If I could keep only one, I would keep the Wave+. I've carried mine for nearly six years, and I still forget it's in my pocket until I need it. Then it almost always has the right tool. The Surge is excellent when I need bigger pliers or a saw blade I can swap out, but I don't want to carry that much metal around all day. I reach for it when I know there's a heavier job ahead.
What this comparison draws on
I bought my stainless Wave+ second-hand in 2020 for about £80 and have carried it almost daily ever since. I paid £130 for the Surge and have used it for roughly two years, including boat maintenance and refit work. Both have been camping and travelling with me, and both have handled a lot of smaller fixes at home.
My recommendation
Buy the Wave+ if you want one multitool to keep close and use all the time. Buy the Surge if you regularly need more leverage, heavier cutters and its interchangeable saw or file. I like both, but the Wave+ is my clear favourite because I'm much more likely to have it with me.
Wave+ vs Surge at a glance
| Measure | Wave+ | Surge |
|---|---|---|
| My score | 4.7 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Time owned | Nearly six years, bought second-hand | Roughly two years |
| Best reason to choose it | Useful tools in a size I carry every day | More leverage and capacity for heavier work |
| US list price checked October 2026 | $129.95 | $159.95 |
| Listed weight and closed length | 8.5 oz; 4 in | 12.5 oz; 4.5 in |
| Listed tools | 18 | 21 |
| Blades | Separate plain and serrated 420HC blades | Larger plain and serrated 420HC blades |
| Saw and file | Fixed tools | Blade Exchanger accepts a file, saw and standard T-shank blades |
| Scissors on my tools | Small pair; spring has always stuck | Larger pair; spring failed after use |
| Where I keep it | Pocket or bag | Sheath or tool bag |
What I would buy
My pick for almost everything
Leatherman Wave+
The Wave+ gets the balance right for me. It has the pliers, blades and drivers I use most, without becoming a nuisance in my pocket. I've cut line, adjusted bindings, opened packages and sorted out countless small problems with it. My scissors are bad, but they haven't stopped this from being the tool I choose most days.
For a planned workday
Leatherman Surge
I bring the Surge when I expect tougher work and don't want to keep going back for another tool. The bigger pliers and cutters are useful, and I love being able to swap the saw for a file or a standard T-shank blade. It feels great in the hand. In a pocket for the rest of the day, much less so.
Four extra ounces in a pocket
A larger multitool like the Surge seems great until you pocket-carry it for a full day. At 12.5 ounces, it's four ounces heavier than the Wave+ and nearly half as heavy again. I feel that extra weight swinging against my leg. A sheath or tool bag solves the pocket problem, but I don't always want to bring either one.
At 8.5 ounces, the Wave+ still has some weight to it. But it sits neatly enough in a pocket or bag that I forget about it. I've carried it hiking, biking, camping, sailing and through ordinary days at home. That's why the Wave+ has ended up doing far more jobs than the Surge.
Pliers: more leverage or more use
I pick up the Surge when I need to put some force through the pliers. The larger handles give me more leverage for gripping a stubborn fitting or cutting thicker wire, and its replaceable cutters have held up well. For that sort of planned work, it's the better choice.
I use the Wave+ pliers all the time, though. The needle-nose tips are so useful for little jobs beyond gripping things: holding a tiny nut, pulling out a splinter, working a tight knot or retrieving something I can't reach with my fingers. Mine still close cleanly and the handles haven't loosened after years of use. I rarely find myself wishing I had bigger jaws for those everyday jobs.
Blades, saws and the jobs between them
Both tools have separate plain and serrated blades, which I much prefer to a half-serrated blade. I've used the Wave+ for food prep, rope, packaging, carpet, insulation and all sorts of camp jobs. I sharpen its blades once or twice a year, and neither has chipped. The Surge gives me longer blades, although the thicker handle feels a bit clumsy for finer cuts and food prep.
The Surge's Blade Exchanger is a brilliant addition. I can swap its saw for a file or fit a standard T-shank jigsaw blade when the job calls for one. The Wave+ saw is aggressive enough for the occasional cut, but I hardly ever use it. I don't miss the exchanger when I'm carrying the Wave+ every day.
Drivers and the scissors problem
I use the Wave+ drivers constantly. I own both Leatherman bit kits and carry them in my bag, so I have a wide choice of bits without much bulk. People gripe about the proprietary flat format, but I think the space saving is worth it. The Surge takes the same bits and gives me a bigger handle for stubborn screws. I find it a little more awkward to line up in tight spaces.
Neither of my tools has great scissors. The Surge's larger pair cut tougher material well, but the spring failed and I now have to open them by hand. The smaller Wave+ scissors have been sticky since I bought the tool and never spring back properly either. They still cut if I work them myself, but give me Victorinox scissors for small, neat snips any day.
Six years with one, two with the other
I bought the Wave+ used in 2020 and it still feels tight. The blades are sound, the pliers have no play and the action has become beautifully smooth with use. I give it a little Ballistol now and then, and I've had no corrosion on it.
I've been harder on the Surge. Its frame, locks and pliers are still solid, though it did pick up a few small orange rust spots after salty, wet work when I failed to dry it. Those cleaned off. The Wave+ has survived its own share of abuse too, and feels surprisingly fresh for something I've carried for nearly six years.
Price and value
Leatherman listed the Wave+ at $129.95 and the Surge at $159.95 in the US when I checked in October 2026. The $30 price gap is pretty small for the extra hardware you get with the Surge. If you need its bigger pliers, cutters and Blade Exchanger regularly, I can see why you'd choose it.
I still get much more use from the Wave+. It has solved an almost absurd number of small problems over nearly six years and is my favourite Leatherman by a long way. For repeated heavy work, I'd rather have dedicated pliers and cutters nearby and keep the Wave+ in my pocket for everything else. I would buy another Wave+ tomorrow. I wouldn't rush to replace my Surge.
If you are also considering the premium option, I have compared the Wave+ with the ARC, and our ARC, Surge and Signal guide covers the rest of the range.
My pick
Wave+ for everyday use. Surge for heavier jobs.
The Surge is a very capable tool, and I'm glad to have it when I need the extra leverage. The Wave+ is the one I keep carrying and using, which makes it the easy choice for me.
Read the field tests
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Sources & context
Product details checked
The listed tool counts, weights, dimensions and October 2026 US prices come from Leatherman's product pages. The carry, durability and tool-use judgments come from my own tools.
Editorial disclosure: I bought both tools myself. Leatherman did not provide either one, fund the reviews or have editorial input.