T_Co, I just got my Mk1 a week ago so I have not had time to use it extensively but here are a few of my impressions so far.

The handle thickness feels good to me. A thinner handle would fit into a pocket better I suppose but for me, I like the thickness for a better grip.

The mark-offs at the injection points at the back are not very prominent on the black grips that I have. They also look a bit smaller than shown in the photos of the orange Griptilian in the review. For me, this is a serious tool (not a show piece of jewelry) and a slight blemish is not of much concern to me. If it were I would think they could be carefully buffed off.

As far as the comments about feeling "cheap", I did notice that. One of the design intents, I believe, was to make it light. Any tool that is light will tend to feel "cheap" compared to the same exact tool that is heavier, especially when you are used to that tool being heavier. Only time will tell if this is as rugged as I believe it is.

In the end you need to hold one and try it out and decide for yourself.