There’s a lot of competition for the best multi tool available but the Leatherman Charge+ TTi makes a very strong showing. It’s the current top of the line offering from Leatherman and is made using the highest quality materials available. Follow along with our Leatherman Charge+ TTi review to learn more about the Charge+ TTi, its tool loadout, durability, and how it compares to similar tools.
Contents
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Overview
With the Charge+ TTi Leatherman is really swinging for the fences. Everything about it is precision machined and made from the best materials available. One of its most important features is the incredibly durable titanium frame Leatherman used. Titanium is an extremely scratch and damage resistant material that also happens to be very lightweight. They took this high end frame and packed it full with the newest and best tools available.
One thing we noticed right away was how closely it resembles the Leatherman Wave+. This is no accident, as Leatherman built the Charge+ TTi as a higher end version of that already incredible multi tool.
It’s a full size multi tool, coming in at 4 in long and weighing 8.89 oz. The original Leatherman Charge has was released in 2004 but the updated Charge TTi wasn’t announced until 2007. This is beautifully made and comprehensively loaded multi tool that comes very close to giving you a full set of tools on your belt.
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Tools
The Charge+ TTi uses a standard butterfly fold configuration and includes 19 different tools. In every meaningful way the tool loadout on the Charge+ TTi is nearly identical to the one on the Wave+. The only difference is the inclusion of a cutting hook on the back of the serrated knife blade and the substitution of better, and more expensive, materials.
It has multiple removable/replaceable parts and is designed to provide useful tools for a wide range of situations. The four main tools are all outside accessible and every tool locks securely open. Let’s see how the individual tools on the Charge+ TTi work.
Pliers, Wire Cutters and Crimper
The pliers on the Leatherman Charge TTi are some of the best we’ve ever seen. They’re only available in a needlenose configuration, though of course they also include a regular plier area. They have a very nice bite pattern on them and join up perfectly. The shape of the handles gives you a great grip and allows you to apply significant torque.
Unlike many other multi tools, the wire crimper on the Charge+ TTi is built into the pliers themselves. You’ll notice a small round notch on either side of the pliers that allows you to apply more controlled force than with crimpers located at the base of the plier joint.
We’ve been big fans of Leatherman’s replaceable wire cutter system ever since they debuted it. They slice right through soft, hard, and stranded wire and are easy to swap out if you chip or dull them.
Knife Blades and Cutting Hook
There are two knife blades on the Charge+ TTi, a tanto-esque straight blade and a standard serrated blade. The straight blade is honestly one of the best knives we’ve ever seen on a multi tool. It’s made from high quality S30V stainless steel, a material well known for both it’s corrosion resistance and ability to hold a razor sharp edge.
The serrated blade also works very well but is made using Leatherman’s standard 420HC stainless steel instead. Both blades are just under three inches long and are actually pretty easy to open one handed. The cutting hook is located on the back of the serrated blade and resembles a small gutting hook, though we wouldn’t recommend you use it for that. Instead, it does a great job slicing through cordage, tape, and similar materials.
Saw
The saw blade on the Charge+ TTi is the same length as the main knife blades, 2.9 in, and is pretty much identical to the one found on the Wave+. It’s a good size for cutting through branches, planks, or other materials up to about an inch or so in thickness.
It’s located just next to the serrated blade so make sure and check which one you’re using before you start sawing. We made that mistake ourselves on the Wave+ and didn’t enjoy the extra sharpening it required.
Wood/Metal File and Diamond Coated File
The last outside access tool on the Leatherman Charge+ TTi is the double sided file. It gives you both a wood/metal file and a diamond coated file for sharpening tools. The wood/metal file is great for taking a jagged edge off of pipes, metal sheeting, or freshly cut wood. It’s about the same length as the knife blades though so don’t expect to file quickly.
The diamond file is one of our favorite features of the Charge+ TTi. It allows you to quickly put a field edge on knives, axes, chisels, and other bladed tools. If you’re used to guided sharpeners or whetstones it can take some getting used to but overall we found that it did a great job maintaining an edge.
Scissors
The scissors on the Charge+ TTi are smaller than those found on many other full size multi tools but do a good job cutting through paper, cardboard, and other materials. They’re spring action and we found that they pop back open even when going through relatively thick materials.
Screwdriver and Bit Drivers
There are two different bit drivers and one medium flathead screwdriver on the Leatherman Charge+ TTi. The flathead fits well in medium to large sized screws and can bear some gentle prying on soft materials. The bit drivers are where the Charge+ TTi really shows its value.
There’s both a large bit driver and a small bit driver for working on very small screws. It actually fits in eyeglasses screws and many electronics if you can believe it. The main bit driver uses Leatherman’s proprietary bits but can be adjusted to accept standard ¼ bits with the bit extender kit.
As befits the Charge’s premium design it comes with several different phillips, flathead, hex, and torx bits. We found them to cover a good range of screw sizes and types and to really provide you with extra value.
Wire Strippers, Can and Bottle Opener and Ruler
The final tools on the Charge+ TTi are the can/bottle opener combo, wire stripper notch, and the eight inch long ruler. If you’ve ever had a swiss army knife you’ll recognize the can/bottle opener on the Charge. It does a great job at popping bottle caps and opening up chili for a campfire cookout.
The wire stripper is a small notch located on the side of the can/bottle opener tool. It does what it’s made to do but we honestly find a knife blade to work just as well for stripping wires. The ruler is located on the inside of the handles and gives you a useful length to work with.
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Review
With the Charge+ TTi Leatherman is showcasing everything they know about making multi tools. It combines the finest materials with the best craftsmanship to produce a product that is truly next level. All of Leatherman’s tools are well made, but the Charge+ TTi just feels more polished. Every tool folds out smooth as butter and locks into place with no noticeable wiggle.
The titanium handles are not only extremely durable, they also look incredible. All of the tools were built to provide you with the maximum value for their size and placement. Leatherman didn’t skimp anywhere with this one. A great example of this is the higher quality S30V steel used in the main blade. It holds a better blade than most other knives while still being more durable and corrosion-resistant.
When you add in all the high end finishes and features available you end up with a top of the line multi tool that provides you with tremendous value. All in all Leatherman has built a real winner here, and a serious contender for best overall multi tool on the market today.
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Pros – Things We Liked
- Extremely well made
- Titanium body is durable and attractive
- Lots of top quality tools
- Outside accessible main tools
- Very nice pliers
- Replaceable wire cutters
- S30V main knife blade
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Cons – Things We Didn’t Like
Expensive
Who’s The Leatherman Charge+ TTi For?
The Leatherman Charge+ TTi makes no bones about what it is, a top of the line multi tool at a top of the line price. It’s the multi tool you give to someone who needs an extremely durable, well made, and highly functional tool. It includes all the best and most modern features in the multi tool world, made using the best available materials.
In short the Charge+ TTi is ounce for ounce probably the best multi tool in the world today. It’s a tool for someone who wants the best and is willing to pay for it.
Leatherman Charge+ TTi accessories and extras
When you make a major investment into a high quality tool you naturally want to get everything needed to make it perfect. Thankfully, Leatherman has provided lots of interesting add-ons for the Charge+ TTi.
Sheath / Holster / Pouch – Leatherman includes the standard black nylon carry pouch for the Charge+ TTi but also offers you several other options. Depending on the version you decide to go with you’ll have your choice of a black leather holster, molle pouch, and our personal favorite, a beautiful natural brown leather heritage sheath.
Bit Kit – We don’t recommend buying the standard bit kit for your Charge+ TTi as it already comes with a good assortment of bits. One thing that does provide you with a lot of value though is the Leatherman bit driver extender tool. Not only does it add extra length onto your main bit driver, it also allows you to use standard ÂĽ in bits. If you’re anything like us you’ve probably got a drawer somewhere with dozens of different bits salvaged from who knows how many stocking stuffer screwdriver sets.
Pocket Clip – If pocket carry is more your speed Leatherman offers an add on kit that lets you put both a lanyard ring and removable pocket clip on your Charge+ TTi. They’re both easy to add on and do a great job increasing your available carry options.
Replacement Parts – The wire cutters on the Charge+ TTi are the only standard replaceable part you’ll need. They’re available from Leatherman at a very reasonable price and very easy to switch out. If you prefer you can even send your Charge off to the Leatherman factory and they’ll switch them out for you.
Leatherman backs the Charge+ TTi with a 25 year limited warranty. This covers any fault due to materials or manufacturing defects. In our experience Leatherman is extremely generous with their warranty program and will always try to work with you to make it right.
Different Colors – The Charge+ TTi has just about the most available variants of any Leatherman product. You can get it in a standard black and stainless look or branch out to more exotic patterns such as camo. Our personal favorite is the gorgeous damascus steel and anodized titanium variant. You get a very nice looking set of damascened blades inside a nice blued titanium frame.
Leatherman Charge+ TTi Vs Comparable tools
Leatherman really maxed out the stats on the Charge+ TTi. It includes some of the most sought after multi tool features made out of the best materials. This places it in a very select company of high end tools. We’ll polish off this Leatherman Charge+ TTi review by comparing it to a few of these competing tools.
Comparison Table
Charge+ TTi Vs Wave+
The Charge+ TTi is everything the Wave+ wishes it could be. If you put the two next to each other you’ll immediately notice that they’re almost identical. They’re the same length, include almost exactly the same tool loadout, and weigh very nearly the same weight.
The big difference is that the Charge+ TTi is made using higher end materials and includes a few extras like additional bits for its main driver. The Wave+ is significantly cheaper than the Charge+ TTi but it also just isn’t as good.
If you want a really good multi tool, go with the Wave+. If you want to buy what is arguably the finest multi tool available today, we recommend the Charge+ TTi.
For more information on the Leatherman Wave+, check out our full review here.
Charge+ TTi Vs Surge
The Leatherman Surge is often described as the heavier duty version of the Wave+. It’s bigger, heavier, and includes sturdier versions of all it’s main tools. It’s one of the largest and strongest multi tools available but it can’t match the Charge+ TTi for polish, design, and materials. The Surge is a great tool for very heavy duty jobs, but the Charge+ is arguably better overall. On the other hand, it does cost a good bit more than the Surge on average.
If you frequently find yourself on a job site or working in a lumberyard the Surge is probably the best multi tool for you. If you just want a very high quality multi tool for day to day use you should absolutely go with the Charge TTi+.
For more information on the Leatherman Surge, check out our full review here.
Charge+ TTi Vs MUT
The MUT is Leatherman’s response to Gerber’s many tactically focused multi tools. It’s a specialized multi tool that is built to provide everything you need to field strip and clean an M4 or AR15 rifle. It’s very popular among members of the military and law enforcement establishment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide the same broad usability that the Charge+ TTi does.
Unless you frequently find yourself on the firing line or in combat we recommend the Charge+ TTi over the Leatherman MUT.
For more information on the Leatherman MUT, check out our full review here.
Charge+ TTi Vs Rebar
The Leatherman Rebar is a full size multi tool designed as a update on the original Pocket Survival Tool. It lacks the bit drivers or removable tools found on the Wave+ or other higher end multi tools but has a good mix of basic tools. It’s well made and has all locking tools but can’t really compare to the Charge+ TTi in materials, available tools, or appearance. At the same time though, the Charge+ TTi is generally at least twice as expensive as the Rebar.
The Charge+ TTi is undoubtedly a better multi tool than the Rebar it’s also significantly more expensive. The Rebar is an excellent tool at a very reasonable price. If you’re just looking at value for your dollar the Rebar probably beats out the Charge. If you want the best multi tool on the market the Leatherman Charge+ TTi undoubtedly wins over the Rebar.
For more information on the Leatherman Rebar, check out our full review here.
Charge+ TTi Vs Victorinox Swisstool Spirit X
Victorinox is a brand well known to hiking and camping aficionados but not one usually associated with fold out multi tools. This is curious, as they effectively invented multi tools with their first swiss officer’s knife in the 1890’s. The Swisstool Spirit X is one of their newer offerings and includes more than 20 tools in a butterfly fold configuration. It’s a full size tool that includes lots of useful features, but it doesn’t really stand up to the Charge+ TTi in true functionality.
It doesn’t have a bit driver, uses cheaper blade steel, and in just about every respect feels slightly cheaper than the Charge+ TTi. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a well made tool that provides a lot of value. The Leatherman Charge+ TTi is just better.
Conclusion – Final Thoughts On the Leatherman Charge+ TTi
When we write reviews we don’t like to throw around terms like best or greatest. With the Leatherman Charge+ TTi that just isn’t possible. It’s honestly the best multi tool we’ve yet covered. It’s extremely well made, includes all the most in demand tools in the best possible configurations, and is beautiful to look at. Everything about it just feels more polished and thought out than what you find with lesser multi tools.
Leatherman is without a doubt one of the most experienced multi tool makers in the world and the Charge+ TTi is the best product we’ve seen from them. If you’ve been waiting to complete your EDC with a top of the line multi tool you can’t go wrong with the best in class Leatherman Charge+ TTi.
Rating: 4.9 Stars Out of 5.0
Just bought a leatherman charge tti plus. Have to send it back because the serrated knife has a blade play. They should have a good quality control before leaving their factory. Otherwise it will give them a bad reputation in the future.
Fantastic review! The titanium frame of the Charge+ TTi sounds impressive. Does it add much weight?
I’ve been using the Leatherman Charge+ TTi for a month now, and it’s an outstanding tool. The pliers and wire cutters are incredibly efficient, and the S30V blade is a cut above the rest. It’s pricey, but for a tool I use daily, it’s a worthwhile investment. My only gripe is the cost – it’s a significant investment. Overall, 4.5/5 stars for its unmatched quality and functionality.