Leatherman Wave Alpha Multitool review – A premium tool with a MagnaCut blade and large scissors!

REVIEW –  The Leatherman Wave Alpha has been rumored for several months, with many, including myself, salivating over “what does Leatherman have up its sleeve” speculations. In late September, Jackson Wang, Leatherman’s product manager, made the announcement, with the expected release date set for October 14, 2025. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one!

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $199.95
Where to buy:  Leatherman.com

What is it?

The Leatherman Wave Alpha is a premium-quality, pliers-based multitool featuring a MagnaCut knife blade, large scissors, and an array of useful implements that integrate and fold into the handles.

What’s included?

• Leatherman Wave Alpha Multitool
• Quick reference guide

Tech specs

Design and features

Since its founding in 1983, Leatherman has sold more than 128 million tools. Purchasing my first one in 1984, a PST, my pockets are rarely without a Charge, Wave+, or Surge,  and now, a Wave Alpha!

It arrived in a good-looking box, nestled in a cardboard cocoon.

I received the “Canyonland” orange color, figuring that the brightness would keep it from blending in while I’m working.

The Wave Alpha weighs 8.3 ounces according to my scale.

The Wave Alpha is similarly sized to the Wave+, a little bigger than the Skeletool, and smaller than the Surge.

Interior and exterior tools have a different topology.

Behold, the handy-dandy quick-reference sheet. If you’re familiar with Leatherman tools, I’m guessing you won’t need it.

The outer scales are G10, a high-pressure fiberglass laminate. It’s robust and makes the handles very comfortable, but it makes the tool slightly wider than the Wave. I was sad to see that the Imperial and metric rulers were missing from the interior spine.

The Wave Alpha’s plier head is almost identical to that of the Wave. The replaceable wire cutters efficiently slice through 12-gauge wire and even coat hangers.

A clever cam-operated mechanism slides a pin outwards, preventing the knife and saw from opening when the pliers are in use. The pin engages a hole in the knife and a notch in the saw.

The brass washers make the operation very smooth and look great!

A crimper hides under the fulcrum.

The first significant change from the original Wave is the reverse Tanto MagnaCut steel blade. If you’re not familiar, MagnaCut was developed by Dr. Larrin Thomas. It is dazzlingly sharp, strong, and has excellent corrosion resistance, and is used in premium knives by makers such as Kershaw, Spyderco, Hogue, Benchmade, and Buck. It’s not as tough as 420HC, but it retains an edge better. Personally, I rely on my Leatherman tool as my primary EDC, and it’s thrilling to have MagnaCut in a Leatherman. For some, the blade quality alone will be enough to leave their fixed-blades at home in favor of the Wave Alpha. The reverse Tanto blade tip is perfect for fine work. I love this!

The blade is razor sharp, and the thumb stud is outstanding for rapid, one-handed deployment. Bravo, Leatherman!

All the external tools are secure with liner locks.

Like its older brother, the Wave Alpha’s file is crosscut on one side and diamond on the other.

Internal-access tools lock in place. This button releases them for storage.

I’m relieved that Leatherman retained the saw. I use it for cutting PVC pipe, quick or impromptu wood, and drywall. The blade is slightly thinner than previous versions (1.25mm vs. 1.36mm, as measured with calipers at the teeth), allowing it to cut with somewhat less effort.

The scissors were an unexpected and delightful surprise! They’re a vast improvement over the Wave’s “internal” scissors and cut exquisitely. They’re about the same size as the Wingman.

Nestled inside one of the handles are a slotted screwdriver/pry tool, an eyeglass screwdriver (with a reversible bit), a lanyard ring, and an awl.

The other side houses the bit driver and can/bottle opener, along with a “V” wire stripper.

Leatherman’s bits are outstanding and grip better than most dedicated tools.

The can opener isn’t particularly sharp, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s effective and a lifesaver when the can’s pull-tab breaks and your “regular” opener’s cutting disk is afoul with forgotten baked bean residue you forgot to clean off.

The bottle opener requires some practice to avoid piercing caps, but it works as expected.

Nearest the pivot is the wire stripper. It works, but I prefer using wire cutters and a light plier grip. I’ve used this technique for years, seldom knicking or otherwise damaging stranded or solid wire.

The Wave/Charge clip fits, too! Yay!

Final thoughts

Okay, I get it. The Wave+ is about $120 and is a great tool. So, do you think the MagnaCut blade justifies the extra $80? I had to think about that one for a while, but the excellent scissors put the Wave Alpha over the top for me. Both are the best implements I’ve seen in a multitool so far! I’ll miss the ruler, but the combination of tools and quality is brilliant! Excellent job, and thank you, Leatherman!

What I like about the Leatherman Wave Alpha

• The MagnaCut blade is excellent!
• The larger scissors are fantastic!
• A new thumb stud improves blade deployment.
• Fits Wave/Charge clips
• Brass washers make for a smoother tool opening

What needs to be improved?

• No sheath included.
• Premium price tag, but it’s definitely a premium tool!

Price: $199.95
Where to buy:  Leatherman.com
Source: Leatherman provided a free sample for this review, but did not provide input, guidance, or editing before publication.

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• Leatherman Surge Multitool
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