If someone were to say- "Yo bro when you're on your third Wave and it breaks
maybe it's time to try a Ganzo."- then you'd think "surfing" maybe you're like me
and really know nothing about surfing or what people who surf say to one another.
But maybe it just means multi-tools are expensive, so how about trying something
a little cheaper if you're going to abuse it. Or they are still jerks out there who like
taking other peoples shit. Whatever the reason here is my review for the Ganzo
G203, a 24-in-1 multi tool which comes in a box with a holster and bit kit. The Ganzo
G203 is a Leatherman and Gerber-esque style multi tool that typically hovers
around $20. In case you needed my words to reinforce what you're seeing
on screen. This sounds reasonable
now that Letterman thinks its Wave is worth around $90. I'd like to say I ain't
even mad about that. But I ain't. I mean I ain't, ain't mad. Err... I am mad, yeah I am
mad. Whatever, it's just a tool right? So what about it's basics. It has tools
accessible from the outside or when the pliers are closed. Meaning if you're in a
tactical beverage-based situation and need to get the bottle opener out in a
hurry you don't have to actually open the pliers. Ok the tools are a little stiff at first
and aren't the easiest to get out unless you have a strong coke nail or coke nails-
if you're really into cocaine. The knife blades are made from stainless steel with
a HRC of 58. The rest of the tools and interior parts are also made from stainless steel
and not Play-Doh. The exterior frame is made from an aluminum alloy that appears to
be anodized like most flashlights.There is only a tiny bit of plastic on the tool
that appears to be solely for hand comfort and to protect your hands from
getting pinched. Which probably makes people mad who don't think using tools
should be comfortable. Ok about functionality instead of bad jokes?
First the pliers are spring loaded with an external heavy duty spring that
is easily removable. So you get your choice, unlike the 3
Leatherman tools I own, which give you one or the other.
The pliers aren't exactly needle nose but they are long nose with wire
cutters built in. Here they are compared to some other multi-tools. The cutter
works pretty well and makes short work of the wires used in my integrating
sphere or rather integrating pipe- which is made to measure flashlight lumens and
not something you smoke. Then there are the guts. First the right side or left
side which changes depending on the way you hold it I find. Close up the pliers
and you get access to the scissors for your art projects- I mean to trim your nose
hairs. That's even weirder. They're a bit more flimsy feeling than on my Leatherman
Wave but they're also bigger. Than there's the flathead screwdriver, which does a
good job of screwing- but not when compared to politicians. The bottle
opener for social emergencies or those who like to drink on the job. And finally
the fourth on this side- which is a serrated blade at about 2.25 inches
which comes reasonably sharp out of the box. Opening up the other side you
get a straight edge knife blade at 2.25 inches also. Making it only a Minor
Threat. I found that it needed a bit of sharpening to be able to cut paper
easily. No big deal after a little bit of work using the ceramic stones on my
Spyderco Sharpmaker. Next is the square stud for the bit kit and there's the awl with
the hole. There's a picture in the instruction manual of it doing some leather
work. So it seems someone has found it useful one time at least for the product
photo shoot. And finally the saw, which you could use for cutting small branches
or a toy for criminally insane. Personally, if I could trade any one of these tools
for another tool- it would be the awl for a file. Which I use on my Wave quite a bit.
Anyway how about that bit kit. First pull out the peg, which is not something
you would ever need say to a pirate. Then get the peg-to-hex adapter, and choose
your bit. The adapter is magnetic on either side so it holds the to the G203 well
and holds a bit inside- well enough to keep it from falling out, depending on
its orientation. While it does jiggle little bit on the peg I found you can
shake it around quite a bit and the driver adapter never falls off. The tools
are even cross compatible with the Wave bit kit.
Although the Wave driver extension is deeper so the Ganzo's bits fit deeper
inside the Wave's extension. The Wave's bits on the other hand fit perfectly
on the Ganzo's. It's just a standard 1/4 inch driver that comes with
11 bits. So you might be able to find some compatible ones laying around the
house, if you'd like to switch out some of the bits in the kit. All bits are about
25mm long. There are five hex bits ranging from H2 to H6. Then there are 3
flathead bits including a 3mm, 5mm, 7mm according
to my measurements. And then 3 Phillips bits ranging from PH1 to PH3. So
here's the weight compared to my Wave, my Leatherman PST, and my Sidekick.
At its widest closed it's about 48mm, 104.5mm long closed. It's 21mm thick.
165.1 mm with the pliers out, or 6.5 inches. Now a lot of the above
information was fact-based, but we have arrived at the opinion-based portion of
the review. Because I feel on YouTube there can never be enough unsolicited
opinions. It may be nicer if the tools locked, which is one of the things I love
about my Wave. Although I used the PST for years and it was never a problem. The
straight edge could be a bit sharper out of the box. When I get a new multi tool I feel I really
haven't bonded with it yet, unless I care-lessly cut myself several times which hasn't
happened yet. I'm crossing my fingers. That said, considering its price point
around $20 it's hard to find something with this much functionality. The pouch
is kind of large. And the section for the bits could be better implemented by
having a higher rise pocket. Maybe made from elastic. When you compare it to the
Leatherman velcro pouch, the size is similar- and to be honest the bit kit
doesn't fit perfectly in that one either. And the driver
loop makes it much easier to lose the extension on the Leatherman Wave.
But this isn't a Leatherman Wave review, is it? The pouch is made from nylon
which feels like it's reinforced with some semi-rigid foam and seems nice enough.
"Nice enough" is a term that's ok to use when describing a pouch, but when
describing people it means there's nothing really nice to say about them.
For the most part the G203 is built like a tank. With the exception of the scissors I
feel like every part is going to be as durable as a Leatherman product. So
how does it feel in your hand? I feel when using the tools (not the pliers part), the
curve of the tool is pretty ergonomic and easier to hold than a Wave. Having a
thicker top keeps the tool in your hand better, than a straight tool when cutting
or doing repetitive motion. The trade off, of course, is compactness. I found that
when using the pliers though, there are some textured liner parts that ideally give
you friction, but may provide a bit of irritation if you're not using gloves and
are using the tool, without rest, for extended periods of time. Alright
so let's wrap it up motor mouth. There are no Q.C. problems that I found with the
tool. Everything is solid- maybe a little too solid. Nothing broke or snapped during
my testing period. While the engineering may not be a sleek is the nicer Leatherman
the quality is definitely close. It's as good or better than any Gerber tool I've
used and leaps and bounds better than any cheap brick-and-mortar multi-tools
costing the same amount- like at Walmart or something. If you don't have a lot of
cash or live in an area where Leatherman tools are cost-prohibitive then it's really
a no-brainer because you can buy this most places in the world. There's a ton
of functionality and quality for not a lot of money.
Alright thanks for watching, and don't forget to subscribe to my channel for
more budget tool, blade, headlamp, and flashlight reviews. I have plenty more
I'm currently working, on so stay tuned- including
some new cool Ganzo knives. The Ganzo G203 was provided by EDC gadget
website, Gear Best, for review. Check out www.gearbest.com for knives, flashlights,
headlamps and more multi-tools. Opinions, editing, writing, photography,
and grading by M. Hanlen. Shot on the Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera.
and the Panasonic Lumix GH3. Edited in Final Cut Pro 7, and Graded in Apple Color.