Leatherman Arc Review: A Premium Multi-Tool, With A Price Tag To Match

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Following Oct 16, 2023, 09:11pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The sharp snap of a metallic ‘click’ breaks the silence on a rainy Monday morning. I’m sitting at my desk, working from home, skimming emails that hit my inbox over the weekend. In my hand, a well-equipped multi-tool, polished and hefty, opens and closes with ease.

The Leatherman Arc is the latest multi-tool from the Oregon-based brand. It preserves the most popular elements of the FREE collection —magnets, locking tools, one-handed use—and adds others to improve the design in minor (but meaningful) ways. And at $230, it’s a top-shelf tool made for a niche crowd.

The Leatherman Arc features 20 tools, including a MagnaCut blade. Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Cam Vigliotta This might stand as the most comprehensive multi-tool Leatherman has ever made. The Arc features USA-made components, a MagnaCut steel blade, 20 tools and swappable bits.

On paper, it’s almost perfect, but it’s hard for even diehard backers to look beyond the price. I’ve been testing this tool for over a month, putting it through its paces. Even when it’s not in use, I still want to open and close it mindlessly like I would a pocket knife .

As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, I’m a fan, though with a few important caveats around price and features. Here’s what you need to know. Leatherman Leatherman Arc Multi-Tool Buy From Leatherman MORE FROM FORBES VETTED 14 Of The Best Work Pants For Women, From Casual To Dressy Options By Anneke Knot Contributor The 15 Best Loafers For Women That Consistently Earn Top Reviews By Katherine Louie Forbes Staff Leatherman Arc: Technical Specifications Price: $230 | Number of tools: 20 | Blade length: 2.

8 inches | Closed length: 4. 25 inches | Weight: 8. 6 ounces | Includes: Nylon sheath, additional bits Best for: One-handed use A distilled, premium toolset Renowned durability Skip if: You’re on a budget You already own a multi-tool Leatherman Arc Design: Elevating Utility At its core, the Arc consists of a stainless steel housing and 20 assorted tools.

Fans of the Leatherman FREE series will quickly recognize the design and its one-handed functionality. For those unfamiliar, Leatherman’s latest multi-tools promote one-handed use. First, use your fingertips to break the magnetic bond and separate the handles.

Then, holding one handle stationary, flick your wrist to let the other handle swing around, opening the tool. And finally, pull the open handles together until a pair of clicks signal the tool is fully open and locked in place. In principle, that exercise reads like a fidget spinner gimmick, but in practice, it’s a feature I much prefer.

I’ve tested other multi-tools that deploy a set of pliers with one hand, like Gerber’s Center-Drive that uses a sliding mechanism, but only Leatherman’s design works flawlessly. After you’ve opened and closed the Arc a handful of times, you’ll probably want to use it. And again, like the FREE series, you’ll access the tools externally.

Roll a thumb or fingertip over a series of small tabs to fan out the tools and select the one you want. Once the tool is locked in place, set the rest back and get to work. It’s really that simple.

Many of the Arc’s tools can be found on older Leatherman multi-tools. Cam Vigliotta For Forbes While the design of the Arc may bear a resemblance to its predecessor, the composition of its toolset exhibits a few noticeable differences. Perhaps the biggest development concerns the knife.

This is the first Leatherman tool (and perhaps the first multi-tool in the world) to feature CPM MagnaCut steel —a high-performance blade steel that optimally balances edge retention, toughness and corrosion resistance, the latter being its most prominent property. Widely considered one of the best knife steels on the market, it’s incredibly difficult to process, especially in a unique form factor such as this. Needless to say, it’s expensive, and your wallet bears the brunt of the additional labor.

Fortunately, the blade isn’t the only implement to receive an upgrade; Leatherman worked closely with a team of testers and heavily weighed consumer feedback to improve the functionality of other components, too. For example, the new bit driver comes from the Wave Plus , and it extends further from the multi-tool’s body to improve reach. That means you’ll receive not only the Arc, but 20 additional bits as well.

And the small bit driver makes it easy to tighten eye glasses or access those tiny electronics screws. Then there’s the file. On one side, the aggressive cross-cut appears to be more coarse than the file on the Wave Plus—it more closely resembles the file found on the KF4, a Leatherman tool retired in 2006.

On the other side, a new diamond file makes it easy to deburr blades or sharpen tools. The thoughtful design of Leatherman’s new multi-tool comes as no surprise given the company’s pedigree for meticulous craftsmanship and innovation. While Leatherman faithful have often customized their multi-tools in the past to achieve perfection, the new Arc multi-tool, with its incorporation of best-selling features from previous models and its refined toolset, reduces the need for such modifications.

The Arc features a CPM MagnaCut blade, which bumps up the price. Cam Vigliotta For Forbes Leatherman Arc Performance: Consistency At Its Best When put to work, the Arc works as you would expect it to. The MagnaCut blade cuts quickly while the small and large bit drivers loosen or tighten screws efficiently.

And you’ll find other common implements, like a can and bottle opener, pry bar, scissors and awl (which now happens to be eyeless). Frankly, I couldn’t find any significant reason to knock the Arc’s performance. It operates as it should, and that’s what makes Leatherman such a reputable brand.

Opening the multi-tool with a lot of force causes some of the tools to slightly deploy from the handle, but the issue isn’t as obvious as it was on the FREE P4 , and it certainly won’t hinder your experience. At 8. 6 ounces, it’s also a bit heavy if you prefer a lightweight multi-tool , but the heft adds to the design’s general durability, and it makes the Arc more suitable for striking should you choose to use it as a makeshift hammer.

Rolling a finger over the Arc’s small notches reveals its toolset. Cam Vigliotta For Forbes Leatherman Arc Drawbacks: The Cost Of Quality The Arc boasts few drawbacks, save for one significant hurdle: its price, which proves challenging to ignore. At $230, this shiny gadget isn’t cheap.

It costs $110 more than the Wave Plus, $80 more than the Surge , $80 more than its predecessor, the FREE P4 and even $40 more than the fully-loaded Charge Plus TTI . You won’t find a more expensive Leatherman tool, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more expensive multi-tool from any leading EDC brand. Whether it’s a worthy investment depends on your unique needs.

For those who live and breathe Leatherman tools, this is a must-have to add to your collection. However, some may find themselves reassessing their needs before taking the plunge. Keep in mind that while the Arc features a fancy knife steel, it doesn’t replace a quality folder if you use one regularly.

I still prefer my trusty Spyderco Tenacious when situations call for a pocket knife because it’s easier to handle, open and sharpen. The Arc’s blade, meanwhile, is a knife built around a multi-tool, and while this may be as good as a knife gets on a multi-tool, it’s not quite the same. There’s a lot to like about the Arc, but it’s price proves difficult to ignore.

Cam Vigliotta For Forbes Leatherman Arc Verdict: A Premium Choice To Ponder Leatherman’s new multi-tool not only adopts sought-after tools from their previous models but also introduces innovative elements like a MagnaCut blade, creating an exceptional all-in-one tool that satisfies longstanding desires and exceeds expectations. In many ways, it’s the tool we’ve always wanted. But is the tool we’ve always wanted worth the price? When I first wrote this review a couple of weeks ago, I simply said “the answer varies from person to person,” but after spending time with this tool for over a month, that answer wreaks of ambivalence.

Realistically, I’d sooner recommend the Arc to everyday carry connoisseurs than I would the average consumer who just so happens to be in the market for a multi-tool. That’s not to say the Arc isn’t impressive or innovative. Leatherman refined the FREE P4 platform in a meaningful way that justifies a new tool, but an $80 knife steel doesn’t necessarily make for a compelling reason to pick one up.

Many of Leatherman’s other tools perform just as dutifully as this one. Fortunately, you can’t go wrong no matter which Leatherman you choose. And in a way, I guess that’s what makes them so exceptional.

The Leatherman Arc multi-tool hits the Leatherman store on October 17, 2023. Coupons Hilton Link to Coupon Send me a secure tip . Cam Vigliotta Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.