# Leatherman Wave+

- Source: https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-wave
- Category board: https://stierproducts.com/categories/multitools
- Placement: #1 of 16 in Multitools, S tier
- Brand: Leatherman
- LP on this board: 1044
- Last researched: 2026-09-23T17:30:25.503Z
- Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology
- Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out
- Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.

## Verdict

Two decades of proven ownership, a huge parts-and-repair history and the 25-year warranty make it the safest Leatherman to own for years, and it is still the top performer in recent independent testing.

## For

- Two decades of proven service
- Huge parts-and-repair history
- Backed by a 25-year warranty
- Named the best-performing multitool overall in CleverHiker's testing
- The most recommended full-size multitool anywhere, per multiple outlets and r/BuyItForLife

## Against

- Recent quality-control complaints reported
- Mid-tier price reduces value perception
- Costs a premium over tools with the same core capability

## Evidence

Consolidated from 3 independent outlets

| Outlet | Said by | Stance | Link | Link status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CleverHiker | Taylor Passofaro | B | https://www.cleverhiker.com/more-gear/best-multitools/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Best Compact Multitools - Small Tool. Big Solutions. | BestCompactMultitools Team | B | https://bestcompactmultitools.com/military-multi-tool-7-best-tactical-pick/ | fetched and confirmed |
| The Big Outside | thebigoutside.com | B | https://thebigoutside.com/gear-review-12-essential-backpacking-accessories/ | fetched and confirmed |

## Nearest alternatives on this board

| Rank | Product | Tier | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X | S | https://stierproducts.com/products/victorinox-swiss-tool-spirit-x |
| 3 | Leatherman Skeletool CX | S | https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-skeletool-cx |
| 4 | Leatherman Arc | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-arc |
| 5 | Leatherman Rebar | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-rebar |
| 6 | Victorinox SwissTool X | B | https://stierproducts.com/products/victorinox-swisstool-x |
| 12 | Gerber Dime | D | https://stierproducts.com/products/gerber-dime |
| 13 | Leatherman Wave Alpha | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-wave-alpha |
| 14 | SOG Tellus MT | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/sog-tellus-mt |
| 15 | Leatherman Free P2 | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/leatherman-free-p2 |
| 16 | RoverTac 12-in-1 Multitool | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/rovertac-12-in-1-multitool |

The full board is at https://stierproducts.com/categories/multitools.

## What this tier means

- S: Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category.

## How to read this

- Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.
- LP is this product's points on its own category ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories.
- Link status reports what our pre-publication link check found when it fetched the cited URL. It says nothing about the quality of the review.
- A citation with no usable link is listed rather than dropped, and is excluded from the counted total above.

## Image

https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/leatherman-wave.webp

Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.