Years ago, I bought the Leatherman Wave (oldstyle). Great tool, carried it with me everywhere. Then the new Wave came out. Bought it. Then the Juice series. Bought some of them. Then the various Charges, the Surge, and the Skeletool. Bought them. Locking tools, super steels, carbon fiber inserts - real high-tech stuff. But lately, I find myself carrying the original Wave. Simple, sleek and dare I say it, elegant. It's almost a "Gentleman's Multitool" with it's clean lines and slim blades. Granted, none of the drivers lock, and the steel isn't some s30v or 154cm, but our fathers and grandfathers got by just fine with non-locking SAKs with their basic, easy to sharpen steels.
Anyone else going back to their older multitools?
Not me. With some exceptions, I prefer the newer models of Leatherman and Victorinox. My first Leatherman was a PST, which I thought was a good idea but not enough of an improvement in functionality over the Swisschamp I had EDC'd for several years, then my only multi. Although the needle nose pliers were a helpful addition, I got more versatility from the Vic tool mix. To carry both was a bit much for me, so eventually I reverted to the SAK and gave the PST to my son. However, when the Super Tool came out, that all changed. For a while I traded off EDC between it and the Swisschamp. Often, when I carried one there were times I wished to have brought the other. That ended when Leatherman introduced the Micra, for me a perfect complement to the ST, and for the next 9 years, those were my constant companions.
In all honesty, I wasn't in the market for anything else when a Juice CS4 presented itself at a price I couldn't refuse. It was cheap enough that I figured to give it a trial, then and sell it off for probably more than I paid. Instead, I discovered a niche for the junior multitool and kept it. Then, Leatherman marketed the Core, which I saw as an ST upgrade and worthwhile replacement for the original. The Squirt was another matter. I tried out an S4, found it more elegant than the Micra in some ways, but still preferred the Micra. My wife, however, likes the Squirt well enough to use just about every day as a supplement to her not current but fully functional SAK, a birthday gift from our courting days.
To the Core, Micra and Juice, I added a Charge TTi, my current EDC for the last almost 3 years. My Vics include the Swisschamp, which I take with me when traveling, a Tinker for when I really have to go light, and a Rambler to supply what Leathermen usually lack. All these are in their current catalogues. They work well for me and I don't miss any of the earlier ones. They were great in their time, but I have no more nostalgia for them than my old 1963 Ford that carried me to so many adventures back in the day. Well, maybe just a little.
