Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/693549
even when firmly tightened, there is still space necessary for convenient rotation of the chain. An interesting fact: screws in the black and steel version have slightly different shapes – the black ones have sharper heads, silver ones are a little bit rounded. It is possible to tighten screws with e.g. a coin (one cent). You may use your Tread in several ways – keeping it vertically, horizontally with the lever arm on one side, and horizontally with the lever arm on both sides. There are many possibilities and the bracelet is flexible to a large extent. Of course you may adjust the size of your bracelet by removing individual links – unfortunately, people with lean wrists will then have a slightly less functional set of tools. The same is in the case of people who bought the version with a watch, or those who will buy links for attaching a watch of other producers. In such configuration, one will have a Tread with three, maybe four links plus the clasp. Far too little. Tread, in its full configuration, weighs 175 g and is delivered in a very elegant, black carboard box padded with sponge. To be honest, it fits a watch or a smartphone and totally differs from the characteristic black and yellow tool boxes that are associated with Leatherman. Such exclusive boxes perhaps result from the price. Tread is advertised as a toll that can be easily taken on board of a plane and to mass events, and – as in the case of all tools by Leatherman – it has 25-year warranty. RABBIT'S REVIEW I have been using my Tread for several months – I must confess that I got used to it. It replaced the paracord bracelet on my wrist. Although it is heavier and larger, it is far more useful in EDC. The feeling of wearing it may be compared to wearing a watch with a metal bracelet – it is not particularly heavy and does not prevent you from everyday activities. Well, there's maybe one exception – I take it off when working on the computer, but for that activity I would take of a watch as well. That is simply much more convenient. What is more, Tread may scratch the laptop (but there is no such problem with a PC keyboard). When worn, the bracelet does not bother or irritate, and will not tear your hand hair out. It looks cool and makes a nice sound – a sort of chimes with clinging. When it comes to functionality, it is really good. All those wrenches and screwdrivers work – maybe not as properly as regular tools. Yet, for a wrist „emergency set", it serves its role well. Flexibility of the bracelet allows working with variously positioned screws (still, there must be good access) and with variable force. Tread used as one-arm lever gives nice gear ratio, so even the stubborn screws give up easily. The bare version of Tread must have shallowly mounted fitted screws – the ends are short and they won't go too deep. In such a situation, we may use the extended 1/4 Leatherman hexes or the socket adapter (together, they work perfectly). One may also attach an extension from a „regular" set of wrenches. The fitting of tools on the clasp is reliable. The ball-locking mechanism holds them firmly, similarly to the clasp of the bracelet itself – it unfastened for me only once, when I was hitting some resistant dowel (or a nail, I just don't remember) with a Signal used as a hammer. Apart from that one situation, I have had no problems, even when shooting various types of guns, including a PK machine gun. I have used the SIM card tool once, just because I was curious if it works (how many times do you take the SIM card out of your phone anyway?) – it does. The cutting hook also works, but you won't call that an accurate lancet. You will manage to open things, sometimes more accurately, sometimes not, leaving jagged edges. I have not used the oxygen tank wrench yet... I am neither an old guy who needs oxygenation, nor a paramedic... The bottle opener – a great thing indeed. It opens bottles without effort and does not bend the caps. TOOLS