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Product Description
If you're thinking about either this tool or the Wave, read on. I promise you'll find some answers in this review.I will be comparing it to the Wave since I have some experience with it as well.1. Appearance and size - The Blast weights a little less, but not by a much. It is about as heavy as you would want a pocket carry tool to be. Flat edges when folded so it won't tear fabric. If you will be carrying your tool in a pocket with no sheath, the Wave has some uneven edges. They aren't so much jagged, but just not flat. The Blast is a better tool for this.2. The pliers - Strong and functional. You won't find many multi-tool pliers that are bigger or better, except maybe on SOG tools. They are identical to the pliers on the Wave. I do find the Blast pliers more comfortable to use, and I think it's because of the Zytel handles. For those of you who don't know, they are NOT spring loaded. I've seen reviewers complain about this before.3. The tools - On the Wave, there are outside accessible tools (straight edge blade, serrated blade, saw, and file). That is the biggest difference. The Blast has all of the same tools throughout EXCEPT for the serrated blade and a second bit driver, and you must open the tool to use them. While it can be a useful feature to swing a knife open with one hand (Wave), I don't find it to be a necessity, and I don't miss having a serrated knife.Another difference is that bit driver. The Blast has dedicated screwdrivers, which are stronger and more versatile, in a sense. While you can swap out several different bits on the Wave without buying the attachment required for the Blast (see optional accessories on the Blast's product page), they are much shorter with no extension and that never helps when dealing with recessed screws, etc. The Blast has a little more reach, and I've always been partial to "real" screwdrivers than removable bits. Not to say the bits don't work, but the actual screwdrivers feel better to me. The Blast has a standard sized Philips screwdriver along with a large flat and small(er) flat. The Wave only has the large dedicated flat screwdriver. They all work excellently for 90% of the jobs most people need it for.Both tools have an extra small bit driver. Works excellently for small electronic items or eyeglasses.Scissors, file, can/bottle opener- Well, there isn't much to say here. All are standard for multi-tools of this size. The files are adequate, the scissors are meant for very light duty jobs, and I've had no issues with the bottle opener. They all work fine and I wouldn't buy a tool without any one of them.Ruler - By far and away, I prefer this ruler to the one on the Wave. Here, the rulers (one side has inches, the other has cm) are on the large part of the handles and it is easy to read. The Wave's ruler is etched on the small part of the handles, right next to where the tools hide. Very small print and I just don't like it. For most, the ruler isn't a deal-breaker, but I thought I would mention it.Other - Amazon did another exceptional job on this sale. I received the item quickly and it came in the standard difficult to open Leatherman packaging. The tool can be a bit stiff overall, but nothing is too hard to get access to. I really appreciate that all of the blades are locking. No issues there.Bottom line: You won't find a better price anywhere else for a tool that can do what the Blast does. It looks good, isn't too large, and has come in handy a few times when I've been without a full set of tools. It is a perfect glove box or console companion and is just the right size to be carried around daily, whether at work or play. You won't feel it on your belt but you'll notice it in your hands. The included leather sheath is of normal quality and made in Mexico. I really like this tool and feel confident recommending it or giving it as a gift. It lacks very little in the way of functionality compared to the Wave but has a noticeably better price tag.Thanks for reading and I hope this assists in your decision making.
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