FREE P4

Let me tell you about the LEATHERMAN FREE P4 Multitool. I used to carry a flimsy little keychain tool that could barely open a bottle (and usually drew blood in the attempt). I decided it was time for a serious upgrade. I needed a tool that said, "Yes, I am prepared. Possibly over-prepared, but definitely prepared." When this beauty arrived, it felt substantial. Like holding a tiny, folded-up robot butler. The magnetic locking system is pure genius – it snaps open and closed with a satisfying thwack that makes you feel instantly more competent. Opening the tools is a one-handed operation, which is crucial for those moments when your other hand is occupied (usually holding the thing you're trying to fix, or a sandwich). This thing is packed with 21 tools. Twenty-one! I'm pretty sure I don't even know 21 different ways to use a tool, but the P4 has me covered. Pliers, wire cutters, knives (straight and serrated!), scissors, screwdrivers of various sizes, an awl, a can opener, a bottle opener (finally, a reliable one!), a ruler... it's like a tiny hardware store in your pocket. I've used it for everything from tightening a loose screw on my glasses to opening a package that was clearly designed by engineers who hate humanity. The pocket clip is sturdy, and the included nylon sheath is great if you prefer to carry it on your belt, though clipping it directly into my pocket feels more... ready for action. I find myself looking for excuses to use it. "Oh, this apple needs slicing? P4, engage!" "This loose thread? Scissors, activate!" My regular tools are starting to look nervous. If you appreciate quality craftsmanship, love having a tool for every possible scenario (even if that scenario is just opening a stubborn bag), and enjoy the satisfying feeling of magnetic locking, this Leatherman FREE P4 is an absolute game-changer. It's well-made, incredibly versatile, and makes me feel like I could tackle almost any minor repair or cutting task that comes my way. It's a seriously impressive piece of gear.

I have collected and used a lot of Leatherman Tools over the last 10 years or so, and the Free P4 easily holds its own--and in my experience surpasses--Leatherman's golden standard; the Wave. The ability to open everything one-handed on this tool is not just a gimmick. You can tell there was a lot of engineering and effort put into the design of this tool. From the use of magnets to keep the implements closed, to the contouring of the "nubs" at the base of the tools that you "roll" your thumb over to deploy them. This is not one-hand opening that requires your tool to be worn in, some clever trick/manipulation of the tool, or dexterous hands; it is intuitive and easy to use, which means it is actually useful and saves a lot of time, especially when you find your other hand being occupied during a task! With respect to the toolset, I think it is just about perfect. I know some people would prefer that this had Leatherman's flat-bit driver, but the P4 includes a dedicated Philips head driver, as well as multiple flatheads. Personally, I prefer the dedicated drivers because they are significantly more robust and offer more reach than the flat-bits. I also think this fits the "spirit" of the tool, wherein every implement is just one hand away. At the point you are carrying a spare bit kit and having to swap them out, the tool has become two-handed, and Leatherman already has plenty of other "two-handed" tools to choose from. All in all, the Free P4 is an excellent tool for a wide-variety of tasks, and well worth the money. For an EDC it carries surprisingly well with the pocket-clip (which is very nice) despite being a full-size multitool. Furthermore, I have no doubts of its durability (perhaps only surpassed by the Super Tool and Surge) even in a hard-use environment. Unless one-hand opening is of zero interest to you, you can't go wrong with the P4!

I'll be upfront and say this purchase was highly influenced by "Made in the USA". This criteria being limited to select products. I was so impressed with the price and features of the T4, I decided to treat myself to the P4. I'll start with my first impressions, which wasn't very good. I was shipped an open box special. This surprised me since I ordered a NEW product and paid list price. I'm not sure if that's a Leatherman quality issue or a failure on the retailer. Either way, I was not shipped a product that I could feasibly gift to my son. That was disappointing. Aside from the freshly used product I was shipped, everything seemed to be in working order. I've seen so many knockoff multitools. So many to choose from. I had no idea where to start. I'm glad I choose a standard trusted brand. As a Test Engineer, I have little time to eff around buying inferior products. I'm impressed with the solid tool performance of the P4. 5 star rating for the solid multitool that it is. However... I did watch many reviews on multitools. I've never owned one before. This one being my first, I tried to do research. I agree with most of the positives. The mag lock is a great feature. I can understand the downside of metal shavings being an issue, but given the trade-off and the fact this tool is going to get dirty regardless, I'll take the mags. The styling is...okay. I favor rustic over gentleman appeal. That said, the scales are okay. Consistent with the Free product line. I commend Leatherman for a product series branding done so well. I do wish there were other options on the scales. Plain, solid and simple would be my choice. I like my tools looking like tools. That to me is a work art. I've seen mod kits for the scales. A shame I'd have drop another $35+ just to make my multitool look plain. I'm an anti-flashy customer. Still, the consistent brand and heavy duty pocket clip...it's growing on me. I'm becoming a fan. Bang for the buck, the T4 sets a baseline that's hard to beat. I took a chance splurging for a P4 to use as my EDC at work. The quality says it's probably worth it, but still felt like a big jump in price to pay. For me. I think bang for the buck varies on the individual. T4 is great! P4 is okay. Now for the bad. There were some negatives in the reviews. I agree with some. In particular the toolset. Everyone criticizes the awe. I agree. It's design is dumb. Having the option for a mini flathead is great. Having it stuck on the end of a sharp edged tool is just dumb. If an awe was needed, I'll want a sharp tip to use it. In my mind, the awe is a failed tool. The ruler is too short to be of any use to anyone. The place for any "ruler" would be on the body of the tool itself. Put ruler markings on the scale! THAT would have been an obvious choice. Nobody wants to deploy a tool to take a quick measurement. It has a slightly wider flathead/scraper which seems redundant with the box opener tool on the other side. What's the point of that tool? The wire stripper should be on the scissors or the pliers. If using a stripper, you usually do that in combination with cutting wire. So put it on the same tool. Very dumb to switch deploying different tools when doing a related job. I'll address some of the complaints with the cutters on the piers. This is where the folks doing the reviews are dumb. The cutters are designed for performing two types of cuts. It's not a stripper! Although arguably that would have been a better choice. It would have been smart to include two sets of blades with the multitool. Those who want two types of wire cutters on a single blade, and those who would want a cutter paired with a wire stripper. They make the blades swappable. A shame it's not a feature left for the customer to choose. So I agree with the bad reviews on the wire cutters. They're not the best. But I disagree on why they're bad. Leatherman has a great design, but they defeatured that good design when they sold the tool. I'll call that a marketing failure. Thank you Leatherman for such a great multitool. I'm happy with my purchase. I wish mine wasn't shipped as an open box (possibly refurbished?). Overall I'm happy. I'm hoping to purchase the K4 next.

Good Leatherman, I specifically wanted the free model. I used to have P2 until it was stolen on set. Now got myself p4. It's a pity Leatherman stopped making them. Opens smoothly by one hand, closes easily locks by magnets. It's not big, but feels confident in the hand. It has the clip on the tool itself, but I prefer to put the original holster on the belt. Unfortunately, the loop for the belt is a bit narrow, not all my belts fit it. I would consider it a good gift for a man who likes tools, but also cares for comfort.

One of the best features of this multitool is that you can access every single tool while only using one hand. The package opening tool is awesome and not commonly found on other leatherman tools. The package opener allows you to open boxes and even cut through clam shell plastic rather than dulling your knife blade, it also works great as a pry tool and sturdy flathead screwdriver. My one complaint is that the knife blade is not made of better quality steel.

Anyone considering this multi-tool, I have some opinions. First, I love this tool but; It costs double what it should. It is IMPOSSIBLE to deploy a tools (except MAYBE the pliers. Maybe) with one hand. Just forget about it. The knives dull way too soon. The material or the angle allows them to dull real quick. The wire cutter has a big gap at the back of the jaw right where you need it, which means you need to carefully place the wire or cable or whatever just so... if you are trying to cut something in a blind this makes to task far too difficult. Trying to pry the other tools out of the handle is a painful experience. They do not want to willingly unfold from their stored position. It actually hurts to dig your fingernail into the notch to force them out. The scissor is an adorable impostor. Nice idea but nearly ineffectual. The wire stripper... Don't bother. Does not work. Ever. Bottle opener works! ...but is a pain to deploy. two-handled fumbling to get any of the tools out. I have cleaner it. Soaked it. WD40'd it. Nothing makes it any more usable to easily access the tools. Even with these shortcomings, I still love this freaking tool. Just wish Leatherman would make some just like this but more usable. Effortless and one-handed deployment of tools. Durable blade material that keeps its edge longer than a a box cutter. It is sad, but I love the hunk of corroding stainless steel. Yes it will corrode if you leave it out and wet. Clean it, blow it out. Oil it, then Stuff it back into your pocket if th pocket clip is still attached. I have had it come off and lost the screws and had to but a new clip kit. The screws are "special". I'll betcha I could throw this thing a long way... but then I remember how much it cost, then stuff it back into my pocket.

Many other reviews have provided details on the function, but I just wanted to echo the reviews that give this tool high ratings. I've been carrying one for a month, and it's the best multi-tool I've ever owned, and I've owned dozens of brands and styles. The Leatherman has always been a favorite brand, and I carried one for more than a decade. But this is the most useful and well-designed tool of the bunch. It's a little heavier than some, but it packs a good level of utility into that size and weight. It's worth the money to purchase a well-designed tool. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but I've found it so worth the value, I purchased a back-up. The Leatherman Free P4 is now my daily carry, and I love it.

I have owned a Leatherman WAVE plus for the 5 plus years, I found it difficult to open and I also didn't like the fact that you had to open the tool to access the rest of the tools. I decided to make an upgrade and I was debating between the ARC and the FREE P4. Thought they are very similar in architecture they both have a different set of tools. On my wave I used the serrated blade at least 10 times per day to break down boxes, it's the tool I use the most. The ARC was missing the serrated blade. The FREE P4 was missing the tiny screwdriver and the bit set, however I never used these two tools on my WAVE, I usually have a ample set of tools so I will seldom be in a situation were a I need a screwdriver or a tiny Phillips and I wont have it a few steps away. I LOVE the fact that the FREE P4 opens with one hand ( the wave was super stiff and It needed to be opened with two hands or with force.) On the WAVE, I like how the serrated edged and the knife on the left position on opposite sides so they can be open with my right thumb. So I swapped the saw for the serrated blade and VOILA... I now have the two blades I use the most accessible with my right hand. If I need the saw (very rarely) or the scissors I will use my left hand to open them which is totally fine. My only wishlist for this tool is that it had spring loaded pliers. I find that super useful on the BOLSTER and the WINGMAN. I wish leatherman would implement this feature on their most expensive tools. It was hard for me to justify a $250 price for the ARC, I went with the FREE P4 and I am totally OK. I am not a Knife SNOB so the magna cut can just wait... This tool feels like cutting edge technology and it feels great in your hand, at a price point of $100 to $120 it's a great value.