Leatherman Arc vs. Surge: Early Impressions After a Year of EDC

After carrying the Leatherman Arc nearly every day for over a year, I recently got the Surge for my birthday, and I’ve been using it daily for the past week or so. While the Arc redefined how I thought about EDC multi-tools, it didn’t always hold up when real work came into play.

Here are my early impressions of how the Surge compares for those trying to choose between them.

The Leatherman Surge for EDC and Pocket Carry

The Surge clocks in at about 12.5 ounces vs. the Arc’s ~8.6, but in real-world carry, that difference felt smaller than expected. If I’m in gym shorts, both tools sag the pocket. But with jeans or structured pants, either one carries OK. The Surge is heavier for sure, but if it’s the only/main thing you have on a pocket I don’t find it bothersome for pocket carry.

And if you do, I’ve found carrying it on the belt with the included sheath makes the weight negligible. Of course that means you need to wear pants with a belt, but then again, do you really need a multitool if it’s a comfy pants day?

Either multitool is heavier than a typical pocket knife, so to me if I’m already committed to the extra weight the difference between these multitools (to me) is less problematic.

Ergonomics: Surge Is More Comfortable Under Pressure

The Arc may look sleeker, and that buttery smooth open action on many of the tools feels premium. But any time I’ve used it hard, like using the pliers for twisting or working a bolt and not simply to hold something, the boxy handles felt uncomfortable.

The locks at one end and pocket clip create noticeable hot spots.

By contrast, the Surge’s rounded edges and larger handle make it far more comfortable to use when bearing down. It’s not padded-pliers comfortable, but for a multi-tool? It’s probably the best I’ve tried.

Plus, the Surge is the size of a regular set of pliers, which provides more leverage and grabbing potential. The Arc, comparatively, is decent but the pliers do feel more multitool-ish.

There’s a bit of flex in the pliers on the Arc when you squeeze hard. Not necessarily indicative of a lack of strength or that they’d fail under hard use, but it’s worth noting that there is no flex with the Surge.

Tool Selection: Mostly a Draw, But One Clear Miss

Both tools share similar toolsets, but the Arc has one standout that the Surge lacks: its combination pry bar / bottle opener / flathead. I don’t use it every day, but I like it a lot and don’t find the Surge’s can opener as ideal for bottles.

Plus, the Surge gives you two flathead drivers in its place. Not a combo flathead/bottle opener, just two flatheads. The bigger one is at least a pry tool, but I don’t need the smaller one when the multitool already gives you a bit driver with a flathead in it.

However…

Saw and File Design: Surge Wins on Practicality With T-Shank

The Surge’s knife blades are larger and feel more like a true pocket knife, especially for food prep. Meanwhile, the Arc’s MagnaCut blade is coated, which isn’t ideal for food use with acidic ingredients.

As a longer term tool, the Surge’s T-shank adapter offers more flexibility and repairability. The Arc’s file and saw are fine, no issues. But when either wear out, that’s it. And if you need a longer saw, or a metal cutting saw rather than wood? Out of luck.

With the Surge’s T-shank slot, you can use any jigsaw tool you’d like. And you can easily get replacement T-shank files from Leatherman or third parties on Amazon. In the case of third parties, the combo set comes with multiple saws, a file, and a scalpel tool.

That widens the options of what the Surge can do a fair bit, and also means you don’t need to let a worn file be an issue.

Scissors and Real-World Use

I used to dismiss scissors on multi-tools. They seemed so small and incapable compared to actual scissors. But I’ve got to say, carrying the Arc surprised me how often I’d used them, from general utility to snipping loose threads on clothes. They’re small, but man are they handy.

The Surge’s scissors are bigger and even more comfortable. As added weight goes, this is another area the Surge offers something unique to justify it.

I feel like the Arc makes some concessions to achieve its sleek look and smooth tools. It’s clearly aimed at the EDC crowd, those who want a premium knife and are willing to pay a premium for it.

It’s useful for an around-the-house tool for occasional utility, for sure. I’ve gotten a lot of value of of that end.

But after using the Surge, it’s clear the Arc was not made with heavier work in mind.