Leatherman

Leatherman makes a compact multitool with use cases from stripping wires to opening cans. Their signature Wave series tools are the most recognizable and a must-have for any doomsday prepper. But even if you're not preparing for the apocalypse, a single Leatherman can be a great daily use tool replacing lots of single use tools.

All Leatherman tools are made in Portland, Oregon (US). Each Leatherman consists of some mixture of different types of steel: 420HC stainless steel, CPM MagnaCut, S30V, 145CM stainless steel, and 440C. All these types of steel have their own purpose, but they all have in common that they are corrosion resistant materials which will last a long time. The US craftsmanship and quality materials unfortunately come with a heavy price tag. A single tool can easily cost well over $100.

To ease the pain in the wallet, all tools come with a 25 year warranty. The warranty process is very easy, just go directly through their website (not through any potential reseller, they cannot help you). If your Leatherman is broken, they are highly likely to repair or replace it. One important sidenote is that you should not try to fix it yourself, as this might void your warranty. Also, losing your tool can be painful, as this is obviously not covered by the warranty.

The company unfortunately does not publish any sustainability reports, but they do claim to do anything in their power to reduce waste and pollution. It would be great to see them back up these claims with some reports. For their employees, Leatherman is known to provide good benefits, invest in their well-being, and being a nice working environment.

Ratings

Overall: 8.0

Durability: 9.0

Ethics: 7.0