A little over a year ago, I posted about Hatch’s Tempest pliers, which are aluminum-bodied, corrosion resistance, premium priced, and designed for anglers and other fishing enthusiasts and pros. In a recent comment, baz made mention of the Tempest pliers’ $200 price tag.
It’s been a while since I wrote about the Tempest pliers, and so I checked to see if the price had changed. To my surprise, they were no longer available on Amazon, and the Hatch product page was taken down again. Digging further, I learned why – Hatch had come out with new pliers, the Nomad.
Hatch Nomad pliers are similar to the Tempest pliers, but only in a general sense. Taking a closer look, just about every aspect is different.
These Nomad pliers are made from 6061 T6 aluminum, and finished with Type II anodizing. They’re available in blue, clear, and red colors.
The jaws are made from 1704 stainless steel, which Hatch says provides ultimate corrosion resistance. The closest alloy information I could find is for 17-4 PH stainless steel, which might be exactly or at least similar to what Hatch uses.
According to the 17-4 PH datasheet (PDF), the alloy provides excellent corrosion resistance and withstands corrosive attack better than any of the standard hardenable stainless steels. It’s also said to have good toughness and hardness.
I think it’s safe to assume that the hardware, mainly the machine screws, are stainless steel as well.
The pliers also feature tungsten carbide cutter blades, which are abrasion resistant and capable of cutting all types of fishing line material.
It looks like the cutter blades and machines jaws are replaceable, if need be. What I find interesting is that the jaws on the Tempest pliers are cross-hatched, while the ones on these Nomad pliers have straight grooves. Both pliers have smooth tips.
What’s that in the handle? Looks like a bottle opener to me.
Length: 6.25″, Width: 2.0″, Weight: 3.9 oz.
Each of the pliers comes with a black leather sheath, and a bungee lanyard.
You can buy the sheath separately for $48, in case you need a replacement or want a matching sheath for some other pliers.
And the bungee cord is also available separately, for $12.
Price: $280
Buy Now(via Amazon)
More Info(via Hatch)
First Thoughts
While I’d like to say “ouch, $280 for fishing pliers?!,” here’s what I’m thinking: Hatch wouldn’t have come out with these Nomad pliers if their Tempest pliers didn’t sell well enough.
These Nomad pliers apparently won Field & Stream’s 2015 Best of the Best award. At $280, these better be the last pliers an angler or fisherperson will ever need.
I can’t help but drill at the streamlined design of these pliers. And with a price tag of $280, I’ll continue to just drool.