REVIEW – I’ve been carrying a little red Leatherman Squirt multitool in my gear bag for several years but I’ve always wondered if I might like the Leatherman Micra more than the Squirt. I now have the answer to that question because I’ve been using a Micra for the last few weeks. Let’s take a look and find out.
What is it?
The Leatherman Micra is a keychain-sized multitool made of 420HC Stainless Steel in several colors that features spring-action scissors, and a variety of other tools.
Specifications
Closed Length 2.5 in (6.5 cm)
Weight 1.8 oz (51 g)
Blade Length 1.6 in (4.06 cm)
Design and features
The Leatherman Micra is available in 7 colors that include plain stainless steel (silver) and the green version like you see above.
The Micra has the Leatherman Logo and model name painted on the side and a split ring hanging off the end to make it easy to add to your keychain.
If you check out the sides of the Micra multitool, you can see the 4.7 inch (12.0 cm) ruler that is etched into the handles.
To use the Micra, you need to unfold the handles. When you do so, the folded multitool turns into a pair of spring-assist scissors. Even for their small size, they work just fine for string, threads, paper, cardstock, etc. However, I would not want to use them to try to cut really heavy cardboard.
In addition to the scissors, the Leatherman Micra has 9 other tools that unfold from the handles. The tools include:
Scissors
Knife
Ruler
Flat/Phillips screwdriver
Nail cleaner
Tweezers
Bottle opener
Nail file
Medium screwdriver
Extra small screwdriver
Having used a Leatherman Squirt for so long, the first thing I noticed about the Micra is that you can’t get access to the knife without unfolding the handles first. That makes the Micra multitool less convenient to use compared to the Squirt.
It’s also awkward to use the Micra knife due to the handle being in the way. The easiest way I found to use the knife is to only unfold one handle as shown in the first 2 images above. If you unfold both handles, you’ll have to deal with the open scissor blades which might cut the palm of your hand while you’re trying to use the knife.
For comparison, here’s what it’s like to hold the Leatherman Squirt with the knife blade extended. It’s much easier to access and use.
What I like
- Compact
- Spring-action scissors
- Available in a variety of colors
- 25-year limited warranty
What needs to be improved
- The knife blade and other tools can only be accessed by unfolding the handles
Final thoughts
Like other Leatherman tools that I’ve used and reviewed in the past, the Leatherman Micra is well-made and offers a variety of functionality. But the fact that I have to unfold the handles to access the tools (especially the knife blade), it makes the convenience of the Micra multitool a step down from the Squirt. That said, the Squirt has pliers instead of scissors. The scissors on the Squirt are much smaller than the Micra scissors. If you think you need scissors more than pliers, that’s a reason to consider the Micra over the Squirt. For me, I’m sticking with my Leatherman Squirt.
It’s also important to note that neither the Squirt or the Micra is TSA approved, so frequent travelers will need to make sure that they remember to put these multitools in their check-in luggage if they don’t want a TSA agent to confiscate it.
Price: $29.95 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Leatherman.
Filed in categories: Reviews
Tagged: EDC, Multi-tool, Pocket Gear
Leatherman Micra multi-tool review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2018 at 1:10 pm.
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