Are striders/hinderers worth the money?

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KyleMS11

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There have been times i have been tempted to buy a used strider. I am no where close to wealthy and would never see myself paying more then $250.00 for a knife, the most i have spent on a knife was $230 and $220 on the southard and an ultratech. I cannot see why these striders and hinderers are being sold for 500,600,700 dollars plus. I am not trying to offend anyone, there are just so many other offerings out there for the 100,200 dollar range that in my opinion look just as good as a strider. No i have not handled one before but and dont know much about them except for that they are fricken expensive but there are so many other flippers, folders for half the price and less then half the price that are in my opinion top of the line. I just bought a southard the other day and it is by far the best flipper i have handled. For $230.00 compared to a hinderer at $500 plus i cant see why a hinderer flipper is worth more then double a southard. I dont know the exact process of building a hinderer or how much it costs to make one. But i just dont get what sets them $400 apart from a southard. So pretty much my question is why is a hinderer/strider worth so much more then something like a southard? What makes it worth $400 more then a southard?
 
Do not mean for it to sound like i am saying they arent worth what they are being sold for, im asking what makes them $500 plus knives.
 
People do because they can.

Do what works for you.

I have hundred dollar knives that perform the same tasks.

I have some higher priced knives but a spyderco military gets lots of pocket time.
 
The name, reputation, attention to detail, amount of work done by hand, etc. If you dont think it's worth double the price of a southard then it isn't. Worth/value are a matter of opinion. Kind of like how some people like 5 dollar bottles of wine, some like 50 dollar bottles and some like 500 dollar bottles.
 
bigmark408 said:
People do because they can.

Do what works for you.

I have hundred dollar knives that perform the same tasks.

I have some higher priced knives but a spyderco military gets lots of pocket time.
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True, my $100 G-Shock is one helluva watch, but sometimes I like to wear my $500 Swiss Army Officer's model. It's not always just about the bargain.
 
I think Hinderers are certainly worth their factory direct pricing of around $400. The materials and fit and finish are excellent, on par with CRK (though the detents usually come way too weak for the flipper models). At the secondary market price of around $700 - no (IMO). You can get a really nice custom for that kind of money, and get exactly what you want with equal or better fit and finish.

As for Striders, I've handled quite a few and thought they seemed very solid, though way overbuilt for my needs. However, the locks were sticky which leads to wear over time, and the fit of the G10 to the titanium was not perfect. I would not personally spend $400-500 on a Strider, because fit and finish is paramount to me in my knife purchases, at least at that price point. That's why my big budget knives have so far been from Chris Reeve. For me, the materials and construction don't justify the pricing of Strider knives. Many disagree with me. Obviously, the company is doing well enough at it's current pricing level to be successful. To each their own.
 
Not sure where you're seeing Striders for $400 more than a Southard, maybe the customs? As for Hinderer's I don't own one (though a 3.5 XM-18 is my grail), but to my understanding they are not "worth" the $700+ (up to $2500 for special editions on Ebay). They are just so limited, and since you can't get them from Hinderer himself, you are forced to pay the secondary market price.

Now what I do have some experience with is a Strider SMF Lego, so here's my 0.02. While the Strider, like my Sebenza may not be twice as good as my ZT's, it is a phenomenal knife. The blade centring on mine isn't quite perfect, and I had to open and close it roughly 1000 times to break it in, yes 1000. It is one of the smoothest knives I own (No Bias there, it's just a smooth knife) and the lock bar no longer sticks. The blade shape is something I've come to like quite a lot, and the ergonomics are exceptional, especially with gloves. The blade stock is quite thick, so it won't slice as well as my Paramilitary 2, but it does cut quite well. Tip strength is good, and due to the thickness it could, I suppose, be used as a folding prybar if needed. Lastly, while it is a large knife, with a very thick blade stock, it doesn't feel overly heavy. Mostly due to the lack of steel liners or and the use of Titanium. It has a 4" blade (though really only 3 1/4" of cutting length) and weighs only 6.0oz. Which is less than my ZT 0300 (8.0oz) or 0560BW (6.4oz), both of which have thinner blade stocks.

Lastly, don't buy into the "hard use" B.S. I just liked the Strider design and had heard good things about the heat treat that they have done on their blades. And while I know people on the forum are going to bash Strider for Mick Strider's personality, that shouldn't factor in when buying a knife (just look at the knife).

P.S. I have no experience with the Strider Warranty, so I cannot say anything good or bad about it.
 
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Another thing I should mention, is that unlike some of my other higher end production knives, the Strider SMF is a knife I'm not afraid of using. It just inspires some confidence when it's being used.
 
Well the knives you mentioned are made entirely within the USA in small shops, I have owned both and they are very nice and IMO worth the money if they're within your means. Granted I got my hinderer for robs price, there is a market of people that will pay a lot more for one because of the exclusive nature of the sales. This topic gets brought up a lot and it comes down to personal taste, and how much you want it. An opinel will out perform most knives out there, a escort will get you to work just a well as a corvette, and a timex will tell time in a similar fashion to a Rolex. If your really looking for that cool knife factor heed my advice and save up for a custom.
 
Firstly, Hinderers are not $600-$700 knives. They are $385 knives. Secondly, only you can decide what is worth it to you. Hinderers have expensive secondary market prices because of the rarity and exclusivity. That's what you are paying for aside from the high quality. With Striders, it's mostly the materials and mystique. They will both cut the same as a Southard or Ultratech. I love Hinderers, I've had a few and I loved them all. They are made well, and are extremely comfortable. But they are luxury items plain and simple. A Ferrari will get you from a to b the same as a honda civic, but it's all about the looks, extras, and exclusivity.
 
oXObsidianXo said:
Not sure where you're seeing Striders for $400 more than a Southard, maybe the customs? As for Hinderer's I don't own one (though a 3.5 XM-18 is my grail), but to my understanding they are not "worth" the $700+ (up to $2500 for special editions on Ebay). They are just so limited, and since you can't get them from Hinderer himself, you are forced to pay the secondary market price.

Now what I do have some experience with is a Strider SMF Lego, so here's my 0.02. While the Strider, like my Sebenza may not be twice as good as my ZT's, it is a phenomenal knife. The blade centring on mine isn't quite perfect, and I had to open and close it roughly 1000 times to break it in, yes 1000. It is one of the smoothest knives I own (No Bias there, it's just a smooth knife) and the lock bar no longer sticks. The blade shape is something I've come to like quite a lot, and the ergonomics are exceptional, especially with gloves. The blade stock is quite thick, so it won't slice as well as my Paramilitary 2, but it does cut quite well. Tip strength is good, and due to the thickness it could, I suppose, be used as a folding prybar if needed. Lastly, while it is a large knife, with a very thick blade stock, it doesn't feel overly heavy. Mostly due to the lack of steel liners or and the use of Titanium. It has a 4" blade (though really only 3 1/4" of cutting length) and weighs only 6.0oz. Which is less than my ZT 0300 (8.0oz) or 0560BW (6.4oz), both of which have thinner blade stocks.

Lastly, don't buy into the "hard use" B.S. I just liked the Strider design and had heard good things about the heat treat that they have done on their blades. And while I know people on the forum are going to bash Strider for Mick Strider's personality, that shouldn't factor in when buying a knife (just look at the knife).

P.S. I have no experience with the Strider Warranty, so I cannot say anything good or bad about it.
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That was the main thing that caught my eye with striders the designs. They look like they have great ergos. But 6oz, dang thats way too heavy for me personally.
 
Silvanus said:
Firstly, Hinderers are not $600-$700 knives. They are $385 knives. Secondly, only you can decide what is worth it to you. Hinderers have expensive secondary market prices because of the rarity and exclusivity. That's what you are paying for aside from the high quality. With Striders, it's mostly the materials and mystique. They will both cut the same as a Southard or Ultratech. I love Hinderers, I've had a few and I loved them all. They are made well, and are extremely comfortable. But they are luxury items plain and simple. A Ferrari will get you from a to b the same as a honda civic, but it's all about the looks, extras, and exclusivity.
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The video i saw on jdavis youtube channel was him saying $900 $700 $550. Saw some site that they were on for $550 plus so thats what i was going off of.
 
"Actual value", meaning the price Rick set for these knives (XM's), is $385 for the 3" and 3.5" models. The 4" models are more expensive at $550. Not everyone can get them at this price and they are made in small batches, that's the reason for the mark ups.
 
I have a Strider sng, and a Hinderer xm18. Both of mine are well made and superior to many of the knives in my in my collection. For several reasons I carry my PM2 more. Also the Southard that you are comparing with these is the best value of the three. That is an extraordinary knife if you like flippers. If you do get a Strider, Hinderer or Chris Reeve, I believe you ll be happy with it. Of those three, I find myself carrying the Strider the most.
 
I notice you didn't mention CRKs Sebenza is that because you think they're worth it?
I've used and played with a Strider during a pass around once, never held a Hinderer but I've read and researched as much as I could.

The short answer is yes, of course they are someone's buying them.

I bought my Sebenza because it came with a sticker, a cloth and an allen key. ;):)
 
KyleMS11 said:
That was the main thing that caught my eye with striders the designs. They look like they have great ergos. But 6oz, dang thats way too heavy for me personally.
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The SnG is only 4.5oz. I'm more used to the 6oz given my EDC rotation usually weighs at least 4.5oz, plus I dedicate 1 whole pocket to my EDC knife.
 
It's hard to put into words why they're worth the money they bring. Once you have one in hand and feel the quality of the knife, only then will you understand. I have both Strider and Hinderer knives along with Spyderco's, Kershaw, ZT's and one BenchMade. They are all great knives, IMO the Strider/Hinderer will literally last a lifetime and still be a dependable tool that can be handed down to the next generation and that makes them worth the money. You can find first generation Strider/Hinderer knives still going strong without issues. The material, steel/heat treat on these knives doesn't get any better.
As long as folks are willing to pay the asking price for these knives they will be worth it I have seen the secondary market soften up on these knives and if one is patient, they can be bought at a reasonable price.
 
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