Gear Reviews

Multipurpose Redefined: The Leatherman Free Collection

posted by gumptiongear September 11, 2019 0 comments

The Leatherman name has been synonymous with multi-tools for 35 years, but with the Leatherman FREE they decided it was time to rethink everything about their signature product. Redesigned end-to-end, the Leatherman Free collection puts a new spin on an American icon, offering uncompromising performance through revolutionary design. 

On Performance & Design…

When it comes to multi-tools, one name stands out above the rest: Leatherman. After more than three decades of evolving, adapting, and pushing the limits, the brand took on the challenge of unkowing and then reimagining what a multipurpose tool can be. The result is a superb fusion of elegance, function and grit that looks new, but feels completely familiar from the first time you pick it up.

Leatherman didn’t try to reinvent the multi-tool. In fact, the new FREE series doesn’t technically do anything new that their legacy models couldn’t – the FREE looks decidedly Leatherman – but it delivers that uncompromising Leatherman performance in a revolutionary new way for a user experience that feels decidedly fresh. 

In essence, the Leatherman FREE series is a ‘rethinking’ of the category that Tim Leatherman created back in 1983. Traditional Leatherman multi-tools remain closed because of friction. This ensures that you always need two hands to open the device. The FREE however takes an entirely new design approach.

The series features what the brand refers to as a first-of-its-kind “magnetic architecture”. The result of a five-year development process, magnets have been integrated into the design to ensure smooth, frictionless deployment of the implements via a simple roll of the thumb. This eliminates the need for the dreaded nail nick that too often requires sacrificing a fingernail to open the tool. 

The magnetic system allows the user to freely manipulate the tool with one hand while never losing sight of the task. It’s a system that truly has to be experienced to be appreciated — and we’re willing to bet that everyone will appreciate the satisfying “click” that confirms your tool of choice is ready for use. 

The internal locking system uses a new elastomer, reducing wear and tear on the implements, thereby making the FREE tools even more durable than their predecessors. Through their own in-house torture testing, Leatherman engineers found it lasts for more than 1 million uses. That far exceeds the specs that underpin the brand’s 25-year warranty.

We’ve spent the past several months putting the Free P2 ($119.95) through the paces and can readily attest to the brand’s claims of one-handed operation. You can access all the in-handle tools, opening, closing, locking, and unlocking them with ease. You can close the pliers and handles with one hand just as easily as you can open them. With a little practice, you can do all of the above without even looking at the thing. Trust us when we say that after some use, all your other multi-tools will feel lumbering and laborious by comparison. 

The Free line can be divided into three subgroups: P, K and T, each of which refers to a core tool — P for pliers, K for knife and T for multipurpose tool. All told, there are eight models in the lineup to choose from.  

The P-Series tools are the multi-tools you’ll recognize with traditional styling, featuring many of the same tools as classic Leatherman multi-tools. Available in P2 and P4 iterations both with pliers as the central implement, they feature 16 and 19 tools respectively. 

The lightest and most compact of the FREE collection is the T-Series, made up of the T2 and T4 — both pocket tools designed for everyday carry functionality. This November, Leatherman will add the K-Series which adapts the magnetic architecture to a folding pocket knife enhanced with practical tools..

Bottom Line…

35 years after creating the multi-tool category, Leatherman is once again changing the game.  With a one-handed opening and easily accessible tools these new models are not only exceptionally versatile, but a cut above the competition.