What do you guys think of the leatherman wave as a survival knife/tool kit for the times I go out in the wild, and as a general tool for everyday use?

I cannot get any of the survival knives such as the Doug Ritter knife, for various reasons, so this tool/knife is my only carry blade for the next few years.

How does this compare against general survival type knives, and would you carry it as a outdoors knife? The things I find useful on it is the file for fish hooks and such, and the mini saw blade that easily chops up small branches for a fire.

Look, the main point of a 'preparedness' item is that first you have it on you when you need it.

I don't have the Wave but a LM is in my EDC. Nothing wrong with it. I find uses for it every day it seems. On Sunday I used the pliers while doing some work on my bathroom sink.

I would carry the Wave as a primary knife, if I had too. I believe in the maxim, "One is none, two is one." I have carried the SAK Champ on many one and two week back packing trips and I put the Wave up there with that.

I used to carry my LM Wave out in the woods but don't anymore due to it's weight and it was inconvenient to carry on my belt when using a backpack hipbelt. The saw was handy but I never used anything other tools. My Vic SAK has a saw that is just as effective (although the SAK's saw doesn't lock). The SAK and my machete are all I take anymore for most trips under three days unless I specifically plan to do something requiring a different knife, like hunting or fishing.

-Blast

I tend not to prefer leathermans as camping tools, just because of the amount of scredrivers and things that you wouldnt use in the wild. But for car camping and edc they work great

I EDC a Wave... use it all the time esp working around the house on odd jobs etc.

In the woods I just have my pocket knife. SOG Flash II (I also EDC this too.)

I don't think theres' anything wrong EDC a Wave if you are inthe woods, esp around mechanical things like cars, atvs, etc.

It's better than a swift kick in the pants.
-Todd

The Leatherman Wave is an excellent tool. A LM Wave is my multi-tool for wildland and SAR work, for the money you can't go wrong. I have found it to have the right combination of tools with a decent blade (not great, but better then many multi-tools).

There isn't many survival tasks I can think of that I couldn't do with a Wave. Some tasks are simply easier because of the other tools available on a good multi-tool. A good folding survival knife will make some tasks easier and safer, I still always back my Ritter RSK up with a Leatherman Wave or Charge TTi.


You never know what you may have to fix... even in the middle of no-where.

The Wave is a great all-around tool. Not ideal as a survival knife (nor is the SAK in its many forms) but it will do just fine. For serious cutting you would be better off with a quality folder or even a fixed blade knife. But the LM Wave will still be more than sufficient for light chores (for batoning and hacking off tree limbs you'll obviously need something bigger than a small folder or multitool).

Well, you kinda gotta go with what you have available.

I am not a huge fan of multitools or "survival" knives.
It depends a lot on what else I have with me though.

If I have mechanical stuff with me or expect to run into mechanical stuff then tools are almost essential.
I have an older Leatherman and have found it very useful on some occasions.
Even though it sucks as a knife the pliers, screw drivers and file are good.
The can opener has opened many cans of baked beans.

If cost is the problem then I would just pick out a decent small hunting or folding knife.
Mora is an extremely good and inexpensive sheath knife for the woods. I like their craftsman (#760, #740) series a lot.
There are other brands as good but Mora is pretty much the standard to match.

Buck, Schrade, Gerber and others still make a few decent pocket knives that are not astronomically priced.
You don't really need big heavy blades, a blade between 2 and 3 inches is enough for most jobs you need a knife for.
Often you don't even need a blade that long.

One of my favorites is the smaller sized Opinel folder.
Another one is the electrician model of the Swiss army knife, but they are a bit expensive now.

The other posters have the correct:

a. it's only useful if you have it on you
b. it's a decent tool, and some of the tools will be better for some tasks than a bigger fixed blade
c. you'll find a need for that tool on a much more regular basis than you will encounter survival situations

I carry A Swiss Tool Spirit as my multi-tool EDC and for woods use, along with a OHT SAL. In the woods I carry a 4"+ fixed blade.

I carry a Leatherman Wave myself. It is part of my EDC and it goes with me into the woods along with my SAK. Personally, I like it. However, I would like to get one of Doug's knife.

For an emergency situation, the Wave or SAK is fine, but I would like some a bit more robust. Since a Wave typically goes for around $65, I would think that you would be able to find a decent knife in that price range, if you haven't already bought the Wave.

Beyond that, I like the saw on the Wave, the ability to open the blades with one hand, and the pliers. I believe the Wave is what Les Stroud carried with him on his show.

Les Stroud carried a wave and used it all the time. But in the last season he also started carrying the buck 119 hunting knife, which has a big (6 inch?) blade.

If you are hiking/camping the problem with the wave or a big fixed knife is that they're heavy - the wave weighs half a pound.
I find that a folding knife that locks and a keychain SAK (for the scissor mostly) is all I need for hiking. And the combo weighs only 3 or 4 ounces.

If you still want a plier/wirecutter multitool, consider the LM squirt S2. Pliers, excellent scissors, serviceable knife, and selection of screwdrivers. No saw or file though. But it weighs half what the wave weighs.

You mean Juice S2. Yeah, I'll vouch for it. It was my first Leatherman and never let me down.

Because a lot of what I do in the wild revolves around technology these days (hunting, fishing, geocaching), and because I am such a gadget man anyways, having my LM along in the wild is probably more practical for me than most. Thinking more in terms of gear repair than actual knife duty in its own right, the LM is a most expedient thing for me to have along.

SAKs are a decent alternative.

The Wave II is a useful and capable tool. I carry one all the time and have never had cause to regret it.

The Wave's blades are adequate, but I agree with others who suggest carrying a stronger blade if heavier work is likely.

For day hikes or weekend backpacks, I take my Wave plus a lightweight folder.

P.S., Les's multitool looked like a Surge to me. Bigger blades. But I've only seen a few of his shows.

Straight off of the Discovery website, Q&A with Les:

Good point... I thought I saw something different there too. Definitely saw the fixed blade in Season 3.

Good catch!

I think the Wave would serve you just fine as your main implement. You say you won't be picking up an extra knife, so consider spending a little more money for one of the Leatherman 'Charge' models and you'll get better steel for the main knife blade.

Regarding multitools in general, I used to forgo my Charge when on the trail since I rarely needed more than the knife & saw blades. But, I have since realized that the pliers, screwdrivers, file and scissors will come into play much more if I have to cannibalize various items in a "real" situation. I think Les Stroud is right to counsel survivors to be ready to modify any available item to enhance their chances, and I think this is where the multitool really shines. It will be a critical asset when things go wrong, not so much when they go right.

So now I have the Charge and the Ritter Mk1 with me both on the trail and for EDC.

Rodion

Yes, i meant the juice S2 - not a squirt.

There's no question that if I was trying to live a week off the scraps of a crashed plane, or wrecked RV, as per Les Stroud, a LM wave, charge, or surge would be the choice.

My only issue with them is they weigh too much when hiking, since I'm pretty lazy.

I recently watched "Survival School" on Hulu, where they filmed a five-month Air Force SERE school class. Each student had an axe, a Kabar like fixed blade, and a multitool (usually a Wave).

I carry a Wave, and use it for everything, but would not want to baton wood pieces (for kindling) with it.

I presume that is because of local knife law's or cost?

Buy the top end Leatherman. If possible the S30V blade. If not get the 154CM. I have both. Forget the lower end 420HRC steel versions. Complete waste of money.

Pair it with a decent high carbon steel hatchet and a folding saw for wilderness use. A properly sharpened hatchet will do everything that a fixed blade knife will.

I wish someone would make a drop-in S30V replacement blade for the Wave.

Its all about the weight to me.

Doug's Mk1 weighs 3.82 oz. Doug's Mk3 weighs 5.7 oz. The LM Wave weighs 8.5 oz. My Charge Ti weighs just a bit less.

I find carrying the weight of the Charge TI on my belt or in-pocket uncomfortable. Doug's knives - even the fixed blade - weigh so much less.

The only LM tool that I might miss in the outdoors is the saw, but I pack a larger Silky Pocketboy folding saw in my pack (not on me).

I have never needed pliars when outdoors - except to remove fish hooks, but if surviving I wouldn't care about that - about killing the fish.

I carry separate small tweezers in my FAK.

Beyond that, I just don't have need for screwdrivers, file, can opener, etc ...

Ken

I think for the majority of applications it will do fine, especially if you can score a higher-end model with a better main blade, as has been said here. Aside from splitting wood, I can't think of too many things it wouldn't be able to do almost as well as a fixed-blade. For everyday carry, it will depending on what an average day entails for you. Unless you're an auto mechanic, it will probably handle most things...

Other wilderness multi-tool uses I've had:

Cinching and cutting wire ties.

Pulling nails.

Opening cans of food

cutting wire

trimming hair, toe and finger nails, whiskers

field dressing small game and fish

putting eyeglasses back together

pulling splinters out of fingers