When Keyana Sapp, 31, went shopping for a new backpack, the brands he remembered as a kid were just not the same.
He researched the companies, from North Face to JanSport and Eastpak, and soon realized they were all owned by the VF Corporation after a wave of acquisitions in the 2000s. After a Reddit post he made about his discovery picked up traction, he started looking at other types of consumer goods – cookware, shoes, tools, clothing.
“It seems like that was a story that just repeated in every industry,” Sapp told the Guardian.
I’ve got both Rigid and Milwaukee corded and cordless tools. My drills, saws and batteries from 2011 are still cranking along and the newer stuff is fine too.
I got the rigid stuff from my dads when he passed, he was a carpenter/handyman and chose rigid because of the price performance at the time. (Early 2000s).
Ryobi is the lowest price and focuses on consumer level, Rigid is mid teir and easier to warranty at HD, and Milwaukee is premium priced and had higher power specialty things like impactwrenches, and power cable crimpers.
I’ve got absolutely no complaints about any of the Ridgid tools I have. They’re still right up there in the A tier for performance, and usually at a much better price than like, DeWalt. Perfect for the handyman or DIYer that isn’t using them 12 hours a day, every day.
Milwaukee is definitely geared towards those making money from them though. If it’s your actual job, Milwaukee or Makita are the way to go. They’re expensive, but they are absolute workhorses.