With so many manufacturers making multi-tools these days who makes the best multi-tool?
Leatherman, Gerber, SOG, and Victorinox are some of the top makers of high-quality multi-tools. Choosing any of these manufacturers will get you a quality tool that will provide years of service, but if I had to pick just one it would have to be Leatherman.
Leatherman Stands Out
Why does Leatherman stand out to me? If you look at Leatherman’s product line up these days, you will see something that no other manufacturer has, a very diverse selection of quality tools. They make everything from your standard type multi-tool like the Juice keychain models to highly specialized multi-tools like the Raptor for EMS. No matter what your needs are Leatherman has a multi-tool designed for you. If you are in public service i.e. military, law enforcement, firefighter or emergency medical services, Leatherman has a tool for you.
If you are an avid hunter, backpacker, climber or outdoorsman, Leatherman has a tool for you. If you are a tradesman i.e. automotive technician, construction worker, plumber or electrician, Leatherman has a tool for you. Whatever your trade or hobby they have a tool that fits your needs and/or lifestyle. With over 35 years of quality and refinement, each tool is designed with the end user in mind. Each design is carefully thought out and tested to ensure the end user has the right tool for the job.
Leatherman’s attention to detail is second to none, every detail is scrutinized. I know by now this is probably starting to sound like a Leatherman ad. Don’t get me wrong, I do own other brands of multi-tools and they have their strengths but I really like what Leatherman is doing. With their product line, overall quality and their fit and finish I think they are hard to beat. To check out my favorite top quality multi-tools
(Click here to my recommended tools page for my Best of the Best top picks)
Leatherman: Engineered For Success
The first Leatherman I ever owned was one of the original Wave’s. I loved the easy access knife blades, rounded handles, and the needle nose pliers. At the time I felt I had discovered the perfect multi-tool. Wow, how things changed!
As the first of its kind, Leatherman carved out a new type of tool. It wasn’t just a knife, it was the ultimate utility tool. With the basics of a small toolbox, it was a game changer. Fulfilling his first order in 1983, Tim Leatherman added a much-needed tool into the multi-tool world, pliers. While on a budget trip across Europe in 1975 Tim used his scout knife for many tasks but kept wishing he had a pair of pliers. After returning to the United States the mechanical engineer set out to solve this problem. Using sketches he made while on his trip, he got to work designing the multi-tool that change the way we see multi-tools today. He called it the Pocket Survival Tool or PST for short. The new design offered the versatility of a Swiss Army Knife with the capabilities of pliers.
Victorinox: The Original Multi-Tool
I remember my first multi-tool. It was a Swiss Army Knife made by Wenger and it was pretty basic with eight tools; a knife, can opener, bottle opener, flat head screwdriver, awl, scissors, nail file and of course the infamous corkscrew. I have fond memories of being very creative just finding new uses for each tool. I still have it today. It has quite a lot of mileage on it and does get some use now and then, but it’s more of a keepsake these days
Victorinox, the Swiss maker of the “original” multi-tool the Swiss Officer’s and Sports Knife or as we know it today the Swiss Army Knife. Victorinox started making the Swiss Army Knife in the
In 1997 Victorinox introduced the SwissTool. This was a significant departure from the Swiss Army Knife line up. It was their first step into the folding pliers multi-tool market. It also utilized a design that allows the tools to be accessed with the pliers in the closed position. Taking from their many years of making quality knives, the SwissTool was a great tool right out the gate.
Gerber: Legendary Blades
My second multi-tool I bought was a more traditional style multi-tool with pliers, it was a Gerber Multiplier. It was one of the early models without the locking tools. I have always had a love/hate relationship with this multi-tool. I loved the quick and easy deployment pliers and the basic selection of tools but I loathed the fact if I was using the pliers and they slipped off of what I was working with I would end up pinching the crap out of the palm of my hand. So after buying my Leatherman Wave the Gerber Multipliers became a backup tool. They still get the job done, just not as often as they once did.
Gerber Legendary Blades got their start in 1939, producing high-quality knives but didn’t get into the multi-tool market until the 1990s. When they did, they introduced a unique and innovative design change, the sliding pliers design. This design allowed the pliers to be deployed without having to fold the handles open. This made it possible to deploy the pliers with one hand with just a flick of the wrist.
SOG: Getting A Grip
I have to admit that SOG is the only one of these brands I personally have not owned. I have limited hands-on time with SOG multi-tools and I have not been able to put one to the test. Though I hope to change that someday soon. In the past I did have a couple of SOG knives and they were great. So I feel their multi-tools are going to be on par with other knife makers that have jumped into the multi-tool market.
SOG Specialty Knives also got their start in the knife making industry in the mid-1980s. Then in the 1990s jumped into the multi-tool mix with their own innovation, the Compound Leverage design. This design uses a gear system to operate the pliers. The unique Compound Leverage design doubles the gripping force of the pliers head, making it easier to cut wire and get a grip on nuts and bolts or anything else you might need to do with the pliers head.
The Future of Multi-tools
As the years have passed by new innovations in design and technology have allowed for a transformation in the multi-tool industry. We now have blades and tools that can be accessed without opening up the handle, assisted opening knife blades, replaceable cutter blades, magnetic bit drivers, integrated hammers and more. The multi-tool industry is changing so rapidly. It seems like every year, one of these manufacturers is coming out with some new trick gadget to add to their inventory. I’m really excited to see what the future will bring.
