I admit I scoffed when my partner first started raving about his Leatherman Wave+ multi-tool. I thought it looked like an expensive, over-elaborate gadget that was destined to gather dust in a junk drawer.
However, as a keen hiker and camper, I’ve discovered how useful it is to have pliers, knives, a saw, scissors, files and other tools packed into one compact, quality piece of kit. I’ve also watched my tech-obsessed partner regularly reach for its precision tools when tinkering with his electrical equipment.
Ahead, I’ll share how a tool I once dismissed as a gimmick earned a permanent spot in my pack, and what two experts think makes a Leatherman worth the price tag.
How The Leatherman Wave+ Won Me Over
I had to realize that our Leatherman Wave+ isn’t meant to replace a well-stocked toolbox to understand its value. Instead, it fills the gap when dedicated tools aren’t conveniently available or really needed.
At home, I regularly use the tool’s tiny scissors to carefully prune dead leaves from our many houseplants, the knife to open packages and the small screwdriver to tighten the legs on my glasses. My partner is an IT professional who also has an impressive collection of synthesizers, and he regularly reaches for the tool to make small technical repairs and splice wires.
I’ve found the Wave+ even more useful when we’re borrowing my parents’ campervan, hiking, or camping. The bottle opener is handy for those after-adventure beers, the serrated knife slices baguettes for trailside sandwiches, the saw cuts small, dry branches for kindling, and the screwdriver has adjusted our portable stove and tightened folding chairs.
The pocket-sized multi-tool packs 18 functions into a stainless-steel form that measures just four inches when closed and weighs 8.5 ounces. Alongside the tools I’ve mentioned, it has pliers, bit drivers, a wire stripper and crimper, a ruler, an extra knife blade and file, and an admittedly slightly-tricky-to-use can opener.
While I don’t regularly use all 18 tools, and I might never use some, having the selection provides peace of mind, especially in remote places.
Who Gets the Most Out of a Multi-Tool?
Daniel Kilburn, founder of Emergency Action Planning and a preparedness expert, has carried his Leatherman Surge since his military service in 2006. “It’s an expedient tool to have on hand when you know you’re going to be someplace where you won’t have access to any others,” he says.
Scott Emanuel of knives, multi-tools, and outdoor equipment retailer Heinnie Haynes is also a multi-tool convert. He appreciated having one for quick fixes while renovating his cottage, and particularly rates the needle-nose pliers, which rival standard models rather than acting as an emergency substitute.
Kilburn suggests multi-tools can be a useful starting point for someone who doesn’t own a toolbox, and at the other end of the spectrum are the tinkerers and prepared problem-solvers Emanuel sees as natural fits.
“The person who will value a Leatherman is the one who spends their after-hours in the garage building stuff that they probably never need, it’s the kind of self-reliant and prepared person who you rely on to solve a problem,” Emanuel says.
Why I Think the Leatherman Wave+ Is Worth the Price
The Leatherman Wave+ currently costs $129.95, meaning it should be a well-considered purchase rather than an impulse buy.
It’s reassuring to know that you’ll be investing in a refined product designed because of a genuine practical need. Founder Tim Leatherman conceived a pliers-based multi-tool after encountering car and plumbing problems while traveling through Europe in the 1970s, and after careful development, he launched the original Pocket Survival Tool in 1983.
Today you’re paying for that established reputation and durable construction, and Leatherman backs its products with a 25-year warranty.
“They’re ridiculously well built, really well regarded, and their choice of tools is good,” Emanuel says. He describes sought-after Leathermans as the “collectible top end of the multi-tool market.”
Kilburn recalls seeing lower-priced multi-tools failing his comrades during their military career. “Some disintegrate over time because they were just cheaply made with poor-quality material [and] poor-quality steel,” he says. His Leatherman Surge, meanwhile, has lasted over 20 years. If replacing it again, he says he would choose Leatherman over his backup Gerber multi-tool because he prefers its feel and durability.
The Wave+ Isn’t the Right Multi-Tool for Everyone
Leatherman makes a wide range of multi-tools, so it pays to consider which functions you’ll genuinely use. The Signal model adds outdoor-focused features suited to camping, including a ferrocerium rod, emergency whistle and sharpener, but omits scissors. I use scissors enough for plant pruning, first aid and gear repairs that the Wave+ remains the better fit for me.
If you’re unlikely to use most of its functions, a smaller, cheaper multi-tool could make more sense. The Wave+ is also heavier than minimalist models, and there’s a learning curve when figuring out where everything lives.
Don’t forget that a premium multi-tool only represents good value if you look after it. We remove dirt after outdoor adventures and dry and lubricate it before storing. We also avoid forcing it to tackle jobs better suited to full-size tools. I wouldn’t, for example, choose its compact saw over a dedicated full-size version for pruning substantial tree branches in my yard.
If you’re using a Wave+ in the UK, like me, be aware of the country’s knife laws. You need a “good reason” to carry it in public because its blades lock. However, Emanuel explains that the legal language is ambiguous, so you shouldn’t assume you can carry one wherever you go just because it’s part of a multi-tool.
Why I’m Glad I Gave the Wave+ a Chance
The Wave+ has convinced me that a good multi-tool is more than merely an expensive gimmick. It may not replace dedicated tools, but having so many functions at my fingertips in a form that is so compact, portable and easy to use makes it a practical, worthwhile investment.
Leatherman Wave Plus
The Wave Plus is a multi-tool workhorse. It packs 18 tools in one, including sharp blades, spring scissors, wire cutters, and more.
About the Experts
- Daniel Kilburn, founder of Emergency Action Planning, is a leadership strategist and business continuity consultant with more than 30 years of experience preparing people and organizations to lead through disruption. His philosophy is “Preparedness Is Leadership.”
- Scott Emanuel is the Marketing Director at Heinnie Haynes, a UK online retailer specialising in knives, multi-tools, EDC gear, outdoor equipment and bushcraft supplies.
The post I Thought Multi-Tools Were a Gimmick — Then I Took One on a Camping Trip appeared first on Family Handyman.
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