Leatherman

Leatherman Arc

Ranked #4 in Multitools

704 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The highest build ceiling in the category with a 25-year warranty, held back from first place only by its short real-world track record as a newer platform and mild quality-control chatter on r/multitools.

Consolidated from 17 cited sources across 15 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

11 positive sources
4 mixed sources
1 unconvinced source

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

2 of 12 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

You pay flagship money for the newest steel and Free-style one-hand action, and Art of Manliness's testing put it in the top price bracket of everything they handled. A Wave+ delivers perhaps 90 percent of the experience for roughly half the outlay, and a Skeletool CX gets the light one-hand carry for far less still.
Flagged 23 September 2026

You pay flagship money for the newest steel and Free-style one-hand action, and Art of Manliness's testing put it in the top price bracket of everything they handled. A Wave+ delivers perhaps 90 percent of the experience for roughly half the outlay, and a Skeletool CX gets the light one-hand carry for far less still.
Flagged 23 September 2026
The most expensive tool in the category, and the Wave+ delivers nearly all of its real-world capability for much less. Even a long-term owner admits it is excellent "and for the price point, it aught to be" - the flagship tax personified.
Flagged 23 September 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

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Pros & cons

✓ The best steel Leatherman has used
✓ Backed by a 25-year warranty
✓ Named Best Overall in Popular Mechanics' roundup
✓ Newest steel with Free-style one-hand action
✓ Named the deluxe upgrade by Wirecutter

✗ A newer platform with a shorter real-world track record than older Leatherman models
✗ Sits in the top price bracket of everything Art of Manliness handled
✗ Its gains over cheaper Leatherman tools are mostly irrelevant in practice
✗ Least long-proven flagship, shorter track record
✗ Shares recent quality-control wobbles

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found. 1 outlet wouldn't let us check its link.

Evidence 7 articles and 10 video reviews

11 positive sources

The very best Leatherman I’ve tested is without question the Leatherman Arc. It’s the most well-rounded of any multitool from the company and stands out simply by doing everything well. The tools are all functional and sturdy, with no filler or useless additions. The Arc’s MagnaCut blade is one of the best that I’ve tested across all brands, standing out for both its sharpness and durability.

Read F Fix It Rick Fix It Rick · 54.6K subscribers · Mar 2026

The Leatherman Arc multi-tool is arguably the best multi-tool you can buy. 20 different tools, beautiful finish, smooth one-handed operation, and a Magna Cut Technology main blade.

Watch P

There’s debate online among multitool fans about whether the Leatherman Arc or Signal is the better option. The Leatherman Arc has a robust set of tools including a MagnaCut blade and a pair of spring action scissors making it better for heavy use in home improvement projects.

Read R Robs_Nerdy_Knives Robs_Nerdy_Knives · 13K subscribers · Nov 2023

comparing the Leatherman Arc to the Titanium Charge. And I love this tool, but uh this is pretty cool. I'm digging it.

Watch B

Bob Vila Katie Barton · reviewer · Dec 2025

Give the gift that keeps on giving, with the Leatherman ARC multi-tool. With a durable, long-lasting build and 20 functions, it’s perfect for outdoorsmen, DIYers, and trade professionals.

Read E Engineer’s Perspective Engineer’s Perspective · 8.9K subscribers · Nov 2023

We finally have a very satisfactory answer to this, I believe, in the form of the Leatherman Arc and their MagnaCut blade.

Watch N

Nytimes Article

The premium, no-compromises Leatherman Arc offers a full set of tools, and its knife’s high-end blade steel holds an edge many times longer than the rest.

Read D Drive and Carry Drive and Carry · 2.1K subscribers · Jun 2026

One of the things I really love about the Leatherman Arc is the the main blade. It's a very large blade made from MagnaCut steel. This is my first experience using MagnaCut and it is just an incredible steel. I've been cutting cardboard, cutting rope, paracord for the past 2 weeks or so and I haven't sharpened it and it's still razor sharp.

Watch D Deer Run Shop Deer Run Shop · 913 subscribers · Jul 2026

This is Leatherman's Arc. And it's probably one of the biggest advancements in multi-tool technology that I've seen.

Watch J JoshDodDadBod JoshDodDadBod · 788 subscribers · Aug 2025

Hey, I hope you enjoyed this little rant about the Leatherman Arc. And , you know, if you can afford it and you're interested, I recommend buying it. I think, you know, this is something you can keep for a lifetime and pass on to your children and possibly your grandchildren.

Watch F Fred Bear Fred Bear · 38 subscribers · Aug 2026

Thank you for watching, and I hope you purchase your new Leatherman Arc, and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Watch

4 mixed sources

John Greengo Photography SeaMonster Studios · reviewer · Apr 2026

The pinnacle of multitools for most folks these days is the Leatherman Arc. The Arc is designed around a long-time goal of many multitool users; one handed access to every tool. Thanks to small, but powerful, magnets you can access every tool on the Arc, including the knife blade, pliers, scissors, can opener, saw, awl, bit driver, file, and micro-bit-driver easily with one hand. The Arc is a springboard in advancement from the Wave and for those that use a multitool on a very regular basis, the easy access is a game changer. However, if your multitool is more of an emergency item, using two hands to access many or most of the tools is not a deal breaker. As wonderful as the Arc is, it will be overkill for many photographers.

Read H Heavy Pockets Heavy Pockets · 3.3K subscribers · Nov 2025

So is a Leatherman Arc worth it? My take, yes and no. If you're a serious EDC user and you do carry a multi-tool and you'll use many of these features and you value premium build and long-term performance, in that case the extra cost makes sense. If instead if you're more casual user, maybe you carry something simpler or you only use a few tools every day and the rest just sit idle, then you will certainly get a much better value with a lower priced model and still be happy.

Watch K

Knife Informer Advanced Knife Bro · reviewer · Apr 2026

I'm excited to take an in-depth look at their latest multitool, the Leatherman Arc. Yes, that is the sound of all of the fun leaving the room.

Read D Drive and Carry Drive and Carry · 2.1K subscribers · Aug 2026

So, those are my five complaints about the Leatherman Arc. Even after all that, I still carry mine, and I still think it what is one of the best multi-tools available today. No tool is perfect, and these are just the things I think Leatherman could improve.

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1 unconvinced source

D Dual Sport Outdoors Dual Sport Outdoors · 1.3K subscribers · Dec 2024

Yeah, so for all the bad stuff I have shown you guys, the Leatherman Arc is a fail. This is my second Arc. I had an original Arc when they were first released and it exhibited all the same issues that this one does. So, I'm going to say stay away from the Arc.

Watch

1 stance not read source

Men's Journal Article Read

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #4 of 16 on our multitools tier list, in A tier. That placement draws on 17 cited sources across 15 outlets.

1 of the 16 sources with a clear view is critical of it: Dual Sport Outdoors. A newer platform with a shorter real-world track record than older Leatherman models. Sits in the top price bracket of everything Art of Manliness handled. Its gains over cheaper Leatherman tools are mostly irrelevant in practice. Least long-proven flagship, shorter track record. Shares recent quality-control wobbles.