Best Multi-Tools 2026 — Leatherman, Victorinox & More

The Leatherman Wave+ is the global standard in multi-tools — the tool that gear reviewers, outdoor professionals, military personnel, and mechanics consistently cite when asked for a single multi-tool recommendation. The outside-accessible blades (both a plain-edge and serrated knife plus a saw) are the Wave+'s defining advantage over competitors: you can open the blade with one hand while the tool is closed, just like a folding knife, without needing to open the pliers handles first. This design choice transforms the Wave+ from a "well, I have everything in one package" convenience into a genuinely useful every-day tool. The 25-year warranty is real — Leatherman repairs or replaces defective tools. If you own one multi-tool, the Wave+ is the right one.

The Leatherman Surge is for people who use their multi-tool as a real tool rather than an emergency backup. The longer plier handles provide genuine leverage for tasks that the Wave+'s shorter handles struggle with — bending heavy wire, tightening rusted bolts, working with heavier materials. The longer blade handles camp kitchen food prep tasks that a Wave+ blade handles awkwardly at 2.9 inches. For overlanders, campers who do serious vehicle maintenance, and anyone who reaches for their multi-tool multiple times per day for real work, the Surge's weight premium is justified. For backpackers and hikers who use their multi-tool occasionally for minor repairs, the Wave+'s weight savings is the better tradeoff.

The Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X is the Swiss alternative to Leatherman's dominance — Swiss manufacturing precision produces tighter tolerances and better-fitting tools, particularly the screwdrivers (which are sized more precisely to common screw heads than Leatherman's equivalents). All 27 tools are accessible from outside the handles without opening the pliers, which Victorinox achieves more cleanly than Leatherman. For precision tasks (electronics repair, fine mechanical work, watchmaking-adjacent tasks) the SwissTool Spirit X outperforms Leatherman at equivalent prices. For camping and outdoor rough use where the tools take real abuse, the performance difference narrows and Leatherman's more robust North American repair network becomes relevant.

The Gerber Suspension-NXT is the budget multi-tool recommendation — at $35 it provides the essential multi-tool functions (pliers, knife, screwdrivers, file, scissors) at a price that makes it accessible as a gift, a spare tool for the car, or a first multi-tool for someone who doesn't know if they'll actually use one regularly. The blade steel (420J2) is noticeably softer than Leatherman's 420HC, requiring more frequent sharpening under the same use. For casual campers who would occasionally use a multi-tool for minor tasks, the Gerber Suspension-NXT provides the functionality without the $110 Leatherman investment. For regular outdoor users, the Leatherman Wave+'s blade quality and one-hand accessibility justify the price premium.

The Leatherman Skeletool CX is the ultralight multi-tool — designed by backpackers and ultralight outdoor users who carry a multi-tool but almost exclusively use the pliers, knife, and bit screwdriver, the Skeletool eliminates everything else. The carbon fiber handle scales reduce weight to 5 oz, the integrated carabiner clip allows clipping to a pack strap or gear loop for immediate one-hand access, and the 420HC blade is the same quality as the Wave+. For backpackers, trail runners, and fastpackers who want Leatherman quality in the smallest possible package, the Skeletool CX is the correct product. For car campers and overlanders who benefit from the full Wave+ capability, the weight difference matters less than the full tool set.