The Leatherman Skeletool

I am a life-long multi tool junkie and I came to the conclusion long ago that a multi tool is an essential element of preparedness.  If you don’t carry one on your person you should at least have one in your go bag.  As a teenager I acquired the original Leatherman.  I have owned some other manufacturer’s multi tools, but have found that there is Leatherman and then everything else.  I am sure there are other good ones, obviously, but I have found that Leatherman is consistently good.  For quite some time I have been intrigued by the space age looks of the Skeletool and I finally bought one several months ago.  In my initial assessment it is absolutely typical Leatherman quality, but I think one needs to determine between full-size multi tool capability, which the Skeletool simply does not have, or easier carry and a great knife for the multi tool world, which the Skeletool definitely has.

So, the skeletool has pliers, a screw driver bit, a carbiner/bottle opener, and plyers.  It does not have wood saws, files, scissors, and the host of other things bigger tools have.  I have two Leatherman Blast models, a discontinued version that is a predecessor to the Leatherman Wave and similar full-blown models.  The Blast has all of the typical tools, and it is very robust.  Honestly, even though it has many more tools on board, it is not that much bigger or heavier than the Skeletool.  If a multi tool is an integral part of your daily work, I would submit that a model like the Wave is the way to go over the minimalist Skeletool.

However, I think the Skeletool is a great alternative for a person who wants to carry a multi tool instead of a knife.  Here, I refer to strictly a utility knife, not a tactical or self-defense knife.  Self-defense knives are best served as fixed blades, or as fast deploying folders if a fixed blade is not feasible.  The Skeletool does not serve such a purpose.  For a utility knife, however, the Skeletool seems capable of doing most of what you would demand from a robust utility folder, and you get the additional pliers and screw driver for not much more weight or size.

Concerning knives, I carry a small fixed blade where legally permissible, so rather than carry an additional folding knife I find the Skeletool an ideal replacement for such that offers the other capabilities as well.   I use a knife in a utility capacity daily, and the Skeletool has a fantastic utility blade on it.  The plyers are also imminently useful and so far the pocket clip seems quite secure and robust.  The tool provides all the functionality of a folding knife along with the other useful tools and, lets face it, it looks really cool.

I highly recommend the Leatherman Skeletool for those who want a minimalist multi tool.