Gear Review: Leatherman Style CD Mini Multi-Tool – Cute Like a Baby Rattlesnake

 
By National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor Steve Casimiro, editor of The Adventure Life

Yes, but the reason it’s a genuine utilitarian object rather than a glorified keychain weight is surprising. It’s not that Style CS sports a massive array of tools—it has just knife, scissors, screwdriver, nail file, and tweezers. Rather, the Style CS works because the three-quarter-inch carabiner extension makes it long enough to fit comfortably in your hand. If you’ve ever struggled to turn a screw or actually cut something with a miniature Swiss Army Knife or even the Leatherman Micra, you know what I mean—the tool is so small, it’s hard to get leverage. Not so the Style CS. Though the blade is only 1.5 inches, when opened, the cutting tool is 4.5 inches. You can whittle a stick for tinder, shave a hunk of parmesan for some pasta, or field repair a crank bike derailleur. With the extra length of the downsize Skeletool, the bare bones are all you need.