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Leatherman Raptor Multitool Evaluate


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The Leatherman Raptor stands as the last word multitool for emergency professionals and medical personnel, providing an unparalleled mixture of precision and performance. Its design transcends typical multipurpose instruments by focusing solely on essential rescue and medical intervention necessities. Engineered for swift deployment, the Raptor delivers important capabilities with out pointless complexity.

Barely bigger than typical pocket multitools, the Raptor’s kind issue is intentionally crafted to maximise utility in high-stakes eventualities. The medical-grade stainless-steel shears characterize the instrument’s centerpiece—razor-sharp and highly effective sufficient to slice via difficult supplies like heavy clothes, seat belts, and medical bandages with ease.

Past its signature shears, the Raptor incorporates a complete suite of specialised implements: needle-nose pliers, a hoop cutter, strap cutter, carbon scraper, glass breaker, and oxygen tank wrench. This fastidiously curated toolkit transforms the gadget from a easy multitool right into a essential lifesaving instrument for first responders, medical professionals, and emergency personnel.

Whereas its sturdy building makes it much less best for informal pocket carrying, the Raptor actually shines when mounted on a belt or secured in a devoted pouch. Its ergonomic design ensures consolation and instant accessibility throughout intense, time-sensitive conditions. Moreover, its versatility extends past emergency contexts, proving equally adept at duties like gardening and cloth slicing. 

Whereas not a catch-all multitool, the Raptor excels in its designated area—it’s a mission-critical gadget for professionals who require instant, exact medical intervention instruments. That stated, it lacks versatility. In the event you’re searching for pliers or a knife blade, you is likely to be higher off with a extra conventional design from our multitool gear information.

Fast Specs

Leatherman Raptor

Greatest Multitool for First Responders


CleverHiker Ranking:

4.8/5.0


Worth:

$100


Weight:

5.8 oz.


# of Instruments:

6


Closed Size:

5 in.


Capabilities:

Shears, strap cutter, ring cutter, glass breaker, ruler, oxygen tank wrench

Execs

  • Excessive-quality
  • Sturdy and sharp shears
  • Holster included
  • Grippy handles

Cons

  • Bulkier than some
  • Fewer features than some
  • Costly

The Leatherman Raptor, held above a log.
The Raptor is as snug in hand as it’s environment friendly. – Photograph Credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Weight & Portability

The Raptor scissors tip the scales at 5.8 ounces – surprisingly manageable given their sturdy building and specialised performance. Our testing workforce discovered them impressively moveable in comparison with conventional trauma shears. Throughout a wilderness first help coaching weekend, we appreciated how the folding design (slightly below 5 inches when closed) allowed for safe belt carry with out the awkward size of ordinary medical scissors.

The included holster proved significantly helpful throughout farm work eventualities as nicely. One tester famous how the safe attachment level prevented the Raptor from bouncing round whereas hustling between paddocks throughout an animal well being test. 

Although heavier than primary choices, the burden feels justified by efficiency benefits in demanding conditions. For out of doors fanatics who prioritize emergency preparedness or these working round a homestead the place fast slicing entry is likely to be wanted, the Raptor affords specialised functionality in a comparatively compact bundle.

The Leatherman Raptor in its black holster clipped to a belt.
The Raptor rides confidently in its belt clip holster. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Ease of Use

We love the Raptor’s mechanical fluidity. Every instrument deployment reveals a exceptional smoothness beneath its sturdy building, a key facet of its specialised design for emergency and tactical use. The shears open and shut with minimal resistance, permitting for fast and environment friendly deployment when seconds depend. Every movement feels exact and deliberate, with the mechanisms engineered to offer dependable efficiency underneath strain.

The instrument transitions easily between its varied features, such because the strap cutter, oxygen wrench, and carbide glass breaker, guaranteeing you possibly can swap duties seamlessly with out fumbling. The locking mechanism is safe but simple to have interaction, including to the instrument’s intuitive dealing with.

Regardless of its rugged building, the Raptor maintains a elegant degree of operation, making it as user-friendly as it’s sturdy.

The Leatherman Raptor cutting through a white cloth strap.
Leverage and SHARP shears makes the Raptor a pleasure to make use of. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Ergonomics

The Raptor is as snug as it’s prescriptive, essential for a instrument designed for emergency eventualities. Its grip is well-contoured and lined with a textured end, offering a safe and comfy maintain even in high-pressure conditions. The instrument’s form is tailor-made for exact dealing with, permitting you to carry out duties like slicing clothes, straps, or seatbelts (or pine boughs!) with accuracy and management.

The specialised design ensures minimal hand fatigue, even throughout extended use. Its balanced weight distribution and intuitive format make transitions between the shears, strap cutter, and different instruments pure. Leatherman paid shut consideration to element with the Raptor, reinforcing its popularity as a top-tier emergency instrument.

The Leatherman Raptor with blue and yellow handles cutting through burlap.
The Raptor’s hand really feel is expertly engineered. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Device Deployment

The Raptor’s instrument deployment technique displays a purposeful design philosophy tailor-made for high-stakes medical environments. Medical-specific implements emerge with observe star velocity, permitting customers to transition between essential instruments with near-instantaneous precision. The shears, ring cutter, and strap slicing implements are strategically positioned for fast entry, minimizing valuable seconds when you’ve got few.

Nonetheless, the instrument’s specialised locking mechanism introduces a refined complexity. Unlocking requires a extra deliberate, nuanced strategy in comparison with normal multitools—a trade-off that prioritizes safe retention over informal accessibility. Customers should navigate a barely extra intricate launch course of, which, whereas mildly difficult, ensures that no instrument inadvertently deploys throughout transportation or intense medical eventualities.

Nonetheless, this intentional deployment design transforms the Raptor from a easy multitool right into a exact, managed emergency response instrument, the place every implement’s emergence is calculated and purposeful.

The Leatherman Raptor with its strap cutter extended, cutting an electrical wire.
The Raptor’s strap cutter is shortly accessible. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Load Bearing Capability

Designed for high-stress medical and rescue environments, the Raptor demonstrates distinctive load-bearing capability. Its sturdy building permits for substantial drive utility with out concern of structural compromise, and its slicing implements can handle important resistance throughout various supplies.

The instrument’s grip energy allows customers to use targeted drive via every element, which is engineered to face up to intense, sudden loading. The stainless-steel building brings structural integrity that conjures up confidence.

Reliability emerges because the Raptor’s most spectacular load-bearing attribute. Beneath eventualities demanding exact, highly effective interventions, the instrument constantly performs with out wavering, translating mechanical energy into reliable, life-critical performance, remodeling the instrument right into a reliable emergency companion.

The Leatherman Raptor's ruler, engraved on its shears, measuring a sheet of cardboard.
The Raptor’s shears are helpful and highly effective. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Materials High quality

The Raptor showcases distinctive construct high quality applicable for its life-saving potential. Our testers subjected these shears to intensive use over six weeks, and the 420HC stainless-steel building remained flawless regardless of publicity to moisture and out of doors components. The MOLLE-compatible holster withstood repeated attachment/detachment cycles with out fraying or dropping retention.

Testers have been significantly impressed by the slicing efficiency after utilizing the Raptor to course of heavy canvas throughout campsite enhancements, and the serrated edges maintained their sharpness even after slicing via thick leather-based scraps throughout a farm restore mission.

In contrast to disposable medical shears our workforce had beforehand used, the Raptor’s pivot level remained easy and exactly tensioned even after publicity to grime and particles from out of doors environments. The testing confirmed Leatherman’s popularity for creating professional-grade instruments that carry out reliably when it issues most.

The Leatherman Raptor in its black holster.
The Raptor comes with a hardy holder and belt clip. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

Ought to You Purchase the Leatherman Raptor?

The Leatherman Raptor transcends conventional emergency preparedness; it’s the Swiss Military knife of essential intervention capabilities. Whether or not you’re a primary responder, out of doors adventurer, or just worth being prepared for sudden challenges, this instrument represents a complete resolution for potential high-stakes eventualities.

Its six meticulously designed options mix seamless performance with compact portability. The included holster and versatile clip allow lightning-quick entry, whereas the ingenious folding mechanism ensures a minimal footprint—best for tucking right into a medical bag, backpack, or emergency equipment with out consuming valuable area.

Downsides: The Raptor’s dimension will be in the way in which for some first responders, it’s costly, and the instruments can develop rust if not oiled after messy use.

The Leatherman Raptor's blue and yellow handles, and shears cutting cardboard.
The Raptor’s shears carry loads of versatility. – Photograph credit score: Steve Johnson (CleverHiker.com)

What Different Multitools Ought to You Think about?

Not fairly as offered as our gear analyst was with the Leatherman Skeletool? Take a look at our greatest multitools gear information for extra favorites. Til then, listed here are another comparable choices available on the market as nicely:

Gerber Hinderer Rescue Device Evaluate: The Gerber Hinderer Rescue Device is a stable various to the Leatherman Raptor for these searching for a multifunctional emergency instrument. Designed with first responders in thoughts, it features a serrated knife, strap cutter, oxygen tank wrench, and glass breaker. Whereas it lacks devoted shears just like the Raptor, it affords a folding knife design that’s compact and simple to hold.

The construct high quality is powerful, and its instruments lock securely in place for protected operation. Nonetheless, it might require two palms to deploy sure features, making it barely much less handy in fast-paced conditions. However in case you’re searching for a dependable, well-rounded emergency instrument at a extra reasonably priced value level, the Hinderer is price contemplating.

Benchmade 7 Hook Security Cutter Evaluate: One other extremely specialised instrument for emergency conditions, the Benchmade 7 Hook Security Cutter is compact, light-weight, and designed primarily for fast, clear cuts via straps, seatbelts, and clothes.

Whereas it doesn’t supply the multifunctionality of the Raptor, its simplicity and give attention to a single objective make it a superb selection for first responders who worth velocity and effectivity. The high-quality metal and ergonomic grip guarantee exact dealing with, even in high-stress eventualities. Nonetheless, the dearth of further instruments like shears means it gained’t exchange a multitool just like the Raptor. 

XShear Trauma Shears Evaluate: The XShear Trauma Shears are a superb selection for customers prioritizing slicing efficiency. These premium shears are constructed from high-quality stainless-steel and are designed to chop via powerful supplies like leather-based, denim, and even steel bands with ease. They characteristic a snug grip and a sturdy, ergonomic design, making them best for extended use in emergency settings.

Whereas the XShear lacks the multifunctionality of the Raptor, its specialised give attention to slicing makes it a dependable and sturdy selection for medical professionals and first responders. In the event you don’t want the extra options of a multitool however require heavy-duty shears with distinctive efficiency, the XShear is a robust contender.

A-nurse-in-scrubs-holding-the-Leatherman-Raptor-Multitool
For any first responder or skilled working within the subject, the raptors are a should. – photograph credit score: heather eldridge (cleverhiker.com)

The put up Leatherman Raptor Multitool Evaluate appeared first on CleverHiker.



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