> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.unknowndivide.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Best Multitools: 5 Worth Buying, From Leatherman to Victorinox - URL: https://www.unknowndivide.com/best-multitools-worth-buying/ - Published: 2025-11-08T16:32:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-15T06:02:01.000Z - Description: Pliers, blades, drivers and cutters in one pocket-size tool. How Tim Leatherman's 1975 road trip led to the modern multitool, what to look for when choosing one, and five worth buying from Leatherman, Victorinox and Gerber. - Author: unknowndivide staff - Tags: Gear A good multitool is the most useful thing you can carry that is not a phone. It tightens the loose screw on a chair, strips a wire, opens a box, cuts a zip tie and pulls a splinter, all from something that fits in a pocket or on a belt. The hard part is choosing one, because the difference between a tool you use every day and one that lives in a drawer comes down to size, weight and which tools you actually need. Here is how the modern multitool came about, what to look for and five worth buying. *Unknowndivide may earn a commission from purchases made through links in this post.* ## Where the pliers-based multitool came from Pocketknives with extra tools have been around for well over a century, but the folding pliers tool most people picture is much younger. According to [Leatherman's own story](https://www.leatherman.com/pages/the-leatherman-story?ref=unknowndivide.com), founder Tim Leatherman came up with the idea in 1975 while traveling around Europe on a budget with his wife, Chau. They kept running into leaky hotel plumbing and roadside repairs on an unreliable car, and he kept wishing the scout knife he carried had a pair of pliers. He expected the prototype to take a month. It took three years, followed by another three and a half years of rejection letters. In the spring of 1983, with his college friend Steve Berliner, he received a first order for 500 tools and launched the original Leatherman, the PST. The company still builds its tools in Portland, Oregon. ## How to choose a multitool - **Size and weight.** A full-size tool like the Wave Plus weighs more than half a pound. That is fine on a belt or in a bag, but it gets old in a trouser pocket. If you want something for everyday carry (EDC), look for a lighter, slimmer tool with a pocket clip. - **Outside-accessible tools.** On many tools you must open the pliers to reach the blade. Better designs put the knife, saw and other common tools on the outside so you can flip them open with one hand. - **Locking tools.** A lock keeps a blade or screwdriver from folding back onto your fingers when you push hard. It is worth having on any tool you will really work with. - **Replaceable parts.** Wire cutters dull over time. Some makers use removable cutters you can replace instead of retiring the tool. - **Warranty.** The best makers stand behind their tools for decades. Leatherman offers a 25-year limited warranty, and Victorinox and Gerber both list lifetime warranties on the tools below. - **Local rules.** Most multitools include a knife blade, so check the rules where you live and work. If blades are a problem, some makers sell knifeless versions. ## The best multitools worth buying ### 1\. Leatherman Wave Plus: best all-around The [Wave Plus](https://www.leatherman.com/products/wave?ref=unknowndivide.com) is Leatherman's workhorse. It packs 18 tools, including sharp blades, spring-loaded scissors and wire cutters, and its outside tools open with one hand, even when you are wearing gloves. It is big enough for real jobs around the house and on a job site but still small enough to live in a belt sheath every day. If you only buy one multitool, this is the one to get. ### 2\. Leatherman Skeletool CX: best for everyday carry The [Skeletool CX](https://www.leatherman.com/products/skeletool-cx?ref=unknowndivide.com) strips the idea down to the essentials. Leatherman describes it as a lightweight tool for people who want serious function without bulk: pliers, wire cutters, a bit driver and a straight-edge blade in premium 154CM stainless steel, a steel known for a good balance of corrosion resistance and toughness. At 5 ounces it is Leatherman's lightest pliers-based tool, and the open frame, built-in carabiner and pocket clip make it the easiest full-function tool here to carry in a pocket, next to the other gear in our [everyday carry essentials guide](https://www.unknowndivide.com/best-everyday-carry-essentials/). ### 3\. Leatherman Rebar: best classic design The [Rebar](https://www.leatherman.com/products/rebar?ref=unknowndivide.com) is based on the original 1983 Leatherman design. It has 17 tools, every one of them locking except the plier head, premium replaceable wire cutters and handles that stay comfortable even when you are wearing gloves. The tools open from inside the handles, so it is a bit slower to use than the Wave Plus, but it is a sturdy, no-nonsense tool with a lot of history behind it. ### 4\. Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X: best Swiss-made option From the company behind the Swiss Army Knife, the [Swiss Tool Spirit X](https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Swiss-Army-Knife%E2%84%A2-and-Tools/Trades-and-Crafts/Swiss-Tool-Spirit-X/p/3.0224.L?ref=unknowndivide.com) is made in Switzerland and packs 24 functions into a body about 4.1 inches long and 7.4 ounces. Victorinox lists needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, a lockable blade, scissors, wood and metal saws, a metal file, several screwdrivers and wire strippers, all with the brand's typical attention to finish. It comes with a leather pouch. It is the most refined-feeling tool on this list. ### 5\. Gerber Suspension-NXT: best for the money The [Suspension-NXT](https://gerbergear.com/products/suspension-nxt-30-001364n?ref=unknowndivide.com) is Gerber's update of its classic Suspension. It uses a slim butterfly design with 15 tools, all of them outboard and locking, so you can reach them without opening the pliers. The needle-nose pliers are spring-loaded to reduce hand fatigue, there is a 2.25-inch partially serrated blade, and a pocket clip lets it ride deep in a pocket or on a belt. At 4.25 inches closed and 6.7 ounces, it is a capable tool at an approachable cost. ## Quick picks - **Best all-around:** Leatherman Wave Plus. - **Lightest to carry:** Leatherman Skeletool CX. - **Classic design:** Leatherman Rebar. - **Most refined:** Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X. - **Best value:** Gerber Suspension-NXT. ## How to care for a multitool Keep it clean and dry. After a dirty job, rinse grit out of the pivots with warm water, dry it thoroughly and add a drop of light oil to the joints. Leatherman notes that its warranty does not cover rust or corrosion, so this matters most for tools that live in a damp truck or a fishing bag. Sharpen the blade before it gets truly dull, because a sharp edge is safer than a blunt one you have to force. A multitool pairs naturally with a good fixed or folding knife, like the one in our [Buck 110 Folding Hunter](https://www.unknowndivide.com/buck-110-folding-hunter/) story, and with a tough watch from our [field watches guide](https://www.unknowndivide.com/best-field-watches/). If it is going in a bag rather than a pocket, our [carry-on travel backpacks guide](https://www.unknowndivide.com/best-carry-on-travel-backpacks/) has a few with good organizer pockets. ## Where to buy All three makers sell direct through their own stores. You can also pick up the [Leatherman Wave Plus](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MJBP21?tag=unknowndivi02-20&ref=unknowndivide.com), the [Leatherman Skeletool CX](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000059GTH?tag=unknowndivi02-20&ref=unknowndivide.com), the [Leatherman Rebar](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KSWIIY?tag=unknowndivi02-20&ref=unknowndivide.com), the [Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U53XSU?tag=unknowndivi02-20&ref=unknowndivide.com) and the [Gerber Suspension-NXT](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPW4YCS?tag=unknowndivi02-20&ref=unknowndivide.com). Check current pricing before you order, and note that some tools ship without a sheath. More tools and pocket gear in our [desk and everyday carry hub](https://www.unknowndivide.com/desk-and-edc/).