I purchased my Leatherman Charge TTi almost by accident. I received a merchandise discount voucher and planned on buying a Leatherman Wave. I showed the last Wave to a customer who decided to buy it. A coworker was considering the Charge so I looked at it and it appeared to be Wave with a couple of added features. The price was higher and the Charge had a titanium body and better knife. The discount voucher expired that day and the Wave now out-of-stock so I bought the Charge TTi. I am glad that I bought the Charge TTi and it is the best multitool in my collection.

The Charge TTI features these 19 tools:

• Needlenose and Regular Pliers
• Wire Cutter and Hard-wire Cutter
• Crimper
• Wire Stripper
• S30V Knife
• 420HC Serrated Knife with cutting hook
• Saw
• Spring-action Scissors
• Ruler: 8″ / 19cm
• Can Opener and Bottle Opener
• Wood/Metal File and Diamond-coated Files
• Large and Small Bit Driver
• Medium Screwdriver

All of the tools securely lock into place. You must manually unlock an individual tool to stow it. The Charge is lightweight, reasonably compact, and it has an extensive complement of tools. The Charge also uses interchangeable tools including bits for screwdrivers, torx, square drive, hex, etc. The bits are very flat and fit in a plastic holder that slips neatly into the sheath. You can also purchase a larger complement of bits and a bit extender. Other features of the Charge TTi include:

• Comfortable titanium handles withstand 133% more squeezing force
• Bronze bushings make blades smoother and faster to open
• Locking blades with locks that are more than 50% stronger
• Serrated blade with cutting hook
• Multiple bit drivers and optional bit extender
• Removable lanyard ring and pocket clip
• Closed Length: 4″ (10 cm)
• Weight: 8.89 oz (252g)
• Primary Blade Length: 2.9″ (7.37 cm)

The Charge is one of the most expensive Leatherman Multitools but it is a serious tool. If you want a very complete, comprehensive, and relatively light (for its features) multitool then consider the Charge TTi. If you want a lighter, less expensive, and very capable multitool with fewer features then consider the Leatherman Rebar or Sidekick. Leatherman makes really good stuff and their quality shows in all of these tools.

If you purchase a Charge then be sure to consider the Bit Extender set. The Charge includes a number of double-sided bits but the extender kit comes with two more cards of double-sided bits. I took the bits that I am most likely to use and created my own custom bit card. With the Leatherman and those bits I have assembled and disassembled may different things. I also highly recommend the leather sheath and bit extender.

Leatherman Wave

The Leatherman Wave is very similar to the Charge. I was on the verge of purchasing a Wave but it was out-of-stock and I purchased the Charge instead. The Wave is a very fine multi-tool and you would not go amiss in purchasing the Wave. The Wave has a stainless steel body that is slightly more comfortable to grip than the Charge. It does NOT have a crimper on the needlenose pliers. It is slightly thinner than the Charge and weighs about 8.5 oz. The saw does NOT have a gut hook. The blade on the Charge is s30V steel and the steel type is not listed on the Wave (probably a slightly less hard/durable steel). Overall, either tool should serve you well and the Wave is priced lower.

Accessories

• Bit Extender