Customer Reviews

Leatherman 830018 Kick Pocket Multi-Tool with Leather Sheath

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a fan of leatherman, and I was able to pick up a couple of these on a Christmas closeout for about a third of normal cost. Let me break it down:

The Good:
1) Solid Tools. Includes sturdy needlenose/plier combo with soft and hard wire cutter combo. Nice 3 inch blade. 2 sizes of standard screw driver bits and a phillips, all are tough. Wire-stripper, bottle opener, can opener combo, and a lanyard ring. Plust it has both metric and Imperial measurements on the handle.
2) Cheap
3) Decent quality leather sheath (though I prefer nylon)

The Bad:
1) Although otherwise of quality construction, the cheap plastic inserts in the handle are sharp (they have an edge) and even in the finger molds, they tend to dig. The plastic offers no grip quality improvement either.
2) The knife fingernail notch sits below the handle edge, making it difficult to open. In fact, all of the tools are tough to get open to some degree except for the Phillips driver.
3) Tool selection is minimalist. Would have been better served to opt for the screw driver bit system they use on the higher end models and substitute a scissors and maybe an awl or small saw instead, of course, it's an inexpensive tool, but I'm not sure how this would be any more expensive to build in this way.
4) Pretty heavy for what you get - doesn't weight much less than my New Wave.

The Ugly:
They look like a cheap Chinese knockoff. To some degree the handle digging into your palm reinforces this view. They are of rather plain design.

If you can pick it up for a decent price, it's a solid tool. It's design belies a nicely constructed and well balanced feel and the implements are of decent quality (though obviously not the steel used in their higher end models). If you use your pliers a lot, I strongly suggest another model with rounded steel edges like the New Wave or Charges. Based on Quality, Performance and relatively low cost, I'm giving it a 3.5. Because it lacks some utility, and the handles are pretty much a mess, I'm rounding it down to 3 stars on Amazon (no halves). I'm putting these in my vehicles as emergency gear - they won't be Every Day Carry items for me.

The cheap and sharp platic inserts are the deal breaker. If they fixed those, I would have rounded up to a 4 for sure based on your bang for the buck.

Every manufacturer nowadays has a "lite" version of whatever they sell, from the stripped model sub-compact car to lite beer, cheaper components and a few shortcuts is the fast and easy way to make the product available for a few less dollars. But if everyone followed Tim Leatherman's model, the world would be a better place.

At under $30, the Kick is the Leatherman "lite" model, but don't let the price fool you. Viewing the Kick through it's boxed blister pack, concerns about compromise fade quickly - the brush-polished stainless steel exterior looks very solid and precisely machined, as do the pliers. The oversized round bolts holding the whole tool together are the same as on the $75+ Core model, with only the contured black plastic bordering the grip seeming to soften things (it doesn't - the plastic is actually the "metal replacement" polymer Zytel, which is roughly as tough as gold). Visually, it's virtually identical to most any other Leatherman model, both in appearance and quality.

All of which is confirmed when you hold the Kick. The weight and feel is that of a small semi-automatic handgun; the cold and unyielding touch of one millimeter-thick stainless steel makes it clear that this is definitely an all-business tool. "Lite" doesn't refer to weight here, though 5.2 ounces doesn't sound like much, compared to other modern portable devices, this is a serious slug of metal. But unlike a cell phone or iPod, you could accidentally run the Kick through a cycle in the washing machine or even back over it with your car without fear.

The seriousness continues with the Kick's features, each of which are made from optimized-grade density stainless steel and are just as precisely engineered as the exterior. Only the most common tools for day-to-day use are included, so you don't have to deal with the added weight and bulk of a corkscrew or some other feature you'll never use. Each individual tool is machined with an inflexible strength and design as though it could be sold seperately. The long Phillips screwdriver (ideal for recesssed/hard-to-get screws) is compatible with Leatherman's Removable Bit Driver, so if carrying the Kick's twelve tools in your pocket isn't enough, you can also add ten different screwdriver bits. Or add the Wave Tool Adapter, making any 1/4" drill bit compatible with your Kick. Of special note is the knife - though it's just a basic clip-point design, this example is *wicked sharp*, remarkably so for an under-$30 tool or knife.

Comparison shopping to other brands of multi-tools, you'll see thinner and poorer-quality metals, slipshod design and machining, strange combinations of feautres, and countries-of-origin galore, sometimes at double or more the Kick's price. It's obvious that Leatherman was first and has had the most experience with the multi-tool idea, and the Kick reflects this in every facet. So if you think you or someone you know is ready to enter the do-all world of the Leatherman owner, the Kick is a compromise-free introduction at an introductory price.

This is one of the smaller Leatherman tools. It has a nice needlenose pliers part, and one nice sharp knife blade. There are also a few smaller tools(screwdrivers mostly) which I find difficult to get out using just my fingernails.

i love this thing.

i originally bought one almost 5 years ago & still use it. i recently bought 2 more, one to keep in my emergency hurricane kit & one for my construction inspection bag.

i keep the original one in my bag (briefcase type bag for work) for those "just-in-case" moments, since i can't carry my 30 pound toolbox around with me to work. can't count how many times i've used it & in how many different ways.

the phiilips head is a real phillips, not a 2-dimensional stamped piece of steel like the swiss army knifes (SAK's), so you can get good grip on a screw & not strip the screw or chip the tool (see SAK). it doesn't replace my real tools, but like i said you never know when you'll need something, so it's great to have this around at all times. i even used the can opener to pop a lock when i was locked out of my office.

not sure why one of the reviews complained about its weight. i think the weight actually speaks to its durability & quality craftsmenship. now if you're looking for something to carry in your pocket, then i'd agree it's too heavy, but considering i throw it in my briefcase, backpack, glove-compartment, etc, it's perfect for me.

i have 3 SAK's (gifts thru the years) & all have at least 2 of the tools chipped or broken. the leatherman's tools also lock into place better than the SAK's, plus you get pliers & a wire cutter (even with the basic model).

good luck with your shopping.

It's not cumbersome or too weighty. It's functional, and he was able to purchase the bit set that can be used with it. I'm glad I purchased it.

Bought this item from Target locally for 21.99. I thought it would be more like my old leatherman. It's not. Still, for the price, it's not bad. Pros: It is cheap. It has a blade. It has a phillips head and standard screw driver. Pliers seem solid and sturdy. I didn't want a lot of extraneous tools (I have never used a saw blade on a pocket knife.) Cons: The blades don't lock. The knife blade is small. The blades open to inside of the handle. I am a skeptical as to whether it would hold up to heavy everyday use from a construction worker or the like. It is fine for my use, occasional fix it and light work. If you are choosing this one because you are low on funds, wait and save up for one of the better models.

I have other LEATHERMAN products and the WAVE is my favorite of them all. I also have this one, the KICK for about 7 month's now. This is my favorite (EDC) every day carry LEATHERMAN for a few reasons. It is very light for being a medium task multi-tool, only 5.2 ounces. However the size and quality of the tool and all it's component's are top notch and very solid. The value in price for this multi-tool make it a no brainer in my opinion. This is one You will enjoy having with You at all times. In my opinion for the money, AND CHECK FOR SALES as well, You can not beat the LEATHERMAN KICK for basic every day carry.

I own many leatherman's and most are the higher end models. I decided I would buy the Kick to be used as a cheap multi tool I would not be to worried about abusing. My first impressions are pretty good. It is light for a full size multi tool and could easily be carried on your belt every day without a problem. You could also get the pocket clip for it which I might do. The blade is very sharp. In my experience with this tool so far the tools will "clump" when you are deploying certain tools. It is not a huge issue as this is a inexpensive tool and the "clumping" is the only issue I see with this tool. To be honest I rather have them "clump" than be loose and have no retention. You will not get a huge tool selection with this tool but you will get the basics and for some that is enough. You can also buy a BIT KIT for this tool if you want a bigger selection of bits. If you do you will not be able to store them in the sheath you will receive with this KICK. This one ships with the Leather sheath and will only fit the tool by its self. All in all this is a great tool for anyone wanting a strong reliable Leatherman without breaking the bank.

This is the perfect package of tools. It's not overwhelming with an insane amount of tools, but it has ones that are really handy and useful. I have never had any problems with the grip digging into my hand or ability to open the tools, everything has always worked fine for me. I've been using the Kick for around 8 years now and it has never let me down. I even lost one covered in paint from random things I used it for, and replaced it recently with another Kick. It's the same tool and seem just as rugged, plus they added a wire stripper to the can opener. I would definitely recommend this to any outdoor enthusiast!

I like this multi-tool because it only has the tools that I commonly use. I'm not interested in a tool with a nail file, awl, scissors, corkscrew, seat belt cutter, glass cutter, bomb defusing spike, curling iron, magnifying glass, straight razor, etc. etc. that add to its size and make it more difficult to retrieve the attachment I actually need. Mainly I use pliers, screwdrivers and a knife. All the tools are of good quality and can take quite a bit of abuse. The only change I'd make is to replace the bottle/can opener with a smaller phillips bit.