Most expensive multi tool

As an extension of the handle, this can be used without deploying any of the other attributes. Compromising very little on ergonomics, the Leatherman Skeletool is a relatively compact, "full-sized" product. The limited suite of tools on the Skeletool is entirely convenient to use. The ergonomics of the Gerber Crucial and Havalon Evolve are pretty similar to those of the Skeletool.

Leatherman's largest multi-tool is the ultra-sized Leatherman Surge. The size passes a critical threshold, and some of the tools are harder to use than those on a smaller tool, notably the knife blades. The closed handle is bulkier than an average to large hand can securely grasp under a heavy load or for extended periods.

A tool is only as useful as it is available. We liked ones that offered a variety of carrying methods. The Havalon Evolve is a little bigger than the Skeletool or Crucial. Furthermore, the interchangeable blades and blade changing tool take up space. Havalon ships the Evolve with a zip-closed carry case that holds the tool, extra blades, and blade-changing tool.

The whole package is bulkier than most, while the pocket-clipped Evolve alone is sized somewhere between the Skeletool and Charge. Having a diminutive-yet-tough design, the Gerber Dime virtually disappears on a keychain. Out of the tools that include full-size features, the Leatherman Skeletool CX is the most portable.

It accomplishes this by adding fewer features and offering virtually all of the most common carry options. The Skeletool has just a few features, but each is nearly full size. The external profile of the closed Skeletool is smooth; there is an integrated carabiner-style clip and a smart pocket clip.

Similar portability is available with the Gerber Crucial. The Skeletool and Irwin 5WR can be purchased with or without a sheath. The Leatherman Crunch is best carried in the included sheath or loose in your pocket. Models like the SOG PowerAssist and the Surge are large and are therefore only really feasible to carry them on-person in their sheaths. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products.

And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. Best Multi-tool of We put the best multi-tools from brands like Leatherman, Gerber, Victorinox and more through a gauntlet of real-world tests.

Photo: Jenna Ammerman. Share this article:. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more. Related: Best Pocket Knife of Top 21 Product Ratings. Displaying 1 - 5 of Leatherman Skeletool CX. Leatherman Signal. Leatherman Free P4. Show full specification details Hide full specification details. Functions 9. Sophisticated materials and construction.

See all prices 2 found. Functions 5. See all prices 3 found. Functions 8. Functions 4. Functions 7.

Extended, centered bit driver. Functions 3. Score Product Price Our Take Leatherman Surge. SOG PowerAssist. Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X. Havalon Evolve. Gerber Center-Drive Plus. Leatherman Crunch. Leatherman Wingman. SOG Baton Q4. Gerber Dime. Gerber Crucial. Leatherman Squirt PS4. Gerber Vise. Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier.

Irwin 5WR Vise-Grip. Vehicle issues are stressful enough, especially in remote areas. Stack the odds in your favor when any sort of mechanical breakdown is likely and consequential by carrying a multi-tool and just the most rudimentary mechanical knowledge. One-handed, externally accessed blades are the only way to go on a high-end multi-tool now. The SOG Baton flips the script on typical multi-tool format.

The Havalon tool is pretty simple but requires some accessories. Notably, the readily changed blade configuration requires carrying extra blades, a tool to make the change, and cases for all the parts. Yes, this is the very start of a campfire. All that was required was dry grass and the parts of the Leatherman Signal. It didn't even require any special skill or patience. We shouldn't be surprised when a multi-tool includes a multi-surface blade serrated and straight.

We wish these blades were all straight, but we must be in the minority in this desire. Leatherman brand tools, especially their higher-end versions, are works of art in many ways. The construction quality of this Free P4 is near immaculate, making it a joy to use. We recommend you don't work on the regulator of your backyard propane tank. But if you must, do so with a handy and effective multi-tool, chosen with our advice. Budget choice Leatherman Wingman. One of the corners-cutting measures they take is to equip it with a blade smaller than would fit.

Here you can see the end of the blade and the extra room they leave "on the table". The Gerber Center Drive is innovative but a little rough. The machine-finished edge had a visible line of burrs at initial purchase. It guarantees a lifetime use, and it will not disappoint you. One of the biggest complaints that we often hear from irritated customers is that frequently their electric tools die out mid-operation. This prevents them from completing their task and leaves them hanging.

But this is not the case with the Milwaukee electric tools We can safely say that these tools will not only last the entire operation, but they will also have enough power left to continue for the next session. Another major issue that customers face while owning other electric tools is a pain in their arms or hands after prolonged usage of the electric devices. This is not the case with the Milwaukee tools set, as they are lightweight and prevent any long-term pain.

You can get the assurity that you can work for long hours without feeling any sort of pain or interruption. All in all, we can genuinely say that the Milwaukee electric toolset is one of the handiest sets that you can come across. It can save you time and extra effort as you will not have to work as hard as you would with other electric toolsets. We will continue to forge our way through the products by telling you about another great tool kit from the Milwaukee series.

For the high price you pay, you are sure not to regret your purchase of this toolkit. Not sure what model and wish it had scissors like the older one in the photo.

Not really sure. Ladies and gents throw your name in on the "Giveaway". There's a lot of great knives, packs, EDC carry items, etc being shown by members here. I'll be throwing another knife at you in a few weeks from now.

You get the knife free, shipping and all, if Scrib draws your name. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro. Moshe ben David Loaded Pockets. Joined: Jun 30, Messages: 6, Likes Received: 7, Incon Loaded Pockets. Joined: Mar 31, Messages: 27 Likes Received: It hasn't seen daylight in months. My pockets have the sheletool in one and a foursevens mini in the other for quite some time now This testing was done in rural New Hampshire, so the tools also came in handy when we were repairing some fencing and cutting the twine on bale after bale after bale of hay.

One model was even used to cut the umbilical cord of a newborn lamb. We spent three weeks testing 23 multi-tool models, and the Leatherman Skeletool CX was clearly the best. It has only the most essential items, making it one of the slimmest, lightest, and easiest-to-carry multi-tools.

The edge of the externally mounted knife lasts longer than a standard Leatherman blade. And the other tools—screwdrivers, pliers, and a bottle opener built into a carabiner clip—are all quick and convenient to use. The Skeletool CX offers only the most essential tools and nothing else. The handles unfold easily and are comfortable to grip for the kinds of small, quick projects that multi-tools do.

Using the same test, he gets only 60 cuts with the HC blade. We like that the blade on the CX has a straight edge, not the partially serrated kind you see on the Free P2 or the Signal. The blade deployment on the CX is among the best of any multi-tool. Instead of individual screwdrivers, the CX uses a bit holder at the end of one handle.

It comes with two double-sided bits, one Phillips and one flat. We doubt either one would fall out. If you need more selection, Leatherman sells complete bit sets that are compatible with the CX.

In the other handle, a carabiner and a pocket clip provide multiple options for carrying the Skeletool CX: You can clip the carabiner to a belt loop or attach it to a backpack or hang it from a nail in your workshop ; the pocket clip has a nice spring to it and always worked as expected. We were satisfied with the pocket clip for daily carry. But during projects, especially those on ladders, it was convenient to clip the carabiner to a belt loop instead of putting the CX back in a pocket or setting it down.

The carabiner clip does double duty as a bottle opener, and it works better than the openers you find on most multi-tools. This may seem like a minor point.

The Skeletool has an odd asymmetrical design, but it works well ergonomically. Opened up as a set of pliers, the handles look uneven, but their unusual curves fit our palms perfectly.

Using the tool as a knife, we found the slight curves and swoops of the body shape to be easy and comfortable to grasp. This asymmetry also makes it easy to locate and deploy without even looking at the tool. The Skeletool CX is extremely light, weighing only 5.

Discounting the keychain and knife-based models, only the Gerber Gear Crucial was lighter, at 5. Aesthetically, we find the design of the Skeletool CX a bit mesmerizing. The metal body has holes in it to reduce the weight called skeletonizing, thus the name of the tool , so this model has a unique, very interesting look. During testing, we sometimes found ourselves just staring at how it all fits together, like trying to figure out a puzzle.

The Leatherman CX is an investment. We consider this to be a purchase for the long term. In that time, it has become such an essential part of my life that on the rare days when I forget to carry it, I feel helpless. I use it at least four or five times a day, and it has added immeasurably to my ability to quickly deal with small fixes as they come up.

It has saved me more time and effort than I can even count. These are nice tools to have, but adding them would negate the sleek, lightweight form that makes the Skeletool so successful. The scissors are probably the biggest loss, but in most cases like snipping a shirt thread , we got by with a knife.

Both Sculimbrene, in his review , and Grayson Parker, at BladeReviews , note that the plier tips are very blunt. For a full-featured multi-tool that is extremely easy to use and has a wider selection than the Skeletool CX—including scissors, a clamshell opener, a saw, and a serrated knife—we recommend the Leatherman Free P2.

The Free P2 has an interesting and unusual magnetic architecture that allows the tools, including the pliers, to be deployed one-handed. The downside is that, compared with the Skeletool CX , the Free P2 is bigger, bulkier, and lacks the carabiner bottle opener. To access a tool, press a small tab just beyond the pivot point to pop it out of the handle.

But once we got used to it, the convenience far outweighed any downsides. The knife and scissors flip out like the blade of a pocket knife. The knife deployment is not as smooth as that of the Skeletool CX, but it works fine.

Even the pliers can be opened one-handed. In the closed position, the handles stay held together with magnets. But once that connection is broken—by slipping a thumb or a fingertip between the handles and separating them—the handles are loose, like on a balisong knife.

With a quick turn of the wrist, they flip fully open into the pliers mode, where a quick grip of the handles locks them into place. Another flip, and they close once more. You might find yourself playing with it nonstop like we did. The Free P2 has a very nice tool selection. Although we prefer the stripped-down nature of the Skeletool, the Free P2 does add scissors and a package opener, which we found routinely useful day to day.

It also includes a can opener, an awl, a file, a little scraper, and a couple of smaller flathead screwdrivers we needed these much less often, but from time to time, like on a camping trip, some of them did come in handy.

Those extra tools add weight, but during our testing, the Free P2 never felt unwieldy or overly bulky. It weighs 7. It has a nice balance, and the slightly beveled handles add to the overall sleek feel. You can remove the clip easily enough; the tool also comes with a nylon sheath.

The Free P2 has received a lot of positive reviews. As nice as it is, the Free P2 is not perfect. As we said, deploying individual tools takes a little practice. The Free P2 also does not have replaceable driver tips, as the Skeletool does; it has a Phillips head and a number of flathead sizes, though.

Replaceable bits are nice, and on the Skeletool they act as a space-saving device, but on the larger Free P2, this is less of an issue.