I’ve been thinking about getting a multi-tool. A search for “leatherman” reveals about a zillion threads on the subject. I also wanted to open it up to other brands as well. I know there have be some afficionados on the Dope, right?
I’ve got a Gerber multi-plier that has served me well for years. Mine is a lot simpler than the ones they sell today though.
hubby adores his leatherman Skeletool.
Its pretty cool, I have used it and it is pretty freaking handy!
I prefer the Remington version of the multi-plier and just about any brand for a multi-wrench. The multi-wrench version I have several of - one lives in the car, one on the bike, a couple with my hunting and fishing gear - and I find I use it more than the pliers.
Depends on your needs. I have a number of multi-tools. In the field, I carry a Leatherman Wave. At tournaments I carry a Gerber. At school I carry a Leatherman Juice. There are also various Juice models in my desk, glove compartment, etc.
If I had to choose one, it would be a new Leatherman Skeletool or Wave.
Have you been here? —> http://www.multitool.org/
And here —> http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/dads/a905/
And here —> http://www.pockettoolx.com/piranha-pocket-tool.html
I got a Gerber for xmas last year, and I like it. Except for the night I was pulled over by local cops for speeding. I opened my glove compartment to get my “papers” and the young rookie cop freaked out. He drew his gun and screamed for me to put my hands on the wheel.
He saw the Gerber and said he thought it was a “butterfly knife”. His partner apologized to me, and I got off without a ticket, but I nearly shit my pants.
When I carry one, it’s the Leatherman Wave.
My co-worker uses one of the Gerber tools and I wouldn’t mind carrying it if I weren’t already in the Leatherman camp.
Leatherman Wave for me too. Sound piece of kit.
I have a Victorinox. I’m unsure of the model…it’s fairly old. I found their options more useful than some of the Leatherman models. I don’t need a combination fish-scaler / masonry saw. I think it really depends on what you are looking to do with it. Camping, hunting, fishing, survival, breaking and entering…
I believe the quality of Leatherman, Gerber and Victorinox is all comparable…I’d look for features.
Happy hunting…or brwaking & entering…
I always wondered whether police would freak out about these things.
I’ve carried a Leatherman Micra in my pocket for years and I find it to be the handiest thing ever.
It’s smaller than a Bic lighter and has a key ring attachment, so you can take it literally everywhere you go. (OK, not the airport, court, or certain events)
You’ll use it on an almost daily basis and there’s always a chance that you’ll be the hero of the day because you’re the guy who has a bottle opener.
I’ve been using a Paladin PT-540 for a couple of years now, and I love it.
It doesn’t have the quick-open knife blades that most people love (I carry a regular knife for that), but it has damn near every tool you could ever need in electrical/networking jobs. The big sell for me was the real actual wire strippers in the jaws of the pliers. I’m damn good stripping wires with a pair of 6" dikes (that’s how I learned to do it, back in the day), but a pair of real wire strippers beats the crappy “hammer & tong” cutters that most multi-tools have. Hell, the H&T isn’t even any good at cutting wire, let alone stripping it.
It’s got a coax stripper, a telephone punchdown tool, a 110 punchdown tool, real crimpers, scissors, a bottle opener, a can opener, and a good needle-nose to the pliers, which most do not have.
It also has a place to attach 1/4" sockets, and that’s been damned handy at times, too.
For some, this tool is too much tool, but for me it’s a well-built, well-designed multi-tool that covers a lot of bases.
I vote that links to tool porn like that should follow that two-click rule. I also wish that Amazon didn’t have one-click ordering.
hehe
Yeah, I’ve sold a few people on them over the years. Sometimes I wait until right before we make a run to Fry’s about something before I show it around. People come back from Fry’s much poorer when they go with me. 
I also vote for a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. The mid-range to high-end ones are great multi-tools but all of them are pretty cheap for what you get. I have never broken a single part of one of the many that I have owned and I use mine almost every day and also have one with me at all times. Their most important trait for me is that they are compact and can easily slip into any pants pocket and you barely even notice because the exterior is much smoother and less bulky than other multi-tools. They also have a wide range of models available and at least one has a USB flash drive on it or things like corkscrews and screwdrivers.
They are well engineered. I have two models of a Leatherman and I never carry them. Don’t get me wrong, they are good tools too but they are my bulky and not as convenient to slip into any pants pocket. If you are willing to carry a a Leatherman in a belt pouch all the time, it would work just fine though. Their main advantage are the larger tools like pliers that are too big to fit on a Swiss Army knife although you can get a Swiss Army knife with smaller pliers and scissors on it as well.
The 2 best things about Swiss Army Knives are the tweezers, and the toothpick. I keep one in my tool bag at all times for just those 2 things. Splinters suck, and sometimes you just need a toothpick, ya know what I’m sayin’?
I’ve got both a Leatherman Wave and a Swiss Army knife, the camper model. I use the Leatherman more often.