|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 If I could only have one multi-tool... Aug 10, 2010
I have owned this tool for 5 1/2 years. I bought it after I joined the Army and got stuck as part of a Bradley crew (think small tank). There were always screws coming loose, something that needed a vice-grip, wires hanging out, or something that needed cutting and the tool fit the bill. Folds in on itself to a smaller size and carries the basics. I carried it with me in Iraq and later in Afghanistan and now that I am out of the service I keep it with a small too kit I keep in my car with extra fuses, electrical tape, etc. I still use it pretty often and it's great to have everything in one place.
It is a small tool but covers the everyday uses, course at times I will have to break out larger tools. It is well made and while I have had times where the file or knife bent a little they always bent back into shape, never warped, and never broke. The only true downside to this tool was the nylon case it came in. The bottom portion of it tore open early on and I lost the Crunch for a short time. Since then I picked up a leather case, but this is by far one of the top 10 best buys I have ever made.
 worth the price Jul 12, 2010
I bought this for my husband for Father's Day. I am so happy I did. I can't tell you how many times that he has used it since June. It is very handy and fits on the side of your belt. It is amazing the tools they have in this handy size. Don't think twice about the investment worth it.
A great second tool Jul 10, 2010
The Leatherman Crunch is quite a compact instrument. I've previously carried a Kershaw A100 (almost a foot long in the "carry" position) and I now carry a Surge, one of the largest Leatherman tools out there. with both opened, the Surge is 1.5" longer than the Crunch. The Crunch is about the size of the "standard" Leatherman, the PST.
I don't know what marketing decisions have taken place to keep the Crunch so well hidden - I've yet to find a brick-and-mortar store that stocks it, and until mine arrived in the mail, I'd never even seen one! This is amazing to me, because I can easily see the next generation of multitools being based on locking jaw pliers.
First, the pros:
1. Locking Jaw. (duh) Locking Jaw pliers are the original multi-tools - they can be used for just about anything by themselves. This feature alone more than makes up for the few shortcomings.
2. Compact, lightweight. The smaller it is, the more likely you'll have it with you.
3. Strong. The first thing I did was tighten the adjustment screw as far as it would go, then try to lock the jaws. I had to loosen the screw a couple turns before I could get it to lock, but it was tensioned VERY hard and gave no indication that anything was going to seize up or let go. I wouldn't trust it with as much force as an actual pair of Vice Grips, but what I saw and felt was impressive.
4. Includes the most-used accessory tools - knife, screwdriver/pry bars, bottle opener, wire cutters, wire stripper.
5. Hex-bit driver - while I like having a couple screwdrivers on-board, I use a screwdriver quite regularly, and replacing a multitool just because of a worn out screwdriver gets expensive fast. The hex-bit driver accepts standard, 1/4" hex bits, or the flattened, Leatherman-style bits.
The cons:
1. "old-style" accessory tool deployment. The Wave and Surge (and the Kershaw A100) have the knife and other long tools accessible directly from the "Carry" position. You have to open up the Crunch to get to any of the accessory tools. Aside from needing to open the tool to get to the knife, this method also puts the knife edge above the bottom handle, instead of on the edge of the handle, making some cutting jobs difficult. It's a problem for all traditional-style multitools, not just the crunch.
2. Serrated Knife - I prefer a standard knife, or multiple knives.
3. Unusual opening and closing - it feels like you have to assemble the pliers each time you try to use them. When you're used to pulling the Surge out of its holster and flicking it open with a twist of the wrist, the Crunch's deployment feels very awkward. Still, in the few hours I've owned it, I've discovered how to open and close it with one hand and without looking at it.
4. Adjuster screw needs to be removed to access the hex-bit driver.
All in all, it's an exceptionally useful tool with a few minor quirks. I plan on carrying it on my belt, between my Surge and the bit kit.
Useful Jun 07, 2010
I'm quite happy with this. I got this to add to a multi-tool collection, so let me compare it to my go to edc multi-tool, the Leatherman Wave.
The Crunch is even smaller than the Wave, so it is quite compact. However, it has less fold out accessories. Usually this means I take the Wave instead so I can be prepared for a wider variety of things that need fiddling with. Also, the Needle-nose/standard pliers head is more useful on a day to day basis, for me at least. Maybe a biker would appreciate the Crunch's vise grips more for repairing bikes. Overall, I only EDC the crunch when I feel like grabbing something out of my collection I don't usually take. Also when I want an excuse to take a pocket knife, because the blade on this is bad enough to warrant a second real knife, unlike the the Wave that has a good included blade.
I also want to mention I briefly owned a Gerber Grappler, but it was AWEFUL. Just looking at official web pages you may get the feeling it has more features, but it is terrible quality and I can assure you your only worthwhile option for a vise grip multi-tool is the Crunch.
Another thing I worried about before I bought this was that you had to "assemble" it every time you wanted to use the pliers. It's not an issue at all. It's even fun to play with, I deploy and un-deploy it over and over when temporarily waiting on something.
I recommend it if you know you will be working with bolts a lot, or you already have a more standard tool that needs a companion. If you just discovered multi-tools and are looking for a jack of all trades to have on you, go for a Wave, or Victorinox SwissTool.
Soem flaws Apr 22, 2010
The reason this gets 5 starts is because it's in a class of its own. It's best compared not to another multiplier, but against a Vice-Grip pliers.
Compared to the same size Vice-Grip brand pliers, this thing weighs 30% more. But at 6 1/4 oz, it's still just light enough to carry in a pocket and forget it's there.
But there are 2 significant downsides compared to normal Vice-Grip pliers. First, the handle can pop out pretty easily. This isn't too big a deal once you've learned how to use them. Second, the handle width is a fair bit wider than the pliers head. So, unlike a normal Vice-Grip plier, you have to angle the pliers a bit to clamp onto a bolt that sits low on a flat surface. Other than that, the Crunch is every bit the equivalent of a comparably sized Vice-Grip pliers.
Regarding the Gerber Grappler: The Grappler weighs about 35% more than the Crunch. So it's in a different category, AFAIC. It looks interesting because you can deploy AND adjust the pliers with 1 hand. But the major downside is a limited array of tool for the size and jaws only open up to 5/8".
Design shortcomings: With practice and some dexterity, it takes all of 1 second to deploy or retract the pliers. But it is a tad suboptimal to open and use the secondary tools. On top of that, if you close the handles, the adjustment screw gets in the way of some of the tools. For instance, the bottle opener can't even reach a bottle cap with the handles closed. Another annoyance: the only thing holding the tool in the closed position appears to be wishful thinking.
Other problems: The spring in the pliers head broke after 1 week. But this seems to be a rare problem. The 25 year warranty should have me covered. Also, the pin in the locking mechanism fell out almost immediately. But a hammer and punch resolved the problem.
Summary: This tool is actually a bit overpriced, for what it is, IMO. That said, it's also the only multitool that I own 2 of the exact same model. In addition to being unique, it just has a great look and feel to it. I find myself carrying it even when I know I will likely be better served with a different MT.
|
| | |
Big T Calendars is UpFront
