Leatherman Squirt PS4 vs Gerber Dime vs Leatherman Style PS vs True Utility seven mini multi tools
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- This is a battle of the plier-based mini multi tools. Is the Leatherman Squirt PS4 still the champion or has the Gerber Dime or the Leatherman Style PS or the True Utility Seven got what it takes to become the best plier based everyday carry tool. These are perfect keychain EDC accessories, but which is best?
My name is Jonathan, I have a passion for all things 'gadget, travel and EDC' which has filled both my personal and work life for many years. This includes sourcing, reviewing and product development and the creation of two UK national retail chains. Find out more here: • About Jon Gadget - Who...
This channel is here to help you find great travel and carry gear on the back of solid and detailed reviews along with years of experience. I also hope to give you ideas and inspiration when it comes to everyday carry gear, travel gear and gadgets, which make life a little bit easier and perhaps more fun.
I welcome any feedback on my videos or the channel in general. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
🐦 You can find me on twitter at:
/ jongadget
Amazon Links:
Gerber Dime geni.us/swjiQTN
True Utility Seven geni.us/fY43FdL
(these are affiliate links for more information see below)
Product Web Links:
www.leatherman.com
www.leatherman.co.uk
Contents of this video to help you navigate:
00:00 Intro
00:24 The competition
03:11 Leatherman Squirt PS4
05:24 Leatherman Style PS
07:19 Gerber Dime
09:58 True Utility Seven
14:13 Size and weight compared
15:13 Main blades compared
17:25 Scissors compared
19:32 Screwdrivers compared
21:45 Plier wire cutters compared
23:10 Cap lifters compared
25:04 Which is best?
26:49 Outro
Product Sourcing:
When it comes to sourcing a product for review, I will usually either purchase an item personally or reach out to a supplier requesting a sample for review. Most suppliers, after seeing the channel, are supportive if they are confident in their product, appreciating the value of greater exposure.
I am sometimes asked to review a product by a supplier which I will only agree to if the product fits the channel and I believe will be of interest to you, my audience. Also the product needs to be worthy of a review. It is not in my interest to review inferior or poor quality products and therefore as you might expect many requests are politely declined.
Any sponsored videos (paid for reviews) are clearly stated as such so there can be no misunderstanding. Even with sponsored reviews I will only agree to a sponsorship on products and services which I believe will be of genuine interest to viewers.
I will always make reference in the video to products which have been provided for review by a supplier and I always make it clear to the supplier that they cannot influence or be involved in the review in any way if they choose to supply a product.
Sometimes a supplier will provide a link to the product or the supplier which I am happy to include in the description. Sometimes I will be provided with an affiliate link so I can earn a commission on sales and this helps to support channel costs but never at the expense of an honest review.
If a product I have reviewed is available from Amazon I will often include an Amazon link in the description. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Thank you for supporting the channel so I can continue to provide you with regular reviews, thoughts and ideas and (hopefully) inspiration! Please consider subscribing to keep up to date with new video releases. - Jak na to + styl
I love how you thoroughly cover why you've excluded certain tools
Using a plug to test tools is genius. I hope you don't mind me trying the same at some point. "I'D probably drink them all" 🤣🤣
go for it Dominic 👍 😁
Ps4>gerber
@@JonGadget
Lujbnm
The Leatherman Squirt PS4 really shines among mini multitools, especially with its metal file - a feature that others just don't match. It's a real shame they discontinued it. If Leatherman ever decides to bring it back, I’d snap it up in a heartbeat. It's such a well-designed tool, perfect for so many situations!
I've been using the Squirt PS4 for 13 years. Use it constantly: screwdrivers, pliers, scissors, blade --in that order. Only used wire cutter/bottle opener a few times. I love it and it has always been in my pocket. Hasn't rusted.
Great tool - but LM have discontinued it I believe
This is a great video that deserves more views. Love the calm and clear presentation and all the tests.
Thank you 😊
Love the content mate. As a weekend hiker it's always a pleasure to see your videos on backpacks, kits and my fav SAKs
That was surprisingly thorough. First video of yours I've seen. Well done.
This is exactly the video I needed, I've got all three on a wish list and have been unsure which to go with. Cheers man!
You're welcome - thanks for the feedback 🙏
Great detail and well presented. Thank you. I have the Style PS that I take with me when traveling. I open it and show it to TSA and never have had an issue. Well once I did. I let TSA open it and when they closed it, the broke the scissor spring.
Thanks or the feedback Richard!
Great comparison as always. I hope you can make a second part to this video including another small size pliers that in my opinion could give Squirt run for money. It's SOG Powerpint.
The sog is great, but for many countries not an usable every day cary because of it has a one handed knife (and people obviously carry these tiny ones open, and not in a container). Even canada is differentiating if your knife is „easy deployable“ or not if you have it on you and something happens, for example you get into a physical confrontation an the police is called… but we all feel safe, knowing that nobody carries such a dangerous thing in the open legally, right? 😉
Amazing content as usual Sir 👏
We always hear people talk about quality, but this video really shows that investing the extra money really means something. Seeing how at the cheaper range tool are basically useless was almost too painful to watch!
Have a great weekend 🤓
Thanks Eyal - yes, I always learn from doing these videos - buy cheap buy twice 😊 Have a great weekend too.
Gerber fine package opener is a much underrated tool. Really handy for cutting things without damaging things next to them, eg removing cable ties round wires. Also handy for cutting safely with force as you can control the direction of the cut.
Cheap price point means listing it doesn't hurt so much. Tools open will after not to long. Bottle opener is very easy to use. And don't forget the tweezers.
Great review. As usual, appreciate your thoughtful and through explanation. I have several versions of the PS4 and both regular and travel versions of the Dime. I carry the Dime because I find prying and opening, paint cans and such, what I use the tool most for. The Dime holds up where I’ve bent and broken others. The Travel Dime has a zipper hook which has saved the day with broken zipper pulls on luggage. Unfortunately the Travel Dime doesn’t appear to be made any more.
Thanks Doug. Great feedback 😊
Thanks for this. I've owned the p4 for a few years and love it. No deteriation at all. I have just bought the gerber dime for someone as a présent so to see it come second has put my mind at ease! One quibble though.. My p4 doesn't have scissors. V jealous now! 😂
Thanks for feedback Alex
I have the Dime and it works fine for me. Great video, please keep them coming.
Thanks for the feedback 👍
A very thorough review. A lot of information.
Great video!
I’ve had the style for years and it was my favorite tool on trips because it was TSA approved.
thanks Nick 🙏
Great review and comparison, thank you. The Gerber Dime package opening tool also opens the annoying plastic blister style packaging easily and safely - I think that's where that tool excels. But I totally agree with your conclusion. Thanks again.
Thanks Rob - great package opener and bottle opener 😁
I almost needed the package opener to get it out of its package 😅
Good in depth comparison. Thanks :)
Thanks for your quite substantial review. I'm buying Squirt. I had Gerber Dime. I loved the package openner knife for my parcels. It also has retractable tweezers, you didn't mention it. But, boy, what a big disappoinment its pliers were, they broke under really light use and by doing so also disabled scissors. So I really advice against Gerber Dime. I also searched this pliers problem on the net, I wasn't the only one with this plight.
Been using the dime daily for over 2 years. The package opener definitely gets the most use. If I ever find a comparable package opener on another knife I'd love to try it. But I've yet to see one, unfortunately. That thing rips through anything. I'd also like to mention that you missed it's tweezers! I don't blame you though. I missed them for over a year lmao
Thanks for the feedback 👍 yes, I didn't even know they were there! I purchased the Dime for the review and missed them!
Why not just use a knife? I'd much rather have a serrated blade for cutting rope.
@@JonGadget i have a red ps4 (purchased few months ago) and i don't even know it has a scissor. I bought it for my collection. So never check all the tools. what an embarrassing discovery. hahahahaha
Great demo review. Keep it up. Stay blessed...
Top review yet again.
I’ve used those tweezers on the style, they work surprisingly well.
good to know 👍
Great content! Cutting wires with the part under the pivot point of the pliers (near the spring) on the squirt would be interesting to se.
yes I wondered why they don't fit wire cutters on that side of the pivot, seems like it would obviously be a better design and use of space
Check out the SOG Powerpint. It has a gear mechanism that makes the pliers more than just glorified tweezers. The interior tools are not made to Leatherman quality standards, but they are all locking (impressive for the size). It’s a bit larger than these keychain tools, but it disappears in pockets better than full size models.
thanks for the suggestion - I have a very old one with scissors instead of pliers - I have struggled to get hold of the plier version!
The SOG power pint is in the same size category and is far more robust. Best change pocket multi tool I've ever seen and it's not even close. Check one out.
I really love my sog powerpint mini it finds they way most often in my Pocket compared 2 all other of my mutlitools. Greetings from Austria
I bought a Gerber Dime in 2016. Suffice it to say, it did not impress me. The finish started wearing off almost immediately, the blade and scissors can barely cut paper, and most every tool flops around like a fish out of water. Most tools were used very little, and I only carried it for a year or so! I hope the newer ones have improved. (However, Gerber's Shard and Mullet are pretty solid tools.) The Leatherman would be my pick of this lot...if only they still made the Squirt ES4, and mine hadn't gotten away from me. Thanks for yet another great video!
Thanks for the feedback Dan - this supports my thinking too 👍
Hi Jon. Love the channel, have been watching nothing but your vids for a while now and slowly building my EDC collection. Love the look of the Leatherman Squirt or Style but cannot seem to find one anywhere to purchase!!?? Any ideas??
Keep up the great content 👍🏻
The Gerber Dime also has tweezers. They're easy to miss. I have the Dime. It's so small, and yet is useful. It fits into the watch pocket of jeans.
This hits the pleasure centers of all EDC geeks. Over the years I have hoarded prolly 6x each of the the PS4 and Dime. The cost of the PS4, as all Leathermans, has really gone up during that time. I paid US$28 for a PS4 on Amazon in 2010, and its $39.95 today.
agree - really expensive now for the LM - Dime is good value but I always want the best for the job
I bought a new PS4 today, they reached 50€ here around 🤦♂️
Thx Jon for the review ! Thats why i will never use such tools, i prefer a wiha pliers for example, that make the job done.
Great video
What all the tools don't come with: a screwdriver for very small screws, like the ones used in spectacle frames, Victorinox has helped me there several times.
yes, I guess that's why my edc is a Vic
Had a lot of Hope for the Gerber dime but this isn't broke very shortly after I purchased it now I'm using the squirt
sums it up really 👍
A very nice video. Deciding which is the best tool always depends on what you want to do with the tool.
It's good to have something like this, but when I'm at home I have a wide range of pliers, screwdrivers, knives, nail files or cap lifters.
Let's face it, being able to open a bottle of beer is the most important thing ;-)
🤣 thanks for the comment Raik 👍
I would've liked to see the Gerber Vise in this comparison. I know you mentioned it but it would've been nice to see a direct side by side comparison. In my opinion it seems better than the Dime. Although having said that, this is my first time seeing the True Utility tool and that maybe looks like the best of the bunch. Has a nice big knife, a serrated blade, and a better Phillips screwdriver, and those are the most important tools for me. Those tiny scissors on the other tools seem useless and redundant (just use the knife), the fancy bottle opener on the Dime is pointless (I've literally never needed to open a bottle like that in my life), the others are missing serrated blades, etc. Better to have a few good tools rather than a load of gimmicky ones.
I carry the Gerber Dime on my key chain and I'm very happy with it. I really like the bottle cap lifter and the package opener. Those two features alone make it worth having. The package opener rips through those pesky little blister packs like crazy, faster and much safer than a knife. Sure, the quality is sub par, especially compared to Leatherman, but it doesn't bother me much. What annoys me the most about the Gerber Dime is that the nice colors they come with rub off very quickly, but it's not a deal breaker to me. The knife blade and the scissors were not very sharp on mine, but after a few minutes of sharpening they are usable, at least.
totally agree - and great value for the reasons mentioned 👍
I like to my Gerber dime too then I went to squeeze a split shot on my fish line in the jaw of the Gerber dime snapped right off made out of cheap cast metal.. I now own a Leatherman squeeze instead worth the extra money
@@glenmones713 a few have had a similar experience here!
I carry a dedicated pocket knife. I don't need a compromised knife in my multitool. Only thing about the Leatherman is that the head of the flathead is really pretty soft. The tweezers do work. If the tweezers don't work you have the pliers to fall back on. I wish there were more multitools without a knife. I'd love a victorinox or a charge tti without the blade or saw and with some other tools in their place. Thanks for your review.
A lot of people would like a knifeless MT option because they have a favourite knife which is always carried - makes sense.
Hi Jon, I'm only a recent subscriber and I'm enjoying your channel. I did recently purchase the 'Nextool, Mini Flagship' and my reasoning behind it was it actually has a can opener aswell as the cap lifter, on the same blade ! That's one thing I don't understand: if you can include a cap lifter on a mini multi-tool why don't manufacturers including a can opener, too ?!?
The Nextool, for me, is a much more superior option as it comes with bigger pliers and large scissors, too ! And it only cost me £31:00 ! Nice 👍 ! Take care, Jon ! 🤗😀👋
Thanks for the great feedback Raymond - I am going to run a separate video on the Nextool - good to get your comments on it. My SAK Compact has a combination can opener and cap lifter - so I know what you mean - I guess the tool needs to be bigger/longer for it to work and these others are very small. And thanks for s the Sub 👍
I have the Style PS and like how light it is. Remember it does have a blade in the form of the scissors so I wouldn’t completely right it off for not having a knife. In fact you can completely open up the scissors and almost use one side as a knife. It’s nice and pointy and I have successfully used it as a crude awl. Also the screwdriver on the file is actually quite sharp so that could also serve some utility that you would get from a knife.
great info Oliver - thanks for the comment - it is a very nice tool 👍
I have a Style CS which has scissors when opened up and knife blade
and nail file.
It looks like a mini Skeletool CX.
Unfortunately as I cannot find it
on the Leatherman site, like the ES4 it may be discontinued.
@@Stoater1 I like the CS (see previous Micra review) - I managed to get one recently from Heinnie Haynes
Alternatively you could pair the PS with a Spyderco bug or honeybee. Both very capable, tiny knives although they’re not cheap.
@@JonGadget
But no knife blade ?
The CS has no pliers but scissors
and does have a knife blade.
The PS has the pliers and the small scissors and no blade.
It seems the CS is no longer
available.
Such excellent quality
I never see the Gerber Vise in these comparisons. I like to pair mine with my Victorinox Rambler, since the Vise doesn't have scissors and it gives me a 2nd knife and 2 sets of screwdrivers, which a few times it was needed. Plus I have pliers and a screwdriver, for a screw and nut. The Vise also don't dig into my pocket since the bottle opener folds. I have both the Dime and the Vise. If the Vise had the package opener, I think I would totally forget about my Dime. That's the only thing I like on the Dime.
Great review as we have come to expect Jon. 😀
Have you heard of Knipex Cobra pliers and their pliers wrench? I have both in the 125mm size. They also do both of those in ultra compact 100mm size.
I highly recommend that you try the 100mm, 125 or the 150 size. These tools will outperform any multi-tool pliers based tool. Add a SAK Pioneer X or Farmer X and you are pretty much set for anything. Add the Wera Tool-Check Plus and nothing can stop you. I know they are not to be compared like for like with these, but as a gadget enthusiast, I know you will like them.
Thanks for the kind words and the feedback. Yes, big fan of both Knipex and Wera 👍 I have the 4" Cobras and 125mm plier wrench - they are brilliant tools - I'll be including the Cobras in a kit soon.
@@JonGadget looking forward to it Jon.😀
Outside the US, the Leatherman products are almost twice the price of the Gerber Dime.
I'd love a Squirt, but I can afford a Dime.
I think it would have been worthwhile to include the SOG powerpint or powerlitre. They aren't much larger and fit nicely in a jeans watch pocket.
Yes - a bit bigger but would have been good to include 👍
I'll second that.
Another top video, 👍🏼😎
thank you 😊
My wife has one, she broke the scissors spring twice, it's her second replacement by Leatherman. She wasn't exited when I gave it to her as a present, but started appreciating it when she needed it 😁👍Congratulations on the 10K subscribers milestone 👍
Good to hear from you. Thanks for feedback 🙏😊
Yes, the spring broke also on mine.
@@HingerlAlois a few have had this issue! hopefully solved under warranty
@@JonGadget
I‘m not going to bother sending it in. I‘m not going to use the scissors a lot anyway, just noticed that the spring broke off probably whilst just carrying it in the pocket.
@@HingerlAlois Did you send it back to Leatherman?
I would highly recommend a comparison with the Nextool mini flagship.
Things I’ve bought during lockdown here in Sydney as a direct result of these videos:
Fenix tk16 V2
Victorinox compact
Rovyvon A8x
All as brilliant as Jon’s reviews!
A Leatherman will be next 😂👍
Thanks Jude for the kind comments - enjoy 😊
I had a Squirt PS4 where the spring for the scissors broke after owning it for just a few months. 25 year warranty, but I lost the receipt, so I could go and hop it as far as the seller was concerned.
If you carry a single keychain multi tool in an urban environment, then a victorinox midnite manager, seems to be the answer. A squirt ps 4 adds, rarely needed, plier values only. I have always carried a combo of victorinox & leatherman medium sized tools, in an urban environment, for usefulness. My most carried combo = compact + skeletool cx.
great comments - makes perfect sense 👍
I would have loved to see the nextool in this comparison! In my mind thos two are close competitors, i have them both. Would have been interesting to see your take on it. I like the big scissor on the nextool, but the file is atrocious. The leatherman has an amazing file, and the scissors are better for fingernails, but on every other occasion the nextool scissors beat them, hands down… well, maybe you’ll compare them another time?
I have the squirt on my van/house keys , so it is nearly always on me . It is a mini pliers and very useful file. That is all I use it for really. The scissors is a gimmick, and always breaks. However the squirt pliers and file are worth it . The very small pliers punches well above it weight so ,for that alone , it's worth the money to have 24/7 on your keys , that disappears.
thanks for the feedback Rob - good to know
I haven't had problems with the scissors after more than a year although I've heard about the issues others have had with the spring breaking, and they are only 80% as good as the scissors on a small (58mm) Victorinox. The file is good too although I haven't used it that much, and the edge can be used as a saw to some extent, there's a German yt vid of a guy torture testing a Squirt PS4 and he uses the file it to cut through plastic and aluminium tubing, but it won't cut through an iron nail. Also the screwdriver works okay for it's size, and the blade is fine for opening packages etc. Even the bottle opener works in a pinch although it's tricky.
@@simonh6371 great feedback Simon - thanks for taking the time to comment 👍
There is also a file on the edge of the file of the PS4, that can be used to notch or sawing
good point - I missed that 👍
Good review Jon. Stu NZ
thank you Stu
SOG Powerpint for the win can do the work of a full size tool and easy to mod and make the blade unlocking (unscrew file down the rocker - hook thinggy that engages with lock bar)
I do have an ES4 (see my comment below) plus a Style with scissors and a knife.
I'd like to try the Dime for the package opener and at the price,
it's a steal.
Dime is a great price - now £20 in the UK inc. tax
Your presentation skills are art Jon. One question, what band do you use on your Garmin Instinct? The one it came with or other? Own one but the ones it came with give me a rash if I use them too much. I did change the band to a Nick Mankey Hook band, and that's worked beautifully. Cheers.
Thanks for the kind words and the feedback jf - it's the original band - no problems for me but I know from selling watches in my past retail work that different people can be affected by different materials
There is or was an electricians version with red handles called the ES4 with several gauges of wire strippers built into plier blades.
I have one and it's my goto wire stripper and works very well.
I cannot find it on the Leatherman
UK site, so maybe it's discontinued.
yes I have a recollection of this one - like scissors with different size wire strippers - I think it is discontinued 🙁
Have you ever looked into Wolf Tooth encase hex bit wrench multi tool and the Leatherman style ps as a combo travel tool kit that is TSA friendly?
True Utility might be better off replacing that saw with a serrated blade and marketing it as a rescue tool to keep in your car. If they could integrate a glass breaker and/or strap cutter, it might make an useful inexpensive gift for those who don’t have a need for a more expensive tool.
I like my PS4 for what it is, I balked initially at getting one as they were minimum £40 but I found one on offer - new ''second - with engraving overwritten'' (there's a neat silver rectangle ground into one of the handles, not covering the brand logo) for just £28 and got it and I'm glad I did. Before that I bought a TU for about £7 but it wasn't the Seven, I think it was the Cliptool, but I wasn't impressed with it tbh from the point of view of both aesthetics and functionality, actually I lost it after a week or so. I think the biggest competitor to the Squirt PS4 is actually the Nextool Mini Flagship which I also own but I tend to carry the Squirt more as it's more compact.
thanks for the feedback Simon - I need to check out the Flagship - it look very interesting
I feel like the Nextool would've been a much better choice to compare with the PS4 and the Dime. Maybe in the future?
I snapped the pliers on the second day of owning the squirt, at the cost of shipping them back with tracking info theres no point. I think im going to go for the dime this time, even if it breaks i can buy 2 for the same price of a squirt.
I have the Nextool mini and for the price, they are a great little tool compared to the leatherman and Gerber. The leatherman Juice is another of my favorites that are a little bigger than these units, which make them more useful tools for big hands
Quick question re your PS4, if you open it up and hold one of the arms and shake it, do you get a slight rattle as if there's a bit of play in the pliers? Trying to work out if it's just an issue with mine or not...
The Leatherman ends to produce her Squirt models.
Yesterday I got one of last pieces left in my coutry.
Very small and light tool!
But I Iack small saw and reamer what was on my previous "noname" tool. I cut even stainless steel with my old tools saw. This tool's pliers has broken after half a years use. Yesterday I purchased my Leatherman.
Thanks!
Thanks Metaphile for the Super Thanks for helping to support the channel 👍
My Style PS got confiscated from my hand luggage by Indian airport security, so it's important to keep that in mind.
I felt quite sad when they chucked in a bin full of other confiscated items. The guy who spotted it probably wanted it for himself or wanted to sell it.
I used it almost daily in my IT apprenticeship to get into PCs, snip cables, and as a fidget toy. You've convinced me to buy a squirt now.
That is depressing! no way it should have been taken but hard to argue with security! Squirt is nice.
@@JonGadget All tools are not allowed on Indian flights, not just knives. I've even had a 5mm hex key confiscated.
@@KiranJonnalagadda wow! that's worth knowing 😳
@@KiranJonnalagadda He's dismantling the tray table! The madman!
I think after seeing this, I’d just buy a Victorinox Handyman to gain the pliers, and have better scissors, file, saw, knives, and everything else. I just whipped out my Huntsman scissors to try the paracord cutting test on some 550. Snip, snip, snip, I had pieces of paracord flying around the room.
Hello Jonathan,
I think the squirt is a great tool but a little to tiny. I'm searching for a lightweight medium sized tool, smaller that the regular ones but more sturdy that these tiny multitools like the squirt.
Do you have any experience with the SOG powerpint? I think it could fit my needs...
Thanks in advance and cheers from Germany!
Great review! I had to oil my Dime and really work it in, as the tools tend to rub on each other and the motion causes the black coating to come off. Should have gone with a Leatherman! 😞
Hi! Yes, it is a much better tool.
The Leatherman is better but the Dime is still good at less than half the price.
@@Stoater1 totally agree
Its a minor point, but the Gerber Dime also has a set of tweezers.
Tedious and appreciated.
Er…thanks
@@JonGadget 🤣You put in a lot of effort to compare. I went with the Style PS, due to your praise on its build. I appreciate the effort you put in. 👍
The Leatherman Style PS would also be extremely useful as an EDC tool in any workplace that has one of those ridiculous "Zero weapons" policies. The ones that forbid literally _anything_ that has a blade on it.... even the traditional Victorinox Classic SD with its tiny non-locking blade. Just as with the TSA, the PS would be in compliance.
(Unfortunately a very reputable source has told me that the PS was just recently discontinued by Leatherman, as of the making of this comment. But thankfully is still available on their website, for now.)
Yeah, they are 50 bucks now and rising. But if you check in luggage you can put a knife/multitool in there, this might make more sense for the occasional flyer. For business people a style is quite a good tool to have…. An option might be the Victorinox jetsetter, small and practical. Or if you need a good pair of pliers the leatherman rebar in the knifeless version…
Great review, I have the Gerber Dime on my key chain works great.I think you missed the tweezers on the Dime.I have America made Gerbers,Leatherman tools some 30years old still going strong.I really enjoy your videos very detailed.
thanks for the comment and kins words Ronald - you're right I missed the tweezers altogether!
It's amazing how the Victorinox scissors are demonstrably light years ahead of the competition.
Its better than on this letterman but leatherman Micra has truly great scissors for a small tool!
Try the nextool mini - theres NOTHING like it (if you want good scissors) in the „small tools“ range. I have a swiss army knife and a sqirt as edc, but sometimes i take the nextool just because it’s amazing scissors. Great pliers and scissors in one tool, that’s rare with the small tools. (But don’t mention the horrible file, it’s so bad i bought a new sqirt recently, because IT has the best file on a small multitool…)
I've been carrying the squirt for years, recently added a small rovyvon light and its a great little set up.
Doesn't the dime have tweezers as well?
I carry a A8x which is a great edc flashlight - yes! I missed the tweezers in the Dime - I didn't know it was there!
The black & orange on gerber are the colors of the parent company Fiskar.
There is a reason why the PS4 is the multi-touch the put in under seat survival kit for US military pilots
I never knew that!!
I really like the pack and bottle opener on the Gerber it the squirt is just overall nicer
agreed 👍
I actually found this video to be a nail bitingly anxious roller coaster of emotion. My poor partner wanted to know why on earth I was chanting a bizarre mantra that sounded a lot like someone muttering “don’tsaydimeisshitjohndon’tsaydimeisshitjohn”.
Still buying a squirt though. Cheers John!
🤣🤣🤣 Dime is great value and bottle opener is a winner - but LM is really nice 😊
@@JonGadget I think I opted for the Dime over the PS4 during some grumbling, curmudgeonly tight arse episode. They’re happening more frequently with age it seems 😂 The Dime has proved pretty reasonable for fiddly little tasks though and I’m less worried about knackering it than I would be with a LM. Think you overlooked the included tweezers hidden in the frame when you gave us the tour, which is easily done. I had no idea they were there for months 😂. I really did enjoy this video. Your content is fast becoming my favourite EDC channel. Keep up the good work! 👍🏻
@@Crustycon23 I totally missed the tweezers - a few viewers have pointed this out 😁 - I know now! Thanks for the kind words re the channel 😊
I have bought the Squirt, Dime and PST, but only the PST is the one I still use, the Squirt and Dime are just so weak both of them broke after a few weeks! I bought 2 squirts and the spring from the scissors broke both times with the Dime the frictionlock is so weak that 2 times the knife just went trough it when just cutting something harder than just paper!
good to know - thanks for the feedback
I would advise against the Dime, the pliers easily broke ( tip offset ) while trying to cut some 2 mm cooper wire ....to easy in my opinion, and they have also (major for me) a flaw...the handles pinch my finger when I use them, after several painful experiences I stopped using the dime.
I don't suppose anyone has any advice, on how to loosen up the tools on the Gerber Dime?
Just got one and OMG my nails feel like their about to snap off. I've managed to access the blade and scissors, tentatively. But I daren't try the rest, again, as my nails are nearly peeling back. My Swiss army knife was similar, but eassed up within a day. This Dime is just not easing up.
I have the style PS, the spring on the scissors keeps breaking (3 times now). It never breaks when I'm using them, I just take it out of my pocket and the spring has snapped. I don't understand why, but it's clearly something wrong with the tool. I really want to like this tool, but....
that is disappointing to hear!
I had all of them , tried them … for me they are Toys. Rather got a Victorinox knife - works every time.
Compact or Swiss army 1 for Light days
Swiss champ or farmer x alox for days, when u don’t know what comes
Swiss tool for work days
good comments T 👍
The minichamp victorinox has a package opener same as dime but its repurposed as an orange peeler
Although my favorite overall is the Squirt PS4, I like the Dime as tiny multitool to take traveling. It's cheap, so if you lose it, or forget to put it in checked luggage and it gets confiscated by TSA, you're only out $25 (or maybe $15 if you grab it on sale) compared to $35 or $40 like you would be with the Style PS or PS4. As you show in the video, the fit and finish aren't as good as the PS4, but for light duty use on a trip (such as opening packaging) it'll still get the job done.
I like the idea that the Style PS is TSA-friendly, however, that only comes in handy for domestic flights anyway. Many international airlines have rules that would exclude it. So personally I'd rather just check a bag and put in the Dime because it includes more tools.
Nextool Mini Flagship Pro is now the direct competition to the discontinued squirt PS4, and handily beats it in every way.
I have Blue ps4 and it very good tool. One problem is anodized color, it become scratches very easily.
good to know 👍
That Style PS looks like the _perfect_ pair with a SAK! I've tried carrying the Squirt PS4 over my trusty SAK, but I never find myself as comfortable with it as I do with a SAK. The Style, however, has the benefit of being so small and handy. I could see myself choosing a SAK with a layer or two less and pairing it up with the Style PS, being able to enjoy my preferred SAK tools *and* those Leatherman pliers!
It's a darn shame that those scissors are only passable though... Kinda means that they're essentially dead weight if paired with the Victorinox scissors.
Did you try a nextool mini? Very big pliers and equally big scissors in one tiny package…
@@erebostd Funny you mention that, as that's exactly what I'm carrying most these days! 🤣
Admittedly when I choose to take the NexTool and ditch the SAK I do find myself missing those superb Victorinox scissors. The NextlTool scissors don't struggle with cutting through anything at all!... But they certainly are a tad chunkier than the Victorinox scissors and can't _quite_ solve your hangnail issues.
Every single one of the tools on the Flagship Mini is superb for the price though, and the tool selection you get is unbeatable! It's only a little bigger than the Leatherman Squirt tools and significantly smaller than the Juice, plus it boasts having _good_ scissors and a can opener over the Squirt. The Phillips driver is solid too, being more than just a completely flat driver unlike both SAKs and Leathermans, and it nails the general purpose size. Really there's so much good to say about that mini NexTool!
@@bradl.602 absolutely, I only see one tiny thing a bit different than you: the file is atrocious, at least on the models i saw/had. Barely useable. Every other tool is top notch, as you said. Or is your file useable? Maybe there was a batch with better files some time? 😉😁
@@erebostd My file is quite serviceable actually 🤣 Heck, it beats out the file on my Squirt PS4, but of course the fine side is nowhere near as good as a Leatherman Micra's file
The biggest shame of NexTool seems that it's _not_ a knockoff of a larger brand! Us EDC and knife nerds would pay triple, or more, for a name-brand's quality control of their tools! Their current cost/function/quality is certainly unmatched, but if there was a premium version of the Flagship setup it'd be _the_ tool reccomended by EDC nerds like us.
I ordered a Squirt PS4 from Leatherman's official website. One spring for the pliers didn't work right out of the box. The second one was enough to keep the pliers open, but stopped working after a few minutes of trying the tool. The tool came with a user manual for another tool (Leatherman Micra). Which contains absolutely no information about basic maintenance (cleaning, lubrification, sharpening of the knife) or warranty. And no information about the usage of the tool (yes, we all know how to use pliers, but I also thought that the corkscrew on a SAK was pointless if you didn't need to open wine bottles, until I read the user manual). Also, I guess those anodized scales aren't really anodized, they seem to be painted, though I'm not sure. That would explain why the paint wears off that easily (according to reviews).
The only good thing is that the tool comes with a return label, so you can send it back for free. It was my first Leatherman, and probably my last.
I got the Micra instructions too! which I thought might just be a one-off mistake. LM do seem to be dropping the ball a lot these days on quality. Mine is fine but I hear a lot of stories. Victorinox seem very consistent in producing top quality products in comparison.
@@JonGadget Yep, I'll probably buy a Victorinox to replace the Squirt.
I have a gerber dime and love it. Use it all the time...but I also lost one not too long ago so it was nice to have that price tag as opposed to the leatherman (Not crazy expensive but stings a little more if it slips out of your pocket) the package opener on the dime is very handy and the bottle opener is awesome. Might get a squirt and carry it for a couple days to see if the better precision/engineering make it beat out my ol trusty dime.
Great analysis on these!
Have both the Style PS Style and PS4 and both work well as a back up to a main knife or larger tool, and honestly a knife on these seem unnecessary, especially being so small. Only issue I have with these small Leatherman tools is the scissor springs, which both broke while not in use. Fortunately there is the 25 year warranty!
I found out that the warranty does not mean a lot if the tool is no longer in production.... My Style PS scissors broke, I sent them in and they sent me a Micra as a 'replacement' saying the Style is no longer produced (as of Aug 2023). I called and let them know that the Micra is missing two critical pieces for my use case; the pliers and the knife. They have promised to send me a Wingman but 7 days later I have not received the promised shipping confirmation. I'll accept the Wingman but it is too big for my intended use so I've purchased a Gerber Dime to fill in......
Where could I get a Leatherman Squirt PS4 in the UK?
You missed the tweezers on the Gerber Dime, They're not bad for the size but a lot of reviewers miss them out.
You're right!! I didn't even know they were there! In fact I had to look hard to find them. Thanks for pointing this out 👍
I have to agree with Mika. I own both the Dime and the PS4 but I don't carry the PS4. Maybe it's because I wouldn't want to lose it.
Also, after a few years, I bought 2 Gerber Dimes but I will never buy another Leatherman PS4 because for the price point I could buy a Gerber MultiForce.
This brings me to another request, John. Could you do a comparison of a few items for us?
1) The Gerber Armbar vs a comparable swiss army knife. (the main point being the Armbar has a locking blade and the swiss Army does not). I added a key smart to the Armbar, a magnet on the bit extender to accept all bits including Leatherman's flat ones, and placed an extra bit (two-sided) in the space beneath the scissors. I believe this tool is greatly maligned unjustly although I agree the bit driver should be locking. Turning it sideways helps.
2) And second the Multiforce vs a Sidekick or Wingman and not compared to the Wave which is almost 3x more expensive.
And also could you try the now-famous Multiforce modification of turning a Multiforce into an Armbar with all locking tools.
(I did it and it is tricky but I felt really good about the project when I finished)
Keep up the great work Jon Gadget, you are doing a smashing job!!!
Thanks for the comment and detailed request. I keep a record of every review request and work through them as I can alongside my own ideas - I will add yours to the document too - some great suggestions so thank you 🙏