Leatherman Squirt PS4/ES4: “Thumb-sized Toolchest” by Nutnfancy

It was perfect in almost every way….except one. It didn’t have scissors. That was my criticism in my Jul 2008 review video of the otherwise awesome little Leatherman Squirt. It served me with distinction then and became a cherished wingman in my everyday life. Like they sometimes do (and I am glad for it), it has since been retired for the line by Leatherman. But fret not because these new Squirt PS4 and ES4 versions have a major improvement: scissors! They are tiny and precise, reminding me of the also-excellent Swiss Army Classic scissors. These little snips come in handy for a huge variety of everyday tasks; I’ve even used mine for first aid jobs where they snipped ripped skin away without causing pain. But with these scissors you will lose the impressive little awl (I also call it a punch) and the tiny screwdriver that rode in the previous Squirt. It’s a good tradeoff and as I discussed in my vid “Multi-tool Continuum” the designs always call for compromise. Other tools remain unchanged and they function well: file, 420HC flat ground knife blade (still hate the chisel grind they do), Phillips driver, and medium sized flat blade driver. The pliers of the PS4 are unchanged and that is good because for their size, they rock. The Squirts pliers are strong for their size and the jaws close with precision. The provide almost tweezer-like extraction and knot untying capabilities. The ES4 version has precise wire strippers that work and both version have light duty wire cutters that snip flex cuffs, zip ties, small nails, and wire. All tools are easily extracted from the exterior and won’t break your fingernails like some other LDMTs out there. Amazingly the build uses T6 Torx screws so this little MT has an open architecture and can be adjusted should the need arise. The weight remains unchanged as at miniscule 2.0 oz and the quality levels throughout remains impressive. Gone is the interesting tool choice of the retired E4 (tweezers, precise drivers, nail file) and the scissors only S4 Squirt version (look to the Leatherman Style for that in 2011). But they will not be missed. The Squirt colors have changed to matte anodizing including colors black, red, and blue with future special editions on the horizon. The contoured aluminum handles provide a good canvas for the vibrance of the new color choices. The Squirt again makes an ideal and thoughtful gift they will be cherished (until it is lost!). For light duty MTing, the Squirt is ready for the call of duty and unlike a lot of bigger MTs out there, you will probably have it on hand when you need it./////////////// Nutnfancy LIkability Scale: 10 out of 10