Outdoors

Leatherman's magnetic multitools get cheaper and lighter

Leatherman's magnetic multitools get cheaper and lighter
The Leatherman Free T4 is weighs 4.3 oz (122 g)
The Leatherman Free T4 is weighs 4.3 oz (122 g)
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The Leatherman Free T4 is weighs 4.3 oz (122 g)
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The Leatherman Free T4 is weighs 4.3 oz (122 g)
Leatherman introduced its Free collection in April this year
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Leatherman introduced its Free collection in April this year
The Leatherman Free T4
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The Leatherman Free T4
Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings
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Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings
The Leatherman Free T4 is available now
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The Leatherman Free T4 is available now
The Leatherman Free T4 is wights 4.3 oz (122 g)
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The Leatherman Free T4 is wights 4.3 oz (122 g)
The Leatherman Free T4 is priced at $60
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The Leatherman Free T4 is priced at $60
The Leatherman Free T4
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The Leatherman Free T4
Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings
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Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings
Leatherman introduced its Free collection in April this year
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Leatherman introduced its Free collection in April this year
The Leatherman T2 packs eight tools in all
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The Leatherman T2 packs eight tools in all
The Leatherman T2 includes a Phillips head, medium and extra small screwdrivers, bottle opener, the same carbon-stainless steel blade and an awl
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The Leatherman T2 includes a Phillips head, medium and extra small screwdrivers, bottle opener, the same carbon-stainless steel blade and an awl
The Leatherman T2 is priced at $40
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The Leatherman T2 is priced at $40
The Leatherman T2 measures 9.3 cm (3.6 in) long
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The Leatherman T2 measures 9.3 cm (3.6 in) long
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Leatherman has began building out its "Free" collection of magnetic multitools with a pair of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings, the T2 and the T4. Both promise the same single-handed opening capabilities that could save a finger nail or two, but with a simpler design that seriously undercuts others in the range both in price and weight.

Leatherman introduced its Free collection in April this year with the P4 and P2 the first multitools out of the gate. Priced at US$140 and $120 respectively, these implements packed upwards of 19 tools apiece so are very versatile everyday carry options, but may well be overkill for plenty of typical users.

What separates the Free collection from the many other multitools in Leatherman's catalogue is the reliance on a magnetic opening and closing thumb-release mechanism, which allows them to be used with one hand. This makes for easy-release tools that move into position much more freely than previous Leathermans, kind of like a butterfly knife, meaning they don't have to be painfully prised open with fingernails.

The Leatherman Free T4
The Leatherman Free T4

The T4 is the more expensive of the newcomers to the Free range. It packs 12 tools in all including a carbon-stainless steel blade, scissors, package opener. four screwdrivers types, a metal and wood file and a set of tweezers. It measures 9.3 cm (3.6 in) long when closed, with a weight of 4.3 oz (122 g).

A little cheaper is the T2, which is the same size but drops the file, tweezers, scissors and package opener and therefore around 30 g (1 oz) in weight. Still onboard are eight tools including a Phillips head, medium and extra small screwdrivers, bottle opener, the same carbon-stainless steel blade and an awl.

Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings
Leatherman has began building out its Free collection of magnetic multitools with a couple of cheaper, lighter and simplified offerings

The Free T4 is priced at $60 and the Free T2 at $40. Both are available now through Leatherman's website and you can get a look at them in action in the videos below.

Source: Leatherman

Leatherman FREE T2 Product Overview

Leatherman FREE T4 Product Overview

View gallery - 14 images
3 comments
3 comments
Uncle Anonymous
Aren't they just re-inventing the wheel? I have a Swiss Army Knife that I've carried for more years than I remember. That knife has all these doodads, plus several others including a toothpick, corkscrew and an awl. It is still offered by Victorinox and costs 20% less than the cheapest of these two knives. So, why would I spend more money to have fewer options with one of these knives?
FabianLamaestra
The video is edited. They do not show the middle portions being 'fully' opened with one-hand. Also, still overpriced compared to countless multi-tools on ebay.
Trylon
I have a question for all these tool designers: what is this obsession with bottle openers? I can't remember the last time I needed a bottle opener. On the other hand, they usually leave out the much more useful can opener. I use the can opener on my Victorinox knife at least once every couple of weeks.