Why all the Sidekick/Wingman hate?

B

bladeboss

Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
3,530
Howdy folks.

Back in the beginning of my knife-knuttery, I picked up Wingman.
I liked it, but wasn't totally blown away.
I traded it to my cousin for a Storm 2.

So time goes by and I spend some time hanging out with him and realize that he's using it all the time.
And I'm borrowing it....
So I bought a Wave.
And I like it. Quite a bit actually.
But there's still flaws.
I avoided the Sidekick/Wingman thing because I saw some bad reviews on it.
But lately I've been lusting after it for a while.
Well tonight I bought one.
And I don't see a darn thing wrong with it (considering the $40ish price tag).
Is it Wave quality?
Not quite. But close.
I just don't understand why so many people think it isn't up to standard.
It IS half price, after all.


Summary:
I think 'yall are too hard on this poor guy.
I think I'm going to carry it for a while even.
Anyone agree with me?
 
I got a Sidekick new for $29... couldn't pass it up.

I carry a Maxpedition EDC around, and didn't have a multitool in it, so I tossed the Sidekick in there.

My son has a Wave, and I find the Sidekick just as useful as he finds his.

Can I see the reason people would choose a Wave over the Sidekick? Sure. But not me, I'm going to carry the Sidekick for a good long while.

So I guess I agree with you.
 
I have a Sidekick. I don't like spring-loaded pliers, the file is borderline useless, and I personally find the asymmetric handles uncomfortable. I think the Rev would be even worse, because the handles there are asymmetric for thickness as well, and the blade isn't designed to open properly one-handed. If the Wave had the same wire cutter set-up as on the Rebar, it'd be a toss-up between that and my Spirit S for EDC.
 
I think that it depends really on your use. FOR ME, when I was using a multi all day every day (okay the few days a month I was able to get work on events) I needed good cutters in the pliers, and good drivers. For me it came down to the rebar, I needed those things that it has, and it did its job. Now I do a much different job, and cutting heavy zipties and wire is not part of my job. I managed to get myself a Skeletool used for cheap and its what I need. But I do have a wingman I got for free, (love Leatherman's warranty dept) and as a backup tool, or if I didn't have the skeletool, it would really work for what I do, not 100% as well as the skeletool, but not bad either.

All that said, the tools they replaced were superior, but less stylized, and Leatherman decided to go for a more styled design, not a huge deal, but for me, not what I wanted. For the average guy, not a deal. For me, who abuses multies, busted one skeletool, wore out a Pulse till it was balisong loose, and its a very important part of my kit, the wingman/sidekick make too many compromises for me. Again, for me. For the average user, they are a fantastic value, the tool with you is more useful than the one at home, or lost in the basement. If it works for you, then that's great. And for a lot of guys who just need a tool to have around, they do the job. For someone who wants to know if a multi will work for their lifestyle, its a great toe dipper. Its not a ZT or a sebbie or even a spyderco, but I don't think any one here has a high dollar single blade folder that they picked up on the first hit. they found their way to it, either looking for more toughness, better finish or more class. A lot of the early reviews that you read were from guys who have used a lot of multies, and have specific wants and needs. So in that case, they do leave a lot of guys cold. But there is nothing wrong with being in that part of the market. Lots of guys get by with an opinel 7 carbone, and they get no less use and enjoyment than guys carrying multi-hundred dollar custom flippers.
 
I have a Sidekick in my collection—right now it rides in the glove compartment of my wife's car along with a Fenix E05, but for a while I carried it in my day bag as a backup to whatever multi-tool I had on me (often a Skeletool or SAK). It's a perfectly fine tool with a lot of capabilities, and I actually like the spring-loaded pliers. If I had to carry it in my pocket, I might actually choose it over the Wave (and definitely over the Surge) for the size, weight, and ergonomics.

The Wingman is another story. It has scissors, which is a plus, but you lose the (admittedly mediocre) saw and dedicated serrated blade in favor of a half-serrated main blade (ugh) and a blister package opener (???). I get that it's the "urban" version, and it's still a good value, but I wouldn't buy it.

When all's said and done, both tools are Leatherman quality and a great value for the money. I have better Leatherman multitools, of course, but as you point out, I paid at least twice the price for all of them.
 
I have a Wingman. And I like it.

Quality wise I´ve seen many tools worse than this "cheapo"-LM. But a very very great tool. I have to admit, that my Vic Swisstool Spirit shows some blade/tool-wobble on some of the tools. The Wingman at 1/3 of the Vic is bombproof and has a great appearance. I carried the Wingman last year on the building lot and used the heck out of it. But it worked great and I had no problems with it.

So for me ... :thumbup:

... But as it is with all of these Medium size tools, they just seem somehow toyish. That´s why I swapped over to the LM ST300 for EDC as it actually feels like a real tool.
But for tomorrow I gonna give the Vic Spirit a try again ;)
 
I carry mine almost everyday and with use Ive grown to like it. When it arrived I had one with play on the pliers in open and closed position. But I returned it and now I have one thats solid. The lockup on the scissors and blade is well enough, with some play on the blade.

To be frank its my first multitool and I didnt really want to pay more than the 36 euros I spent on it. Remarkable thing is when I had returned it, I asked the shop to inspect the tools on play. It took the guy on the phone 5 wingmans to find one that felt more solid than the rest.

So I think people who are acustomed to higher end mt's will be disappointed with quality. Having said that i think its well enough for light use. For harder use one is likely better off with normal tools for the task. Or a higher end (more expensive) leatherman.
 
Last edited:
vincent_wtf said:
I carry mine almost everyday and with use Ive grown to like it. When it arrived I had one with play on the pliers in open and closed position. But I returned it and now I have one thats solid. The lockup on the scissors and blade is well enough, with some play on the blade.

To be frank its my first multitool and I didnt really want to pay more than the 36 euros I spent on it. Remarkable thing is when I had returned it, I asked the shop to inspect the tools on play. It took the guy on the phone 5 wingmans to find one that felt more solid than the rest.

So I think people who are acustomed to higher end mt's will be disappointed with quality. Having said that i think its well enough for light use. For harder use one is likely better off with normal tools for the task. Or a higher end (more expensive) leatherman.
Click to expand...
Between the wingman that I mentioned in my OP, the Sidekick I gave my cousin for christmas, and the one I just bought, they're all a little wobbly.
I believe its because of the spring loaded pliers.
 
Sidekick

Thumbs up , bought one, then another for $19 each at Home Depot before last Xmas,

Really like the spring loaded Pliers , weight, and OHO blade and saw

No, it's not a LM Wave, but I wouldn't expect it to be
 
No hate for either of them, but the tools are not as well though out of as some of the other models. The philips driver, serrated knife, and especially the file look like an after thought to fill unused space.
 
I can speculate. Many, if not most, of us here are willing to spend well over $100 on a given blade. Given that, I imagine for many of us the choice was should we go for the Charge TTi or "settle" for a Wave or Surge. Many of us love value shopping, but unless it stands out as a particularly good item for the money the low end stuff is generally mocked or shunned.
 
After years with an assortment of Leatherman and SAK multitools, I tried a Wingman and found it too much of a step backward in design and execution. As soon as decently possible, I put it up for sale and don't miss it. Hate would be too strong a word, though. They don't offend me, but for the money, a used Leatherman anything else would be a better bet.
 
I have a Wingman. The only thing I dislike about it is no dang bail or ring for a lanyard or leash.
 
Carried a sidekick for over a year. When I "upgraded" to a Wave I threw it in the glovebox of my wife's Honda Pilot. I still use it quite a bit when we're in her vehicle and I need pliers.
 
My brother got me a Sidekick last year.. he got dads original LM Supertool; and I actually find my first LM to be incredibly useful. It would appear, now a year later, that everything I need a MT to do, the Sidekick can do. I mostly enjoy and use the OHO blade, spring loaded pliers, wire cutters, and to a lesser extent, the screwdrivers.

When I need it (mostly around the house when I dont want to or can't get to my "real" tools), it's invaluable. I think to have a more expensive multitool would be unnecessary for me. And use over time has proven that to me.

But I'm not everybody. So for others, the Sidekick clearly is not good enough. But that does not mean that there is anything inherently wrong with it.
 
The extra tools are more substantial on the Wave, scissors, diamond file etc... That's said I like the newer cutters so hybridized a Wave with the new wire cutters for my wife. I carry a Surge. its heavy duty enough to be real tools and the scissors are very good, as is the diamond file when needed.
 
I dont think I've ever used the file on any multitool ever. But again, that's me. As for scissors, I see their value, but my SAK has scissors... they're ok. I am more precise cutting with a honed and stropped edge on a good blade than I am using tiny, mouse-sized scissors.

You ought to see me cut out Arby's coupons like a pro with my Kershaw.... like slicin' air.
 
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