Leatherman Wave Multi-Tool – Long-term Test Review

I should have written a review for Leatherman multi-tools many years ago! I’ve owned numerous ones over the years, from my first Super Tool in the mid-nineties to the Crunch, Wave and Charge models. The only time I’ve needed to buy a new one is when I’ve lost one (such as when I threw one into the River Don, with a handful of maggots!) or if I quite fancy the features on a new or upgraded model (when they updated the Wave to include interchangeable driver bits, this was a gamechanger I couldn’t miss out on!).

Perhaps because a multi-tool isn’t fishing tackle per-se – it’s something that’s just really useful to have with you on fishing trips – I hadn’t thought to review them. Needless to say, after the years of service they’ve given me I’m perhaps a little biased towards Leatherman tools. Just as I am toward Snap-On when it comes to ratchets, spanners & screwdrivers. I can rely on them, so I value them dearly.

At work I’m a bit of a Jack of all trades, I’m a glutton for DIY and in general I’m a tinkerer! If something breaks my instinct is to fix it and if something can be improved through a little bit of tinkering, well, it’s going to be!

I have one on my belt at work (a slightly different model – the Charge Titanium), which I use every day without fail. I have another Leatherman that I take fishing and use every time I go. Of course, I don’t carry one around at home but every week there’s a reason to reach for the multi-tool for tasks around the house – whether it’s repairing something or replacing batteries in the kids’ toys – so I’m rarely far away from one. The sheer versatility of the tool saves me so many unneccessary trips to the tool box. I’m so used to having one on my belt, I reach for it subconciosly as a task appears! I really would be lost without a Leatherman!

When fishing I use them for all sorts, including: trimming line, chopping deadbaits, slicing/reshaping boilies & luncheon meat, removing hooks, making rod rests out of sticks, knot pulling, flattening barbs, trimming back brambles & twigs, repairing reels & bite alarms, sharpening hooks, opening food cans… even once (when I was very desperate) crimping a trace. Carrying it on my belt, I hardly know I’m carrying it, but it’s right there when I need it (even if I’ve wandered away from my tackle, I can still unhook a fish or re-tie a hook where I am).

The locking blades make the knives, saw and and file very safe to use, whilst the pliers are strong enough for the majority of tasks. Some models feature a replacable wire cutter/stripper, which is strong enough to chop the point off any freshwater hook in an emergency. I wouldn’t recommend these cutters for cutting wire trace material as the gap between the shears isn’t quite small enough for use with the very fine braided steel we use for traces; it’s likely to kink them and take a few goes before it cuts.

If your budget can stretch to the models with the ingenious flat removable double-ended driver bits, I would highly recommend getting one. For not a lot extra you can buy a full bit kit featuring various sizes of flat, Philips, Pozi, hex and Torx bits (which come with a neat plastic storage sleeve which fit into a Leatherman sheath). Another accessory which complements the bit kit is the bit driver extension, which makes the Leatherman more the shape of a screwdriver when in use, making it even more versatile. With the whole package there isn’t much you can’t get into!

There are many multi-tools out there, from £4.99 “camping” multi-tools to other costing hundreds of pounds, but the quality varies considerably with the price tag. If you’re on a budget and want to have a tool that can do a bit of everything, then a cheap one may last you for a season or two. If, however, you want something to last, stay sharp, not rust and be ready to use when you need it, I think you have to invest in something of the quality of Leatherman. Any multi-tool is useful, but it becomes vastly more useful when you can trust it to handle more tasks.

You don’t have to break the bank to buy a full size Leatherman multi-tool; the Rev is under £50 and the Wingman & Bond both less than £70. They don’t have quite the range of features of the £100+ models, but they’re still feature-packed and, most importantly, well-built. If I had to choose between a £50 multi-tool with more features but lower build quality and a £50 Leatherman with fewer features, I would choose the Leatherman every time.

The 25 year warranty is nothing short of amazing. If you break your multi-tool you post it in to Whitby & Co and (unless you’ve quite obviously abused it and are taking the piss sending it back) within a few days you’ll receive a shiny, brand-new replacement tool! I feel that the warranty alone justifies the price of Leatherman tools, if you’re going to use them regularly, because I don’t know of another company who offers such a brilliant no-quibble, new-for-old service.

If you regularly clean and lubricate a Leatherman used for fishing, you’ll get many years of service from it. Look after it and it will be among the best value-for-money items you ever take fishing with you!

Do you have any tackle items you’d like me to review? If so, please get in touch with details.