Like any Youtube internet gear basic, when the Leatherman Free series was released two
weeks ago I decided it was gonna change my life.
Ok that’s not true.
Ok I looked at it and thought: looks like the swapped the Waves best tools for a few
of the Wingmans, jacked up the price, and improved it with uhh magnets, so say it with
me- Magnets how do they work.
So $130 versus the $100 price of the Wave, seems like a natural comparison.
But before we get into what the Free P4 does well, and doesn’t does well let’s look
at the dimensions like the weight with and without the sheath.
How do you like the new gray colored sheath.
That’s an upgrade right.
Checked this sheath- fits the Wave figured someone would ask.
Closed dimensions.
You’re welcome that one person.
You could say I did a solid on you.
Pliers open and grip.
Sorry I didn’t release this video last week.
Knife dimensions.
I know it left a gap in your weekly knife related consumption of the arts and humanities.
And then the tool length.
Did you see we got to 40k?
Nearly halfway to 100k.
What does it say about a man who has a life goal of getting a play button mailed to them.
Just a hypothetical.
Ok so the Leatherman Free 4 Pee…, is a brand new Leatherman tool trying real hard too woo
the victorinox cult, with it’s sexy externally viewable tools.
(Old guy voice) Takes away the mystery I say.
It also adds in what I assume to be the heavily requested one handed opening everything.
(Nerd voice) I’m personally waiting for the Leatherman Auto.
A feature most people don’t really need- but some people legitimately do.
And finally stirs into the pot the fidget-ability and social status of a multi tool and butterfly
knife.
(Nerd voice) Hold on m-lady I got that wall plate for ya- wait Philips or fla- OH GOD
THERES SO MUCH BLOOD.
In the 80s there were, butterfly knives, switchblades.
Don’t balisong and auto me.
But this new design has it’s tool drawbacks and ergonomic sacrifices, for the sake of
one handing it.
So let’s look at one hand shit first, by starting with the pliers.
The easiest way to open is to use your thumb to break the magnet pull, look around to see
how many people are watching, then flip.
It takes a little practice to get down, that’s ok you have time, but you can go full pliers
by a few hard flicks.
If this has been your wishlist feature on a Leatherman, hooray for you.
I still don’t have it perfect, and know someone down there is channeling this asshole
right now.
(Picture of comment) Closing it one handed aint too bad either… expect some playful
pinching, and light smacks to the knuckles though, maybe that’s your thing.
You can one hand the straight edge, serrated blade, saw, and scissors all around too.
If you remember on the Wave, only the straight blade and serrated were one handed openings,
if you don’t remember that’s also cool.
Tools open from the outside, use your thumb or fingernail to sort of awkwardly deploy
2 or 3 tools at a time, and then fidget with it for a second to put the ones back in you’re
not using.
“I was going to use them all ok” All tools lock, and can be unlocked and put back in
with one hand too.
Will the magnets wear out or become brittle, only time will tell.
I mean for someone else- I’ll just carry my Wave.
Now the handle.
Compared to the Wave, the handle on the free is longer.
UPGRADE!
However the lower section of the handle where you often grip the tightest has some indendations
and knubs that keep the pliers from flexing too much when closed.
When pliering a metal thingy…
I have experienced the sharp…
I dunno what they’re called- over travel knubs?
Trying to sound technical here… these things, they’re sharp from certain angles, in areas
where you often place a lot of pressure when torquing your nuts for example . Like I get
what purpose those parts serve, however I feel they could have been tumbled or chamfered
or engineered better to make this part comfortable.
So handle comfort takes a step back from the Wave, or the Charge or the Surge.
I have not experienced a very minor palm injury yet, but I have experienced some discomfort
when I’ve had to grip the pliers lower on the handle in tighter spaces.
But since the internet ads I’m seeing for this say it’s the perfect multitool- (robot
voice) I GUESS I WILL JUST CONTINUE USING THE NEW PERFECT MULTITOOL.
Now let’s do a tool inspection.
The pliers are nice, with removable wire cutters like most Leathermans now, then theres the
crimper you always forget about down here.
On now to the handle tools starting with the serrated.
I think this may be a slight improvement over the Wave, because of the sharpened tanto versus
sheeps foot.
That’s arguable, I ain’t gonna fight anyone over it.
Feel free to fight one another over it in the comments.
Then we have the wood file and metal file.
Two textures here.
Missing is the diamond file found on the Wave and Charge.
I miss the diamond file for emergency hangnails.
But look at the bright side that tip has a small flathead about 3mm wide.
That’s two tools bro, trust us.
Then how about the tiny ruler, which has a wire stripper, and oh look another slightly
different sized 4.5mm flathead built in.
For the perfect fit.
Next is an awl, with a thread hole, Wave doesn’t offer this.
I don’t often sew things, and generally use my blade to puncture holes.
This awl has yet another flat head, to cram in another slightly different size flat head.
The more traditional style awl found on Swiss army knives, and some leathermans tools is
generally better for puncturing because it comes to a point.
Since I’m only awl aware, and not awl in, I’ll let you decide on which is better,
and also if you should continue watching after the awl joke.
Hopefully we’re awl good.
And now we’re at the can opener, that I always use incorrectly.
(tool-splainer voice) Now on the Leatherman it’s forward, and on the Victorinox it’s
backwards.
Gonna look like a real idiot when I sit down to open my pack full of can goods, and all
I’m using is my multitool…
Backwards.
(Nerd voice) Couldn’t bring a real can opener because I was trying to save weight.
And then a saw.
Little bit of a different design here, because it’s one handed… saws the same I reckon.
The other side.
First a straight edge blade… 420HC steel like the serrated side earlier.
Which is just average steel, most Leatherman tools use this on their blades, except the
upgraded versions.
Means it dulls a little faster in normal use.
Now we have the pry tool package opener.
You know it might be said this dual purpose tool might be better than just the pry tool
on the Wave, since it sort of has an edge.
And even though it’s a multitool review I don’t want to sound like a know it all,
but there are two other blades you could just open the package with.
I feel the same way about the “wire stripper” feature.
I just use my blade, and take the mean comments that roll in explains why that notch is superior
and I’m inferior.
Then the Philips head, it screws.
Also there’s the bottle opener.
Remember the Wave, the bottle opener and can opener were the same tool.
Then finally the scissors.
Better than the Wave, maybe arguably better than the Victorinox spirits scissors.
And Victorniox fans are definitely gonna argue.
The Wave could definitely improve it’s scissors by making them a bit beefier like the old
Wave, however I still get a lot of use out of mine.
The sheath.
Its decent, and well made.
I haven’t said it before, but I like the new button passthrough latching system.
Its easy ands seems secure, and most of all quiet.
Is that velcro the sound of you removing your shoes or unsheathing a multitool.
Is there really a difference.
No additional storage pouches, just the muiltool main hole.
Wish it rode a little lower though.
Don’t we all.
Ok comparisons.
First the Pee Free.
Ok I get it, u mad bro- my humor isn’t as nuanced as 15 year old memes.
What are the odds the meme is older than troll?
You know in another 2 or three generations this might replace the Wave.
Some serious redesigns would have to happen to the handle first.
They’re uncomfortable or even might cut you, when choking your tool handles in different
ways.
I like the improvement of the scissors, and maybe the pry tool.
Everything else can be accomplished with the more efficient tool set on the Wave.
The bit drivers, and pry bar on the Wave are the most efficient set, and covers most of
my screwing needs.
I use them often, and even though people like to complain about it… you can literally
carry the dit driver extender, both bit holders, and the tool in the old nylon sheath.
It’s a lot of tool in a little bit of space, and the upside is it’s easy to stay celibate
when carrying it this way.
Now a Super Tool 200.
I don’t have access to my 300 tool currently so you’ll have to do with this one.
However the super tool 200 should give you a size reference that the P4 is kind of an
in-between size wise between the larger Surge and Super Tools and the more compact Wave.
Handles are better on both Super Tools and Surge.
Now the Victorinox Spirit.
Now this isn’t a perfect tool, but Victorinox has details that Leathermans always miss..
Parts are tumbled and rounded, and chamfered.
The only harsh edges are the working ends of the tools.
Handles are the most comfortable out of any multi tools here, and it opens so smoothly.
But I don’t like the tool set as much, and the fact of the matter is the tool set is
harder to open, and a lot of them look the same upon first glance.
I know SwissTool fans, it’s probably because I’m just an idiot.
You know in my years of doing this, the most insufferable fans by things I have reviewed
are as follows.
1.
Buck 110 2.
A close #2, Victorinox fans.
3.
Kukri-splainers.
They’re generally the sorts of people who can’t respectfully disagree- and resort
to saying you’re stupid for using your tool differently than their way, or you’re too
young to understand why this is important.
Again we’re talking about knives and multitools, so the need for emotion is obviously high.
Ok wrapping it up.
I think I covered a lot already up here.
I know rebar fans will probably be mad I didn’t show the rebar, It’s just packed away…
but I’d even buy that probably over the P4.
Or also the Wave, or Charge, or Rebar, either Swisstool, a Surge, or just a comfortable
set of pliers- you’re not missing anything on the P4.
There are some good things, like slight tweaks to tools, but it’s also missing my favorite
features like the bit drivers.
And you know what- if you’re a real pro Ill bet you can also open the Wave one handed.
It aint super easy but it’s possible.
And Even the Swisstool, which is so smooth it gets close.
Seriously the SwissTool is smooth beyond any Leatherman, and definitely smoother than a
dude making Youtube videos.
Tools are hard to pick though.
So the real advantage the Pee 4 Free has one handed tool deployment.
Although you’ll still have to trade hands depending on which blades you open.
Like you can’t access everything one handed easily by using only the same hand.
Call me crazy but this shouldn’t cost more than the Wave.
Maybe one day they’ll have a sort of hybrid between the two- but for now just wait it
out.
Or just give it a thumbs down because you were here for confirmation bias- and not an
honest evaluation.
If you like this sort of video, like, subscribe, comment, follow me on Instagram- where I preview
the stuff I review- and even give gear away.
I gave away a used Swiss tool once.
Or think about Patreon.
Pledging a dollar or two a month, helps keep me in gear.
This was $130- and I’m going to loan it to Nick Shabazz next.
Anyway, thanks for watching.