What Leatherman would you recommend?

Yalius said:
I suppose this statement could be more wrong, but I don't see how. Vics are slick to hold, hard to handle, hard to open, have poorer quality implements-- especially drivers and openers, but they look good doing... something, I guess.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about USA made. I’d love for any Leatherman to best the Spirit. Leatherman may be more multifaceted but the materials and the build quality are not as quality as the Victorinox offerings. Every part is cut better, finished better and fit better.
 
I still have an original Leatherman that I purchased when there was only one model. I purchased a Leatherman Wave 10+ years ago. It is a vast improvement over the original. I doubt that I will ever wear out the Wave. If I lose it I will replace it with a Leatherman Wave+.
 
My choice, for the last few years, has been a Leatherman Rebar, belt carried in a Leatherman sheath. Over decades, my choice of Leatherman models has changed, not because of being fickle, but because my needs keep evolving.

These are the Leathermen I have used over decades:

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L to R: Original Super Tool, which I used for several years until replaced by an updated ST. Along with it, I carried a Micra for the scissors and smaller implements. After a brief experience with an original Leatherman Tool, I acquired a Charge that remained on my hip until the need for a heavier duty tool came up, a Super Tool 300. Then I found the Rebar, and you know the rest (the P4 was a brief experiment). The last one I got was the Rebar, maybe 3 years ago, and that will be it until Leatherman comes out with something I can use.
But I also like Victorinox for the scissors, and carry a small one in my 5th pocket. So that's it.
 
I have a ST300 that I keep in my backpack... solid tool. On my belt for 20+ years it has been SOG... they have by far the best pliers... I also like being able to swap out tools to customize. I started out with an old powerlock... carried it the powerassist came out... you can't beat that compound leverage.
 
Yalius said:
I suppose this statement could be more wrong, but I don't see how. Vics are slick to hold, hard to handle, hard to open, have poorer quality implements-- especially drivers and openers, but they look good doing... something, I guess.
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No the Swisstools are really of excellent quality and better finished overall than the Leatherman ( I have several Leatherman and several Swisstools which allows me to compare). On the other hand the one hand opening of blades and saws is a real +
 
Chacap said:
No the Swisstools are really of excellent quality and better finished overall than the Leatherman ( I have several Leatherman and several Swisstools which allows me to compare). On the other hand the one hand opening of blades and saws is a real +
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Hence the "look good doing" part. Vic's philosophy, it seems, is to sacrifice too much functionality-- in the form of drivers that grip, wire cutters that cut, cap openers that work on the first try, ease of access, and robust locks-- for over-polished good looks and a fun, clicky action.
 
After using various multi tools, I’ve settled on the leatherman pst ii. It has everything I need, including a diamond file, and carries easily. The wave gets my 2nd vote but I found that it needs a belt to be carried and I prefer not to wear belts.
 
I’ve had the rebar in my back pocket for the last week and it’s been great not much thicker then my pst and the cutter is kicking ass.
 
Yalius said:
I suppose this statement could be more wrong, but I don't see how. Vics are slick to hold, hard to handle, hard to open, have poorer quality implements-- especially drivers and openers, but they look good doing... something, I guess.
Click to expand...

I agree with the handle. My Spirit is way too slick for my liking, and is painful to use when doing something really tricky (sweaty/greasy hands). I really hope that Victorinox would understand to put more coarse finish to the handle. I think that Victorinox likes the slick finish because they are sold more often in jewelry stores than they are in hardware stores.
I also agree that Leatherman's drivers are better, but I guess I don't use my multitools that often to really see that it's critical.

What I really love about my SwissTool Spirit though is the set of tools overall. I feel like almost every Leatherman is always some sort of compromise in tools (flat driver here, and more flat drivers there). I like the bottle opener in Spirit that works as great pry tool. Awl is fantastic. Great saw and file. Blade could use better steel though. Even though Spirit is slick, it's also nicely rounded and comfortable to handle. I guess manly men don't really care about that.

For me my SwissTool is kind of hate love relationship. It could be perfect, but now it's not.
 
Yalius said:
Hence the "look good doing" part. Vic's philosophy, it seems, is to sacrifice too much functionality-- in the form of drivers that grip, wire cutters that cut, cap openers that work on the first try, ease of access, and robust locks-- for over-polished good looks and a fun, clicky action.
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No, it’s the opposite, Victorinox does not sacrifice the functionality that is much better achieved than on the Leatherman, and the grip is excellent because the clamp is ergonomic.
 
For a "full service" tool, I would say Rebar or Wave. Would personally give the edge to the Rebar. For light usage, I recommend the Skeletool especially the CX version with the 154CM blade.
 
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I would love to be able to have Leatherman make a true custom being able to pick from the handle size and the different tools would be nice.
 
I carried a Rebar on my belt at work for a couple of years and it was great to beat up and not worry about. It is an excellent tool. Losing a little time opening the whole thing up and digging for tools didn't matter because somebody was paying me. On my own time, and since changing from dirtier work, I prefer a Victorinox Spirit X. Slickness of handle has not been an issue and all of the tools are outside accessible, which makes me use them more. Plus, if I were working on an actual tough job or in wet/greasy conditions where I was applying a lot of torque, I wouldn't be using a multi-tool but rather a full size tool. If the Rebar were oriented with outside tools, as the Spirit X is oriented, it would be the perfect belt sheath multi-tool, imo.

Like others have said, the Wave or Charge is great if outside accessible knife/saw is the most important thing and you want to clip to your pocket in place of a dedicated pocket knife.
 
Ti charge. Been doing industerial maintenence for 12 years.

Worked at high security place for 7 years and I could break in or out of any place there with it.

Been backpacking with people who made fun of me for carring a leatherman and later that night they are asking to borrow it for fixing head lamps and pulling splinters.

I have 3 of them. One I have had 10 years. Lost for 2 years in the woods and found it this september.
Looks brand new.


I have fixed everything from motorcycles in the field to working on plc boxes with it.
 
mitch13 said:
As previously said, depends what you use it for.
If I was getting my very first, maybe a skeletool. My first was a kick & I still like it covers the basics.
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I got a Kick years ago as a work Christmas gift for helping the head of maintenance. I still love it. It's like the Vic recruit of Leatherman, basic but useful. The only mod I did was a little fake wool glued to the inside of the belt pouch flap to stop it from rattling when I walked.
 
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