Cheap Tools & Gear are Bad for Everyone

I just read an excellent article over at ITS Tactical about the hazards of buying cheap gear. Although Brock’s points pertain to tactical and survival gear, they apply equally as well to hand tools.

Brock goes on to discuss how USA-made goods are often much better in terms of both quality, design, and development. Not only that, domestic manufacturers typically have the know-how to provide help with product selection, care, or repair.

These days an increasingly common marketing phrase is “designed in the USA.” Sure that does mean something – it puts such products ahead of tools that are generically designed and manufactured.

Personally, I prefer to purchase tools designed and produced in the USA. If I cannot have that, or if the cost is too prohibitive, I’ll opt for well-made tools from elsewhere.

What you’ll never see me buy are those generically branded import tools that you can find at the 99 cent discount store. The same goes for the non-branded tools in the “value” bin at the local hardware store which have camouflage or flame decorated handles.

In some cases cheap tools are tolerable, such as those described in today’s post about cheap precision pliers.

Now, I’m not saying that cheap tools are all bad, but more often than not, you get what you pay for. I don’t care that someone can buy ten off-brand pliers for the amount I pay for one. The fifteen flashlights I saw at Home Depot the other day selling for fifteen dollars? Good luck using them in an emergency or under tough conditions.

Oh, I’ve got a lot more to say about this, but it’s best kept for another time. For now, check out the discussion over at ITS Tactical, and don’t worry, the author’s tone is much more restrained than mine is right now.

Buying Cheap Gear: Killing Yourself and the American Based Tactical Product Revolution, via ITS Tactical