Our pick: the Leatherman Skeletool CX: pliers, wire cutters, a locking 154CM blade and a bit driver in 5 oz, with a pocket clip in the box. Budget: Leatherman Wingman. Full-size: Leatherman Wave+. Keychain: Leatherman Micra. For flying: Gerber Shard, the only pick with no blade.
Pick by how you’ll carry it first: our keychain picks weigh 0.8–2.2 oz and our pocket-clip picks 5–8.6 oz. The 8.5 oz Wave+ ships with neither a clip nor a sheath, so plan on buying a sheath for your belt.
| Multi-tool | Best for | How it carries | Weight | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leatherman Skeletool CX | Best overall | Pocket clip (included) | 5 oz | $$$ | Check price |
| Leatherman Wingman | Best budget | Pocket clip (included) | 7 oz | $$ | Check price |
| Leatherman ARC | Best one-hand tool | Pocket clip (included) | 8.6 oz | $$$$ | Check price |
| Leatherman Wave+ | Best full-size | Belt sheath (sold separately) | 8.5 oz | $$$ | Check price |
| Victorinox Tinker | Best Swiss Army knife | Loose in a pocket | 2.2 oz | $$ | Check price |
| Gerber Dime | Best keychain pliers | Keychain | 2.2 oz | $$ | Check price |
| Leatherman Micra | Best keychain scissors | Keychain | 1.8 oz | $$ | Check price |
| Victorinox Classic SD | Lightest | Keychain | 0.8 oz | $ | Check price |
| Gerber Shard | Best for flying | Keychain | 1.0 oz | $ | Check price |
Weights and what comes in the box from each maker’s product page, October 2026. Price bands at maker list price, October 2026: $ under $25 · $$ $25–75 · $$$ $75–150 · $$$$ over $150.
How we chose
Our older reviews and roundups covered six of these nine before 2023: the Wave+, Skeletool, Wingman, Micra, Dime and Shard. We published reviews of the ARC, Tinker and Classic SD in 2023 and 2024; for those three, the cards stick to the makers’ specs.
For this October 2026 page (edited by Brian Hamilton), we checked every pick on its maker’s own site: that it’s still sold, how it carries, what’s in the box and whether it has a blade. We sorted them by carry method, because that decides whether a tool comes along every day.
That check ruled out:
- Leatherman’s FREE P2, P4, K2, K4 and T4 and the Squirt PS4 are all tagged retired on leatherman.com.
- Leatherman’s FREE T2 and Curl are still listed but were out of stock.
- Amazon-only brands that don’t publish specs on a site of their own.
Best EDC multi-tools with a pocket clip
A clip holds a 5–9 oz tool at the top of a front pocket, where you can reach it. Three of our picks include one. For more clip-carry tools, see our best multi-tool with pocket clip roundup.
1. Leatherman Skeletool CX: Best overall
A pliers tool cut down to the essentials: needlenose pliers, wire cutters, a locking 2.6 in 154CM blade and a bit driver, with a spare bit stored in the handle. Leatherman calls it its lightest pliers-based tool, at 5 oz.
The pocket clip comes in the box and comes off if you don’t want it. The carabiner on the end doubles as a bottle opener, one of the better ones we’d seen on a multi-tool when we reviewed the Skeletool.
The original Skeletool shares the frame, weight and tool list, with a part-serrated 420HC blade instead of the CX’s plain 154CM, for a little less.
Key specs: 5 oz · 4 in closed, 6 in open · 7 tools · 2.6 in 154CM blade, locks, thumb-hole opening · pocket clip included; sheath sold separately · 25-year warranty · $$$
Pros
- Pliers, cutters, blade and bit driver in 5 oz
- Clip included, and removable
- Blade opens one-handed and locks
- Spare bit rides in the handle
Cons
- No scissors, saw or file
- Only seven tools
- No sheath in the box
Skip it if: you use scissors every day. The Wingman has them for less. More in our Leatherman Skeletool review, which covers the original, CX and RX.
2. Leatherman Wingman: Best budget
One of Leatherman’s lowest-priced pliers tools, and the cheapest clip pick with scissors. The pliers, wire cutters and scissors are all spring-action, and many tools open from outside the handles, the blade one-handed.
When we compared it with the Wave+, we called the Wingman great bang for the buck: you give up replaceable wire cutters, bit drivers, a saw and a diamond file. It’s 3.8 in closed and 7 oz, 2 oz more than the Skeletool CX.
Key specs: 7 oz · 3.8 in closed, 6 in open · 14 tools · 2.6 in 420HC combo blade, locks · pocket clip included; sheath sold separately · built in Portland, Oregon · 25-year warranty · $$
Pros
- Spring-action pliers and scissors
- Blade opens one-handed and locks
- Clip included
- Same 25-year warranty as the expensive Leathermans
Cons
- No bit driver
- Wire cutters aren’t replaceable
- 2 oz heavier than the Skeletool CX
Skip it if: you drive screws more than you cut. The Skeletool CX takes bits. Our Leatherman Wingman review has the tool-by-tool detail, and our budget multi-tools list goes cheaper.
3. Leatherman ARC: Best one-hand tool
The full-size tool for people who’d rather clip than holster. Leatherman’s magnetic FREE design opens every tool from outside the handles with one hand, pliers included, and everything but the plier head locks. The blade is MagnaCut, a steel Leatherman picked for edge holding and rust resistance.
It’s the heaviest tool here on a clip, at 8.6 oz, and Leatherman puts the clip in the box. Our Leatherman ARC review goes tool by tool; the figures on this card are Leatherman’s.
Key specs: 8.6 oz · 4.25 in closed, 6.45 in open · 20 tools · 2.76 in MagnaCut blade, thumb stud · pocket clip included; sheath sold separately · 25-year warranty · $$$$
Pros
- Every tool opens one-handed from outside
- MagnaCut blade
- 20 tools, including scissors and a saw
- Clip included
Cons
- The most expensive pick by far
- 8.6 oz pulls at a pocket
- No sheath in the box
Skip it if: the price stings. The Wave+ has most of the same tools for about half the price. More top-end options are in our best premium multi-tools.
Best full-size EDC multi-tool for a belt sheath
4. Leatherman Wave+: Best full-size
The full toolbox: 18 tools, including two blades, a saw, spring-action scissors, two files, two bit drivers and replaceable wire cutters. Both blades, the saw and the file open from outside, and everything but the plier head locks.
In our review the saw handled small limbs on camping trips, and the scissors cut plastic, paper and cardboard well. Our gripes: the inside tools usually took two hands, and the bit drivers take Leatherman’s own bits rather than standard 1/4 in ones.
It comes with no clip or sheath now, only a lanyard ring. At 8.5 oz, a belt sheath is the comfortable way to carry it.
Key specs: 8.5 oz · 4 in closed, 6.25 in open · 18 tools · 2.92 in 420HC blade plus a serrated blade, both lock · sheath sold separately · replaceable wire cutters · 25-year warranty · $$$
Pros
- 18 tools for about half the ARC’s price
- Blades, saw and file open from outside
- Every tool but the plier head locks
- Replaceable wire cutters
Cons
- No sheath or clip in the box
- Inside tools usually need two hands
- Leatherman bits, not standard 1/4 in
Skip it if: you won’t wear a sheath. The Skeletool CX is 3.5 oz lighter and clips on. More in our Leatherman Wave+ review.
Best Swiss Army knife for EDC
5. Victorinox Tinker: Best Swiss Army knife
For days that need a blade and a screwdriver more than pliers. The Tinker adds a Phillips driver to the classic two-blade Swiss Army layout, with flat drivers on the can and bottle openers, an awl, tweezers and a toothpick.
At 2.2 oz it’s under half the Skeletool CX’s weight, and it rides loose in a pocket or on a key ring. Our Victorinox Tinker review has more; the figures here are Victorinox’s.
Key specs: 2.2 oz · 3.6 × 1 × 0.6 in · 12 functions · two blades, don’t lock · Phillips 1/2, 3 mm and 6 mm flat drivers · key ring · Swiss made · lifetime warranty · $$
Pros
- Two blades and a Phillips driver in 2.2 oz
- Slips into any pocket
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- No pliers or scissors
- Blades don’t lock
- Tweezers and toothpick are easy to lose
Skip it if: you want scissors. The Victorinox Huntsman adds them and a saw, at 3.4 oz. Our best Swiss Army knife guide has the rest.
Best keychain EDC multi-tools
Under about 2 oz, a tool can live on your keys and come everywhere they do. These four cover pliers, scissors, the lightest option and a no-blade tool for flying. More in our best keychain multi-tools roundup.
6. Gerber Dime: Best keychain pliers
The smallest real pliers here: spring-loaded needlenose pliers with wire cutters on a 2.75 in butterfly-opening body that fits a keychain. Around them are a 1.5 in blade, scissors, a package opener, screwdrivers, tweezers and a file.
The bottle opener sits on the outside, so it works with the tool closed. Our Micra review preferred the Micra’s build and scissors, but the Dime is the one with pliers.
Key specs: 2.2 oz · 2.75 in closed, 4.25 in open · 1.5 in blade · 10 tools in Gerber’s feature list (12 in its description) · lanyard ring · limited lifetime warranty · $$
Pros
- Real pliers and wire cutters on a keychain
- Bottle opener works with the tool closed
- Scissors and tweezers too
Cons
- Tiny pliers: small jobs only
- Blade and package opener mean a checked bag
- Our Micra review rated the Micra’s build higher
Skip it if: you need pliers for real work. The Skeletool CX is the next step up. More in our Gerber Dime review.
7. Leatherman Micra: Best keychain scissors
A keychain tool built around scissors instead of pliers. In our review the spring-action scissors were about school-scissor size but much sharper, and cut heavy paper, plastic packaging and fishing line without trouble.
The extra-small flat driver fit most eyeglass screws, and the tweezers fold out of the handle, so they don’t get lost. One warning from our review: the nail file collects pocket grime and darkens within a few weeks.
Key specs: 1.8 oz · 2.5 in closed, 4.2 in open · 10 tools · 1.6 in 420HC blade, doesn’t lock · key ring · sheath sold separately · 25-year warranty · $$
Pros
- Bigger, sharper scissors than the Dime or Classic SD
- Attached tweezers
- Eyeglass-size driver
- 25-year warranty
Cons
- No pliers
- Nothing locks
- File picks up dirt
Skip it if: you’d rather have pliers. Get the Dime. More in our Leatherman Micra review.
8. Victorinox Classic SD: Lightest
The lightest pick, at 0.8 oz: a small blade, scissors, a nail file with a screwdriver tip, tweezers and a toothpick on a key ring. It weighs less than half as much as the Micra.
Our Micra review picked the Micra over the Victorinox Classic for its extra tools and better scissors and tweezers. The Classic SD wins on weight and price. Our Victorinox Classic SD review has more; the figures here are Victorinox’s.
Key specs: 0.8 oz · 2.3 × 0.7 × 0.4 in · 7 functions · small blade, doesn’t lock · 2.5 mm screwdriver on the nail file · key ring · Swiss made · lifetime warranty · $
Pros
- Lightest pick at 0.8 oz
- Scissors and a nail file on your keys
- Cheapest bladed pick
Cons
- Small scissors
- Tweezers and toothpick slide out and get lost
- One tiny screwdriver
Skip it if: you want more than a manicure kit. The Micra does more for about twice the weight.
9. Gerber Shard: Best for flying
The only pick with no blade, and the one to keep on your keys if you fly. It’s one piece of steel with a pry bar, three drivers, a wire stripper and a bottle opener. Gerber calls it “Airline Safe”.
Our one-piece multi-tool roundup rated its bottle opener one of the better ones on a one-piece tool; the drivers handle a range of screws but not really tight ones. Our EDC pry bar roundup found the pry bar great for popping picture nails out of drywall.
The dark finish is titanium nitride over stainless steel, not titanium.
Key specs: 1.0 oz · 3.5 in in Gerber’s spec table (2.75 in in its description) · 7 functions · no blade · TiN-coated stainless · limited lifetime warranty · $
Pros
- No blade, so it fits TSA’s carry-on rules
- Nothing folds, so nothing breaks
- Cheapest pick
Cons
- Can’t cut anything
- Short drivers give little leverage
Skip it if: you never fly and want a blade. More in our Gerber Shard review; real-titanium tools of this size are in our best titanium multi-tools.
What size multi-tool should you carry every day?
Start with how you’ll carry it, then pick the tools. A tool that’s too heavy for its carry gets left in a drawer. Here’s every pick sorted by weight.
| Multi-tool | Weight | Closed length | How it carries | Tools | Blade? (TSA) | One-hand opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorinox Classic SD | 0.8 oz | 2.3 in | Key ring | 7 | Yes: checked bag | Not listed |
| Gerber Shard | 1.0 oz | 3.5 in | Keychain (lanyard hole) | 7 | No: carry-on OK | Nothing to open |
| Leatherman Micra | 1.8 oz | 2.5 in | Key ring | 10 | Yes: checked bag | Not listed |
| Gerber Dime | 2.2 oz | 2.75 in | Keychain (lanyard ring) | 10 | Yes: checked bag | Not listed |
| Victorinox Tinker | 2.2 oz | 3.6 in | Pocket; key ring | 12 | Yes: checked bag | Not listed |
| Leatherman Skeletool CX | 5 oz | 4 in | Clip (included) | 7 | Yes: checked bag | Blade |
| Leatherman Wingman | 7 oz | 3.8 in | Clip (included) | 14 | Yes: checked bag | Blade |
| Leatherman Wave+ | 8.5 oz | 4 in | Sheath (sold separately) | 18 | Yes: checked bag | Outside tools |
| Leatherman ARC | 8.6 oz | 4.25 in | Clip (included) | 20 | Yes: checked bag | Every tool, pliers too |
Weight, closed length, carry hardware, tool counts and one-hand features from each maker’s product page, October 2026. “Not listed” means the maker doesn’t list one-hand opening. Shard length from Gerber’s spec table. Blade column per TSA’s multi-tool rule (tsa.gov, October 2026); the TSA officer decides.
The picks fall into five sizes:
- Full-size pliers (8.5 oz and up, about 4 in): the Wave+ and ARC. The most tools, with outside-opening blades. Carry on a belt, in a bag, or on a sturdy clip.
- Mid-size pliers (5–7 oz): the Skeletool CX and Wingman. Pliers and a locking blade on a pocket clip.
- Compact pliers (about 2 oz, under 3 in): the Dime. Small pliers for keys or a coin pocket.
- Swiss Army knives (0.8–3.4 oz): the Tinker and Classic SD. Blades and drivers, no pliers, loose in a pocket.
- Keychain tools (1–2 oz): the Micra and Shard. Scissors or a pry bar that never leaves your keys.
Did you know? Moving from the Wave+ to the Skeletool CX saves 3.5 oz, 41% of the weight, and drops 11 of the Wave+’s 18 tools. What stays is the core: both pliers, both wire cutters, a locking blade, a bit driver and a bottle opener. What goes: scissors, saw, files, serrated blade, can opener and ruler.
Why tool counts don’t compare: Leatherman counts needlenose and regular pliers as two tools and wire and hard-wire cutters as two more, so four of the Skeletool CX’s seven are its plier head. Victorinox counts the key ring, tweezers and toothpick as functions.
Gerber lists the Dime as 10 tools in its feature list and 12 in its description. Compare the tool lists, not the numbers.
Pocket clip, sheath or keychain: how should you carry a multi-tool?
Match the carry to the weight and to what you wear. Our rule of thumb: keys for tools under about 2 oz, a pocket clip from 5 to about 8 oz, and a sheath or bag for anything heavier.
- Pocket clip: best for jeans and work pants. The Skeletool CX, Wingman and ARC include a removable clip.
- Belt sheath: best for full-size tools and work days. Leatherman’s pages for the Wave+, ARC, Skeletool CX, Wingman and Micra all say the sheath is sold separately, so budget for one.
- Keychain: best if you’d forget anything that isn’t on your keys. The Classic SD, Shard, Micra and Dime all hang from a ring.
- Loose in a pocket: fine for a small Swiss Army knife like the Tinker, which has no clip.
- On your belt itself: a buckle with tools built in. See our best multi-tool belt buckles.
The Wave+ is the odd one out: no clip in the box. Our Wave+ review suggested adding a Leatherman pocket clip for anyone who doesn’t want a belt pouch.
Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife for everyday carry?
Carry pliers if your day involves gripping, bending or cutting wire: hardware, fishing line, a stuck zipper pull. Carry a Swiss Army knife if it’s mostly a blade, a screwdriver and opening things, and you want it lighter.
The weights make the case. The Tinker is 2.2 oz with two blades and three drivers; the Skeletool CX, our lightest clip-carry pliers tool, is 5 oz. Or split the job: a Dime on your keys adds small pliers to whatever knife you already carry. Our Leatherman vs Victorinox comparison goes deeper.
Can you take an EDC multi-tool on a plane?
Only if it has no blade. TSA’s multi-tools page says “Multi-tools (multipurpose tools) with knives of any length are prohibited” in carry-on bags, and a multi-tool without blades is carry-on Yes. Scissors must be “less than 4 inches from the pivot point”, and tools 7 in or shorter.
Box cutters stay out of carry-on “with or without blades”, and TSA adds that “the final decision rests with the TSA officer”. So eight of our nine picks go in a checked bag. The Shard is the only one that fits the carry-on rules. Our Micra review said the same: it won’t pass through security.
For tools built to fly, with TSA’s wording for every implement, see our best bladeless and TSA-compliant multi-tools.
Which EDC multi-tools has Leatherman discontinued?
Most of the FREE line, for a start. When we checked leatherman.com in October 2026, these product pages were tagged retired and couldn’t be bought:
- FREE P2 and FREE P4 (pliers)
- FREE K2 and FREE K4 (knives with tools)
- FREE T4
- Squirt PS4 (keychain pliers)
- Style PS (bladeless keychain pliers)
The FREE T2 and Curl were still listed but out of stock. The titanium-handled Charge+ TTi is gone from Leatherman’s catalog too; our titanium guide has the details.
