Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more innovation crammed into a multi-tool, Leatherman (once again) says, “hold my beer….” Multi-tools have been around since the Swiss Army Knife debuted in 1897, but the leader of the multi-tool industry has always been (and likely will always be) Leatherman. Behold, the Leatherman FREE P2 tool. When it debuted at this year’s SHOT show, it changed everything.
Remember how you used to break a nail getting out the knife? Gone. Remember how the tool used to open on its own when it got loose? Gone. Remember how it used to take two hands to get it up and working? Gone. Leatherman has revolutionized the multi-tool, getting ride of all the detractions and adding in more utility and convenience. Now, the tool can be opened with a flick of your thumb; magnets hold the handles together so it won’t ever open accidentally. Like a butterfly knife, with a twist of the wrist, the P2 pops open and is ready to go. Need a tool? They’re now on the outside and can be accessed with a flip of your thumb. As well, the tools lock in with an easily released paddle.
Leatherman FREE New Styles
The first two styles in the P series hit the market in April. The P2 ($120) and P4 ($140) will have many of the same implements found in other Leatherman tools. Recently released this month is the T series—T2 ($40) and T4 ($60)—a smaller version of the P series. And finally, K series will come out in late summer with the K2 ($80) and K4 ($90) which will have the look and feel of a well-equipped pocket knife.
Why is it called FREE? Leatherman CEO Ben Rivera provides a clue: “Because it’s free access, free motion, and friction free. It is what we call the technology in the mechanism that utilizes a magnet to create the control friction in the tool pack.”
Of course, the same painstaking quality of construction goes into every tool so it will last forever. But if it doesn’t, Leatherman products are backed by a 25-year limited warranty. For more information, see Leatherman.com.