Leatherman Wave Plus Review (2026)

Where to buy

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Key specifications

What we like, and where it gives ground

What it is, and who it suits

The Wave Plus is a pliers-based multi-tool. It folds a pair of pliers, two blades, a saw, a file and a set of drivers into one steel body. Leatherman lists eighteen tools in total. That range is the whole point. One item in your kit can pinch, cut, scrape, tighten and split.

This review answers one question. Is the Wave Plus the right tool for how you actually use your hands on a trip? We have not put this unit through our own bench work, and we say so up front. Instead we read the maker's published specs against the jobs a camp, car or trail kit really asks. Those jobs decide whether a tool gets used or left at home.

If you want one do-it-all tool, this is the shortlist favourite. If you only ever need a knife, a lighter folder serves you better. The sections below take the tool apart piece by piece.

Tools and one-hand access

The key feature is outside access. The main blade and the combination blade open from the outside, so you can cut without first swinging the pliers open. On a lone walk, one hand stays free. That matters when your other hand holds a rope, a lamp or a kid.

The pliers head sits at the pivot. It has needlenose and standard jaws in one, plus wire cutters behind them. Around the body you get a can opener, bottle opener, file and drivers. Each is a real tool, not a token shape. You can strip a wire, tin a small bolt or open a can of food at camp.

The trade is reach. Some tools sit inside the handles, so you must open the pliers to use them. That is fine for the saw or the file. It is a small friction you learn to plan around.

Steel, edge and field care

The main blade uses 420HC stainless. That is a tough, rust-resistant steel. It is not the sharpest factory edge you can buy, but it holds up to hard use and it is quick to touch up. On a rock, a ceramic rod or a pocket stone, it comes back fast.

For camp work, easy care beats a fine edge you dare not abuse. You can cut cord, scrape a burn scar off a pot or split kindling without worry. Rinse the tool and dry it after wet work, and a light oil wipe keeps the pivot smooth.

Stainless resists surface rust, but salt air is harsh. If you beach camp, wipe the tool down more often. A little care buys years from a tool that is built to be repairable rather than disposable.

Weight and carry

Leatherman quotes 241 grams. That is real mass in a pocket. On a belt or in a boot bag it disappears, and you stop noticing it. Carried loose in a small daypack, it is a clear line on the scale.

For a car camper or a van traveller, weight barely matters. The tool lives in a drawer and earns its place the first time you need a driver. For a walker counting grams, the same 241 grams asks hard questions. You must decide how often you will reach for it.

A fair rule is simple. If the tool replaces three single items you would otherwise carry, its weight pays for itself. If it duplicates a knife you already have, it is dead weight on your back.

Build, feel and safety

The body is stainless steel with a satin finish. It feels dense and squared, so it sits solid in the hand. The lock on the pliers head keeps the jaws from pinching your fingers closed. Blades sit flush when folded, so nothing rubs your pocket lining.

The tool is heavy enough to demand respect. A folded blade still cuts. Teach anyone who borrows it where each edge sits, and keep the tip away from a tent wall or a sling chair fabric. It will slice a pack strap as fast as a rope.

For families, it is a grown-up tool. Hand a child a blunt pocket knife for light jobs, and keep this one for the adults who run the fire and the repairs.

Durability and long-term value

A tool's real cost is its price divided by the years you get from it. On that maths the Wave Plus usually lands well, because the boring things are done right. Pivots can be tightened, and worn parts can be sent in rather than binned.

Leatherman backs the tool with a long warranty. Read the terms on the maker's page, since coverage can vary by region and by reseller. A warranty you can use is worth more than a slightly sharper blade you cannot replace.

Compared with a cheap no-name multi-tool, the difference shows after a season. Soft steel rounds off, loose pivots wobble, and a broken jaw ends it. The Wave Plus is the kind of tool a person keeps and then hands on.

How it compares to other tools

It helps to see this tool against the two choices people weigh it against most. Each wins in a different job, and the right one depends on what your hands do on a trip.

Should you buy it?

Buy the Wave Plus if you want one tool that covers most fixes without a full kit. It suits car campers, van life, fishers and anyone who tinkers. It is the safest first real multi-tool, and a sensible spare for a workshop box.

Skip it if you walk light and only need a knife. A thin folder saves a lot of grams. Skip it too if a fixed-blade bushcraft knife already runs your camp, since that blade does the heavy cutting better.

Still deciding? Compare it against other knives and tools in our multi-tool and knife guide. If you only need a knife, a fixed blade like the companion we cover there may serve you better. If you want a full camp kit, our checklist generator can add the right tools to your list.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Wave Plus worth it over a cheaper multi-tool?

For most buyers, yes. A cheap tool saves money now but costs more per year once soft steel rounds off and loose pivots fail. The Wave Plus uses tougher steel, keeps a usable warranty, and can be serviced instead of binned. If you rely on it for real jobs, the gap in life makes the price fair. If you only use it twice a year, a lower-cost tool can be enough.

Can I fly with a Leatherman Wave Plus in my bag?

No. In Australia and most other places, tools with blades or pliers must go in checked baggage, not carry-on. The rule applies whether the tool is new or old. If you fly to a trip, pack it in your to-check bag or leave it for a lift home. Put it in your carry-on and it will be taken at screening.

Does the Wave Plus rust?

It uses 420HC stainless, which resists rust well in normal use. It is not rust-proof, though. Salt air, sweat or a wet tool left in a bag can spot the finish. Rinse and dry it after wet days, and give the pivot a light oil now and then. A few seconds of care keeps surface spots from starting.

Which tools can I open with one hand?

The main blade and the combination blade have outside access, so you can deploy them without opening the pliers head. That is the big upgrade on older designs. The rest, like the saw and file, sit inside the handles, so you open the pliers to reach them. For cutting with one free hand, the outside blades are the feature that matters.

Is the Wave Plus good for camping?

It is a strong camp tool because it covers many small jobs in one item. You can cut cord, tighten a stove, open a tin and shave kindling with the same tool. For a car camp it is easy to justify. For a long walk it adds weight, so decide how often you will reach for it. Pairs often find one shared tool is enough.

What is the difference between the Wave and the Wave Plus?

The Plus is the current run of the long-lived Wave design. It keeps the eighteen-tool layout and the outside blade access, and the maker's updates improved the steel on the main blade. For a buyer today, the Plus is the model you will find listed. The core idea of both is the same: one tool for almost every fix.