Swapping a Leatherman Wave+ for a Victorinox Huntsman: The r/EDC Multitool Debate

There are few debates more durable in the EDC community than pliers-based multitool versus blade-first Swiss Army Knife. A post on r/EDC this week throws fresh fuel on the fire: the poster swapped out their Leatherman Wave+ — one of the most popular multitools ever made — for a Victorinox Huntsman, and the comments are doing exactly what the community does best: arguing both sides with genuine enthusiasm.

The Wave+ is the default recommendation for anyone who needs real pliers on the go: full-size tools, replaceable wire cutters, and a build that has survived decades of hard use. The Huntsman is the opposite philosophy — a slim SAK with a blade-first layout, scissors, and the iconic corkscrew, all wrapped in a package that disappears in a pocket. The swap isn't a downgrade; it's a different answer to the same question: what does your carry actually need to do today?

That's the real value of threads like this. The comment section becomes a decision tree for anyone weighing the same choice. Pliers people point out that nothing in an SAK replaces real pliers when you need them; SAK people counter that the Huntsman rides in a pocket all day, every day, while the Wave+ spends most of its life in a bag. Weight, pocket footprint, and tool coverage all get weighed in real-world terms.

The post also reflects a broader trend in the carry community: the rise of the minimalist loadout. After years of bigger-is-better EDC, a growing number of carriers are trimming down to what they actually use weekly — and for a lot of them, that math lands on a slim SAK instead of a full-size pliers tool.

The Verdict: There's no wrong answer between the Wave+ and the Huntsman — just the right answer for your carry style. Threads like this make the decision a lot easier.