thenhoc

Anyone have any suggestions as to what type or series of leatherman i should get for xmas? one that's u know good for hiking and climbing, etc
thanks
kat

I have a Supertool that I've been using for years, it's great. However, it is one of the bigger ones. It's great for general purpose stuff around the house and whatnot, because it has pliers and screwdrivers and wire cutters and stuff. I do bring it hiking sometimes, but really it's too big for that. Often times a single sharp knife is all you need while hiking. If there are other tools you know you will want to use, go bigger. But be careful about going too big.

The Leatherman Juice series, if they are still made, are colorful and smaller in size.

i have a wave, it is badass, it is one of my preferred ninja tools as it is very versatile and has plenty of tools. i just got a clip so you dont have to carry it in its case and i'm in love again, its the sweetest thing

I agree with Colum. I have a Wave and it is the way to go. I carry my Swiss Army knife everywhere with me, but my Wave is almost always on me as well. I generally use my Wave for the pliers and my Swiss Army knife for everything else (screwdrivers, bottle and can openers, scissors, saw, etc.) However I've used these implements on the Wave as well, so here goes.

All four of the blades (a plain blade, a serrated blade, a saw, and a file) open from the outside, so that you don't even have to open up the pliers to get to them. And they lock!

Once you open the pliers you'll find (in addition to the pliers, of course!) you have scissors (they're rugged and great), bottle and can openers, and three screwdrivers. Two of the screwdrivers are removeable bits and are reversible, so you actually get two types in one. There's also an optional kit you can buy with a bunch of different bits, to make it even more functional. (However, all the sizes you'd ever need for most everyday things are included). Incidentally the screwdrivers, the openers, and the scissors all lock in place as well, which is a very nice feature!

It is a bit heavy (about 8 ounces) but is lighter than the Supertool that Jake was talking about. There are also the Leatherman Juicies (they all come in different colors, and the color indicates which tools they have, so choose the one with the tools you want and not just the color you like). If you don't want the bright colors, they are also all available in gray.

Since I do not own a Juice I cannot speak about its performance, though I imagine its pliers are not as rugged as the ones on the Wave, simply because they are smaller. Then again, the pliers on my Swiss Army knife are much smaller than those on the Juice and are surprisingly rugged and useful. The Juice can easily be carried in your pocket like a Swiss Army knife, where is the Wave is a little too heavy for this.

I hope you find this helpful, Kat. I'd be happy to talk about it with your more. If you'd like to play with a Wave to see what it's like, just let me know.

Aaron

Aaron wrote:Once you open the pliers you'll find (in addition to the pliers, of course!) you have scissors (they're rugged and great), bottle and can openers, and three screwdrivers. Aaron

there's a bottle opener? I've tried to open bottles with it and have failed every time, think its just a can opener, although the website insists it does bottles too, maybe i just don't know how

It's supposed to open bottles and cans. Often, though, when something is designed to do two different things, it does neither one as well as it would if it was made for only that purpose.

Aaron

wow-thanks for the help you guys! i talked to some other ppl and the agreed that the wave was the best way to go, so i think i'll go with that
thanks again
kat

i just tried with the tool completely open and i guess it can open bottles, does anyone know what the notch below the bottle/can opener is for?

Colum, I could be wrong, but I believe the notch is a wire stripper, designed for removing the insulation from a piece of wire.

Aaron