They say big things come in small packages, and the Leatherman Style PS definitely delivers on this promise. A unique offering in the micro multi-tool market from Leatherman, this tiny tool combines a selection of useful tools in a TSA friendly configuration. Learn more about the pros and cons of this multi-tool with our Leatherman Style PS review.
Contents
Leatherman Style PS Overview
The Leatherman Style PS is clearly built with one purpose in mind, travel. Coming in at only 2.9 inches long and weighing just 1.4 oz, the Style PS is a featherweight dynamo. Lacking any blade, it’s perfect for people who frequently find themselves going through security checkpoints at places like airports or courthouses. The Style PS is based on the Style CS body with a few tweaks.
The large scissors on the CS have been replaced with a small pair of combination needle nose and regular pliers. The small knife blade on the CS is likewise replaced with a tiny but highly capable set of scissors. Other than that the two are basically identical.
Leatherman Style PS Tools
Leatherman shows once again why they’re so revered in the multitool market. The Leatherman Style PS provides you with eight tools in a tiny package. When you’re dealing with a multi-tool of this size you expect there to be performance issues, though it wasn’t nearly as noticeable as we expected. Our time spent using the Style PS shows that Leatherman has done a pretty good job maximizing the usefulness of each of these tools.
Pliers and Wire Cutters
Pliers and a cutter are the bread and butter of any multi-tool. The Style PS packs in both a needlenose point and regular grip. We’ll be honest, the only bolts you’ll be turning with these are tiny. The size of the Style PS simply makes it impossible to get much leverage and the size of the pliers limit what you can grip.
That being said, the cutter is good for up to about 14 AWG wire without too much of a struggle and for small or fiddly applications the pliers work quite well. The only real gripe we have is the stubby needlenose point. It can make it difficult to fit the Style PS into really small applications.
Screwdriver and Nail File
The combination screwdriver nail file works as well as any on the market. The driver will work on most small flat or phillips head screws, though not on ones as small as eyeglasses screws. We found it to work really well at adjusting and tightening screws on small electronics and tools.
The file, well it’s a file, it has a sandpapery consistency and works well for rounding off a broken nail or smoothing a bit of jagged plastic. We wouldn’t recommend you try and use it for anything tougher than that.
Scissors
The scissors on the Style PS are very capable for their size. The small blade cuts easily through tags, string, and other everyday items. Surprisingly, they have proven to be equally capable of trimming fabric, gliding through paper, and even cutting thicker pieces of plastic and packaging.
The only real complaint we have against the scissors is that the small metal spring arm is prone to breakage. In fairness, most multi-tools deal with scissor issues and Leatherman was more than willing to replace the spring arm on two separate occasions, free of charge.
Carabiner/Bottle Opener
The carabiner clip is one of the key features of the Style PS. It allows you to easily attach this tiny tool to your keychain, belt loops, zipper pulls or pretty much anywhere else you need it. As a bonus, it doubles as a funky but pretty effective bottle opener. Word of warning though, if you keep your Style PS in your pocket expect it to fall off your keys every now and then. The small clip is prone to getting pushed back by other odds and ends.
Tweezers
The tweezers in the Style PS will be familiar to anyone who’s ever owned a swiss army knife. They have a fairly standard bend near the tip to help provide more gripping power but lack any kind of textured surface. This becomes a real problem when you’re trying to pull out a stubborn splinter, as the tweezers tend to slip and slide right off whatever you’re trying to grab.
Leatherman Style PS Review
The Style PS has a stainless steel body with glass-filled nylon trim on one side that’s available in three colors, black, red, and blue. Everything about the Style PS is designed for portability, ease of use, and compliance with security regulations. The tool setup is extremely basic, but gets the job done for most small tasks. Our only real gripes with the Style PS are the weak scissor spring arm and the smooth tweezers. Thankfully Leatherman is willing to repair or replace the scissor spring for free under its 25-year warranty.
The lack of a blade will be annoying to many EDC enthusiasts. For its intended audience of lawyers, frequent flyers, and world travelers though this can’t be described as a downside. For its price the Style PS provides more features, in a higher quality package, than just about any similar multi-tool.
Leatherman Style PS Pros – Things We Liked
- TSA compliant
- Surprisingly effective pliers/cutter
- Screwdriver attachment very well designed and sized
- Overall build quality is excellent, especially for the low price
- Excellent Leatherman 25 year warranty
Leatherman Style PS Cons – Things We Didn’t Like
- Very limited tools
- Tweezers are minimally functional and prone to slipping
- Scissor spring arm constantly gives out
Who’s The Leatherman Style PS For?
The Style PS is the perfect multi-tool for frequent flyers and others who often find themselves at a security checkpoint. It provides a small selection of well-designed tools and breezes through security with hardly a second glance.
Even if you don’t regularly find yourself emptying your pockets into those little plastic trays, the Style PS provides great value for its tiny size. The pliers are some of the best available in the micro multi-tool market, and the screwdriver works far better than you would expect.
Leatherman Style PS Vs Comparable tools
There are now several offerings in the micro multi-tool market, each with different strengths and weaknesses. We’ve picked out several of the strongest competitors to run head to head against the Style PS.
Comparison Table
Style PS Vs Style CS
Based on the same frame design, the PS and CS basically just fulfill two sides of the same niche. The CS has an arguably better toolset for a multitool of this size, but for people who can’t carry any kind of blade the PS wins out.
Each is an excellent and well-built tool that provides useful tools in a very small package. The only real downside to the PS is the noticeable fail point of the scissor spring arm.
Style PS Vs Squirt PS4
The Leatherman Squirt PS4 is an excellent little multi-tool that’s basically just a shrunken down version of traditional tools. It has a small set of pliers, a knife, scissors, a file, and two screwdrivers. The design is much more traditional looking than on the Style PS but overall it’s an attractive and very functional multi-tool.
The Style PS beats out the Squirt PS4 only in its specific set of users. The Squirt won’t make it through security, the Style PS will.
Style PS Vs Gerber Dime
The Gerber Dime has a very similar design to the Squirt PS4, differing only in the addition of a bottle opener instead of a file. The screwdriver of the Dime is very small, even compared to other micro multi-tools. It’s still not quite small enough for eyeglasses or other specialized screws and doesn’t work as well as the Style PS’s screwdriver for larger tasks.
Overall, its tools are robust and highly functional for their size, but it also isn’t capable of going into airports, courthouses, or schools. Another point in favor of the Style PS
Read our full Gerber Dime review
Style PS Vs Micra
The Leatherman Micra can be thought of as a fusion of the Squirt PS4 and the Style CS. It has the basic layout and tools of the Squirt, but with the spring loaded scissors of the Style CS. The Micra is highly rated by its users and has a wide following among anglers, hobbyists, and others who frequently find themselves in need of a tool.
The Micra has two more tools than the Style PS, but lacks any form of pliers. The tweezers have a fairly novel design. They’re integrated directly into the handle and reported to be very well made. It’s hard to beat out the Micra as an EDC multitool, but the Style PS still edges it out for its intended user base of frequent flyers.
Read our full Leatherman Micra review
Conclusion – Final Thoughts On the Leatherman Style PS
For its size and price point you’d be hard pressed to find a better multi-tool than the Leatherman Style PS. Is it as capable as it’s larger cousins? Of course not, but it does provide you with an excellent set of small tools no matter where you find yourself in the world.
Buy from Amazon
Rating: 4.6 Stars Out of 5.0
The scissors are surprisingly sharp for such a small tool. Handy for cutting tags off new purchases on the go.
As a frequent flyer, the Leatherman Style PS is a game changer. The absence of a blade is no issue for me, and the compact design is perfect for my needs. However, I’ve had to replace the scissor spring arm twice. Thankfully, Leatherman’s warranty service is top-notch. Overall, I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars – a must-have for travelers who need a basic toolset on hand.