Customer Reviews

Leatherman 830684 Charge TTi Multi-Tool with Leather/Nylon Combination Sheath and Gift Tin

5 star:		(76)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have owned a few Leatherman multi-tools in the past. The last Leatherman I purchased was the New Wave. I am going to compare the Charge TTi with the New Wave.

Unfortunately my New Wave was stolen, but I know that tool very well. I owned the Tactical New Wave, which was oxidized in black. Functionally the Charge TTi and the New Wave are very similar, except for a few subtle differences. Keep in mind I am talking about functionality, not material or aesthetics. Actually as far as the tool is concerned the only real difference functionally is that the Charge TTi has a cutting hook on the serrated knife and the New Wave doesn't. Also the Charge TTi has a crimper. Really that's it as far as the actual multi-tool goes. Most other tools are identical. The Charge TTi does come with 6 additional bits (which means 12 additional tools). Both multi-tools have a large and small bit driver. For about $12.00 you can get 21 double-ended bits that will work for either the Charge or the New Wave. I would list all of the other tools, but Amazon already does that.

One big difference is the material. The reason one might get the Charge TTi is because it's handles are made with titanium and the main blade is made with S30V stainless steal, which is a much higher quality steel then the New Waves 420HC stainless and also better then 154CM stainless on the other versions of the Charge (AL, ALX, Ti). In fact, S30V is some of the best steel you can get on hunting knives and multi-tools today. Also the Charge TTi is supposed to be more durable then Leathermans other multi-tools. Another benefit is that with the Charge TTi you get 6 additional double-ended bits which easily fit inside of the included sheath. Finally the Charge TTi just looks better in my opinion. That's no big deal though because I look for function before I look for aesthetics.

Really it comes down to what you need. If you're just a recreational user then I would recommend the New Wave. It's much cheaper then the Charge TTi and is almost just as functional. You don't get the additional bits or the cutting hook but you're not missing too much. I very rarely need to use any of the additional bits that came with the Charge TTi. Also, even though S30V is far superior then 420HC you probably wont care too much. You can always sharpen the New Wave if you need to. However if you're an industrial user and you rely on your multi-tool heavily on a daily basis then I would recommend the Charge TTi. You will really appreciate the much higher quality S30V and you will probably get more use out of the additional bits. Also the additional strength of the Charge TTi is definitely a plus. This tool gets 5 stars because it's flawless. It does cost a bit more, but what do you expect when you're buying a multi-tool that has titanium handles and a blade with one of the highest grade stainless steels available today? Try pricing other blades that have S30V stainless, they aren't cheap! If I wouldn't have found such a great deal on the Charge TTi then I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another New Wave. This is an amazing tool but make sure it's what you really need.

I've carried a multitool (SOG, Gerber, Vix, Leatherman) every day for the last 17 years. What you see here is the best multitool Leatherman ever made. Steven wrote a great review, so I'll skip that part and point out a few moments that might be important for you.

- Amazon suggests that you buy a Quick-Release Pocket Clip and Lanyard Ring along with this item. Don't do it, those are already included.

- First accessory that I recommend is the Leatherman 934870 40 Bit Assortment with Nylon Sheath. Use it to fill up included "trial size" clip with the most useful bits.

- Second accessory is the new flashlight from the same company, a Leatherman 831062 Serac 2-LED Flashlight. It fits perfectly into elastic side compartment of the Charge's sheath. And it's darn bright!

Now, the most common complaint about Charge is that the tools are too hard to get out of the handle. No big deal, just find some security (hollow core) T-10 torx drivers, heat up the handles with the heat gun (on Low setting!) or a hair dryer, and loosen those screws a little bit. Or just send it to the Leatherman for a tune-up, it's free anyways..

Another hint: if you are using a cutting hook a lot (as I do), a Dremel 453 chainsaw sharpener will help re-sharpen it in no time. Perfect fit.

It was a tough choice choosing a multi-tool. If you didn't know already just about everyone makes them these days. The prices of these tools range from $30-$150. I had one of the original styles of Leatherman (The kind that you had to open the pliers to get at any of the tools.) It was durable and I like the idea of supporting a US manufacturing company so I set out to buy another. The two that I was considering was the Skeletool and the Charge TTi. This model looked like it had about everything and it's a good feeling to get the one that has it all. The Skeletool looked very cool but I didn't think I could "live with less" or however their new slogan goes. The TTi was only about 3 more ounces in weight and came with a much better knife and tool set.

Reading the reviews of this tool made me laugh. There was everything from flimsy construction reviews to "The tool was missing the saw." After receiving the tool and using it for a month I can say that everything was included as listed and the tool is truly a marvel of engineering and workmanship (I LOVE the unique feel of the titanium body). These tools have come a long way from the original tools and the way each tool locks into place and how each piece works together is unbelievable.

I think were many people make the mistake with a Leatherman is that they are expecting the refined nature of a Victorinox Swiss Army knife or something similar. With a Leatherman the blades and tools are not polished to a mirror finish. They are punched out of very high-grade steel and run though a rock shaker for a couple of days to knock the unwanted metal hunks off. The Leatherman reminds me of what a soviet Cold-War era knock-off of a Swiss Army knife would look like... not nearly as pretty but probably more functional and sturdy.

My new Charge TTi is beautiful in its own Industrialist way. If you are looking for a museum showpiece of a knife I suggest going another rout. If you are worried about the quality of this tool you can buy with confidence; barring abuse, this thing will likely be around longer than you will! I have already used it may times and while camping it was particularly useful. A multi-tool will never replace even a small toolbox, but when they are the only option, it's a very good item to have.

I have had the Leatherman Charge about 8 months now. I got this tool rather than one of the other Leathermans because of the better knife blade steel, it has I think, the most tools, and I just liked the way the titanium handles looked.

Pros:
- I like that you can change the driver bits
- removable pocket clip
- well made
- all tools lock open

Cons:
- leather sheath is a bit too tight. I don't like that I cannot remove it quickly or easily. Maybe it would be easier if I used the sheath more often and it got a little more broken in. I usually use the pocket clip.
- Some of the tools are very difficult to open if you have short fingernails.
- #1 complaint: it has a file, and on the edge of the file, where on a Victorinox Swiss army knife you would have the hacksaw, this tool has little bumps. So at first I thought it just had a crappy hack saw. Then I looked at it more closely and saw that its not a hacksaw, its just little bumps along the edge. In the past I have actually needed the hacksaw on my Swiss Army Knife, so I am disappointed this tool doesn't have one.

I'll start by noting that the Leatherman Charge is basically just a fancy Leatherman Wave.

With that out of the way, here's what I like about mine compared to the Wave - it's light weight since it's largely titanium and it has an awesome "hook" blade that I use all the time to open plastic clamshells that electronics come in.

Apparently the blade is made of harder steal than the one with the Wave. Can't say I've noticed, Leatherman's always come with amazing blades that never seem to need sharpening.

So all of that is just relative to the Leatherman Wave. On it's own the Charge is just a great tool. Pliers, philips screw driver, mini screwdriver, scissors, an assortment of knives and saws, and a can opener. I use it constantly, for everything.

Only one complaint - the pliers are aluminum, I think. Whatever they're made of, don't use them to cut hard metals. You'll ruin your fancy $160 (MSRP) Leatherman.

I already have a Victorinox Spirit but felt the Charge TTi had enough unique features to warrant another multitool purchase. Both are great and extremely rugged tools. I would give the edge to the Spirit for build quality (although the Charge TTi comes very close). For example the flathead/pry bar on the Spirit is much thicker. Fit and finish is also another plus for the Spirit. However because of the (slippery) polished finish, I prefer the Charge because I can get a better grip on it. Pros of the Charge of course is the one handed blade opening. I love the shape of the regular and serrated blade, especially the cutting hook on the serrated blade which is very useful. Best features to me though are the changeable bit drivers and mini eyeglass screwdriver. I was skeptical on how well flat headed bits would work but after trying it out I immediately bought the 40 bit accessory kit. The Spirit also have a few good things going for it, like a chisel and awl which the Charge does not have. Both tools have scissors, file and of course pliers but I prefer the ones on the Charge. The scissors are about even and really just a preference, the diamond file seems finer and the pliers are slightly more narrow than the Spirit so you can use it for more precise work. I find myself grabbing the Charge more often for work because its my beat it up tool. But the Spirit works just as good and quality wise it is classic Victorinox, so well made and high quality I like too keep it in good condition. If you are looking for just one multitool you should decide whether the chisel on the Spirit is more important or the changeable bit drivers on the Charge. Overall both are great tools, if you are a geek for hardware like I am I would highly recommend getting both.

Impressive! I was hoping this tool would be worth the investment. I have not had the chance to use the gut hook yet, but the knife I used several times and was very pleased. I also used the screw driver and it worked quite nice also. What really surprised me was how well the pliers worked. Not all pliers were created equal. I've used craftsmen, snap-on and others before. These pliers to me worked just as well as the snap-on pliers possibly even better. I was pulling staples out of sealed heavy duty plastic packaging and to my amazement, these pliers never slipped off the staples as I pulled them straight out with plenty of force. Maybe Leatherman should make a line of professional tools.

Leatherman Charge TTi with Free Leatherman Bit Kit (Nylon Sheath)If I'm a clutz at anything I do, I can still rule out equipment failure. The Charge Tti is made of stronger, better materials than earlier models. This means less corrosion, less hinge wear, blades stay sharper longer, etc.

Here's the deal closer for me....Every tool on the Charge has a locking mechanism. So my fingers aren't in danger from a folding blade.

The nylon sheath is not as pretty as the leather (if you're into pretty tools), but there's a separate area to store the extra bits that come with the tool. In the woods, I don't need the bits so I use the space to slide in a small whetstone. And I don't worry about getting the nylon sheath wet or muddy.

I'll probably never wear it out, but if I lose it, I'll get another one.

I purchased the Leatherman 830684 about a month ago, and have used it on several occasions since receiving it. It has tools for almost any basic repair job, and is very convenient to use. The knife blades are easily marked so you know which one you're accessing, and they lock in place so the blade won't accidently close and cut you. The knife blades are also extremely sharp, which is a good thing, since a sharp knife is safer than a dull one.

It has a number of screwdriver heads for almost any size and shape screw, the pliers work well, and the tools all lock into place and are easily accessible. There are also two ways to attach it to your belt, or pocket, as well as a ring to attach it to a lanyard or keychain. I take it with me whenever I have a small job to do, and can highly recommend it.

What an amazing and SOLID piece of art work!! SOLID SOLID SOLID. Definitely NOT a toy and VERY functional. This multi-tool shows up in a slick black and yellow leatherman tin (unexpected) with the tool inside laying within a velvet/plastic type of material. What a classy fancy way to present this prize of a tool. Use the tin (8L x 5W x 3H) in your backpack to hold other items. EVERYTHING about this tool works as advertised and above my expectations. This baby is HEAVY DUTY and NOT some little piece of crap. Comes with a 25 year warranty. That's GOT to say something for the faith they have in their craftsmanship.

Only thing I STRONGLY recommend is to go with the nylon case rather than the leather. The leather is very stiff and tight. The nylon case is lightweight, not stiff and has room/slots for the extra bit set, a penlight or pen or whatever, etc... so if you want tactical, go with the nylon case. Hope this review helps.