Our pick
Leatherman Skeletool CX
This light and slim multi-tool focuses on well-executed essentials—such as precise, comfortable pliers—and it has no fillers. It’s easy to carry daily and built to last.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $80.
Of all the multi-tools we tried, the Skeletool CX is the one we kept reaching for long after testing concluded, and it’s the one we still carry daily, three years later. Its knife deploys and locks smoothly with one hand—without your having to first open up the pliers. And its high-quality, 154CM blade steel holds an edge longer than most multi-tool blades. Other multi-tools are so bulky that they need to be carried in a belt sheath, but the lighter, slimmer Skeletool fits comfortably in a pocket. It can also clip onto a belt or backpack with either a pocket clip or a carabiner (which can double as an easy-access bottle opener). The CX’s pliers unfold easily, have the precision to pull a small splinter, and are comfortable to hold, thanks to the asymmetric handle. This multi-tool’s two Phillips and two flathead screwdrivers capably handle the most common screws. And the Skeletool is backed by a 25-year warranty. But this model is so sturdily built, we’d be surprised if you needed to use the warranty; other Leathermans we’ve owned and used for over a decade have held up perfectly.
Closed dimensions: 4⅛ by 1¼ by ½ inches
Weight: 5.2 ounces
Blade length: 2⅝ inches
Tools included: needle-nose pliers, wire cutter, bottle opener, Phillips screwdriver (2), flat screwdriver (2), carabiner clip
Also great
Leatherman Free P2
The Free P2 has a larger tool selection—including scissors and a package opener—than the Skeletool CX. But the biggest difference is that all of the tools, including the pliers, can be deployed using one hand.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $120.
If you are seeking a larger multi-tool, yet one that is extremely easy to use, we recommend the Leatherman Free P2. The Free P2, released in 2019, is an entirely new design for Leatherman. With its handles closed, you can access and open all of the tools with a single hand, a unique feature in the world of multi-tools. You can even deploy the pliers one-handed, with just a flip of the wrist. After we tested the Free P2 for several weeks, other full-size multi-tools, such as the classic Leatherman Wave+, started to feel clunky and laborious to open. The Free P2 is over 2½ ounces heavier than the Skeletool CX, but it has a slender, streamlined design and comes with a pocket clip. Although it has more weight to it, we never found it unwieldy or awkward to carry.
Closed dimensions: 4 by 1½ by ⅝ inches
Weight: 7½ ounces
Blade length: 2⅝ inches
Tools included: needle-nose pliers, wire cutter, electrical crimper, wire stripper, knife, scissors, package opener, awl, can opener, bottle opener, wood/metal file, Phillips screwdriver, medium flat screwdriver, small flat screwdriver, extra-small flat screwdriver, pry tool, ruler
Also great
Leatherman Signal
The Signal has the Skeletool’s basic set of tools, plus a few extras geared toward the outdoors and emergency preparation, including an effective whistle and a fire starter.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $120.
If you’re someone who spends a lot of time outside, or if you simply want to up your emergency-preparedness game, we also like the Leatherman Signal. At its core, the Signal shares many characteristics with the Skeletool CX: a stripped-down tool selection, the asymmetrical handles, and the carabiner-clip bottle-opener feature. Where the Signal differs is in the added emphasis on outdoor-oriented tools. In addition to the knife, pliers, bottle opener, and screwdriver, there’s a whistle, fire-starter rod, knife sharpener, saw, and awl. This multi-tool is larger than the Skeletool CX, but the additional tools—especially the whistle, fire-starter rod, and blade sharpener—are so nicely integrated into the design that it’s surprising how little bulk they add. They also work well! Because it’s more geared toward camping and survival, the Signal is more robust than the Skeletool, with larger pliers, replaceable wire cutter blades, and longer plier handles.
Closed dimensions: 4½ by 1⅝ by ¾ inches
Weight: 7½ ounces
Blade length: 2¾ inches
Tools included: needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, knife, saw, hammer, awl, can opener, bottle opener, Phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, quarter-inch box wrench, 3/16-inch box wrench, carabiner, ferro rod, whistle, sharpener
Also great
Gerber Gear Dime
For such a small model, this tool is surprisingly capable. And the Dime’s pliers, bottle opener, and clamshell cutter are quite satisfying to use.
The Gerber Gear Dime is smaller than a Bic lighter, yet it’s capable and satisfying to use. Designed to attach to a keyring, it contains a great selection of useful tools, including scissors, pliers, a bottle opener, a knife, two screwdrivers, and a clamshell cutter (for safely slicing open retail packaging). The Dime has some nice touches—there’s an externally mounted bottle opener (like on the Skeletool CX), precise plier jaws, and a cool variety of colors (black, green, and red). And it usually costs under $30. But the knife blade doesn’t lock (typical of tools its size), and its pliers make better tweezers than the actual tweezers it includes.
Closed dimensions: 2¾ by 13/16 by ½ inches
Weight: 2.3 ounces
Blade length: 1⅜ inches
Tools included: needle-nose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, tweezers, bottle opener, knife, clamshell opener, scissors, flat screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, coarse and fine file, lanyard ring
Also great
Leatherman Free T4
The Leatherman Free T4 lacks pliers, so it’s smaller than the other models here, but it has a nice set of basic tools and a strong build quality.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
Pliers add a wide range of functionality to a multi-tool, but they also add size. If you’re looking for something a little smaller, we like the Leatherman Free T4. This plier-less model has a well-rounded selection of tools, including scissors and tweezers. It also has features that many non-pliers models lack—all of the tools, including the knife, lock in the open position, and it has a pocket clip. As with the Leatherman Free P2, with the Free T4 you can deploy all of the tools using only one hand (although the knife can be a little tricky). This model is solidly built and is covered under Leatherman’s 25-year warranty.
Closed dimensions: 3⅝ by 1 by ⅞ inches
Weight: 4.3 ounces
Blade length: 2 1/16 inches
Tools included: knife, scissors, pry tool, package opener, awl, bottle opener, file, Phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver (3), tweezers
Also great
Gerber Gear Armbar Drive
The Gerber Armbar Drive is similar to the Free T4, but it’s not as refined. It’s also not as expensive.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $40.
If you are seeking a simple, budget-oriented multi-tool, we recommend the Gerber Gear Armbar Drive. Like the Free T4, this one lacks the pliers, so it doesn’t have the functionality of models like the Skeletool CX. But it makes up for that with its small size and weight. The Armbar has a basic yet well-rounded set of tools: knife, screwdrivers, package opener, scissors, and a bottle opener. The design of the bottle opener is especially inventive and can be used quickly with one hand. The downsides are that the screwdriver does not lock in the open position (but the knife does), and it lacks a pocket clip. Otherwise, we see this is a great entry-level multi-tool for someone who doesn’t want the added bulk of the pliers.
Closed dimensions: 3½ by ¾ by ¾ inches
Weight: 3.1 ounces
Blade length: 2⅝ inches
Tools included: knife, Phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, pry tool, bottle opener, scissors, awl, striking tool
