So, I'm looking to replace my Leatherman Crunch in my newly-minted EDC. I'm looking at something a bit lighter. So far my choices loook like the Leatherman Juice P4 or the Gerber Clutch. Any other options are welcome.

Feel free to opine at will.

take a look at the Leatherman Micra, i love mine

I have used both.

Gerber Clutch:
- pluses: has a decent, useful small blade; can fit on a keychain though it's a trifle big; often found for $10 on sale
- minuses: gripping teeth don't go all the way to the tip of the pliers (I filed mine down); plier handles dig into your palm; screwdrivers are very limited; very tiny wire cutters
- overall, a very light duty tool

Leatherman Juice series:
- pluses: weight and size are pretty good; pliers are thin but useful with good wire cutters;
- minuses: tools aren't held open very securely (inadequate spring); handles aren't long enough to give good leverage; screwdrivers are pretty small; and IMO too expensive for what you get
- overall a light-to-medium duty tool

The thing is, IMO, you lose a lot of utility when you go to the mini multitools. If you can find a Sideclip or better still a PST-II (diamond file), you can do a lot more "real" work for 5 ounces. For that matter, a Victorinox paired with small needle-nose pliers would probably do more, but may not be ideal for EDC.

The question is, how light do you need to go? And what tasks would you expect the multitool to do?

My two cents' worth.

I don't really care to have scissors. I'm trying to keep the weight/bulk down so that my belt pouch doesn't explode from being overloaded. I'm trying to get under 4 inches and 5 ounces. From the looks of it I may be in for a tough ride.

I gave my wife a Pink Clutch last fall and it quickly became a permanent fixture on her keychain. Sometimes I'll ask her for it as opposed to using my SAK as it better at certain tasks.

I've tried it, and come to the conclusion that my Leatherman Wave is going to be as small a multi-tool as I can tolerate. From my point of view, there's no point in having something smaller if I get so frustrated using it that I feel like giving it the heave-ho. I have a SAK classic on my keychain just so I am never without a blade of some sort, but no way I'd carry a smaller Multi tool as a primary, and no point in having one if I have my Wave with me.

Part of me wants to not carry the Crunch around but, I got for $20 a few years ago at Lowes. They had some weird clearance thing going on. I should have bought two. The jaw mechanism is a bit of an annoyance. The handle will slip and flop around and the jaws come undone from the little clip thingy.

I was looking into some other four-inchers from Gerber yesterday. I don't know (he said in a dejected manner), maybe I'll research this to death and do nothing.

I know what you mean. I would desperately love to have something smaller that would work as well, but I've just not found it yet, and something useless to me is not a deal at any price.

Sometimes we can compromise ourselves right into dysfunctional I think.

Is there a Juice P4? Do you mean a Leatherman Squirt p4?


Anyway, I carry a Squirt P4 on my keychain for EDC. Does everything I want it to do, and therefore prevents me from having to show my Wave (wich is in my bag) in public.

Good point, Jim. I think we have our models mixed up a bit.

The Squirt P4 is nice and small on a keychain, but very limited, and IMHO not worth the price. Mine (bought used via TSA auction) lives in my briefcase -- perfect for pulling staples. In the "keychain" category, I think the Clutch gives more bang for the buck.