Home & GardenRoundup
Pocket multitools: five that reviewers rate and what each one is good for
The Leatherman Wave+, Skeletool CX and Style PS, the Gerber Armbar Drive and the Victorinox Rambler, sorted by the jobs reviewers say each one handles well.
How to read this list
This roundup is drawn from published reviews and manufacturer specs. We have not handled these tools ourselves. The five picks run from a full-size plier tool down to a keychain knife. They were chosen because more than one independent reviewer covered most of them, and because each suits a different kind of carry.
The main choice is between full-size pliers that ride on a belt or in a bag and a slim tool that disappears in a pocket. Reviewers keep finding the same trade-off: more tools mean more weight. CleverHiker's scoring makes this clear. Its top-rated tool gets full marks for tool selection and its lowest mark for weight and size.
Prices below are the figures the reviewers printed, with the date of the page they came from. Prices change, so check before you buy.
Leatherman Wave+: the full-size tool for jobs around the house
The Wave+ is the overall pick at both CleverHiker (4.7 out of 5) and GearJunkie (9.0 out of 10). Both list it at 8.5 oz and 18 tools, 4 inches long when closed. CleverHiker's page, updated May 2026, listed it at around $130. GearJunkie's December 2025 guide listed it at around $120.
GearJunkie notes plain and serrated 420HC steel blades, interchangeable bits and replaceable wire cutters, and names the scissors as the tester's favourite tool. CleverHiker praises the push-button locks and the fact that every tool opens without unfolding the pliers. It used the Wave+ on farm chores and on cold backpacking trips.
Who it suits: someone who wants one tool for hanging shelves, fixing bikes and opening packages, and who is happy to carry it on a belt or in a bag.
Main trade-off: weight and bulk. Both reviewers call it heavy for everyday pocket carry, and neither found a pocket clip in the box.
CleverHiker also notes the pliers are not spring-loaded.
If the price is the problem, GearJunkie suggests the Leatherman Sidekick (around $70 in its guide), which has fewer tools and spring-action pliers.
Leatherman Skeletool CX: a knife first, with pliers when needed
Outdoor Life rates the Skeletool CX its top mid-sized multitool, and CleverHiker rates it the top choice for everyday carry. Outdoor Life gives it as 5 oz, 4 inches closed and just over half an inch thick, with a 154CM stainless blade, a DLC coating, and a built-in carabiner and bottle opener. It has a bit driver, and one spare bit stores in the handle. CleverHiker counts seven tools and listed it at around $99 (page updated May 2026).
Outdoor Life says it 'carries like a larger pocketknife' and that the handle is comfortable for both cutting and plier work. CleverHiker singles out the locking blade, which opens one-handed, and the removable pocket clip.
Who it suits: people who mostly cut things and only sometimes need pliers or a screwdriver, and who want the tool clipped in a pocket rather than in a pouch.
Main trade-off: a small toolset. It has no scissors or file, per CleverHiker, and Outdoor Life says the pliers handle fine work but don't replace a real wrench.
Outdoor Life's tip: keep the Phillips bit fitted, because the flat-head bit digs into your hand when you use the pliers.
CleverHiker calls it relatively expensive for the number of tools.
Gerber Armbar Drive: a slim screwdriver tool without pliers
The Armbar Drive is shaped like a pocketknife and built around a center-mounted bit driver. CleverHiker rates it the top simplified tool, lists it at 3.1 oz and 3.6 inches closed, and priced it at around $48 (May 2026). It counts six tools. GearJunkie counts eight, including a locking blade, scissors, bottle opener, hammer, pry bar and awl.
Both reviewers like the driver. CleverHiker notes that it takes standard ¼-inch hex bits. GearJunkie's tester carried one for over six months and found the hammer and pry bar useful.
Who it suits: renters and flat-pack furniture builders who drive more screws than they grip nuts, and who want something light.
Main trade-off: no pliers, and build quality reviewers question. GearJunkie lists 'inconsistent QA/QC' and 'cheap steel' as cons.
CleverHiker says only the blade locks. It also calls the scissors and blade small, the driver awkward to apply torque with, and the tool less suited to left-handed users.
CleverHiker places it at light-to-moderate tasks, not heavy daily work.
Victorinox Rambler: a keychain knife for small jobs
Victorinox's US site lists the Rambler at 2.3 inches and 1.1 oz, at around $35 when we checked in November 2026, with the company's lifetime warranty. The tool list covers a small blade, scissors, a 2.5 mm screwdriver, a magnetic Phillips screwdriver, a wire stripper, a bottle opener, a nail file, a toothpick, tweezers and a key ring.
GearJunkie calls it the editors' current favourite keychain multitool and says the Phillips driver works well on tiny screws. CleverHiker rates it the top keychain pick and calls the blade sharp and the scissors strong.
Who it suits: anyone who wants scissors, a blade and a small screwdriver on their keys every day, for opening mail, snipping tags and tightening glasses screws.
Main trade-off: it is small. There are no pliers, and the blade does not lock, per CleverHiker.
CleverHiker also found that the key ring blocks the file, that the tweezers and toothpick are easy to lose, and that it can feel small in larger hands.
GearJunkie rates the wire stripper its weakest tool.
Leatherman Style PS: no blade, made for travel
The Style PS has no knife. That is its whole point: it is meant to go where a blade would be a problem. GearJunkie rates it the top travel tool and calls it 'TSA flight-safe'. It lists 1.6 oz, 2.9 inches closed and around $35 (December 2025 guide), and praises the spring-action pliers for nuts and bolts in tight spaces.
Pack Hacker tested one for about a month and scored it 7.5 out of 10. It lists needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, a file, spring-loaded scissors, tweezers, a carabiner bottle opener and a mini flat-head screwdriver. The reviewer found the pliers good for tightening loose furniture hardware and the file quick. The tool showed no wear after a month.
Who it suits: frequent flyers, and anyone whose workplace or venue bans knives but who still wants pliers and scissors.
Main trade-off: no blade, and small tools. Pack Hacker found the scissors not very sharp and the screwdriver usable only on very small screws.
GearJunkie notes that none of the tools lock.
Pack Hacker warns it is bigger and more conspicuous than some other airline-safe tools, so it may draw extra screening. The final decision rests with security staff.
Before you buy: carry rules and what to check
A multitool with any blade generally belongs in checked luggage, not your carry-on. Rules differ by country, and screening officers can refuse an item. Check your airport authority's current guidance before you fly. Pack Hacker's reviewer reports losing a different Leatherman, a Piranha 2, to airport security in Malaysia.
Knife-carry laws also differ by country, state and city. They can depend on blade length and whether the blade locks. If you plan to carry a bladed tool every day, check the local rules or ask the local authority. A bladeless tool like the Style PS, or a knife-free setup, avoids most of the question.
Finally, look at the warranty terms on the maker's own site. Victorinox lists a lifetime warranty on the Rambler. GearJunkie says Leatherman's Wave Plus and Sidekick share a 25-year warranty.
Side by side
| Leatherman Wave+ | Leatherman Skeletool CX | Gerber Armbar Drive | Victorinox Rambler | Leatherman Style PS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (as reported) | 8.5 oz | 5 oz | 3.1 oz | 1.1 oz | 1.6 oz |
| Closed length | 4 in | 4 in | 3.6 in | 2.3 in | 2.9 in |
| Pliers | Yes, full-size | Yes, light-duty | No | No | Yes, spring-action |
| Blade | Plain and serrated | Locking 154CM | Locking | Small, non-locking | None |
| Price reported (date) | Around $120–$130 (Dec 2025–May 2026) | Around $99 (May 2026) | Around $48 (May 2026) | Around $35 (Nov 2026) | Around $35 (Dec 2025) |
| Best for | Home and DIY all-rounder | Everyday pocket carry, mostly cutting | Driving screws, light jobs | Keychain basics | Travel, no-knife places |
| Main weakness | Heavy, no pocket clip | Few tools, no scissors | No pliers, quality concerns | Too small for heavier work | No blade, small tools |
Common questions
Which of these can I take in a carry-on bag?
Only the bladeless Leatherman Style PS is described by a reviewer (GearJunkie) as flight-safe. Even then, Pack Hacker warns it may draw extra screening, and security staff make the final call. Tools with a knife blade generally go in checked luggage. Check current rules for your airport before you fly.
Do I need pliers on a pocket multitool?
It depends on your jobs. Reviewers rate the Wave+ and Skeletool CX for plier work, and Outdoor Life notes the Skeletool's pliers are for finer tasks. If you mostly open packages and tighten small screws, a plier-free tool like the Victorinox Rambler or Gerber Armbar Drive is lighter.
Is a full-size tool like the Wave+ too heavy to carry in a pocket?
Both CleverHiker and GearJunkie flag its weight, 8.5 oz, as the main drawback for everyday carry, and neither found a pocket clip. Many owners carry it in a belt sheath or a bag instead. If pocket carry matters most, reviewers point to the 5 oz Skeletool CX.
Why do reviewers list different tool counts for the same product?
Brands and reviewers count differently. Some count a bottle opener and a screwdriver tip on the same blade as two tools, and some count each bit. For example, CleverHiker counts six tools on the Gerber Armbar Drive while GearJunkie counts eight. Compare the actual tool list rather than the headline number.