Should You Upgrade? Wolftooth 8-Bit Pack Plier Review!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Review of the #newnew Wolftooth 8-Bit Pack Plier. Interesting upgrade of the awesome Pack Plier tool. Support non-competitive cycling content: / pathlesspedaled
*Item was sent free of charge for review. Thoughts are my own.
Wolftooth Pack Plier: amzn.to/38LQQSS
Wolftooth 8 Bit Pack Plier: www.wolftoothc...
SUPPLE PATCHES pathlesspedale...
PATREON: / pathlesspedaled
SUPPLE SHIRTS: pathlesspedaled...
**NEW ROUTE GUIDE** www.pathlessped...
INSTAGRAM: pathlesspedaled #thesupplelife #gravelbike #biketouring #bikepacking
Awesome. Adding to santa list. Hang in there Laura.
I appreciate the engineering that went into this, and based on what WT had mentioned in one of the live streams, was holding out on buying a set of pack pliers to see what this was going to be. For what I need while riding, I think a crank brothers multi-tool and a set of pack pliers will be a much more useful combo. The bits can get at everything (like recessed derailleur bolts) and I don't have to worry about losing them.
Thank you for the thorough, honest, review @pathlesspedaled.
I just bought the old version and I’m happy using that along with my crank brothers multi tool. Nevertheless, it’s a really cool tool . Thank you for the great review.
This. I got the old version + Crankbrothers F15 for $60. Only thing that makes me thing differently is the OneUp EDC.
With 17 functions, why didn't they call it the multi-plier?
Just wish they had an actual chain breaker, not just quick link pliers.
I went for rhe topeak pt30 ,it got everything you need (including a regular chain breaker,master link storage and much more) in a pretty compact form factor.
@@mickhead77 The PT30 has everything except a masterlink pliers, and for the money Topeak tools are designed well enough and made with good enough materials that you'll probably never need to change. My Alien II has been doing everything I need trailside for probably a decade at this stage, hence my interest in the pliers.
The only issue with the Alien is that the T25 is getting a bit rough at this stage from swinging off disk rotor bolts on my trials bike, so I've bought the spare T25 socket from another tool to stick on the 4 or 5 mm hex key to make sure I have a clean T25 for the MT7 Maguras I bought a few weeks ago if i need it. The MT7's use T25 heads for all fasteners on the brakes, including the bleed port.
Have a look at lezyne‘s chain pliers, they come with a chain breaker and lots of other useful tools!
@@fireforce1954 good tip! Checking it out now. Gonna get one and review it. I really liked the Blackburn Tradesman I have been using for two years now, but have a couple gripes.
I always carry my knipex pliers wrench in 125mm length when biking. You can't get a more versitile tool for almost any repairs even press in bearings. It also splits chains without any affots.
It's not a bike specific tool but defenetly deserves a review.
I love mine but how do you split chains with it? I just carry a Park Tool CT-5C.
@@JaccoSW Sorry, little misunderstanding here. You can split and reconnect the quicklinks with it by diagonally pressing on the outsides of the two halves of the link. I'm pretty soure you can also press in a chain connecting pin with it altough I haven't tried yet. The only thing I can't imagie is how to remove the pin :D
Update: I was able to actually push out the pin with the knipex (150mm version) using a 3mm screw and a 5mm hex-nut :D Thats an other task this great tool is capable of
How is Laura. I went to you website and got me a shirt and a pin. The party pace pin will look nice on my backpack and describes my pace perfectly. I also subscribed. I'm down in the Bitterroot and I'm pulling for you guys. Stay supple.
Super Video for me as a travel-tool-kit-nerd for bike and photogear use! Thanks. Maybe you can put a slim band/strip around the bits like it is often done with tight sitting AA or AAA batteries to get them out more easyly. Probably a bit more hassle to put the bits in with the band and another thing to loose but If you need a bit in a rush it is easy and fast to get it out. Greetings from Germany. 😀
$70? OUCH! Nice concept, but I'll stick with my Crank Brothers M19 for $25. Thanks!
No offense, but there is a price to pay to buy USA made goods. Sorry if you really can't afford this tool, but its no mystery why manufacturing jobs are gone. People got to make a living wage.
Wish the bits could be bright colors for when they’re dropped. I put colored tape on hex wrenches, etc when I can. Thanks-🍀🍀you guys
Thanks, Russ. Exactly what I needed to opt to keep the original and not upgrade
I like the functionality of this tool. All they need to do is rotate the bits 90 degrees so just the tip of each bit is sticking up past the edge of the handle when opened then you could pick the one you want a little easier. The handle would need to be a little wider but that wouldn’t be a big deal. Then they also might have room to integrate a detent, a bit extension, and the ability to flip the head into the handle when shut with the extra room they gain by flipping the bits 90 degrees.
Think the Wolftooth pack pliers is a bit pricey for me, the bits are proprietary, being 4 mm.. wish they came with standard 1/4" bits it could be expanded if you need more bits like t30, t15.. or other allen bits like a 10 mm allen
A 4mm shaft to 6.35mm (1/4 inch) female adaptor would address the expandibility issue with standard bits.. a bit extension would increase reach of this tool on recessed bolts. And probably a rubber band like the one that comes with the m17 to prevent the tool from swiveling while using and prevent the tool from accidentally opening and losing the attached bits.
I have the old version and it's ok but sometimes it's hard to generate enough force with the short handles to get the link to pop in or out of engagement. The longer handles of the new one would probably reduce this problem, but I'm not interested in all the bits that come with it. I'd be interested in an update of the old version, but with longer handles.
I have the early version. I found it to be useless for breaking a master link.
Holy crap this was timely :) Was just making this decision myself.
First of all, my thoughts are with Laura, was so gutted to hear about her. Stay strong!
Well, that's about the video, actually: Great review, interesting minimalist tool.
For a 2nd quicklink I'd add the Topeak Rescue box with patches and chainbolts. If you're unlucky, you'd also need some kind of chain breaker, like the KMC mini chain tool. Then again, if you're less a minimalist, prefer bit ratchets anyway and bit extensions ( or 2-3 longer bits), you could save on these not low-priced chain pliers and take the KMC missing link tire levers instead. Yet still, it's tricky to mash up the perfect lightweight field toolbox, and Wolftooth are definitely beautifully and well designed, really not something to stash away without appreciating its craftsmanship.
Personally, having already the pack pliers, I also prefer a ratchet and Topeak torqbits.
Just returned my 8 bit pack pliers. They were too big and bulky (and expensive )relative to my existing multi-tool. The only tool that I needed was master link pliers,so I got the master link combo pliers at 1/4 the cost.
I appreciate the honesty, not the best but handy if needed!
No tyre lever... strange they'd skip on that in the design, the top part that slides out to get the bits could have had a lever end designed into it. It would at least make the tool set almost worth it but since there's so many other great tool kits out there for much less it doesn't seem like it's filling any voids just another tool but a pricey one at that.
Great tool for touring, I'm putting it on my Christmas list
I’m interested in the longterm review. The small stems that fit into the holder do not seem like they will hold-up. Interesting compact tool, though.
Useful thanks. They released this just after I bought the encase system as an xmas gift for myself. I already had the PP, and yes agree it is great. This helps ease my mind that I don't really need the new 8BPP :-) - although let's talk about that encase system on drop bar bikes...
Sold! Thanks
I was thinking from the start they should of put a ratchet on that end instead of a swivel head. I have a Pro Tool Mini Ratchet I love to use at home and on the trail. I'd consider picking one of these up if it had a ratchet end, as is this is a no go for me.
I still don't quite understand why you need master link pliers for trail/roadside repairs. I can't think of any issue where I would need the pliers but not also need a chain breaker. But at that point, just a chain breaker suffices.
I snapped a chain on a trail last summer. Used a chain breaker to take out the broken link and used the pliers to install new quick links it was carrying. 🤷🏽♂️ Chain breakers are great for breaking chains but suck at putting them back together. I’d rather use quick links on the trail then mess around with pushing a pin back in. Modern quick links after 9spd are a PITA to attach and remove.
I work for a bike shop and got a discount code to buy one at or below wholesale, even at that price I couldn't really justify it. It didn't solve any problems that I hadn't already solved at a cheaper price.
Thanks for yet another well made review :)
Suppose my chain is broken and so I pull out this tool. How can I remove broken chain to use master chain link? If I need to carry another multi-tool with chain tool, all those bits will be redundant.
yupp. The encase system has a chain break tool - but then you need the pack plier with the quick link... doh!
I have neither but now I see I need them both. Thanks haha
7:32. The bit that is dropped goes flying into the back side of the multi tool... could this be the Easter egg "on-deck circle"?!? Sure it may not be perfect and might be too loose while wrenching... but man it jumps on that backside pretty damn quick! Looks like a strong enough magnet still on the backside...
Pretty cool tool.
I've found it easiest to pop out the valve file and use the pointy (flat half) end to pry the bits out. Very easy to get the bit you want that way, much better than digging them out with grubby fingernails. I got this thing partly because I have been stuck in the field needing to swap in a tube (nail went through the tire and the rim strip, can't fix that with a dart), and couldn't loosen the lock ring on the valve with cold fingers. Really though, I just hate spending big dollars for a carbon bike and then weighing it down with steel tools. This thing is really light, and so nicely made it makes me want to carry it. I even throw it in my pocket around the house sometimes if I think I might need hexes to fix something.
Definitely going with my on the next bikepacking race
The loose bits are a turn-away for the exact reason you state - I will 100% lose those things on the side of the road somewhere, or down a storm drain. I had been wondering about the pliers themselves though, since I do not have a chain-specific one in my carry (just a tiny pair of regular pliers in a Gerber Dime).
I have a (slightly) similar True Utility tool. A lot of the potential downsides apply but a useful tool nonetheless. Personally, I think the original is the way to go for Quicklinks + tyre lever. Add in a multi-tool with chain breaker and that covers most events.
I prefer the original pliers in combo with a good multi tool. I feel like they’re trying too hard to compete with an already useful and perfected multi tool, and would be better served to make this an all-in-one chain tool. If anything, they should just add a chain breaker to the original version. So it would be chain pliers, chain breaker and link storage for more than 1 link.
Great review. Something to save up for.
I don't need the 8-bit because my Specialized multitool already covers 90% of those extra functions and the ones it doesn't cover don't seem necessary for 99% of on-the-trail fixes. Plus, a multitool is much easier to use then fiddling with the magnets and bits on this thing. Wolf Tooth should just make a traditional multitool to pair with their pack plier and I would buy it.
What about the orange hinge, is it the right size hex to recieve an "on deck" bit that you'd like?
It's a spare chainring bolt. So in a sense yes.
I'm glad they deleted the tire lever. It was useless on the original and damaged the bead on some relatively new tires. Will probably upgrade to this and retire the original to my car trunk bike kit.
That Silca looks cool. Can you do a roundup of all the saddle bag ratcheting tools you have access to? Spindatt promoted a pretty cool stepless ratchet i bought and like very much but it's on the big side.
there will be a lighter quicklink tool to comeout in 2 months im guessing
Happy with the old one
All those little pieces?
I can see me dropping one of those bits n the sand and leaf litter and never finding it.
Conventional allen keys for me (no Torx bolts on my bike). And a chain breaker and small link pliers for big rides where a chain mishap would be a killer.
I got excited when I saw an email from Wolf Tooth this morning about this new tool. I think it's a cool concept, but with all the added functions, they forgot about the tire lever part of it! Not a fan of the swivel thing that just sticks out all the time either. I think I'm going to stick to my standard pack plier + multi-tool. Plus, I really dislike that there are a bunch of little bits that look proprietary, hard to access, and also easy to lose. I like a tool that doesn't have a bunch of loose parts, but at least with the Silca tool, a hardware store would carry those bits for cheap.
The tire lever on the original was very bad. Way too sharp.
I have learned that I strongly dislike multi tools with removable pieces. I’ll stick with the crank brother multi and chain tool. Good review.
I use that valve scratcher to get those bits out. 2nd Problem: if you loose a bit, it is not a standard size. Wolftooth has a spare kit, I wish I’ve seen before, to order it extra for when I loose one of the bits. I would realy like to know what your old tool is named an it’s brand. Thank you.
Firstly...get well Laura! Secondly, is that gizmo a file, or a tap? Being an engineering nerd it seems to me it would make more sense if it was a tap that you thread into the valve stem, twisting it so that it follows the helix and cleans the thread. Curious.
File. No threads on it.
I saw the old one on sale for $60 Australian today.
Proprietary loose bits that I need to take my gloves off to get at? I respect wolf tooth but this looks like something only fans of the brand will buy. I still haven't found a better combo than my Blackburn Wayside and Topeak power levers. Those two together handle absolutely everything with ease.
Cool valve cleaning tool, but you didn't mention removing the valve core. With the tiny open ended wrench looking thing on the opposite side for that? Or does one of it's holes do it?
The resolution looks way better than 8-bit. 😛
There's a point where multi-tools start to become a little ridiculous. You either don't need all the functionality...daily recreational rider not going far from home who probably just needs a basic folding multi-tool...or you need so much functionality...say a long distance bike packer...that it's no big deal carrying a few extra allen wrenches or loose small tools. The Wolf Tooth tool is cool, I have one. I also have a cheap chain link tool that I got for 5 bucks on amazon, cut half of the handles off, and it works fine and weighs a good deal less than Wolf Tooths original pack pliers which is, basically, only good for removing links. The new pack pliers are cool but unnecessarily complicated, you will definitely lose the bits, and I don't see what it does that a good folding multi-tool with a chain breaker and my cheap amazon link pliers wont.
They make some good stuff
I went to change my chain with the old one and WOW it is uncomfortable to do. The fewer gears the bigger the chain and the easier to get a quick link undone so I guess if you had a fixie or a Rohloff with a chain I guess it wouldn't be as bad. I probably won't upgrade as I have a multi bit set that fits in my handle bars.
You should try it with just your fingers. Even worse.
Tool retention is a con unless you have a life of losing bits and pieces in cactus patches or leaf piles. I am supposed to be working but that annoying bell of joy rang and I had to watch. Nice comparison to the Silca (sp). I think I need the standard pack plier.
I would upgrade to the aliexpress ones :)
Are you using a different lens for this review? There's a lot more longitudinal chromatic aberration (green/purple casts) than normal.
If the hex bits are magnetic you can leave one in the head of the bolt you're not adjusting while you work with the other one. You never mentioned how they work as masterlink pliers either. Opening powerlinks by hand was never a big problem until the Shimano 12 speed ones, which the cheap set of masterlink pliers I had folded over on when I was trying to set the link in position. It was easily set by just tensioning the chain throughthe cranks, but if I ever have to open it in the middle of nowhere it'll be a challenge.
1)The bits are NOT magnetic.
2)Works great. Watch our review of the original pack plier. Nothing has changed in that department.
@@PathLessPedaledTV You could always magnetize them yourself - if they're retained by magnets they can be magnetized. If there's space to store a small neodymium magnet with the tool, you could use that to stick the bit you're not using to the bolt, but that may be solving the wrong problem.
You might get in trouble depending on whether the retaining magnets in the tool are single or multipole as the parts may have to be magnetized the right way around to stay in place or you might find the bits only hold into the driver one way around after you magnetize them - it's a quick experiment using a tool magnetizer/demagnetizer if you have one, and they're pretty cheap to buy.
It would be good to add a link to the review of the other tool to the info in this video. I searched for the review and found several others that demoed the tool without finding your previous review at all - and that was literally doing the search from your videos page, so youtube isn't making this easy.
@@peglor you do lots of things to it but my job is to review how it arrives to the consumer.
@@PathLessPedaledTV Very true :-). Very few things I buy are as good as they could be to specifically meet my needs out of the box, so I'm always looking to take it up the last couple of percent.
Just ordered to replace the pack plier. Neither seems perfect and still needs an additional multi tool. The pack plier has a useless tire lever unless your willing to possibly damage a nice rim. The new one has Allen’s that will become redundant if you have another tool. That said the new one has an easier valve core remover (old can be a pain getting the right clocking between spokes) and the valve stem reamer is genius, ever since wider rims for some reason valve clogs are happen all the time, tried multiple valve stem options and still all have eventually clogged and it the stem itself so removing the core does nothing without the reamer. All your standard multi tool Allen’s will be too short to clear it and now your stuck hunting for the perfect twig, such a pain. I think they should update their original and add the reamer as a scaled down version but until then I’ll take the new and a multi tool, never know when you might need to have two Allen’s anyway.
My thru-axles are 5.5mm, looks like that size isn't included. That's the one size I definitely need.
What assholes designed a thru axle that requires 5.5mm? Maybe they are common elsewhere, but in the states they're almost never included with Allen key/hex bit sets. Same as 7mm and T27, there's no reason to use them on bikes unless you intend to piss people off.
What shitbag company made that terrible decision? Literally no multitool I've ever seen has a 5.5 mm hex key. Most hex key sets you can buy also don't come with this size either. They are literally stranding their customers by design with that product.
@@peglor WTB
@@mediumrick7667 That's a damned shame - WTB are literally as old as the mountain bike industry itself. Their saddles are still great, if a bit creaky where the rails go into the chassis, but between your bolt size choice and the last WTB tire I tried being literally the worst tire I've used since the '90s in terms of slipping out at the slightest threat of me putting power down once the trail gets even slightly damp, I suspect they've retired from riding and the accountants are running the place (into the ground) now :-(.
@@MrKipperfish I have a hex wrench set that has a 5.5mm - I was just wondering what the hell that would be fore.
It’s a product created for the sake of building up a product line, designed by a committee. Actually, design might be too strong a word. Fiddly little tools with too many moving parts are always annoying. I have a small ratchet screwdriver which hold a bunch of bits in the handle. After three months in the travelling tool kit, it got exiled to spare parts box 5 years ago. Not missed. I only keep it as a reminder to not buy silly things ever again.
seems to lack an actual chain link tool, quick link pliers not really needed while on a ride. Valve core unblocker great, but what about making that also a tubeless plug applicator as well? Unimpressed wolftooth, I will stick to my Frankenstine multi-tool made from the best parts of 5 I've owned.
I've used quick link pliers for trail side repairs.
@@PathLessPedaledTV it may be useful if you have in there, but not really much use without a chain breaker. Only reason your going to need to use chain tools is if your chain snaps, in which case you will need a chain breaker. Quick link pliers are useful but you can essentially fit quick links without them, and I don't really see why at the side of the trail you'd need to remove a quick link.
$105 Australian. No tire lever on the new one?
Metal tire lever was never a great idea.
Veterans of Swiss Army knives and leathermans fear not ;)
Think I've been over-tightening my pedals if you can undo them with this?!
No.
Are you able to tighten the orange hinge?
You can. Its a standard chainring bolt.
“SUPER”
Its a nice tool, but its 70 dollars. I'm to frugal.
I’m generous, here you go - o
Thank you
Got a link to where you got that other tool?
Both are in the description.
Oh actually I didn't mean the two Wolftooth pliers but your third tool you brought up as a comparison. The silver torque wrench looking one. The ratcheting wrench.
At this point Wolf Tooth should just change their name to Wolftooth because no one thinks its 2 words.
No
First!
100 Canadian to much
Good thing it’s only 70 US :)