Leatherman Wave Alpha Multi-Tool Review (Tested)
Leatherman Wave Alpha Multi-Tool Review
After a full season of daily carry and trail use, the Leatherman Wave Alpha with MagnaCut is our favorite for everyday carry
Our verdict
The Leatherman Wave Alpha is one of its most popular multi-tools and for good reason. The US-made Leatherman has the majority of tools most users will need in a multi-tool. We tested the newest, premium version in the Wave series, the Wave Alpha, which includes a MagnaCut steel blade and many of the same tools as on our overall top pick multi-tool, the Leatherman ARC.
As such, it matches the ARC’s best-in-testing knife edge, saw, pliers, and wire cutters (albeit at a slightly less expensive price point). While we tested the Wave Alpha, the Wave also is available in the less expensive Wave Plus version with 420HC knives (serrated and non-serrated), and starts at $130.
Beyond subjecting the Wave Alpha to the tests we did on all multi-tools, we also used it as an everyday carry tool around the house, camping, repairing an old mower, and for some work on a pedicab trike.
It was great at stripping and cutting wires big and small for electric work, the large scissors made easy work out of cardboard and blister packs, and the knife is as good as that on the Leatherman ARC. Tools are easier to access than on the Victorinox Swiss Tool X, but you still need two hands to access the tools inside the closed plier handles. For this reason, it still falls behind the Leatherman ARC’s ease of use with external, one-handed access to all the tools.
The Leatherman Wave Alpha is a fantastic multi-tool that will help most users—from the handyman to the camper, or van lifer, to the mechanic—get work done, and is our top pick for an EDC multi-tool.
Leatherman Wave Alpha multi-tool
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Leatherman Wave Alpha multi-tool specifications
MSRP: $200
Number of tools: 18
Weight: 8.25 oz
Closed length: 4"
Open length: 6.25"
Blade length: 2.9"
Blade material: MagnaCut Stainless steel
Blade lock: Liner lock
One-hand operable: Some tools are; blades are
Included bits: Eyeglass screwdriver; reversible Phillips #1–2 / 3/16-inch flathead screwdriver bit
Made in: USA
Warranty: 25 years
Comparison Table
Who is the Leatherman Wave Alpha for?
People who need a multi-tool that can do most jobs and will last for a long time
Someone who wants to throw a multi-tool in the top of their tool box or tool bag
Outdoor adventurists who need a multi-tool they can rely on for quick fixes to gear like snowboards and skis, packs, tents, boots, and more
People who want a great value, high-end EDC multi-tool
What we liked
Useful set of tools designed for everyday use without extra tools that will never get used
Performed as well as our top pick in many of the tests
Has secure locking mechanisms for the tools and blades
Both offer high value, but the lower-end Wave Plus offers a great value for a high-end, US-made multi-tool
What could be better
Not as easy to access all the tools as on the Leatherman ARC
Not all tools are accessible when the tool is closed
Driver bits are proprietary
Belt clip and sheath is sold separately
Our Testing Protocols
Test 1: Blade and cutting performance
We tested the Leatherman Wave Alpha’s MagnaCut blade in the same way we tested the blades of nearly 20 other multitools.
Before testing each blade, we looked at it through an electric microscope, looking at the blade angle, bevel and sharpness. Then we ran them through a battery of tests to simulate real-life uses and environments and gave each a score between 1 and 5 in each test. That included how well they did slicing through 2 inches of foam, multiple cuts on paracord, cardboard, the depth of slicing and then carving through 7/16-inch wood dowels—this allowed for a better apples-to-apples comparison than cutting through branches, which aren’t uniform throughout.
After all the other tests, we went back and cut the paracord again to see if there was any noticeable decline in cutting ability. Then we looked at the blade through the microscope again to determine if there was any damage to the blade after testing. We also compared the blades to a utility knife blade and an X-ACTO-style blade to see if they outperformed the multitool knives.
Test 2: Pliers, wire cutters, and gripping performance
We did a uniform test of the wire cutters across all multi-tools with them. We used them to cut and strip larger (12-gauge) and thinner (22–24-gauge) wires, and to cut spokes and bike cables. This tested their ability to cut hard and soft wires and whether or not they could actually strip wire without damaging stranded wires in particular.
The replaceable blades of the Wave Alpha tool performed excellently across all of the tasks—even handling the bike cable and spokes with relative ease, and we didn’t see any damage to the blades afterwards.
To assess gripping performance we did real-world testing since we didn’t have access to torque and grip sensors to make an equal comparison. We used them to grip and tighten nuts and bolts in a variety of situations and sizes.
Test 3: Saw
Since Treeline Review started with backpackers, they’re still core to us and our values. Having a pocket saw is important in the backcountry for cutting through brush or cutting twigs and branches for roasting marshmallows, making spare tent stakes, or all sorts of other tasks.
As such, we tested each saw on the same dowel we whittled into tent stake points and cut straight through. The combination of short and long teeth on both sides of the Leatherman Wave Alpha’s saw blade is the same as that on the Leatherman ARC and made the quickest work of the material when we cut it when compared with other saws we tested.
Test 4: Carry, ergonomics, and daily use
Testing the ergonomics of a multi-tool is a more subjective test than most of the others we did, considering it’s about the feeling of the tool in the hand, as well as the ease of accessing every tool or function within the multi-tool.
To test the Wave Alpha’s ergonomics, we used it as an EDC tool for days, carrying it in our pocket and on a belt with the quick-release belt loop. During that time we used it for tasks including repairing a lawnmower, working on an electric motor, repairing a vehicle and a tricycle, and we took it on hikes and climbing.
With a mixture of tools on the outside and inside, we deployed each of them to see how easy they were to access, lock, and put away.
Test 5: Durability and a season in the field
Durability testing is basically just assessing any damage based on the tests undertaken. After all our other tests, we didn’t notice any damage to the Leatherman Wave Alpha. We can’t say that for some of the models we tested.
Test 6: Lock safety
The Leatherman Wave Alpha has two types of locks: liner locks for each external tool and spine locks for the internal tools. We tested all of them by pushing against their spine while locked. The tools easily locked in place, didn’t flex sideways, and the locks felt very secure on the spine even when pressure was applied to the spine.
Performance in the field
The MagnaCut Blade
The Leatherman Wave Alpha and Leatherman’s flagship ARC both use MagnaCut steel and were the best tested, earning 5 points in every category except slicing directly into wood. (There they were outperformed by knives with serrations.) The Wave Alpha sliced through foam with ease, cut through paracord with ease, carved dowel rods into tent stakes in under 15 seconds, and proved unscathed after the barrage of tests.
We also love that should you ever damage the blade, Leatherman will sharpen it for free for the lifetime of the piece, which can last decades—or potentially lifetimes. (Chipped or broken blades are assessed case by case.)
Wire Cutters and Pliers
The pliers on the Leatherman Wave Alpha have the same needle nose pliers and nut-grabbing teeth that the Leatherman ARC has. They’re not quite as broad at the pivot point but are just as thin as them and taper to the same width at the narrow end. Like those of the Leatherman ARC, these were among the best we tested. The thinner, narrower needle nose pliers were better at gripping and twisting wires in tight spaces. They remained burly enough that they never felt like they were flexing under pressure, like some other models did. Like those on the ARC, they also easily grabbed bolt heads for tightening bolts and hose clamps.
Locking Mechanism
With external and internal tools, the Leatherman Wave Alpha has two different types of locks. The externally accessible knife, saw, scissors, and file are secured with individual liner locks, and the internal tools are secured with spine locks. The locks were easy to use, both to deploy tools and to lock them in place. The liner locks also were easy to use to fold tools back up into the body and the spine locks were among the easiest to use as well.
Access to Tools When Closed
All of the full-length tools—the knife, saw, scissors and file—are accessible externally and easily. Which is good because they’re likely the tools most used by most people. Flipping the handles open to access the pliers and internal tools is smooth and easier than with most of the plier-based tools we tested.
Bit Driver
Like on the Leatherman ARC, we love the small bit driver for glasses, electronics, and other needs, and aren’t as much of a fan of the proprietary, rectangular bits for regular-sized screws. Still, one friend, an airplane mechanic, notes that he really likes the rectangular shape of the bits and says he thinks it may allow for applying more torque without slipping.
Ergonomics
The handles on the Leatherman Wave Alpha were the best we tested, thanks to the topo-inspired layers of G10, which had more rounded edges than other multi-tools. This made it more comfortable in the hand when closed or in the plier mode.
We also found it fit nicely in a pocket and also fit well on a belt loop. However, we did find that the quick release did release a little more easily than we’d like, making it easy to drop off a belt or for the clip to fall off while being used.
With a mixture of tools on the outside and inside, we deployed each of them to see how easy they were to access, lock, and put away. While the tools weren’t quite as easy to deploy as on our overall favorite, the Leatherman ARC, they were easier to open and close than on most other models, including the Victorinox Swiss Tool X. We could easily open them even with short fingernails, where it was harder on the Swiss Tool X.
Everyday Utility
Leatherman’s Wave Alpha is a great option for an EDC multi-tool. With a mix of 18 practical tools, a user can easily go from cutting a twig or piece of wood to drilling a hole in it with an awl and then use the driver to put some screws in the wood to make an ersatz fishing pole or bow and arrow. It’s also an ideal tool for working around the house or shop.
Durability and Construction Quality
With one season in hand, the US-made Leatherman Wave Alpha barely showed even superficial signs of wear. The construction quality is great. Everything pivots smoothly but locks into place securely. We anticipate that we’ll be handing this off to a loved one someday decades in the future and maybe they’ll have to send the blade in for a free sharpening—but maybe not.
We also like that since everything is secured with hex bits it’s not too hard to change out anything that breaks. Some other multi-tools use rivets or proprietary bolt heads that make such maintenance impossible.
Sustainability
Leatherman Tool Group, which makes all of its tools in the US, doesn’t discuss sustainability efforts on its site and there is scant information about its sustainability efforts. However, we note that all of the tools we received from Leatherman came in recyclable cardboard boxes with little to no plastics. A quick online search also shows that Leatherman also has taken steps to reduce its energy use and its use of natural gas.
FAQ
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Yes, it’s a great EDC multi-tool for most people. If $200 feels like a lot to spend on a multi-tool, the Wave Plus is $129—but doesn’t have the niceties of the Wave Alpha, like the upgraded handle and blade steel.
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MagnaCut steel slashed through all the noise among blademakers out there back in 2021 when it became available. Now many knife manufacturers like Buck, Benchmade, Kershaw, and Spyderco are using it in some of their premium knives. The steel was developed by metallurgist Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds, and Blade HQ, a knife store, explains that “CPM MagnaCut is a steel that offers admirable performance in all categories: It has great toughness, great edge retention, and exceptional corrosion resistance.” It’s a sentiment echoed by other manufacturers and blade enthusiasts.
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It comes with two bits, a small eyeglass screwdriver, and a regular-sized bit that uses Leatherman’s proprietary rectangular bits. Both have a flathead on one side and Phillips head on the other.
Should you buy the Leatherman Wave Alpha?
Buy if:
You want one of the best sets of blades in a multi-tool
You want a great set of tools ideal for frequent, daily use
You need a multi-tool that you can use in the garage, in the house, and in the field
Skip if:
You need a specialty multi-tool for camping or biking
You only need a micro or keychain multitool
You need more tools in a multitool—like a ratchet or standard bit driver (a ratchet for this tool is available separately)
For a cycling-specific repair kit, see our bike touring packing list.
Where to buy the Leatherman Wave Alpha
The Leatherman Wave Alpha multi-tool is popular, so you have options when it comes to retailers. Here are some of the pros of the retailers.
Amazon
Pros: Free Prime shipping on eligible items with Amazon Prime membership (can be same-day delivery in major metropolitan cities)
Backcountry
Pros: Exclusive offers for Summit Club members (free to join), with additional benefits through paid Summit Club+ membership, Gearhead chat customer service is excellent
Advice on where to buy
In general for gear, we recommend purchasing from a place with easy or free returns.
MSRP: $250
Number of tools: 20
Weight: 8.6 oz
Closed length: 4.25”
Open length: 6.45”
Blade length: 2.76”
Blade material: MagnaCut stainless steel
Blade lock: Yes
One-hand operable: Yes
Included bits: Eyeglass screwdriver, Phillips #1-2 & 3/16" screwdriver
Made in: USA
Warranty: 25 years
Both the Leatherman Wave Alpha and its sibling, the ARC, are excellent, practical, everyday multi-tools. They have a largely similar set of tools and MagnaCut Blades for long lasting durability. However, in the end, the ARC won out as our favorite overall multi-tool. It has a couple more tools, including a striking surface allowing users to hammer things in or to hit the tool with a hammer to help with loosening stuck screws and other things.
But the ARC’s killer feature—beyond MagnaCut steel—is the ability to open every tool easily with one hand and access every tool with the pliers closed. It’s singular in that ease of use, which makes moving from one tool to another exceptionally easy. Hence, the ARC was our top overall pick, edging out the Wave Alpha.
Leatherman ARC
MSRP: $210
Number of tools: 38 per manufacturer
Weight: 10.2 oz
Closed length: 4.5"
Open length: 6.75”
Blade length: 2.75”
Blade material: Stainless steel
Blade lock: Yes
One-hand operable: No
Included bits: Phillips #0 and #3; Torx T10 and T15; hex 3 mm and 4 mm
Made in: Switzerland
Warranty: Limited lifetime and 2-year warranty
The Victorinox Swiss Tool X Plus Ratchet won our Most Complete Multi-tool award. That’s because between the ratchet set and the tool itself, it has 38 tools. It’s ideal for everything from working on the house to working on a bike or in your garage. That’s because it’s also the heaviest and bulkiest we tested at 1 lb 1 oz. Sold as just the Swiss Tool X (without the ratchet kit), it has 26 functions, weighs 10.2 oz and retails for $155.
As tested with the ratchet, hex bits, corkscrew, and mini screwdriver, it boasts 38 tools. The ratchet is small but does a great job working screws and bolts and comes with Allen head and Torx bits, as well as space for four more bits of the owner’s choosing.
Those separate parts of the Swiss Tool X Plus also make it more likely to lose parts over time, and the fragile, thin leaf spring insert on the Swiss Tool X scissors is more likely to break or even slip out than the more robust, integrated spring on the Leatherman Wave Plus.
In the end, the tools on the Wave Alpha are easier to access than on the Swiss Tool X and though the Wave Alpha has fewer overall tools, the tools it does have are the most likely to get used. The handles on the Wave Alpha are also the most comfortable we tested. All that makes the Wave Alpha the best multi-tool for everyday carry.
Victorinox Swiss Tool X Plus Ratchet
MSRP: $40
Number of tools: 20
Weight: 8.5 oz
Closed length: 4.06"
Open length: 6.25”
Blade length: 2.86”
Blade material: Stainless steel
Blade lock: Yes
One-hand operable: Some tools are; blade is
Included bits: Eyeglass screwdriver, Phillips #1-2 & 3/16" screwdriver
Made in: China
Warranty: 90 Days
We don’t usually like to give a shout out to what amounts to a pretty blatant rip-off of another product. But in this case, the GORDON 20-in-1 Multi-Tool is essentially the Leatherman Wave Plus made decently but with cheaper materials in China. As such, it’s with some chagrin we have to award it our best budget pick.
The GORDON 20-in-1 Multi-Tool, which is only available at Harbor Freight, has an extremely similar liner lock for the external tools and the same back locking mechanism for the tools in the handle. The main knife, file, scissors, and tools inside the handle are almost identical. But the pliers don’t have the replaceable blades that the Wave Plus and Wave Alpha have.
In testing the GORDON’s knife blades (serrated and regular edge) performed well, better than some other blades we tested, but not nearly as good as the Leatherman or Victorinox blades. It’s also evident that the tools are made of cheaper, softer steel and we chipped off the tip (1 mm) of the can opener on first use. Still, for $40 it’s a good deal just have a multi-tool stashed somewhere where you could need it and aren’t too worried about this rip-off getting ripped off.
If you want a quality multi-tool that will last years, go with the Leatherman Wave Alpha.
GORDON 20-in-1 Multi-Tool (Harbor Freight)
Why you should trust Us / About the author
I’ve relied on multi-tools for decades, using them for everything from car and home repairs to bike work, camping, and more. One of my favorites, which I use weekly—if not daily—I’ve had since I was a mountain guide in Colorado in 2001. Over the years I’ve collected a number of them and keep them in strategic places like the console of my car, the bag I keep in my pedicab, whichever backpack or activity tub I’m using the most in the season. So I’m well versed in what to look for and how to use the various parts of a multi-tool.
As one of the first reviewers for Treeline Review, starting in 2019, I’ve covered a lot of outdoor adventure gear across multiple activities, among them hiking, camping, climbing, and mountain biking.
Beyond my work with Treeline Review, I have authored multiple outdoor guidebooks. My most recent Falcon Guide, "Best Outdoor Adventures Colorado Front Range: A Guide to the Region’s Greatest Hiking, Climbing, Cycling, and Paddling," arrived in Spring 2021. In it, I cover the region's best hiking, biking, climbing, and rafting. I’m also the author of Falcon Guide’s “Climbing Colorado's Fourteeners: From the Easiest Hikes to the Most Challenging Climbs” and edited Justin Lichter’s excellent guide to thru-hiking titled “Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking.” This experience has helped me become a first-rate gearhead and product tester.
I have 20-plus years of exploring, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, climbing, guiding, and playing in the wild. I worked with National Geographic and their mapping division in developing their Colorado 14ers Map Pack Bundle. I’ve written about hiking and climbing for Elevation Outdoors, including stories about Colorado 14ers and outdoor apps to boost adventures.
In addition, I’ve written columns about ultralight hiking and gear for Backpacker, gear reviews for Treeline Review, Popular Mechanics, Bicycling, Popular Science, and other publications, including Elevation Outdoors, 5280, and more.
At Treeline Review, we strive to offer unbiased reviews to help you find the best product for the price. Treeline Review doesn’t accept sponsored content, native advertising, or paid reviews. I am not sponsored by any companies, nor are any of my family members sponsored by, employees of, or ambassadors of any of the companies in this review.
Find more of Chris Meehan’s reviews on his Treeline Review author page.