I cannot even count how many times I've used the pliers on a Leatherman tool in the boonies. Here are a few:

• fixing a stuck zipper (several occasions)
• fixing a bicycle that was inoperable
• undoing knots with cold fingers that weren't working right
• fixing a stove
• cutting wire that someone was stuck on (it's never been a dog for me, always a person)
• fishing a drawstring back through a hood so it could be cinched again
• removing fishhooks from people (probably over a dozen times)
• removing fishhooks from fish (significantly less frequently)
• most memorably, getting a seat back on its track in a light airplane after a very rough landing 100 miles from the backside of nowhere -- since the airplane was full, someone would likely have had to sit around for a few hours until it could come back if we hadn't been able to fix it
• EDITED TO ADD: I don't know how I could cook anything in the woods without my Leatherman pot holder

I recognize that some of these are unusual and many of them may not apply to your situation.

With regard to the Sidekick, it's certainly not up to the quality of the Wave, but in my hands its proven to be competent and usable. I bought mine, frankly, on a lark, and it's not one that I would carry or recommend for the wilderness, but my experience with it has been that it provides decent value for its price. I did not hesitate to buy one for my daughter as her first multitool.