Leatherman p4 free review initial impressions

Updated review, better with a video to show what I'm referencing, so here you go again an update with unfortunately a few more negatives I found over the last week:


1. clip adds cost
2. one handed opening smoothness also opens up play in the handles
3. red loctite
4. one handed opening for the center tools is ineffective and still requires two hands anyway!
 
I appreciate your review. I'm going to put this one on the back burner.

I'm pretty well set on multi tools. I have one every occasion with the Rebar being my go-to.

This one is cool, but beyond offering the butter fly opening I am used to with my ST300 and outside tools I have one a SOG tool costing half as much, I dont see a real need for this tool for my personal collection.

If I didn't carry a large premium steel folder as it is, I would just get nice Charge and be done with it. I'm still thinking I would get more "what if" utility out of a Tread.
 
Been using the free everyday for over a week now and still my favorite leatherman yet. Is really the perfect size, always thought the charge was a bit small and the surge a bit large and very heavy. The free is I believe a tad smaller than the surge but not nearly as heavy. I have absolutely no problems using every function of the tool one handed. Was in a pickle yesterday holding a heavy electrical panel directly overhead with one arm and needed a phillips screwdriver to close it. Pulled out the free and flicked the phillips out one handed. It really is not bad accessing the screwdriver bits one handed, roll your thumb over the hinge part and flick the driver open, closing the others with your thumb.
 
I got a P4 and will use but I will not buy another. I am for the most part ST300 and Surge fan, and I wanted to try the P4 because it is new and I wanted to see if the 4.25 inch length would be big enough. So a few points that I found that I don't like. The Free P4 is not comfortable, it is not a big tool either, it feels cheap and not well made at all. Yes it has a few good points but the bad out way the good. So I got one and will keep it and use it from time to time but the ST300 and Surge are still the two I like the most. One last thing, if the P4 was say $79.00 would be a far better price for it. $139 plus change is way to high for this thing.
 
Now I did get a chance to use the wire stripper built into the ruler and I do have to say I have finally found a positive in its favor! It helped me wire the new ceiling fan.
 
Now I did get a chance to use the wire stripper built into the ruler and I do have to say I have finally found a positive in its favor! It helped me wire the new ceiling fan.

Now that I've thought on it the wire stripper even sucks on the p4, it's only for the smallest wire instead of the open stripper found on the wingman, sidekick. Wave, charge, ect......
 
I've noticed the prices in the UK average around £195 for the P4(mostly pr-order). That's over $250. Not a chance of me biting at that price. I'll stick with my Wave.

I could buy both a Wave and a Victorinox Spirit for the same price as one P4. And from what I've read/heard they're far better tools.
 
Shocked to see so many bad complaints on the p4. I am an electrician and pretty much h the only tool I use all day is a leatherman. I have never used the wire stripper groove on any leatherman, I just use the cutting blades on the pliers, lightly squeeze on the wire insulation and it pulls right off. Thought about going back to my charge tti or surge for a change, but so used to the one handed opening of every single tool on the p4 that I dread going back to the pliers requiring 2 hands to open. I will admit it does feel a bit cheaply built when first using, but I have dropped it numerous times and used the needle nose pliers as a hammer to bust out openings on an electrical box and the tool still performs like new. I have used a leatherman strapped to my side for over 10 years every day and still feel the p4 is a great tool. Leatherman has a great warranty, snapped the jaws on a few of my charge tti and they replaced the entire tool no questions asked, so if u think it is cheaply built, try to break it and they will replace it
 
I'm willing to give it a try, but innovative or not, that's a pretty steep price. I think I'll save up some points or giftcards before i get one. That's how i took the plunge on the MUT. Now the MUT is a pretty innovative hard use tool. Purpose driven to be overall niche but I'm glad i bought it.

The P4, i dunno.
 
I’ve been using the original wave and want to try a new tool out I’ve been stuck between the Free P4 or the Charge plus :confused:

Charge for the win if it's the titanium version. I've grown to like some things about the free p4, but the charge has everything right about it.

Compared to the wave the charge is a bit bigger.
 
That seems to be the general thought on the free has it’s cool factor but is lacking compared to the other tools.
 
If it makes you feel any better, these run around 200€ around here.
And here in Australia the RRP is $300! And that’s the cheapest price. I got mine from Aussie Disposals just after they got their first stock. Other places they’re up to $350.

I’ve been using the original wave and want to try a new tool out I’ve been stuck between the Free P4 or the Charge plus :confused:

I’ve had the Charge AL, and I’ve now got the Free P4. I like the 154CM of the Charge more (obviously), but the heaps more solid locking system makes the Free worth the extra money. 1 handed use is a nice bonus. I had to send a Charge in due to the frame lock developing heaps of play- but this new lock is super solid.
 
And here in Australia the RRP is $300! And that’s the cheapest price. I got mine from Aussie Disposals just after they got their first stock. Other places they’re up to $350.



I’ve had the Charge AL, and I’ve now got the Free P4. I like the 154CM of the Charge more (obviously), but the heaps more solid locking system makes the Free worth the extra money. 1 handed use is a nice bonus. I had to send a Charge in due to the frame lock developing heaps of play- but this new lock is super solid.

To add to my original review, over time I have definately gotten to like the lock on the free series as a plus.
 
I'm digging this thread up because it's not THAT old, and I just got my P4. I wanted to give some overall impressions of it.

The long and the short of it... I really dig it. While we will see how well the innovative magnetic system holds up, it really doesn't bother me too much for a couple of reasons: First of all, it carries Leatherman's great warranty. I figure that if the Free system starts to spiral and wear out well before 25 years, Leatherman will either fix it or just send us the newest upgraded whizz-bang tool they are cranking out. Also, should anything fail on the magnetic closure, the locking tabs on the pliers jaws or the little tabs that snap the tool handles shut, the tool will still be 100% viable. Loosely Goosey, sure. Annoying, absolutely. However it appears that if anything "breaks" on the tool regarding the new components in a bad situation, it should still function. My main concern with trying something new was to have it take a dump on me when I need it most. Besides the tools flopping around, it seems like all the components are fastened in well at the tang of the tools.

Tool set, for me, is spot on. I think I'm one of the rare LM fans that pretty much straight up hates the mini driver system that everyone is complaining is absent. When you start allowing me to pack even more specialized bits, I feel the need to bog myself down with them. None of them were long enough for what I needed to do, so they were a bit of wasted space in my sheath as I wasn't going to carry an extension on an edc tool. You are squarely in "tool box" territory by then. I would say that of all the tools that used them, I think the Skeletool and MUT did it best. Just a couple of bits that hid away in the slabs of the handles to give a very thin tool a bit more flexibility. Even at that, I lost quite a few of them. I'm totally good with a few different flathead and Phillips drivers that are permanently attached. Bit loss was one of the reasons I ditched my Wave and Surge and went to the ST300.

One of the tools I like the most is the plain blade. Man, what a winner for an edc cutter. Just long enough to use without looking threatening and sporting a wide blade with a robust spear tip. The only thing that would make it look better is if they had swedged it, but that would have added even more cost. However, great user shape and bonus points for making the spine at the thumb hole more proud so that I'm not flipping the tool over and over trying to figure out where my knife is.
The serrated edge is ok. I'm not in love with it. I'm torn on the blade shape. Part of me likes the little beater edge on the tip. Part of me will always be a fan of a really rounded tip. We'll see where it lands after some use, but generally I only use the serrated edge for cutting rope or cardboard.

All the internal tools seem to come out with the press of a thumb as advertised. I like that almost all of them can do multiple functions. I will say that I am actually a fan of the awl. I poked some leather with it, and it works fine. It cuts deeper that the pointy kind. I do find the ruler laughable. I'll almost assuredly never use that stubby thing, and the can opener being a stand alone tool seems like a waste of space. Dont get me wrong. I like having a can opener. 15 years ago when I lived on my own, all I had was a SAK for cans and it was fine. However, not making the tip another screw driver seems like a missed mark for a pretty antiquated tool. I mean hikers/campers dont really even pack heavy cans anymore when you can just toss an MRE in your pack. Anyway...meh.

I do like the pocket clip. Kudos for smartly including it as a standard item. I know early adopters didnt get one with the tool, but it really makes sense for a tool at this pricepoint and use. I like that it is a VERY stout steel that rides deep but a bit loose. It can grab onto even the thickest work pockets and relies on the weight of the tool to hold it in. I like that. I've over sprung several pocket knives at work when I would catch them on things and bend the clips. This one is a chonker.

You know what I haven't heard one time since I received the tool? SSSSRRURRRRCHHHH. Leatherman finally gave us a sheath worthy of their tools that doesn't sound like a toddler's shoes or an old man's wallet. The button snap is positive and very quiet.

Random things I like: I love the way the jaws feel when they engage opening. What a satisfying CLICK. I also think that this will be a pretty easy tool to keep relatively clean. Since all the tools fold out, there is no channel to collect dirt.

Elephant in the room: Is it worth $139? That is purely up to you. Does it do more than my ST300? Nah, probably not. Is the P4 really cool and very well made? Oh yeah. Really nice step up in quality. I still think it's worth $110, but I dont regret buying it.

Definite win for those who collect the newest MT. I can't wait to see what they figure out next.
 
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