on forged in fire wear his.  I also saw Damon from shark tank wear one.  I'll keep mine as part of a neat idea LM came up with but I don't foresee wearing it. 

[Don Pablo]

 

[ThePeacent]

I kinda see it only useful for somebody who travels a lot, and flies lots of times throughout the year to different countries, and it's also a handyman from birth, and needs screwdrivers and bottle openers to share beers with his new foreign friends, or extravagant ladies, and sad nights of drinking at the hotel after a lot of work on a country that is not yours

that's a lot of boxes to tick...

[16VGTIDave]

I have a Tread. It came directly from Leatherman about 6 months ago, so I hope it is genuine. The short link does not have shoulders on it, like Grant's does, the screws are shouldered.

I wear the Tread daily, though I do remove it when performing physical tasks or mechanical work. It is bulky, heavy, and sometimes a bother. It has also come in handy a couple times and saved me a long walk / having my motorcycle towed. It wasn't the right tool for the job, but it was the tool I had that could do the job. My SwissChamp, Spirit X, and motorcycle tool kit didn't have the hex key I needed. But the Tread did.

I also hate flying without any tools (I'm a retired Aircraft Technician) and the Tread provides me a couple screwdrivers so that I can, for example, adjust the latch on a stubborn overhead compartment and thereby make friends with the Flight Attendants.  I also like the idea of having a cutter available, though I hope to never need it as a belt cutter...

[Aloha]

There seems to be 2 iterations of the Tread.  One with links that have the shoulders and one without. 

[Chako]

I just found this thread. I haven't been on much of late.

Here is what I can contribute to this discussion....

I have 2 Treads that are original. Both do not have those shoulders as seen in Def's link from Leatherman, or that second video posted above.

Come to think on it, I was certain I wouldn't even have the one. Funny how that worked out. 

Here are the photos.

I bought one from the local Leatherman Dealer in town for quite a pretty penny I may add. I can fully understand Def's viewpoint on the mater as I bought one just to see what it was all about, but felt cheated at the same time as I did pay $200+ for it at the retail store. The other I found at the local pawn shop for pretty much what Def paid for his knock off. That one didn't come with a box lid, but for that price, I didn't care. I didn't feel so much robbed buying that second one.


Both have the same inside instruction pamphlet. Note that the pamphlets show the links without shoulders.






Here is a closeup of the underside product tag. The location of this is a bit odd as you can tell, wear and tear of this label is evident on both of my samples.


Both boxes feature a nice black foam interior with a pull out oval with the tool wrapped around it.


Some photos of the tread.




Here is the claps with the single ball bearing retention mechanism and details of the hinge.


I was curious to see if I had shoulders much like that of Def's link from Leatherman. It wasn't the case for both of my samples. Here is detail of the screw used with one link flipped over to show the lack of a collar.


Here is the Tread flipped over on its side to take a closer look at the link.


And finally, some detail of the inner markings on a few of the links. The smaller central link features the Leatherman name on the backside.


Hope that helps. 

[lister]

To me, the price of the original I way to high. Although I get why it is so expensive I couldn't justify buying one.

Besides I doubt I would actually wear it. I like my EDC to not be evident to other people. Though it might work as a watch band, if it could be used as one without special adapters. Maybe a fake one with vostok amphibia watch for that alter-cool look? 

[Chako]

Here are some weights for you guys.

First Tread.


Second Tread.


And a Core because it was easily at hand.


There are several plausible explanations.

1. I may have a pair of fakes on my hands as mine looks awfully similar to Def's. If this is the case, I won't be all that happy with the retail store that sold me the first one. I have a hard time thinking this is the case because manufacturing is top notch and finish is equally so. You don't see this from folks trying to make maximum bucks in knocking off a product. But who knows in the end?
2. Possible that Leatherman made changes from the first production run to the next. This would mean that both of mine are originals to the manufacturer. This wouldn't be the first time that something like this has happened with Leatherman. Maybe they found that the newer system provides the same benefits with possibly some savings in manufacture. I have no clue to be honest. I wasn't even aware there were links with shoulders out there.

If number 2 is the case, I won't see the need to try and hunt down one of the original production run Treads.

[Aloha]

Thanks Chako for adding to the discussion and great photos as always  .  I got mine second hand but the guy I got it from got it from a Leatherman retailer.  I do believe collars on the first run Treads was the initial design and later iterations without collars is now the norm.  These are my thoughts since I am fairly certain my Tread is legit.     

[Chako]

That makes sense. I didn't exactly buy one when it first came out. My two are identical and appear to be well made and finished.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I still have not actually used this monstrosity for anything.   

I absolutely still want one, and preferably an early one with collars, barrels, bumps, whatever we want to call them, even though I am seriously doubting the actual usefulness of it.

Def

[Syncop8r]

It's use is as a conversation piece.

[RF52]

And it looks cool as a watchband

Sent fra min PLK-L01 via Tapatalk

[David Bowen]

I still have not actually used this monstrosity for anything.   

I absolutely still want one, and preferably an early one with collars, barrels, bumps, whatever we want to call them, even though I am seriously doubting the actual usefulness of it.

Def

It's not bad when you have no other drivers on you but it falls short compared to everything else out there. I'm carrying the new LT a lot and so far not much action, lots of people tell me it's cool. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Does LT stand for Ladies Tool?   

I finally had an opportunity to use the (fake) Tread today.  One of my tail lights blew with the cold weather we have had recently and I decided today was the day to replace it.  All I needed was a screwdriver, right?



The screws are not what I would call recessed, but they apparently are slightly, but enough that the (fake)Tread just barely reached them.  I would consider them more countersunk than recessed, but either way the Tread just barely reached them.  I don't believe the real Tread's drivers have any more reach than this one's, so I don't think we can blame this on the quality of the fake.



Further I found there to be such little leverage on the screwdriver that it was awkward to turn.  I suppose it could be done, but it wouldn't be my first choice.  By far.  In fact, the Tread did such a wonderful job that this is the way I ended up doing it.   



Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I finally have a real Tread on the way, and guess what?  It is also BO, so it will be a good comparison against my fake Tread.

The thing is, I really haven't found a use for the fake Tread yet, and I am not sure I am going to find much of a use for the real one either.  My problems with the fake aren't anything to do with build quality or anything else that you would associate with fakes vs real, it's that in the past few months I really haven't found anything to use the fake on that would give me an accurate gauge of its abilities, and I feel like the real one isn't going to be any better- and worse, not 4-5 times better, which is about how much I sunk into it.   

Chances are the real Tread will end up in The Multitool.org Store after testing and comparison to the fake, unless of course it meets at least one of the following criteria:

1- It is somehow superior enough to the fake that it earns it's way into my collection.
2- It is an older version with the barrels (as seen above, and in the below photo- basically if it looks like the silver one and not the black one)



That having been said, I am looking forward to the comparison, as this is an informational site first and foremost, and identifying the differences so that people can spot the fakes is of primary importance.  I really wouldn't want members (or anyone else) to inadvertently buy a fake, especially not at real prices.   

Def

[Poncho65]

Can't wait to see the comparison of the two

[Grant Lamontagne]

Me too. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the differences are.

Def

[Mechanickal]

I've seen some suspiciously looking Treads for sale localy at half the price of a retailer's...