Nylon or leather sheath?

Hello all,
I am going to be buying a Leatherman and wonder which would be a "better" sheath; the leather or the nylon?
Thanks
Dan

I can't speak for the nylon but my LM Wave has been on my belt constantly for the past 3 years. The bottom of it scuffed up very quickly. The snap is still quite secure and the sheath is still very sturdy.

Scott

Leather, always leather. It is called a "Leatherman" after all. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've tried both, and the nylon snags on things.

My Leatherman's been on my belt every day but two for the last 4 years. It's in the orginal Leatherman leather sheath, pretty worn now, even beginning to wear through on the bottom, but I have always had total confidence in the leather sheath.

The nylon will outperform the leather in most every aspect, but I expect you know that already. The snap and the velcro can compete well enough, but snaps do wear out and velcro does get clogged.

I debated this myself, and decided to ask my wife for the nylon sheath to replace my leather one for my wave. The leather looks less "urban", so that was part of the reason, but it also wears faster and doesn't withstand water so well. Plus it seems to me that the nylon just wears "easier" on my belt - hard to explain, but it doesn't feel like such a brick when it's on. Plus, if I put my belt clip attachment on, the wave doesn't fit well into the leather, but does just fine in the nylon. The nylon sheath also has just enough room on the sides to clip a thin pen or one of the Coast flashlights I've mentioned elsewhere (under a quarter inch thick tube).

Here's the kicker... get the leather one if you are so inclined, and pick up the spare nylon sheath for the $6 or vice versa if it doesn't turn out. If you wear other gear and you want it to match, then that might affect your decision as well.

Either way, a ballistic nylon sheath will outlast the leather, but if you treat the latter right, don't get it wet, it will do just fine too. They do smell if they get wet though.. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It's not like it's going to break the bank to change your mind on this one, but I went with the nylon replacement after wearing the leather for a year.

Just FYI, I also bought one of the new Leatherman knives (very nice) and the sheaths are different in styling from the wave - with gray and black instead of all black. I haven't seen the titanium LM, so maybe it's to match that style sheath? I'm thinking of getting another wave pouch so my set matches - I prefer the plain black style, myself.

When I bought my LM Charge Ti I got it with the leather sheath. I didn't really like it, so much so that I ended up purchasing the nylon sheath to try it. I like the nylon sheath much better.

That's my story. Your mileage may vary.

I have the charge and the leather sheath . the leather is a little stiff when you first get it. I used neatsfoot oil to break it in. I will always take leather over nylon . Just a personal prefrence.
Ask 100 people and you'll get 100 different answers

Forget the sheath, get a pocket clip. You have a one-hand knife, wear it like one. It takes less than a second to pull your Wave out and open the blade if you use a pocket clip. Plus, putting it away is just as fast and easy. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I have a Charge Ti and carried it in the leather sheath until I got a Pelican M6 LED, which came with a Cordura Holster. I figured at that point with all the stuff I was carrying on my belt I looked like a goof so I might as well try and coordinate a little. In an effort to do so, I bought a nylon sheath for my Leatherman. I still look like a goof, but I match. LOL

I found that I could jam both bit kits and Charge in the nylon sheath and still secure the top with the Velcro closure, but could not put it all in the leather sheath because the snap wouldn't even come close to latching, but that was about it.

Truthfully, I could drop a couple of the bits. I can't even recall the last time I used either a Pozi or Robertson Bit and can count the number of times I've used a Torx bit on one hand, but I know the one time I would end up needing any of them I wouldn't be anywhere near where I left them.

That, and the separate bit kit sheath is honkin' large... LOL

The choice I made was one of personal preference. Both the leather and nylon sheaths seem to be of good quality to me.

The four BOBs I have built all have leatherman in leather cases. There is room in the case for the extra bits and a sharpener. I built tough phone coil-cord lanyards for each one and prefer this to the belt clip. If you're stuck somewhere you don't want to loose that important tool. A coil cord lanyard will allow you to use the tool without setting it somewhere and forgetting it.

I'm not answereing your initial question. I prefer leather but only because it's been used forever and I'm more familiar with it than other materials. I would assume, any material that has been deemed mil tech is pretty good stuff. And the material need for BOBs and EDCs may differ.

I prefer how the nylon sheath rides on my belt. But the nylon seems to get dirty, but cleans well. It was riding a little too low, so I put a safety pin about a half inch from the top of the loop. I have had the original wave on my belt for the last 4 years and the sheath is still going strong. Same safety pin for those 4 years as well.

Ready

Nylon - no contest.

My Leatherman PST (or is it a PST II ??? what's the difference ? is there a different marking on the tool ?) came with a nylon sheath.
I have worn it for some years now.
Still good.

As for leather, I ordered a combo sheath (PST + SF6P) two years ago from a canadian guy. Paid for it. Never got it. Too bad...
So I can't tell ...

But I would say it sure looks better ...

I have the Charge Ti which i think is great, but the sheath it came with was awful (it was the leather one). then i saw the nylon version made for the Charge and it's just as bad! i've been using the nylon sheath from my original wave for over a year now with the Charge. i had to replace the loop side of the velcro once but other than that it's great.

The main reason I like the nylon is that it has sideways carry loops. I feel it does not snag on things as much (or poke into my fat gut as much <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> )

Technically, my leather sheath for my New Wave has sideways slots, but the belt has to be fairly thin (both in width and thickness) to go into the slots that way. And good luck pushing through a webbing type belt...