The original version of the Leatherman Wave was released in 1998 and introduced their one-hand opening blades that continues to be a feature of a lot of multi-tools today. 6 years later an upgraded version arrived with bigger and stronger tools and did nothing to dent its “Most Popular Multi-tool” crown.
2018 brings the new version, the Wave+ (say Wave Plus). It’s not much of an update but does finally add what I say all serious multi-tools should have – replaceable wire cutter blades.
The Wave+ is the best Wave yet but why would I say the Surge is better? Let’s enter the MacGyver boxing ring – Leatherman Wave+ vs Leatherman Surge!
Carry-ability
Weight has a big impact on how easy a multi-tool is to carry – especially if you’re going to carry it attached to your body. Neither of these 2 comes standard with a pocket clip. Leatherman will sell you an optional one (and lanyard ring) for around $5. Drop the Wave+ in your pocket and you’ll be 8.4oz (241 gms) heavier. That’s about average for a full-sized multi-tool.
Try to hook the Surge to your belt and you’ll have a few problems. The first one is you’ll need to buy yourself the optional pocket clip first, then you can go ahead and clip it on. That’s when you’ll have your second problem.
The reason why Leatherman probably doesn’t include a pocket clip as standard is that the Surge is one heavy mother of a multi-tool – the heaviest in their range and the heaviest multi-tool I’ve ever had on my scales. At 12 and a half ounces (335 grams) the Surge is half as heavy again as the Wave+. It gives you a hint of how solidly the Surge is built and might make you think twice before making it your everyday carry!
As for closed lengths, the Wave+ is right on 4 inches (10 cms) and the Surge is half an inch longer (12 cms). Nothing exceptional.
The other carry option is a sheath and both the Wave+ and the Surge come standard with one. The Surge has a couple of color options of MOLLE compatible sheaths.
Multi-Tool-Set
The Main Tools
The Surge pliers have the usual flat section, bolt gripper section, wire stripper, and electrical wire crimpers. And they have replaceable wire cutters for stranded and hard wire. With the new version of the Wave we can for the first time say the Plus can match all the functions of the Surge’s pliers – including the replaceable wire cutters.
They both have two knives – a straight edge and a serrated edge and both have the same quality steel – 420HC. I’ve written about the different steel qualities of multi-tool knives and 420HC sits in the middle of the scale – good but not the best.
Other cutting tools the Wave+ and Surge share are spring-loaded scissors and a saw. They both have a wood/metal file and a diamond-coated file but the difference is that the Surge has what Leatherman call a blade exchanger. It means that Leatherman give you a file and a saw blade and you can decide to load either one into the Surge.
The Secondary Tools
Surprise surprise each have a bottle opener and a can opener and they have a ruler as well – both capable of measuring 8 inches at a time (in case you’re interested). They also both have a large bit driver using the same double-ended bits. And that’s it for the tools that both the Wave+ and Surge share.
The Surge has one of my favorite tools – the awl. This one is of the threaded variety and is great for all sorts of everyday uses. If you want to test your knowledge of what you can use an awl for, have a read of the 11 uses you probably haven’t thought of.
The Wave+ counterpunches with a small bit driver. It’s really a very small flathead screwdriver. Some brands call it a jewelry driver. Something you would use to tighten the screw on our sunglasses.
The Surge responds with a small flathead screwdriver (not ‘very small’ like the Wave+) and a large one. The final toolset punch comes from the Wave+ with a medium flathead screwdriver.
Use-ability
The basic design and use-ability of the Wave+ and the Surge are very alike. There are more similarities than differences. They both have 4 outside accessible tools – 2 types of knives plus 2 other outside accessible tools. They both have butterfly opening pliers with all sorts of features including replaceable wire cutter blades.
I’m a big fan of having a pair of scissors on my multi-tool and both of these have a good pair. I put the Surge scissors against 2 other multi-tools in a test of cutting my fingernails and toenails and it did a great job. The Surge scissors win this match though because they are outside accessible and they are bigger which means you can open the ‘mouth’ of the scissors wider.
All the tools lock into position as good multi-tool tools do and both are put together with the usual Leatherman quality and backed by their 25-year warranty.
So why would you choose one over the other? Well, that comes down to 3 things – tools, size, and weight.
Tools
If you really must have a saw AND a file, then you’ll want the Wave+ as the Surge can only carry onboard a saw OR a file. If you really need a jewelry screwdriver to tighten your sunglasses hinges then it’s the Wave+ for you. But if you need a threaded awl then the Surge goes to the top of the class. Sure, tool selections are good reasons to choose one of these over the other but I think it will mainly come down to this….
Size and weight
Put the Wave+ side-by-side with the Surge and you can’t help but think of the Wave+ as the ‘Surge Junior’ or maybe it’s the Surge that’s the ‘Wave+ XL’. They really are that similar with the major difference between the two being their size and weight. And it’s probably the size and weight that will be the deciding factor that will send you in the buying direction of either the Wave+ or the Surge.
Just about everything on the Surge is a size bigger than on the Wave+. The knives are bigger (3.1 ins vs 2.9 ins), the saw is bigger, the file is bigger, the scissors are bigger, the pliers are bigger. And the handles are bigger. What all that adds up to is that for the average man sized hands, the Surge is just that much easier to handle.
It also means the tools themselves are just that bit more sturdy as well. Squeezing hard on the Surge pliers with a bolt in their jaws don’t give any flex where you can get a small amount of flex out of the Wave+ pliers.
That extra sturdiness in the Surge is also the biggest downside – and that’s its weight. It really is a porker and you can feel it in the hand. Pick the Wave+ up in one hand and the Surge in the other and there is a noticeable weight difference. Some Multi-Tool MacGyvers might get some comfort and security from the Surge’s weight while others won’t want to haul it around. That’s called ‘personal preference’ and you need to decide for yourself whether the Surge’s weight is a positive or negative.
I can’t even say that the price difference between the 2 will help you decide because the full retail price difference is only $10 and they both are now available in stainless steel or black oxide.
Pocket It or Pawn It?
So I said the Leatherman Surge is better than the Wave+. Well yes, it is but only if you want bigger tools, or if you like what its toolset has to offer you better than the Wave+ or if you want the heaviest tool Leatherman make.
If those advantages don’t tick the boxes for you then you can’t go wrong with the Wave+. It’s not Leatherman’s most popular multi-tool without reason. But consider the unique benefits of each multi-tool as we’ve talked about here and you really can’t go wrong with either of these 2 great multi-tools.
I like both these multi-tools so much I gave each of them a multi-tool crown on my recommended multi-tools page – the Surge for the Best Heavy Duty and the Wave+ the Best Multi-Purpose crown!
It’s a MacGyver “Pocket It” recommendation for both the Surge and the Wave+
Check the latest price of the Leatherman Wave+ and the Leatherman Surge on Amazon
Multi-Tools – Don’t Leave Home Without One (or two)!