Originally Posted by
easyupbug
B is a relatively new company located in Taiwan and as there is probably little experience out there I will offer this. You are going to have to gamble. Taiwan can make quality tools but also they may only be marketing Chinese tools. I did vendor qualifications in China for a few years and can tell you the Chinese can make (and do) quality tools or junk. If B is out to capture some of the Park market they can do it with quality at a lower price or they can sell nice looking junk or something in between.
REI web site had a few reviews that gave their tool kit mixed reviews.
Taiwan does not import Chinese goods. The majority of the Taiwanese economy and, believe it or not, their foreign policy and national defense philosophy is based on cycling components, goods and tools. They honestly believe that the Western world love their Taiwanese cycling goods to the point that they will defend them from Mainland China in that messy situation. It's actually their official articulated position. Taiwan makes most of the high end components and frames in the world. A lot more than people realize. Very few things are "branded"!though like SuperB tools or Giant bikes or Microshift components. Mostly they make tools and bikes and bits for other labels.
A lot of quality SuperB and IceTools (Lifu) are outright better tools than Park makes, and significantly better value.
SuperB has been making tools for years for other labels. Think of them as Giant right after they stopped building for Specialized.
I like many of my SuperB tools better than my Park tools. I have the Park tensiometer. I would never recommend it. If you can't afford a good DT analog or digital tensiometer, I'd recommend a used Wheelsmith tensiometer. Pay the $20 to WheelFanatyk to get a custom calibration sheet. You'll end up with a more accurate and consistent reading than with the Park/SuperB design.
If you want to get the Park design, pass on the Park tool, get the SuperB instead. I would.
There are some bike tools I would never trade/sell because they are rare, interesting, quality tools, or well made and functional. I'd trade my Park tensiometer for a needed bike tool at a swap without thinking twice. I'd either go cheaper with the SuperB, go vintage and more accurate with the Wheelsmith, of give into the lust for a DT tensiometer.
SuperB makes the best Mavic hub pin tool in the business. Metal with a yellow rubber sheath. Makes the actual black plastic Mavic pin tool look like a toy.