The market for heavy duty multi tools has been growing steadily over the last few decades, and no one knows this better than Leatherman. They have several tools in this category, including an updated classic, the Super Tool 300. This large and rugged tool combines the appearance and basic utility of the first Leatherman Super Tool with modern manufacturing techniques and materials. Today’s Leatherman Super Tool 300 review will go over the design of this multi tool, its tool loadout, build quality, and our overall opinion of it.
Contents
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Overview
The Super Tool 300 is the third generation of one of Leatherman’s oldest products. The original Super Tool was released in 1994 as a heavy duty counterpart to the company’s Pocket Survival Tool, the first modern multi tool to be released. It’s a big tool, coming in at 4.5 in long closed and weighing fully 9.6 oz. That puts the Super Tool 300 firmly into the heavyweight range.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Super Tool 300 is that it was definitely built to last. There are folks who bought the original Super Tool 20 years ago still proudly wearing them on their belts. Nothing we’ve seen about the third incarnation of this multi tool leads us to believe Leatherman has lowered their standards one bit.
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Tools
The Leatherman Super Tool 300 is a large and feature packed multi tool. It provides you with 19 different tools based around a standard butterfly fold design. Unlike many of Leatherman’s other full size products the Super Tool 300 doesn’t go in for removable bit drivers or other attachments. It gives you large tools based on the designs of the original Super Tool and improved using Leatherman’s 30+ years of know how.
None of the tools on the Super Tool 300 are outside accessible but they do all lock in place. One thing we really like about this tool’s design are the large cutouts on the handles. They make it easy to access all of the tools even when wearing gloves or working in the dark.
Let’s see how the redesigned classic tools on the Super Tool 300 fare.
Pliers, Wire Cutters and Crimper
The first thing to look at on any multi tool is the pliers. Thankfully the Super Tool 300 doesn’t disappoint. It comes with a needlenose point with a standard regular plier grip built in. These are significantly reinforced from the original Super Tool and provide you with a serious amount of grip and turning power.
The handles have a traditional straight geometry and give you great purchase for really torquing down on a nut. Leatherman actually makes it a point to mention that these are the strongest pliers they’ve ever produced. From our experience this is definitely believable.
The only removable/replaceable part on this multi tool is the wire cutters. Leatherman went with their well designed three part replaceable blade, one of the best on the market. It has soft wire, hard wire, and threaded wire areas that allow you to extend the life of your cutters. The wire crimper is located just below the hinge of the pliers and does a serviceable job at its task.
Knife Blades
There are two full size knife blades on the Super Tool 300, both made from Leatherman’s standard 420HC blade steel. They’re each 3.2 in long, and come in a standard clip point straight edge and serrated style. Both come from the factory sharp and are easy to put an edge on. The serrated blade in particular does an excellent job powering through cardboard, cordage, and other rougher materials.
We really like how long these blades are. This is one of the few multi tools that can take the place of a dedicated folder without issue.
Saw
The saw on the Leatherman Super Tool 300 is about the same length as the knife blades. This gives you a lot of real estate to work with and allows you to cut larger branches up to about 2 ½ inches without much trouble. The teeth themselves have a tendency to become clogged when cutting softer woods but are easy to clean out.
Screwdrivers
The Super Tool 300 provides you with four different screwdrivers. There’s one phillips head driver and three different flat heads. The phillips head is nice and long, making it easy to get to those harder to reach screws. The flat heads come in a small, medium, and large sizes and all turned screws without issue. We can’t really ask more than that from a screwdriver.
Bottle Opener, Can Opener and Wire Stripper
The can/bottle opener on the Super Tool 300 is based on the classic hooked design and does a great job when you need it to. We had no problem opening up canned goods or popping the cap off an ice cold soda. The included wire stripper is a small notch built into the side of the can opener and works well enough, though we usually find ourselves using the main knife blade instead.
Awl, File and Ruler
The last three tools on the Super Tool 300 are the awl, file, and ruler. The ruler is one of our favorites among all the multi tools we’ve reviewed. Because the Super Tool 300 is such a large multi tool you get a full 9 in to work with, almost as good as a traditional foot ruler.
The awl is another feature we were glad to see. They were much more common in past generations of multi tool and we still think an awl is one of the most useful things you can have with you. If you don’t know how you’d use an awl, check out our previous article on its uses. The one on the Super Tool 300 even includes a thread loop to allow you to perform emergency sewing repairs.
The Super Tool 300 doesn’t have the diamond grit found on some of Leatherman’s other tools. The standard wood/metal file it has though is well sized and works great. It did a great job filing down rough wood, metal, or plastic sheeting.
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Review
The Super Tool 300 is the second modernization attempted on Leatherman’s first heavy duty multi tool. Overall, we think they did a good job with it. It has the spirit and classy styling of the original Super Tool but benefits from the engineering knowledge Leatherman has developed over the last 30 odd years. It’s a large, well designed tool with a lot of value packed in. It’s also one of the most affordable heavy duty tools on the market today.
Each of the included tools works extremely well and comes in a really useful size. This is one of the few multi tools we’d feel comfortable in leaving the house without also carrying a folding knife. The pliers have been reinforced for added durability over the original design as well. One improvement we really like is the inclusion of replaceable wire cutters. In our experience those are often one of the first parts of a multi tool to give out. Having the option to painlessly switch them out is a huge improvement.
All in all the Super Tool 300 lives up to it’s long legacy and continues to show the world that Leatherman really cares about quality and value.
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Pros – Things We Liked
- Large tools
- Sturdy
- Well designed
- Excellent wire cutters
- Includes an awl
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Cons – Things We Didn’t Like
- Big
- Heavy
- Vintage design can seem old fashioned to some
- No bit driver
- No scissors
- Pocket clip not available
Who’s The Leatherman Super Tool 300 For?
The Leatherman Super Tool 300 is a heavy duty tool built for people who demand quality and durability. It’s a big tool sure, but it has big shoes to fill. It needs to provide you with a lot of tools in situations that put a lot of wear on just about anything. This isn’t the best tool for an office worker or everyday Joe or Jane. It’s a sturdy, classic multi tool designed to provide larger and stronger tools for people who would quickly break a standard multi tool.
Its name really describes it all, as this is a super tool. If you need a large and durable,multi tool that won’t let you down, check out the Leatherman Super Tool 300.
Leatherman Super Tool 300 accessories and extras
Heavy duty tools are large and feature packed multi tools that generally come with a lot of available options. Because of its no frills design the Leatherman Super Tool 300 has fewer than most, but we’ve tried to give you a good overview of the best available.
Sheath / Holster / Pouch – In keeping with its place as a go anywhere do anything tool there are several pouch options available for the Super Tool 300. When purchased straight from Leatherman you can choose between a black leather or black nylon belt pouch. You can also purchase a Molle pouch to attach your Super Tool 300 to any military issue bags or carriers.
Our personal favorite though is the Heritage Super Tool 300 option. This gives you a gorgeous natural leather belt sheath based on the original pouch design from Leatherman.
Replacement Parts – The only replaceable part on the Super Tool 300 is the wire cutters. They’re available for purchase on Leatherman’s website and at many retailers. You can also send your multi tool back to the main Leatherman facility to have them replaced for a small fee.
Leatherman covers all their products with a 25 year limited warranty. If your Super Tool 300 should break due to faulty manufacturing or material error don’t hesitate to submit a warranty request. There are stories of guys sending in 10 and 20 year old tools for warranty repairs with no questions asked.
Different Colors – The Super Tool 300 is currently available in just two finish options. These are stainless steel and black oxide. We generally prefer stainless steel as it tends to hold up better appearance wise over the long haul but of course this is totally opinion based.
Leatherman Super Tool 300 Vs Comparable tools
The heavy duty multi tool market isn’t as jam packed as the full size category is becoming but there are several strong contenders for best tool. No Leatherman Super Tool 300 review would be complete without a comparison with these tools.
Comparison Table
Super Tool 300 Vs Wave+
The Wave+ has been one of Leatherman’s best selling tools for decades. It has also been updated twice and has always included the company’s latest and greatest features. It’s a full size tools that’s about half an inch shorter and around an ounce lighter than the Super Tool 300. It includes one fewer tool than the Super Tool 300 but does have several removable bit drivers and a replaceable saw blade. It’s a bit more expensive than the Super Tool 300 but not significantly so.
Both of these Leatherman’s are excellent multi tools built to last but they fulfill different roles. The Wave+ is one of the best general purpose multi tools on the market today but it can’t compare to the Super Tool 300 in rugged durability.
You can learn more about the Leatherman Wave+ by reading our full review here.
Super Tool 300 Vs Surge
The Leatherman Surge is basically the Wave+ after hitting the gym. It has larger versions of the tools found on the Wave+ along with a few additional tools. It’s a very large, very sturdy tool that won’t let you down when it counts. The Surge is a bit more expensive than the Super Tool 300 but it also includes many more useful features such as bit drivers, replaceable saw and file blades, and scissors.
Both the Surge and the Super Tool 300 are heavy duty tools intended for rugged use. Given that they’re fairly similar in price it really comes down to which tool loadout you prefer. The Surge provides more tools with more modern configurations but the Super Tool 300 is just as sturdy while still being several ounces lighter than the Surge.
You can learn more about the Leatherman Surge by reading our full review here.
Super Tool 300 Vs Rebar
Just like the Surge is the heavy duty version of the Wave+, so too the Super Tool 300 is the heavy duty version of the Rebar. It’s basically a slightly smaller and lighter multi tool that still gives you the classic look of first gen Leatherman. The Rebar packs a lot of tools into a relatively small package and is priced just above the entry level Sidekick and Wingman.
Both the Super Tool 300 and the Rebar are well made multi tools at great price points. Choosing between them basically comes down to how heavy duty your life is. If you need a larger sturdier tool on a regular basis you should absolutely go with the Super Tool 300.
You can learn more about the Leatherman Rebar by reading our full review here.
Conclusion – Final Thoughts On the Leatherman Super Tool 300
Leatherman has been making top of the line multi tools for more than 30 years. With the Super Tool 300 they’ve definitely continued this tradition. It’s a well designed tool that has been tastefully updated while still maintaining its original charm. The 19 different tools it provides are large, well made, and get the job done when you need them to.
This is an excellent third generation multi tool from a respected company. If you’ve been considering upgrading your existing multi tool or buying a new workhorse, we definitely recommend you check out the Leatherman Super Tool 300.
Rating: 4.8 Stars Out of 5.0
In my opinion….the original SUPER TOOL from Leatherman is the best. I have spent lots of money trying to replace it just to maybe upgrade to something more current but I always end up going back to it. I’ve had the Wingman , Wave , Surge , Free and few others from SOG and Gerber.. DONT TRY TO FIX WHATS NOT BROKEN !!!!!
Just got my Leatherman Super Tool 300. Impressed by its sturdiness and the variety of tools. A bit heavy, but that’s expected for such a solid multi-tool.
I’ve been using the Leatherman Super Tool 300 for a month now in my outdoor adventures. The build quality is exceptional, and it’s proven to be incredibly durable. The variety of tools, especially the awl and the file, have been extremely useful. It’s a bit heavy, which is the only downside I’ve noticed. Overall, a solid 4.5/5 from me.