Most folks think of multitools as plier based tools that have an assortment of functions. In fact the company Leatherman has become synonymous with the word multitool; similar to how Kleenex is being used to define tissues. Leatherman had a big inspiration back in 2015 and released a multitool which was very different than the standard modeling. Current CEO Ben Rivera had a run in with the security at Disneyland and told him he couldn't bring in his Wave multitool. This got the gears turning and this helped develop a new type of multitool; wearable.

Knives and multitools have been our EDC staple for a quite a while. Up until the last decade we used what we had; often in ways they were not intended for. People saw a need to carry a pocket or keychain pry bar and things haven't been the same since.

Gerber entered the pry bar market with the Artifact; it was an easy to carry pocket pry that had several features that made it an instant success. Gerber has since released many pry bars in a variety of configurations with the Lockdown Pry series being the most recent.

Most of the multitools we see on the market are from the big three; Leatherman, SOG and Gerber. There are other companies that produce tools as well but are not what I consider key players. Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is one of those companies and they seem to wow us with innovative designs but never stay in the limelight long enough. CRKT produces a lot of in house designs but I consider them more of a publisher. They collaborate with a lot of knife designers and as a result they able to give us innovative designs at affordable prices.

 

SOG Specialty tools and knives has been a multitool industry leader for decades. They may not have come up with the original multitool; but they have pushed the limits in temps of design and originality. 2017 was a good year for the company with several tools hitting the market. SOG went with some highly original designs like the Baton and Sync series but stayed true to their heritage with the Power Grab.

The Power Grab is what I could call an evolutionary design of the Power Lock series of tools. The Power Lock has such a following and it's clear why it's one of the companies best selling tools. The Power Grab is a full size multitool that is designed to handle tasks that most of the smaller guys cannot handle. With the Power Grab they went back to the drawing board and size is about all this tool and it's brethren have in common. Let's take a look and see what they got right, sets it apart from the pack and needs work.

Multitools have been around long before the Swiss Army or even Leatherman started making them a household name. The Swiss Variant is among the most popular and copied design in the world today. There are a lot of newcomers to the multitool world; some are making waves and trying to get noticed. Ruike Knives (pronounced Rake) is one of those companies out there making a name for themselves. Producing amazing knives and tools with quality that will turn heads.