Multi-Tool Brand Tier List ( My Trash to Treasure Rankings!)

[@woodywes4093]

GOOD NEWS!!! As of 6-18-24, Havalon still offers the Evolve for sale on their website.

[@hvacbudget8600]

Very cool!

[@gregtomamichel973]

I appreciate that you can see the strengths and weaknesses of each brand. In my humble opinion, Leatherman make outstanding tools, but have not been particularly innovative of late (e.g. the Arc is fantastic, but basically a modified Free tool). SOG and Gerber are less consistent and don't have the build quality, but make some weird and interesting things. Great to see smaller and cheaper brands doing interesting things.

[@hvacbudget8600]

Good point.

[@marksaint2936]

I purchased a SOG Power Pint on your suggestion and it's great. I really like the action. I'm thinking about getting one of the bigger ones.

[@hvacbudget8600]

Glad you like it!

[@edgaraquino2324]

Good video! You are lucky to have the V name & cross & shield stamped on the Swisstool & the cross & shield on the Spirit...those are nice touches which are not present in the newer models....

[@hvacbudget8600]

I didn't know that, interesting!

[@edgaraquino2324]

​@@hvacbudget8600Yup!

[@Aco747lyte]

I like that CRKT Septimo which is around £67 in the UK. Looks a mighty solid piece of engineering, whereas SOG can be hit and miss. Roxon multitools excellent. Their shears are sharp and well made. I like how we can swap the blades over. A very interesting video ~ Wendi UK 🌻

[@hvacbudget8600]

Thanks!

[@LupinxJigenTTV]

This is a great video for the average person that has only had a couple multitools like myself. Looking for a new once since I lost my old leatherman tools over the years, just found an empty sheath lol

[@hvacbudget8600]

Thanks! Hopefully it is helpful.

[@martinharkin4211]

Nice to see the havlon mentioned. I really think the exchangeable blade systems a great idea.

[@hvacbudget8600]

I think this is a great tool that got forgotten. I think more versions of the tool should have been made.

[@blade9292]

To tell that's why I got the phantom. Even if it's flawed it's fairly innovative. For me a 4 slot blade exchange system, a bit/socket driver, scissors, water pump pliers and some other things...

[@McRootbeer]

Goat will get better as time goes on

[@hvacbudget8600]

Definitely!

[@andrewfett142]

👍🏼

[@colinhawthorne323]

No, the basic platform isn't robust enough for a utilitarian tool, and that can't be resolved even if they redesign the implements. If you want a lifestyle toy, OK, but not for serious use. Can't believe somebody so apparently grounded as andrewfett advocates for this! He had to structurally modify his tool, to the point where warranty is probably invalid, in order that it perform a basic function. Modularity is not an end in itself.

[@richardsullivan1776]

A nice variety of multitools, Mr. Kincaid! Go Leatherman!

[@hvacbudget8600]

Thanks!

[@datamike00]

I get leatherman being number one on your list, but they priced me out of the market years ago (got a surge sitting my desk drawer that I don't use for fear of losing it) I totally recommend the bibury/DL surge clone as number 2, I carry it every day, the quarter inch drive is the best. 3rd is the roxxon phantom with the changeable blade and the awesome scissors (I just want to see the next version )

[@johnkraemer5505]

Great list! You nailed it! 😎👍🏻

[@hvacbudget8600]

Glad you think so!

[@richardvirchow3390]

Although I own the Leatherman Super Tool 300 and Wingman multitools, they are huge & heavy so I did some research and ordered a SOG PowerPint multitool which has scissors - for some reason very important to me - and a 1/4” bit driver. I’m thinking of all the tools that will fit in that driver. And I will be able to drop it in my pocket. Enjoyed your video on multitools.

[@hvacbudget8600]

Thanks for watching! I think you'll like how minimalist the Powerpint is.

[@spitthatmoraleout8603]

I’ve found it to be everything I need really, everything I had on my surge just smaller and with a central bit adapter

[@JustaPerson01234]

Just wondering if you have tried the Toler tools union. I haven’t so I can’t say anything about it. I do know it was a kickstarter and the last KZbin video was posted 2 years ago.

[@hvacbudget8600]

I have not. I would like to get one to try out

[@simonh6371]

Looking not just at the ''big 4'' multitool manufacturers (LM, Vic, Gerber, SOG) but also at the competition e.g. Nextool etc. (imo Nextool are the best of the rest) the 3 inch ''medium'' category really seems to be neglected nowadays. There's the SOG Powerpint and....that's it right? Nextool do medium (4 in) and keychain tools. Vic only do large and medium. LM have dropped the Juice line. I think there are or were a few from Gerber which are still available like the Crucial and Balance but if I'm not mistaken they are now discontinued. Of the 6 multitools I own, only 1 is medium and that's a SOG Micro Toolclip which is a bit meh. Not really a standalone EDC for me.

[@hvacbudget8600]

Yes, the 3" frame size is definitely neglected. The Gerber crucial is still available to buy but the PowerPint is my favorite option.

[@simonh6371]

@@hvacbudget8600 Yep the Powerpint is definitely the best in that size range, it packs so many features into a small form factor.

[@colinhawthorne323]

Why Nextool? Granted I'm biased, but saw report GOAT is produced in Nextool factory & in reviews seemed Nextool often praised for innovation but let down by implementation & QC, ironic because exactly my beef with GOAT.

[@simonh6371]

@@colinhawthorne323 Just drawing on my own limited experience, and what I see on other reviews. Compare my Nextool Mini Flagship to my Leatherman Squirt. When the Flagship Mini came out there were many bad reviews because the spring to the scissors broke off, not even during usage, which was most likely due to poor HT. However Nextool took this on board and seem to have remedied it, those reviews are a thing of the past and my Flagship Mini is holding up fine. If you look at independent reviews of their products here on yt you sometimes see Nextool commenting themselves, so they do watch the reviews and read the comments. On the Squirt PS4 there was a very similar issue with the scissor spring, for the same reason apparently. Yet they never did a thing about it in nearly 2 decades. The spring on the scissors to my Squirt also broke whilst not in use, and now I can't even exchange it under warranty, instead they'll send me a Micra, as the Squirt is discontinued.

[@colinhawthorne323]

Well I think I'm on a mission. Most brands will have at least 1 redeeming feature even if it's only they're dirt cheap. GOAT are neither cheap-particularly when you consider delivery costs to anywhere other than US, weird since they're coming from China in 1st instance like (almost) everything else-nor do they represent a robustly reliable product. They're a gimmick-"modularity" dontcha know-which compromises the essential function of a multitool-an implement intended to be used at a pinch to render repairs in the field without access to a full toolset. Good luck when the basic platform is fragile, the wire cutters don't cut, the knife is blunt, the saw is pants, the scissors for all their plaudits are intermittently functional etc etc. Oh, and there aren't any modular add ons you'd want available. And if there were, this is not the fragile platform to add them to. Everybody, just buy Victorinox-save your blathering about made in USA, I'll have swiss made, Swiss QC steel anyday. Done.

[@garyk4017]

I just wish the SOG PowerPint had a second, larger straight-blade screwdriver rather than only the micro driver.

[@SpacecityEDC]

You can modify the can opener a bit and use it as a slotted screwdriver 😉

[@andrewfett142]

GOAT #1! 😁

[@colinhawthorne323]

Just no. No no no no no. A thousand times no. Then some more. See the latest wheeze is how to fit a catapult. That's EXACTLY the realm this finicky, precious, parvenu belongs to, people PRETENDING to live the great outdoors but never going further than 5G coverage. Honestly I'm astounded you buy into this. In my experience it will fail even when you don't need it and that is no basis for recommendation.

[@DisStick]

I think 1 miss is the Ozark Trails Multiforce. Not near the top but definitely an honorable mention.

[@hvacbudget8600]

So I did ,at least mentally, lump that in with the Daicamping, Bibury, Flissa, Swisstech Leatherman copies. I think I put that in the #5 or so slot, definitely a good tool! I took a couple takes of the video and I know I mentioned it one version.

[@blade9292]

This too bad that leatherman and even victorinox stands way too much towards their classic designs without getting very original layouts. Leatherman have the Arc which is an improved wave I believe but aside of a luxury version of this multitool, leatherman doesn't make very original designs now. So nextool and roxon despite not reaching the quality of the top brands do have some original designs and even gerber starts to have some original stuff. Leatherman should do crunch variants, victorinox can try other pliers designs and integrate big scissors to their swiss tools. For me plier designs as main pliers we should have: Slip joint Water pump Pliers wrench Locking pliers Some of these can have screw drive on front, wire cutters, wire strippers, and probably some pry and hammer tool even when this options are within the pliers they aren't that great. However for the tool sets there is so many things but I think socket driver and bit drivers are a need. Either included within the tool, or not. Swappable blades including various knives, saws, files, utility blades, wrenches... Also some thin pliers, electrician pliers, scissors, garden cutters, wire cutters fishing pliers, plastic pipe cutters, cable cutters and many other options... Regarding the orientation of each multitools some options are better suited for specialties. Some mini tools can be also original we can have things like those universal keys, triangle and square sockets, things for specialty tasks ....

[@hvacbudget8600]

I like those ideas!

[@rickyricardo3551]

I have to say I tried the real avid multi tool , and it was as bad as you said . Its clunky the bit driver is terrible, at least for me there was flex in the handles among other things . I did like the blade , the style of plier head and the choke wrench . But you called it on that bit driver being rough to use .

[@hvacbudget8600]

Unfortunately. Like you said it's not all bad.

[@unfi6798]

Someone's trash can be another's treasure.

[@TylerSnyder305]

I can't say anybody is really stepping up and taking their place, but leatherman just keeps letting me down retiring models I'd actually buy.

[@hvacbudget8600]

That's true.

[@alfatag]

Leatherman Arc is accessible tool?!?! Realy?? Arc is number one for you? How long have you been using it? Two weeks? This is just funny, man. It's hard to take you seriously.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

I agree, except SOG beat Gerber by a mile !

[@HandymanEDC]

Wrong! Goat #1 😂

[@jared8530]

Centerdrive and Dualforce for the win for me.....Leatherman is so so outdated and overrated and for sure overpriced.

[@dobie-at-home]

Is there anyone left that doesn’t make a multi tool!? 😆

[@hvacbudget8600]

Good point, I'm not sure there is! LoL!