Leatherman Wave+ vs Swiss Army Huntsman: Which to Buy?

Short answer

If the person you're buying for actually fixes things, get the Leatherman Wave+. Real pliers, replaceable wire cutters and proper bit drivers are what get used on a loose hinge, a bike cable or a stuck zip tie. The Victorinox Huntsman is the better gift for someone who wants a light knife in the pocket every day and only does small jobs.

Quick pick

List prices per leatherman.com and victorinox.com (US), checked November 4, 2026. Prices on Amazon change often.

Specs side by side

Sources: Leatherman Wave+ product page and Victorinox Huntsman product page, both checked November 4, 2026.

Pliers are the whole question

Think about what a fixer actually reaches for. Gripping a nut that's too small for your fingers. Pulling a staple or a finishing nail. Bending a wire back, cutting a zip tie flush, crimping a connector in the car. All of that is pliers work, and the Huntsman simply doesn't have any. OutdoorGearLab (review editor Kyle Hameister, updated October 6, 2026) lists "no pliers" as the Huntsman's first con, which is fair: that's the trade you make for a knife that weighs 3.4 oz.

Screws are the second clue. The Huntsman only has two flat screwdrivers, 6 mm and 3 mm. A lot of the screws around a house are Phillips. The Wave+ comes with a double-ended Phillips #1-2 and 3/16 in flat bit for its large bit driver, a small eyeglass bit, and a separate medium screwdriver on top of that.

Victorinox does sell a Swiss Army knife with pliers, the SwissChamp (33 functions, 6.5 oz, $115 list per Victorinox). It's a nice tool, but at that price you're close to Wave+ money, and its blade still doesn't lock.

Pocket or belt: 3.4 oz vs 8.5 oz

The Wave+ is two and a half times heavier than the Huntsman. That matters more than any spec line. A Huntsman disappears in a jeans pocket and gets carried every day, so it ends up opening packages, cutting apples and trimming threads. The Wave+ sits on a belt, in a bag or in the glovebox, and comes out when something breaks.

There's no pocket clip on the Wave+, which GearJunkie (Josh Wussow, Nick LeFort and Matt Jancer, December 18, 2025) lists as one of its few cons. Also check what's in the box: Leatherman's own store currently sells the Wave+ with the sheath sold separately, while plenty of retail bundles still include a nylon one. If it's a gift, a sheath is part of the present, so look at the listing before you order.

Locks, build and warranty

Every tool on the Wave+ except the plier head locks open. That's a real safety point when you lean on a screwdriver or saw through a branch, because a non-locking tool can fold back if you push it the wrong way. OutdoorGearLab also notes that the Wave+ blades, saw and file open from the outside and can be flicked open with one hand, so you don't have to unfold the pliers to cut something.

The Huntsman's tools open with nail nicks and don't lock. CleverHiker (Taylor Passofaro, updated May 28, 2026) calls out that some tools are hard to open because of those nicks, but also rated its scissors the best in that roundup. Warranty is excellent on both: 25 years from Leatherman, lifetime from Victorinox.

The picks in detail

Best for fixers: Leatherman Wave+

Good for: DIYers, cyclists, campers, anyone who keeps a tool in the car or tackle box. Skip if: they want something to carry in a pocket every day, or they never use pliers.

GearJunkie named it the best overall multitool and summed it up as "For most folks, however, the Wave+ will be the ticket." Field & Stream (Matt Wemple, January 23, 2026) also picked the Wave Plus as best overall.

Check price on Amazon

Best everyday pocket knife: Victorinox Huntsman

Good for: everyday carry, picnics, travel by car, a first "real" knife. Skip if: the recipient works on bikes, cars or wiring, or needs a Phillips screwdriver.

Field & Stream lists the Huntsman as its best multitool for fishing, and OutdoorGearLab's verdict is "Time-tested and approved by generations of outdoorsmen now."

Check price on Amazon

Which one makes the better gift?

Ask yourself one thing: when something breaks at their place, do they grab a tool or call someone? If they grab a tool, the Wave+ is the gift they'll still use in ten years. It's the one that ends up in the car door pocket and gets borrowed by everyone.

If they're the type who cuts open boxes with their keys, the Huntsman is the more useful present. It's light enough to carry daily, and a knife that gets carried beats a better tool left in a drawer. It's also the safer pick for a teenager or a first knife.

And if your budget allows and they're a real tinkerer, there's nothing wrong with both. The Huntsman for the pocket, the Wave+ for the toolbox. They overlap less than you'd think.

How we chose

We compared the manufacturer spec sheets from Leatherman and Victorinox and read independent reviews from OutdoorGearLab, CleverHiker, GearJunkie and Field & Stream. We picked the Huntsman as the Victorinox side because it's the classic mid-size Swiss Army knife without pliers, which makes the pliers-vs-pocket-knife choice clear. These products were not physically tested by us. This article is AI-assisted and checked against the sources listed below.

FAQ

• help

  Does the Leatherman Wave+ come with a sheath?

  It depends on where you buy it. Leatherman's own product page currently says the sheath is sold separately, but many retailers sell bundles with a nylon sheath. Check the listing before you order.

• help

  Does the Victorinox Huntsman have pliers or a Phillips screwdriver?

  No. Its 15 functions include two flat screwdrivers (6 mm and 3 mm) and a wire stripper, but no pliers and no Phillips. If you want a Swiss Army knife with pliers, look at the SwissChamp.

• help

  Can you open the Wave+ blades with one hand?

  Yes. The blades, saw and file are reachable from the outside without opening the pliers, and Leatherman says you can open and use the features with one hand, and every tool except the plier head locks. That's handy at work, but in some places it also matters legally, so check your local knife-carry rules.

• help

  Is the Leatherman Wave+ made in the USA?

  Leatherman says the Wave+ is made at its factory in Portland, Oregon, and covers it with a 25-year warranty.

Sources

• Leatherman: Wave+ product page and specs

• Victorinox: Huntsman product page and specs

• Victorinox: SwissChamp product page

• OutdoorGearLab: Best Multi-Tools (Kyle Hameister, updated October 6, 2026)

• CleverHiker: Best Multitools (Taylor Passofaro, updated May 28, 2026)

• GearJunkie: Best Multitools (December 18, 2025)

• Field & Stream: Best Multi-Tools (Matt Wemple, January 23, 2026)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links go to Amazon.