Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Leatherman claims this is their best selling multitool. Most reviews on Amazon and online forums are super positive. Does the Wave live up to the hype? Yes, to some extent, but it has some issues, mainly cost and weight.
The good:
This is a nice full-featured multitool. You get one plain-edge and one serrated knife, both can be opened with one hand without opening the whole tool. Useful set of scredrivers: large and medium plain, medium philips, micro plain and philips for eyeglasses. Wood saw, and nice metal file + saw. Can opener and kinda-OK scissors. All in all, good set of tools, and all lock securely in place. Of course, it also has full sized pliers :)
The bad:
- Heavy: 8.5 oz, or 240 grams. Too heavy to carry in my pants pocket. I don't carry tools on my belt, but probably this would feel heavy there also.
- Because of the outside opening blades, there are sharp edges when the tool is closed, which I can imagine would eat through your pocket if you put it there.
- Blades designed for right-hand thumb opening. If a knife is designed for one-hand opening, I would much rather have it ambidextrous.
- Ruler (cm and inches) is much less useful than on other tools, because it is on the inside. You open the whole tool to use it, and the pliers get in the middle of the ruler line. Also the ruler markings are not as clearly readable as other tools. For me, the ruler is actually a very useful feature, so the Wave scores a minus here.
- Medium philips and plain screwdriver are actually in a bit holder, which has many issues: too short, feels a little flimsy, and the bits are not standard size, so you can't use anything but what you buy from Leatherman. This is another minus compared to other simpler and cheaper multitools.
- Unusual amount of friction when opening the screwdrivers. May only be an issue on mine.
Recommendations:
This is a good tool if you can get it on sale. Even so, I think you should look at these alternatives:
Leatherman Blast: same size and same tools as Wave except the extra serrated blade. Lighter (6.9 oz or 196 grams) and considerably cheaper. Philips screwdriver is fixed and way better (bit driver is sold separately if you need it). Knife blade is a tad bit longer than Wave. Ruler is way better. No sharp edges to snag in your pocket. Only downside is that none of the tools open from the outside; to open the knife, you neeed to open the whole tool. I own one and I think it is Leatherman's best overall tool.
Leatherman Juice series: smaller and lighter than the Wave, and shaped smoother, more contoured to be pocket-friendly. Blades etc can be accessed from the outside, but not one-hand openers like the Wave. The main downside is that the pliers are a little smaller, but not a big deal in most cases. This is Leatherman's answer to the Swiss Army Knife - most even have cork openers :) I own one and I like it.
Victorinox SwissTool and Spirit: most tools accessible from the outside but blade is not one-hand opener. Fit and finish is better than anything Leatherman makes. I do not own them, but they are next on my list when I decide to buy another multitool.
I hope this was helpful!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Leatherman 830037 Wave Multitool with Combination Leather and Nylon Sheath
The most popular full-size Leatherman tool is now better than ever. Larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and all-locking blades make the new Wave an essential piece of equipment for any job or adventure. The pliers have been redesigned to withstand more than double the previous squeezing load, and the new bronze bushing makes one-handed knife access a smooth operation -- plus, the one-at-a-time blade selection function means that the tool you want is the tool you get. The versatile Wave comes with a durable and attractive combinationleather and nylonsheath.
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