Everyone and their brother has a variety of multi-tools out there; Leatherman is brand that started it all and as such the best known of the bunch. Gerber is the name most often heard after Leatherman, with SOG, CRKT, Victorinox all mentioned as well. There are dozens if not hundreds of other multi-tools available, with generics, house brands, and other different variations.
But which one is the one that's right for me? That's the million dollar question. Obviously, there are different variants for different usages, but I'm looking for a general-use multi-tool that's not too large or expensive and will hold up to moderate use. I'm thinking either Leatherman, SOG, or Gerber for brands, with these particular models:
Gerber Strata:
Leatherman Wave:
SOG PowerLock:
All are in the same ballpark, price-wise ($60-$80); the tools are comparable; the brands are roughly equivalent as far as reliability/warranty/etc.
Which of the three - or other - would you recommend?
That is all.
30 comments:
I have a Wave and can recommend it. I do not have the others and so cannot say 'yay' or 'nay' on those.
The Wave is comfortable in my hand and doesn't pinch like the original LMT or Gerber Multiplier - both of which I had in the past. It has features that I use regularly. Materials-wise, I never had a difficulty with either Wave or original LMT, but did break the pliers jaws on a Multiplier - which while guaranteed & therefore replaced gratis by Gerber, soured me on their products.
How about the MUT: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=41220/Product/AR_15_M16_MUT_reg__MULTI_TOOL
It might not as "general purpose" as you were hoping, but it is pretty bad ass for the range
SOG. Mine goes with me everywhere I go. It is as strong as an ox.
Love. It.
I have a Wave as well. It's a nice tool that does everything I need, I couldn't be happier with it.
The top two pictures have the incorrect labels on them - they're backwards.
That being said (to show yet more diversity), I acquired a Leatherman Wave while in Kuwait 11 years ago and it is still useful with no signs of impending breakage.
I buy both SOG and Gerber (and I have a victorinox and a buck around somewhere) and use both all the time.
I refuse to purchase anything from Leatherman,;because Tim Leatherman is a whackjob liberal, a supporter of earth first, the ELF, and other radical environmental groups, and big supporter of Michael Moore, and MoveOn.org.
At one point, he was even making large corporate donations to these causes; but since the 2004 election when this was made public, he has confined himself to personal donations only.
I recently acquired a leatherman wave. I like that the tools lock in place and it has a useful knife that takes a good edge.
All of those tools could use a corkscrew. On vacations, camping trips, picnics, etc., the corkscrew on my swiss army knife has saved the day more than every other multi tool feature combined.
PowerLock, no question. I've got one and absolutely love it. Everyone who's used it has said, "Holy Crap". It is very solid, if you break any of the attachments they are easily replaced.
I have heard rumors that you can even take them all out and install different ones to specifically suit it to your needs. You just have to make sure the pliers area is still open.
I bought a pair for my buddy in Iraq and sent them to him. The actual design for the pliers operation makes it beyond any other.
If I remember correctly, Leatherman donates to antigun causes.
A Victorinox Swiss Tool allows access to blades/tools without having to unfold the grip body. It fits a single stack mag pouch. A horizontal pouch is less obtrusive than a vertical one. I use mine on a daily basis and have had it ... um ... at least 7 years.
I've only used the Wave, and a much older standard leatherman. I like the wave, they are standard issue on my team at work, though there are a few rough spots where I've broken (very dry) skin during heavy use. It's much nicer than the older leathermans.
No experience with the others. I'd find them and fondle them some.
I have yet to try a Gerber or a Victronox.
The SOG is a heavy SOB. Very nice with a nice tool set and maintenance features, but too much for me every day so it lives in my BoB.
I also run a Wave from before the encheapenment. Well, my opinion anyway. I don't like the removable driver bits and scale style of the newer ones. My Wave lives in my range bag and I EDC a Kershaw Leek.
So I haven't found one I think is worth carrying everyday, everywhere, yet. You do want one where the blade(s) open from the outside of the handle. +1 for the wave and -1 for the SOG.
If you're going to EDC it, I'd seriously look at the smaller lines from Gerber/Leatherman like the Squirt or Blast. The full sized tools are a lot of tool for a pocket, especially with all the other crap we carry around these days. Though I've heard from Skelitool users that it's a good compromise in a closer-to-full-sized multitool.
I've had the wave for a few years. I look at others, but haven't seen one I'd trade it for.
Haven't tried Gerber or SOG. I have an older version of Wave (without removable bits) and use it for doing stuff around the house all the time.
Where are they made?
I have the Leatherman Surge. It's got a few things the Wave doesn't, and I highly recommend it.
I've been running the classic Gerber Multi-Plier 600 for over twelve years now. I'm on my third one because the first was stolen and the second lost. I much prefer one-handed opening vs. butterfly opening multitools. Since the tool is in a Nite-Ize pouch with my LED, the one-handed opening allows me to maintain a hold on something with one hand while getting my tool out and opening it with the other.
http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/243
MSRP is $65, but they can usually be had for less. They frequently come with a bonus knife or something. They also have a lifetime warranty.
tweaker
I love my Gerber. The blade keeps a good edge, and it's really convenient to open it with a flick of the wrist.
Well, My Buddy the 3- time Vet was issued a Gerber Suspension, and it worked fine for him in the War Zone. He gave me one for my Birthday a couple of years ago. A little small, but for EDC, it fits my niche very well, and seems to be running 40-50% less than your price range in my neck of the woods. It's now part of my TEOTWAWKI gear, because it can also be used by people with smaller hands, such as wives, children, etc. Opens up bottles of Potassium Iodide real well when I have to take it to prevent me from turning into a two-headed glowing Mutant. If you mix it with Johnny Walker Red, you can't even taste it nor see it! Good Kit!
Just my own experience, but I've had 2 gerber multi-tools that the bits have broke during normal use.
A Leatherman Wave rides on my belt at work and has never failed to perform.
Away from work a Leatherman Skeletool stays clipped in my front pocket. It's just pliers, an interchangable bit driver (Their flat bits) and a blade. Might be worth looking into. Gerber has a similarly bare bones version called the Crucial iirc.
BGM
I've had a Gerber FliK for about 5 years- it's in a pocket 24/7. Convenient, not too heavy, and it pretty much has everything. I've been able to saw through an 8" hawser while hanging upside down being dangled by my feet over the water, and that's about as good a recommendation I can come up with.
What you don't want is a multitool where using the pliers causes the various blades to attack your hands. Very messy.
I'm with Chris on never owning a Leatherman. I wasn't a big fan to begin with due to durability issues when I was in the Army, but his political views and financial contributions sealed the deal for me.
I have a Victorinox Swiss Tool and that thing is built like a tank. I like that I can access *ALL* the tools other than the pliers without opening the tool and the fact that every tool has a lock and won't fold up.
The wirecutters did not stand up to cutting a coathanger (marred the cutting edges), but has handled everything up to that with aplomb.
Of those you have narrowed it down to, I think I like the SOG best.
I'm another Victorinox Swiss Tool owner. Built like a tank - and feels like a good tool in your hand - not like a cheesy wanna-be-tool.
Im a big Gerber guy, I have one on my duty belt, one in my rangebag and about 80% of one that I abused that lives in my junk drawer. But I could easily use a Leatherman wave or supertool without much complaint. For me I use the pliers ALOT so I like the gerber sliding pliers.
I carry a $5 multitool with the Winchester mark on it because I could afford to buy it.
Cost aside, I'd probably carry the Buck X-Tract Essential.
BTW your pics for the wave and the gerber are switched.
Oh for crying out loud. Damnit, I never heard about Leatherman's political leanings until today. I work on a ranch, and things I carry tend to fall to pieces, but I have always been able to count on my wave. The thing is a freaking workhorse. I use it 20 times a day and it is with me at all times. Decent blades, and very useful. In 3 years of use, which is a record for multitools with me, going back 15 years, the only thing to fail is the spring to hold in the bits on the driver. If you don't care about the makers politics, get one. Now I have to start looking at SOGs again.
I recommend the Leatherman Charge... you can get one for around $90. I love ine because i can access the blades while it is still closed up.
http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-830685-Charge-Nylon-Sheath/dp/B000LG823K
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