Leatherman Wave+ review: the full-size multitool most people should buy
If you carry one full-size multitool for the backcountry and everything else, this is the one most people land on. The Leatherman Wave+ puts eighteen genuinely useful tools in your hand — and, crucially, lets you open its blades one-handed without unfolding the whole tool.
The verdict
The do-everything benchmark. The Wave+ earns its reputation with outside-accessible blades — a plain edge and a serrated blade you can deploy one-handed without opening the pliers — plus full-size pliers, replaceable wire cutters, a saw, scissors, drivers, and a 25-year warranty. It is not cheap and not ultralight, but the build quality, the thoughtful layout, and the sheer usefulness are why it is the tool so many hikers, tradespeople, and tinkerers carry for decades. If you buy one full-size multitool, buy this.
What it does
The Wave+ is Leatherman’s flagship everyday multitool, an 18-in-1 built from stainless steel around spring-action needle-nose and regular pliers. Its signature feature is the pair of outside-accessible blades — a plain knife and a serrated knife mounted on the outside of the handles — so you can open and lock a blade with one hand without unfolding the pliers, the way you use a knife most of the time. Inside are replaceable wire cutters and hard-wire cutters (a Leatherman advantage — when they dull, you swap them rather than the whole tool), a wood/metal saw, spring-action scissors, a can and bottle opener, a package opener, an awl, a ruler, and both flat and Phillips drivers plus a bit driver that takes standard bits. All the locking tools stay put under load, and the whole thing is backed by Leatherman’s 25-year warranty.
What verified buyers say
Verified-purchase owners — longtime Leatherman carriers, DIYers, and outdoors people among them — consistently highlight the same strengths:
- The go-to tool. Owners describe it as the thing they reach for daily around the house, on the trail, and at work — a must-have for anyone who tinkers or repairs.
- Outside-accessible blades are the killer feature. Being able to flick out a locking blade one-handed, without opening the pliers, is the detail buyers appreciate most.
- Build quality justifies the price. Several who came from cheaper tools say the Wave+ feels a clear step up, and the replaceable cutters and warranty seal it.
- Buy-it-for-life. A common story is gifting or replacing a Wave that ran for years — people trust it enough to buy another.
Worth knowing
It is a substantial tool — heavier and pricier than a mini like the Dime — so if you want something that rides on a keychain, this is not it. A handful of owners note the handle edges can dig into the palm during heavy plier work (a folded-handle multitool trade-off; a glove or the leather sheath helps). The plain and serrated blades open one-handed, but the internal tools use a two-hand, nail-nick opening, which is normal for the class. None of this dents the value proposition: for a full-size tool you will carry for years, the Wave+ is as good as the category gets short of the heavy-duty Surge.
Who it is for
The Wave+ is for the regular user who wants one capable, full-size multitool for hiking, camping, home repair, and work — someone who will use the pliers, the blades, and the drivers often enough to value quality and the replaceable cutters. It is the natural step up from a budget or keychain tool. If you need the absolute lightest option, carry a mini; if you want the most tools and full-size lockable blades for hard use, size up to the Surge. For most people, the Wave+ is the right amount of tool.
Specs at a glance
Tools: 18-in-1 · Signature: outside-accessible, one-hand plain + serrated blades · Cutters: replaceable wire & hard-wire · Also: saw, scissors, bit driver, awl, openers · Warranty: 25 years · Best for: everyday full-size carry, hiking, repairs
The Verdict
The Leatherman Wave+ is the full-size multitool to buy if you are only buying one: outside-accessible one-hand blades, real pliers, replaceable cutters, and a warranty that outlives most gear. Want something cheap and pocketable for light tasks instead? See the Gerber Dime. Need the most capability and full-size lockable blades for heavy, demanding use? Step up to the Leatherman Surge.
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