I get that for certain people using a bit is better, but I'm definitely on the side of the solid tools. If I need that kind of versatility, it's not like I carry 40 bits around. I'm pretty much having to resort to a proper tool anyway. I want a multitool for common things, convenience and as a stop gap.

@Etred02

10 ай бұрын

Exactly!

@Tapionski

10 ай бұрын

I actually agree with you. The tool will live in my pocket so I never carry the extra bits. Plus I'm not a big fan of Leatherman proprietary bits because there's only so much torque you can apply before they start to strip. Another bonus of the solid drive is that is longer and more comfortable to work with.

@TheBoomsmith

10 ай бұрын

That's why I like Swisstool, dont have to mess with the bits. I just miss the "fullsize" blade of the Wave or the Surge

@flankman9385

10 ай бұрын

I carried a wave for about 5 years, switched to the surge for about 8 years, and for about the last 2 years I’ve switched to Knipex cobras with a Swiss champ. It’s so much better in almost every way. I find the pliers on almost all multi tools to be lacking.

@RegularRetro

10 ай бұрын

If you use the belt holster though, you can comfortably fit one sleeve of your choice of bits which I think is what a lot of people do. Having some common torx and allen sizes on hand is pretty clutch. Bit kit is also just space efficient for bags and such.

I love being able to see a video of you again, I was actually a little worried, you are a serious and consistent source in this world of edc and tools.

@maxlvledc

10 ай бұрын

Agreed

@larrya197140

10 ай бұрын

​@@maxlvledcmaxlvledc in the house!!!

@Downhaven

10 ай бұрын

​@@maxlvledcAlways so cool to see how you have remained in the scene of other creators. I originally found you because of Ben when you were around the sub 5Kish mark. While, for me, you've become the staple of well thought out edc, this channel is what started it for me in understanding genuine usage.

Arc is looking like the Wave upgrade I've been waiting for. Surge is still the heavy duty go to, but the Arc looks like a great lighter duty EDC. Good to see it seems like they are finally paying attention to what people have been asking for. Now if they could just figure out how to add some scissors to the Skeletool.

So nice to hear a voice that I think of as a friend! I am looking to hear your review before I write to Santa. I hope you and your family are thriving! Many blessings, Robert

Wow Ben, it has been a while! Glad your work schedule allowed you to post! The Arc “looks” like will be the next generation Charge, which probably explains the “fire sale” on at least the G10 Charge a short time ago. The $64,000 question is … will it cost $64,000 or anorth $200. Thanks for sharing and welcome back!

The arc for ME is pretty much going to be the perfect combination of free ans charge tt!. Interchangeable bits, a really nice steel, a better awl, a diamond file with the nice easy opening capabilities of the free. Im really excited. Please leatherman get the heat treatment right on the mangacut and ill be a really happy camper.

Despite my falling out with Leatherman, I may very well buy an Arc if it actually comes out. I'd like to keep a serrated blade though. I actually use scissors the least and when I do need them, no multitool is going to do the job

Welcome back! I like the idea of the dlc coating on the blade to make it easily identifiable which side of the tool you have at hand. Yeah, thumb studs. But they may be on the saw/file type tools too

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Thank you very much.

Nice, but nothing’s gonna replace my Surge(s)…

I agree with your assessment, thank you.

I agree I think it’s a very good tool set. I carry a dedicated knife with better steels than what Leatherman has been using. One of the things I like about the ARK is there is going to be a much more capable blade steel so in certain situations I would not have to carry a dedicated blade. The blade on a Leatherman has always been a secondary back up blade for my needs.

Totally agree. The ARC will be a top seller, in stark contrast to the Free series. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if it has spring loaded pliers like the Batch #5. 😎👍

the Arc is the only multi-tool that has sparked my interest since the wave was released. Really hope it gets released.

I think it looks really promising. I like my Charge, but I see the much larger and outside-accessible scissors as a major upgrade. It sounds silly, but an outside accessible bottle opener is a big improvement too for a day to day EDC tool. The change in blade design seems promising, but I'd have to feel it in my hand to form an opinion. This also fixes my two big complaints with the Free P4 that are the primary reasons I stuck with the charge instead of a P4: much worse file, and no bit exchanger. I could personally take or leave the awl and the micro driver, but they are good choices for those two slots. I may get one depending on price.

Great to see you back. Hopefully this is leatherman back to its best. Certainly looks exciting. Still waiting patiently on my GOAT tool though. Cheers 🍻

Ben, great to see you back. Hope you can post more often. I'm excited for the new Arc, mostly for what it might do for Leatherman and for the marketplace than for myself. Do you know if the hook/serrated blade from the Charge can be fitted into the new Arc? I know the world seems to be gaga over magnacut, but you can have my magnacut blade if I can figure out how to get hook/serrated into an Arc. It will then be a "perfected tool" in my eyes. YMMV. P.S. How come my stuff usually turns into a "Frankentool?" {: - )

Great to see you back!

The lack of sprung pliers at this price is insulting.

One tool that I would like to see more of is a hammer type tool. I don't have a Signal or MUT, just not too useful for me, so seeing a "hammer surface" on the Arc is exciting to me. There's been many times over the years I need a marteau to persuade something and I've used my MT but really don't like hitting something with it. Good to see you post a video again.

@thevineclimber

10 ай бұрын

Absolutely! Hammer is such an obvious tool. And it seems like it shouldn't be that difficult to add. Of course, it's not gonna be like a regular hammer, but nothing on a multi tool is like a regular anything.

I am going to get an ARC as soon as it is available. Love the tool set, and the Magnacut.

I got a Garage #5 it's great! I already been carrying the P4 for 2 years and love it.

Need to get that Wingman package opener in the tool kit and I’d be really blown away. Still looks like a solid tool.

Hmmm, I’m not wanting to change my wave but this may do the trick and I do carry the extra bit assortments around and it seems the once a month I need that bit is worth it to me! Don’t want to spend the money I’m sure they will be asking so I’ll rely on your opinion for this purchase. As always nice work. Thanks

id argue for the solid drivers. a lot of people like me wont ever really need 20 different bits and especially wont want to spend the money to carry those bits just to lose them one by one.

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

An opinion shared by many.

The GOAT is back! Haven’t seen you in a while. Hope all is well

Do you know a way to swap out the saw with a serrated blade if you got the arc and wanted to mod it?

The ARC is a very exciting tool, and I can’t wait to see it in real-life. Overall, the tool-set is fantastic, and if accurate, really makes a lot of their other models obsolete. The only thing I’d change is getting rid of the can opener. The serrated blade definitely has use, but do we really need a can opener on every single iteration of a multi-tool??

I think it's a big improvement on Leathermans part and this new Arc now has spring loaded pliers, I just hope the don't suck when going to cut wire like when I saw your channel on the free p4 I believe where the handles got stuck when cutting through the wire,I believe if they engineered the handles to lock when open like the surge so that the tools while using it,locked too,for example the screw driver kept popping out or I case the knife blade was to slip out an cut the user,an also while the handles lock,hopefully like the surge would give you better usability when cutting wire like the surge,I'm ok without the serrated blade, but I wish you could have that option, I use mine quite frequently on like rope an cordage, not really a deal breaker for me,overall, I do love the upgrade knife steel,longer edge retention too,I hope thst the pocket clip comes on it from what I've seen an hopefully if don't want it on there say like if you pouch carry,or if it's just uncomfortable for some users that the user an or owner of this new tool,thst you can simply take it off,I also wonder if it'll have a hidden lanyard loop similar to the surge or totally different but has one in general for whatever, I think it'll make a great addition for the Leatherman lineup, I'm waiting to get my hands on one,I believe I'll love it as much as my surge an maybe just carry both,who knows, thanks for your review Ben.

Thanks for the information. Can the Arco modify the position of its knives like the Free P4 so that it can be used by left-handed people?

Just as I was going to bed, this popped up. Who needs sleep anyway.

I saw a video teaser of the new Arc,I actually like it,wished it wasn't a limited run though.

Good to see you back.

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Thank you very much

@lawrencehubbard2985

10 ай бұрын

@@txtoolcrib missed your thoughtful ideas about what Leatherman should be doing to improve their lineup. What is thoughts on Leatherman dropping so many multi tools and a knife line plus the accessories problems that they are having? Do you think they are going to be released a new lineup of smaller multi tools and lower price mid range multi tools to replace what they have dropped?

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Those are all very good questions. Unfortunately I think the answer to most of those is going to be no. They seem to be invested in the FREE line right now.

I've been thinking about getting a charge. If this leak is accurate, I'll be picking up the Arc.

Honestly it looks like a premium edition for the Free series like how the Charge was for the Wave series

Arc looks really promising

What's up doc...u have been busy. Congress...nice

Glad you’re back. Stay safe. 👍🍺

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

I’d always rather have a serrated blade over a wood saw. I agree that the PE blade, scissors and file are must haves. I am also more into the Charge/Surge platform over the free series. That being said; I can see why Leatherman is pushing this platform. It’s a solid platform, especially with easy open, outside accessible tools and ditching the liner locks. I have had so many liner lock leatherman’s with vertical blade wiggle cause the lock geometry wasn’t cut right.

I might upgrade my Wave

Thank you Ben. I wanna buy the P4, but I don't like it doesn't have the bitchanger. Now the new Arc will be my next Leatherman

So I think it's hard to talk about the Arc, and not talk about the Garage Batch #005. The Arc info leaked months ago, and potentially some thing could have changed since then. But the #005, we know all the details now for sure about, and given how closely it matches the Arc leaks, I wonder if it tells us anything about what the Arc will turn out to be. The biggest thing that the #005 has, and the Arc leak doesn't specify, are spring-action pliers. These are a big deal to me, as I have using pliers without spring so I love my Wingman but wish it could do more. What are the chances that the Arc will have the same new plier mechanism? We also see a new tool on the #005 that combines the P4 package opener with a bottle opener, as opposed to the leak which has that tool just being a screwdriver/prybar. What are the chances that this new tool (which seems to be a strictly better implementation) will be on the final version of the Arc? Also, the #005 has the P4 Awl, not a sharp Awl. I could easily see them just not having the new tool available yet, and using the P4 Awls they had while still planning to switch to a sharp one on the Arc, but it's hard to say. I also notice that the Arc bit drivers are slightly different in design than the Wave+ ones. I'll bet that these are the version we see on the Arc. Aside from all that, the #005 sort of "proves" a lot of the weird stuff from the leak that made some people doubt it. Magnacut is confirmed, the strange choice to coat it is confirmed, the hammer surface is confirmed. And the over-all appearance of the Arc from the shot in the video matches the leak, so it was probably completely genuine. Only questions we really have now, are if anything has been revised since that leak, and whether or not there's anything else to know that wasn't specified originally.

Nice to see you back Ben . The Arc looks like a solid tool at 1st glance , just worried it's gonna utilise magnets like the Free series . Also the price might be prohibitive especially here in Europe .

Anyone think the arc will have spring loaded pliers like the garage #5?

Its a practically perfect multitool except for the can opener, I think that this design of can opener is terrible when compared to the one on the Wave and Charge which are so good and easy to use that I actually prefer them to the standard, non multitool can opener

Looks like the bit holder is still Leatherman's proprietary bits vs. generic 1/4" bits

He's back! Sounds a like a meh development but I think a lot of the big names have kinda hit a wall, Victorinox, Leatherman, haven't seen a lot of innovation out of them of late. SOG and Gerber are more willing to try things out since they can produce them for cheap overseas. Anyways Happy 4th of July.

@gregtomamichel973

10 ай бұрын

I agree wholeheartedly. A change of blade steel and spring loaded pliers are not innovation or real progress. I would love to see LM get brave on something really different to their current offering.

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

What would you suggest?

@jamesrosar3823

10 ай бұрын

How about a very thin flashlight incorporated into one of the side scales, maybe opposite the pocket clip? Putting even a little light into a dark spot can be a big help, and instead of rooting around for that other light I have tucked away somewhere, it would be right there on my multitool. Maybe a hearing aid battery would be enough for momentary use. Bonus: make enough space for a spare battery. There are mini versions of utility razor knives (or surgical knives) with replaceable blades; to have another socket with a really sharp blade that needn’t be large or used often, and could be easily renewed/replaced with an available pattern could be very useful. I also kinda miss having the toothpick I used to have on my Victorinox way back when.

@MrGeforcerFX

10 ай бұрын

@@jamesrosar3823 victorinox has LED lights on the 58mm and 91mm lines, the 58mm have been pretty well improved but you need to be in the darkest environment for it to be a useful light. The 91mm lights in there newest form are actually pretty good, maybe about as bright as the old xenon maglite solitare aaa light and around 4-5 hours of batterylife makes them pretty useful. You wouldn't want to use a hearing aid battery on the lights, they are a zinc air chemistry which is the highest energy density battery out there, but they have terrible shelf life and start to rapidly self discharge once exposed to the oxygen in the air. the 91mm vics use 2 x 1220 lithium coincells at 3v, the original 58mm scale light used a 1.5v button cell silver oxide battery but the newest ones use a 1025 3v lithium.

Any predictions on price? 🤔

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Maxlvledc thinks they will be under $200, but I personally don’t know.

@MrDaunting1

10 ай бұрын

It was $189 when B&H photo accidentally put it up for sale on their website.

Am I the only one who has never used the sizzors on a multi tool?. Wish they would give you an option.

I love the Free series, which I've customized to pretty much what the Arc is. I'll be making the swap, and reconfiguring my Free P4 back to default.

I was really hoping for a p2 type version that would save some space and weight by omitting the file and saw, but it seems that is becoming more and more unrealistic. I'll still get it anyway.

@malapropism27-ob2tk

10 ай бұрын

Hopefully that will come too

@fg63-6

10 ай бұрын

@@malapropism27-ob2tk With the Arc announced today as a standalone release I doubt it. Maybe in a few years haha.

You know be on your laptop with tongue hanging out trying to buy that new leatherman tomorrow just like everyone else lol 😂

Glad you are back, Ben! Nice video! 😊 I love this tool set, but who the heck really cares because it's a multitool with a Magnacut blade! It could have nothing but two marlinspikes and a fingernail clipper and I'd still buy it. This is a big deal, imo. But I'd rather have normal drivers and an adaptor if need be for normal bits...

The Arc needs the Surge's replaceable saw blade holder.

Do the Leatherman arc!! I only enjoy your reviews tbh

June 5th? Or July 5th?

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

July 5th, misspoke

Apparently people use the file to sharpen their axes? I've never use one....I'll take the serrated blade any day of the week.

The Arc is almost a perfect edc, imo

@Genesis992

10 ай бұрын

I personally have no use for a saw, so I’d gladly swap that with a serrated blade, but I get many people use saws.

I never use the file. Would much rather see that go than the serrated blade.

Hey what's going on ben? We have missed you so much on here! We thought something happened to you! But I am glad you are doing well and that you are back! Also do you think you will be purchasing the 40 anniversary garage 5 that is coming out tomorrow?? I personally don't think I will ever get the chance to purchase it.. it will probably be gone really quick and not only that I think it will be too expensive! But I might purchase the arch for sure! Also I want to say that I am a big fan of yours and I appreciate all the information you give to us! I recently purchased the Leatherman surge because you speak very highly of the surge and so I pulled the trigger on it and I am glad i did because it is wonderful i take it everywhere with me and it works wonders! Also I should be getting the wave plus tomorrow! And I am working on purchasing the charge plus! But we will see if it goes through I am not sure about that but hopefully it does! But anyway God bless you and we will see you on the next one peace ben

July 5th bro 0.27 😂😂

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Yeah, caught that a little too late. Maybe I should make a script next time.

Fantastic as always. Missed you.... no... you know.

Needle nose pliers is bad idea. The tool is too heavy to operate well on small and light elements. It is much better to use LM Squirt or cheap Gerber Dime. The blunt nose would give more room for longer tools or magazine for extra 4 bits. Diamond file is horrible idea. It will quickly wear off. Much better solution is LM Surge exchange saw/file mount. It allow sharpen knife in a field. Best option is Victorinox style file with metal saw and buy $1 sapphire file for nails to keep in sheath (needed for extra bits). Micro driver is crazy idea. Operating 8 ounces tool on a such small parts is a job for idiots. Two jewelry screwdrivers would find the room in sheath. Bottle opener is not needed when you have pliers. It seems that Arc would be stupid construction like LM Charge is.

Personally, I'd rather have a serrated blade than a saw.

I dont see magnacut as an upgrade. For example tv show alone they carry leathermans and rely on them for months. Butchering game,wood tasks,daily tasks. The 420hc dontt dull fast And they can sharpen them on a stone if needed out in the field or in daily life. Magnacut just makes things harder to deal with for maintenace of your tool in field. Poor decision leatherman

First like!!

The free p4 is ok a bit too big I still like the new wave or charge

I'm excited about the spring loaded pliers on a more premium tool.

Total garbage compared to the garage 5 they sold only to speculators.

ITS THE SAME TOOLS DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION! Then you come on here acting like leathrman did something. Cmon!

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

Same as what?

@txtoolcrib

10 ай бұрын

I’m no fan of the FREE series. I think I have made that pretty clear over the years. However, setting my personal biases aside, I can appreciate the tool configuration.

@dalec4376

10 ай бұрын

@@txtoolcrib precisely, same as what? I don't think Leatherman needed to innovate entirely new tools than ones that currently exist. They just needed to get the tool set right.