![]() ![]() After we tested the Free P2 for several weeks, other full-size multi-tools, such as the classic Leatherman Wave+, started to feel clunky and laborious to open. You can even deploy the pliers one-handed, with just a flip of the wrist. With its handles closed, you can access and open all of the tools with a single hand, a unique feature in the world of multi-tools. ![]() The Free P2, released in 2019, is an entirely new design for Leatherman. If you are seeking a larger multi-tool, yet one that is extremely easy to use, we recommend the Leatherman Free P2. But this model is so sturdily built, we’d be surprised if you needed to use the warranty other Leathermans we’ve owned and used for over a decade have held up perfectly.Ĭlosed dimensions: 4⅛ by 1¼ by ½ inches Weight: 5.2 ounces Blade length: 2⅝ inches Tools included: needle-nose pliers, wire cutter, bottle opener, Phillips screwdriver (2), flat screwdriver (2), carabiner clip And the Skeletool is backed by a 25-year warranty. This multi-tool’s two Phillips and two flathead screwdrivers capably handle the most common screws. The CX’s pliers unfold easily, have the precision to pull a small splinter, and are comfortable to hold, thanks to the asymmetric handle. It can also clip onto a belt or backpack with either a pocket clip or a carabiner (which can double as an easy-access bottle opener). ![]() Other multi-tools are so bulky that they need to be carried in a belt sheath, but the lighter 1, slimmer Skeletool fits comfortably in a pocket. And its high-quality, 154CM blade steel holds an edge longer than most multi-tool blades. Its knife deploys and locks smoothly with one hand-without your having to first open up the pliers. After that, it’s a matter of finding the components (and the price point) that speak to you.Of all the multi-tools we tried, the Skeletool CX is the one we kept reaching for long after testing concluded, and it’s the one we still carry daily, three years later. Along with pliers, other popular features they suggest include a knife, scissors, and screwdrivers - versatile tools you’ll use all the time. To help you find your next multi-tool, we asked Wiese and 16 other outdoor experts about the favorite multi-tools they take with them on every adventure. It’s also true that a couple of rival brands may suit your needs better. While Leatherman is something of an industry standard for outdoorsy people (Anderson says he thinks of the brand in the same way he does Kleenex or Xerox), it’s tricky to choose between the numerous design variations available. You’re guaranteed to make regular use of them, “whether you’re fishing and need to pull a hook out, or you just need to do something around the house.” ![]() According to Explorers Club president Richard Wiese, who has carried his Leatherman Bond up Kilimanjaro and Everest, “Leatherman was the first to have big hefty pliers, and to me, that’s the most practical thing.” Pliers are key, agrees Chase Anderson, industry relations manager at Utah State University’s Outdoor Product Design and Development program and creator of the Outdoor Recreation Archive. There are myriad configurations of blades, snips, and other bits and bobs. While multi-tools make our lives easier, however, finding the right one for you can be hard. Slide one in your pocket when you head out hiking, biking, or fishing and you’ll be ready to tackle just about anything. Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, knives and saw blades, scissors and wire snips, pliers and bit drivers and tweezers and bottle openers - with a multi-tool they’re all available with the flick of a finger. There’s something deeply appealing about a chunky metal rectangle that unfurls to reveal an arsenal of tools. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |