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Leatherman Charge TTi Review

by Grayson Parker 18 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. We may get paid an affiliate commission if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of the links on this web page.

Last Updated: July 27, 2019

I grew up with Leatherman tools. My dad always carried one, and to this day he still has his Leatherman Juice on or around him most of the time. In Scouting, most people carried a multitool of some kind. The first knife that I cut myself with was my dad’s Leatherman Wave. When we climbed Mt. Whitney, I didn’t take a bushcraft knife, I didn’t take a modern folder; all I had was a Leatherman Squirt PS4. If you can’t tell by this point, I’ve got a lot of love for Leatherman tools.

Leatherman Charge TTi with Accessories
Buy the Leatherman Charge at BladeHQ

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Under those circumstances, it’s pretty obvious why I’d be drawn to the Leatherman Charge TTi. Full size, all locking tools, built like a tank from materials even a knife snob couldn’t turn their nose up at; you see where I’m going. Last Christmas I decided to take the plunge and purchase one. It’s less and more than what I expected, and I’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing.

I’m sure every gear nut knows this feeling: you only need a tool when you don’t have it with you. That’s part of the problem here. I’ve carried the Charge in the pocket, on my belt, or in a bag for more than a month, and all the tasks I thought I’d be using it for disappeared whenever it was around. Who knows, maybe the plumbing was intimidated into submission.

General Dimensions and Tools

The Charge TTi has a closed length of 4” and a blade length of 2.9”. It’s .8” thick, and weighs 8.89 oz. I haven’t done the math, but it’s approximately heavy enough to qualify as assault with a deadly weapon if thrown. Partially responsible for the dreadnought class tonnage is that all the tools lock while open, a design choice that I still don’t know if I agree with yet. On one hand, it’s comforting to know that the blades won’t be snipping my fingers off if I do something stupid. On the other, I don’t know why an eyeglass screwdriver needs to lock. There’s a bit of play in all the locks, but that’s par for the course with multitools.

Leatherman Charge TTi vs. Leatherman Skeletool vs. Leatherman Squirt

You can check out all the tools on the Charge through this link, the below chart, or the picture below that. I can’t think of a tool they left out, and their inclusion of a flathead screwdriver when the Charge already has two bit drivers suggests they were running out of ideas. That, or they knew too many folks just used the flathead for prying open paint cans and wanted to make replacement easier. Either way, all appropriate tools are present.

Needlenose PliersS30V BladeCan/Bottle Opener
Regular Pliers420HC Serrated BladeWood/Metal File
Hard-Wire CuttersSawDiamond Coated File
Wire CutterSpring-Action ScissorsLarge Bit Driver
CrimperCutting HookSmall Bit Driver
Wire StripperRulerMedium Screwdriver

Leatherman Charge TTi Tools

As I noted earlier, the Charge frightened away most of the chores that I would have used it for, but I was able to reach for it a few times. The pliers (which are cast, not machined) are wide and aggressive enough to remove the aerators from sinks, yet come to enough of a needle point for splinter removal. I didn’t use the blade hard enough to push the S30V to its limits, but it worked fine on boxes, apples, and spreading condiments on a sandwich. More than a few bottles of beer were opened as well. The only complaint I have is the absence of replaceable wire cutters, which are common enough in other Leatherman tools that I can’t see why they weren’t included.

Leatherman Charge TTi cutting an Apple

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handles (if you couldn’t guess) are made of titanium. Well, the scales are. The non-tool guts of the knife are made of steel; I don’t even want to know how difficult the machining would be otherwise. By multitool standards the construction is pretty tight. Nominally, it’s held together with torx screws, but that would imply that you can disassemble it. This is not the case. For some reason that only the engineers at Leatherman know, these torx bits have little pins in them, which makes them incompatible with most torx drivers. A quibble, but a galling one. Before I get too negative, I will note that the finish left on the scales is truly beautiful, in a chipped stone kind of way.

Leatherman Charge TTi in Sheath

Imagine a brick. Now shrink it, make it a little slimmer along the way, and put it in your hand. That covers the essential points of the ergonomics here. Normally I wouldn’t be so dismissive, but compared to the Skeletool the Charge is lackluster at best. To be fair: the edges are rounded, and I’ve never felt a hotspot, but it doesn’t conform to your palm the way other Leatherman tools do. If you’re carrying the Charge with the pocket clip, then disregard my line about “never feeling a hotspot.” You should have a good idea why farther down.

Leatherman Charge TTi in Hand

Take that same shrunken brick and strap it to your belt. Honestly, it’s not that bad that way. If you’re working in an industrial setting, no one is going to care about a multitool, and even most offices won’t mind a Leatherman on your belt. The worst I can say is that it can compete for space with any bag you might have, depending on how you wear it. Mine came with the leather sheath, and I haven’t had any problems with it. The side pockets on it are nice for a AAA flashlight and a mini sharpie.

Are you feeling particularly brave? Clip it to your pocket.

Leatherman Charge TTi Thickness

Leatherman Charge TTi Review – Final Thoughts

If you walked away from this review with the impression that I don’t like the Charge, I’m sorry. I can see that in many ways it’s a great tool, and deserves to be on the shortlist of high end multitools. This is probably just a consequence of my expectations being in the wrong place. A carpenter, an electrician, or anyone that does a lot of work with their hands would probably love having this on their belt. In other words: “it’s not you, it’s me.”

Leatherman Charge TTi Pliers

Funnily enough, its stiffest competition comes from within the brand, in the form of the Leatherman Wave. The Wave shares most of the design language of the Charge: a full set of locking tools, outside accessible blades, and a nearly identical toolset. Of course, it doesn’t have the premium materials that the Charge TTi does, but it also costs half as much. Whether those materials are worth the premium is up to you. Leatherman isn’t the only game in town; Victorinox, Multitasker, Gerber, and SOG all make plier centric multitools. I imagine that I’d have similar complaints if I were to review any of their offerings, as they’re all near the same weight or heavier.

At the end of the day, who should buy this? Well, despite its staid design, it really is the top of the heap. If you want a multitool that has the same materials as a Spyderco Sage 2, this is your only option. The all-locking tools may be unnecessary to me, but a godsend to someone else. It’s a nice enough object that I’m not going to get rid of mine; this’ll just be consigned to the glove box, where it can do some real good in a pinch.

Next up – the ZT 0900. You bastards finally got to me.

LEATHERMAN - Charge TTI Titanium Multitool with Spring-Action Scissors and Cutting Hook, Stainless Steel with Nylon Sheath (FFP)
LEATHERMAN - Charge TTI Titanium Multitool with Spring-Action Scissors and Cutting Hook, Stainless Steel with Nylon Sheath (FFP)
  • READY FOR ANYTHING: All the most requested features in one good-looking, functional tool. Take it everywhere, use it anywhere.
  • FIT MORE FUNCTIONALITY: A variety of pliers, wire cutters, wire crimper and stripper, serrated and regular knives, saw, spring-action scissors, cutting hook, can and bottle openers, files, screwdrivers, and a ruler.
  • LET’S BE PRACTICAL: Sometimes you only have one hand to spare. The Charge TTi only requires one hand to open and use all the tools, even the ones that aren’t accessible from the outside. And with a locking blade, you can cut with confidence.
  • ALWAYS ON HAND: Equipped with a pocket clip and quick-release lanyard ring, your Charge TTi is always within reach and ready to work.
  • GUARANTEED: Our 25-year limited warranty ensures that your Leatherman will give you many years of dependable service. Just send it in and we’ll fix it up. All Leatherman multitools are made and repaired right here in the USA.
Buy on Amazon

I recommend purchasing the Leatherman Charge TTi at Amazon, or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

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Related

Filed Under: Leatherman, Misc. Gear, Multi-Tools Tagged With: Made in USA, s30v, titanium

About Grayson Parker

Grayson is an avid knife and gear enthusiast. He began writing for BladeReviews in 2015, and has elevated reviewing knives to an art form. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Troy Helmer says

    December 4, 2016 at 9:55 pm

    I’ve got a Wave, and I think it’s similar enough that I can comment on a few points here.

    First, the all-locking tools. You’re right, it’s not necessary on all the tools, but it is pretty nice to have on the screwdrivers, and even the can-opener if you’re like me, because I’ve never opened a can at work, but I do use the can opener as a makeshift awl. The design of the lock is very simple, easy to operate, and having it lock on every tool is just as easy as excluding some of them would have been.

    Second – the stand-alone flat head screwdriver. It’s much thicker, heavy-duty compared to even the biggest flat head bit you can get for the swappable driver tool. It can be used with a lot more torque, where the thinner blades on the bits will twist/warp. It does not, however, make a fantastic prybar – or at least mine didn’t, and it’s now somewhat shorter than it used to be.

    Reply
    • Grayson Parker says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:21 pm

      My feelings on the locking tools are kind of complicated. If it doesn’t add any weight, I’m on board. Otherwise….maybe apply it judiciously. I suppose an extra half ounce or so doesn’t matter in this class, so I might just be nitpicking.

      Good point (and thanks for the heads up) on the stand alone screwdriver. I’ll keep that in mind.

      Thanks,
      Grayson

      Reply
  2. bdc says

    December 5, 2016 at 7:01 am

    Excellent review! Such is why I chose the Wave.

    Reply
    • Grayson Parker says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:21 pm

      Can’t fault you for your choice!
      -Grayson

      Reply
  3. Dave says

    December 7, 2016 at 5:49 am

    Good review. FYI, those torx bits with the pins are called security torx. You can get security torx bits at most hardware stores.

    Reply
    • Dan says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:03 pm

      Dave,

      Thanks for clarifying that for us. Excellent point.

      Dan

      Reply
    • Grayson Parker says

      December 8, 2016 at 7:18 pm

      Thanks for the tip! I’ll try and track some down.
      -Grayson

      Reply
  4. Dave says

    September 12, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    I found my Charge in a used car I bought. Admitingly, its clunky, but acceptable. As for the locking feature, the blade is SHARP. I would not want it to fold onto my finger.

    Reply
    • Dan Jackson says

      September 15, 2018 at 9:52 am

      Dave, That is a pretty good pickup to find in a used car! It’s a big tool, but well made. Great for keeping in the glove box or center console “just in case”. I hope you enjoy it.

      Dan

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    January 19, 2019 at 9:23 pm

    What would you guys recommend as a special gift, a charge plus or charge tti?

    Reply
    • Dan Jackson says

      January 20, 2019 at 9:32 am

      Laura, How about a Charge Plus TTi?

      Dan

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    January 21, 2019 at 4:56 am

    Hello Dan,
    Thank you for your reply.
    I have been confused between the two and finally decided on the tti. I just want to know what makes the tti better than the charge plus?
    Laura

    Reply
    • Dan Jackson says

      January 21, 2019 at 8:05 am

      Laura, My understanding is that Leatherman updated the pliers on both the Charge and Charge TTi to include user replaceable wire cutters in the jaws. They now refer to these models as the Charge Plus and the Charge TTi plus. The Charge TTi has upgraded titanium handles, better blade steel (S30V instead of 154CM), is a little thinner, and is 11 grams lighter.

      So there are some small upgrades when you go to the TTi.

      Dan

      Reply
  7. Laura` says

    January 21, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    Thank you so much for the information Dan! much appreciated!
    Laura.

    Reply
    • Dan Jackson says

      January 21, 2019 at 8:39 pm

      Laura, Happy to help!

      Dan

      Reply
  8. D says

    August 25, 2019 at 2:58 am

    I keep seeing reviews referring to the Charges “other flathead screwdriver”.
    I’m relatively certain, based on what I remember reading once upon a time, that Leatherman markets this particular feature not as a screwdriver, but as a “prying and scraping tool”.

    Reply
    • D says

      August 25, 2019 at 3:05 pm

      Nevermind. I just compared the manual for my newer charge with the manual from my much older Wave. They USED to call it a “prying and scraping tool” but are in fact, calling it a “medium screwdriver” now. I’m guessing it’s a legal thing, like if they don’t CALL it a Prying tool, you can’t get mad at them if it breaks while prying something with it?

      Reply
      • Troy Helmer says

        August 25, 2019 at 8:22 pm

        That’s probably exactly the reason… guess what mine did while prying something with it?

        Reply

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