Choosing the best Leatherman multitool for bushcraft comes down to three things: blade lock, plier strength, and how much weight you're willing to carry on a belt or in a daysack. Five current Leatherman models get ranked below against those criteria for 2026 UK bushcraft and camping use.
- Leatherman Super Tool 300 Oxide Black (£118) wins for bushcraft — pliers strong enough for tent pegs and wire. Buy.
- Leatherman Skeletool KBX (£38.50) is the lightest carry option for belt kits and daysacks. Buy.
- Leatherman Surge Black Oxide (£155) is the biggest and heaviest — better for base camp than a pack. Consider.
- Leatherman Rev (£45) covers the basics but its pliers lack real cutting bite. Wait.
Why this matters
A multitool earns its place on a bushcraft belt or in a rucksack lid pocket by doing several jobs at once: tightening a stove valve, cutting paracord, opening a ration tin, straightening a bent tent peg. A cheap multitool does two of those badly. A Leatherman does most of them without folding under load.
There's a legal wrinkle worth knowing before you buy. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, a locking blade is treated the same as a fixed blade in law — carrying one in public without good reason is an offence, whatever the marketing calls it. Most Leatherman multitools use a locking main blade, so that applies here too. On private land, at a campsite, or actually in use for bushcraft, that's a different conversation, but it's worth knowing before you clip one to your belt for the school run.
Getting the blade sorted is only half the kit. Pair a multitool with a proper folding knives for bushcraft for the jobs a multitool blade shouldn't be doing — batoning, feather sticks, anything that needs a full-length edge.
How this list gets ranked
Each model gets scored against four things that actually matter on a wild camp: plier strength for wire and pegs, blade lock type against UK carry law, weight against what you'll actually clip to a belt or pack, and tool count against tools you'll use versus gimmick attachments. Pricing reflects current UK retail listings for 2026. No model here gets ranked on brand reputation alone — Leatherman's whole range gets treated the same way a knife or boot would on this site: spec first, verdict second.
The ranked list
1. Leatherman Super Tool 300 Oxide Black — the workhorse
At £118, the Leatherman Super Tool 300 oxide black has replaceable wire cutters, extra-long blades, and pliers built to take actual load rather than light fiddling. That replaceable wire-cutter insert matters for bushcraft specifically — snapped cutters on a cheaper tool mean the whole multitool is dead for that job, whereas this one just gets a new insert.
It's not the lightest tool on this list and it's not trying to be. For anyone setting up a semi-permanent camp, fixing a stove, or doing general repair work around a bushcraft site in 2026, this is the one that earns its weight. Verdict: Buy.
2. Leatherman Surge Black Oxide — the big one
The Leatherman Surge Black Oxide is one of Leatherman's two largest multitools, built with the biggest pliers and longest blades in the current range, at £155. It's a genuine powerhouse for anything mechanical — vehicle spares work, tent pole repair, heavy cordage.
It's also the heaviest thing on this list, which makes it a poor fit for anyone hiking in with a pack rather than driving to a fixed camp. Keep it in a vehicle kit or a static camp box rather than a daysack. Verdict: Consider — for base camp, not for the trail.
3. Leatherman Skeletool KBX Knife Coyote/Black — the lightweight carry
At £38.50, the Leatherman Skeletool KBX strips the multitool back to what actually gets used on the move: a 420HC combo straight/serrated blade, pliers, and a bottle opener, in a coyote and black finish that suits a belt kit better than a bright steel tool.
This is the one to clip inside a set of webbing pouches for bushcraft belt kits rather than bury in a rucksack — it's built for quick access, not heavy mechanical work. Verdict: Buy.
4. Leatherman Skeletool Stainless Steel — the everyday classic
At just five ounces and £79.95, the Leatherman Skeletool Stainless Steel gives you a full-size multitool feel — stainless blade, pliers, bit driver — without the bulk of the Super Tool or Surge. It sits between the two extremes on this list: heavier and more capable than the Skeletool KBX, lighter than the Super Tool 300.
It pairs well with the Leatherman Bit Kit (£27.99) if you want driver versatility without carrying a full toolbox — 21 double-ended bits turn the bit driver into 42 tools. Verdict: Buy, if you want one tool that does most jobs adequately rather than one job excellently.
5. Leatherman Rev — the budget entry
The Leatherman Rev is Leatherman's entry point at £45, built to keep a toolbox's worth of function at your fingertips without the price of the Skeletool or Super Tool ranges. It covers the basics — knife, pliers, screwdrivers — but the pliers don't have the bite of the heavier models, and there's no replaceable wire-cutter insert.
Fine as a first multitool or a spare kept in a bag you don't use often. Not the one to build a bushcraft belt kit around. Verdict: Wait — put the extra £30-40 towards the Skeletool KBX instead.
Comparison table
| Model | Price | Key tools | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Tool 300 Oxide Black | £118 | Replaceable wire cutters, long blades, pliers | Camp repairs, wire, tent pegs | Buy |
| Surge Black Oxide | £155 | Largest pliers, longest blades | Vehicle kit, static camp | Consider |
| Skeletool KBX | £38.50 | Combo blade, pliers, bottle opener | Belt carry, daysack | Buy |
| Skeletool Stainless Steel | £79.95 | Blade, pliers, bit driver | Everyday all-rounder | Buy |
| Rev | £45 | Knife, pliers, screwdrivers | First multitool, spare kit | Wait |
Where to buy
- Buy genuine Leatherman SKUs, not clones. MilitaryMart also stocks a Buckland multitool with bit kit at £15 for light duty — fine for a truck box, not a substitute for Leatherman pliers under real load.
- Check the blade lock before you clip one to a belt for anything other than camp use. A locking blade in public without good reason is an offence under UK law, regardless of how the tool gets marketed.
- Buy the tool for the job, not the biggest number of functions. A 25-in-one multitool with weak pliers loses to a 15-in-one with strong ones every time on an actual bushcraft trip.
A rucksack that carries the multitool matters too — check bushcraft rucksacks built for belt and pouch attachment rather than a generic daysack with no MOLLE.
“If the blade locks, UK law treats it like a fixed blade — you need a reason to carry it in public.”
FAQ
What's the best Leatherman multitool for bushcraft in 2026?
The Leatherman Super Tool 300 Oxide Black at £118 is the best all-rounder for bushcraft in 2026, thanks to replaceable wire cutters and pliers built for real load. The Skeletool KBX at £38.50 is the better pick if weight and belt carry matter more than raw plier strength.
Is the Leatherman Skeletool KBX good for bushcraft?
Yes — the Skeletool KBX is one of the lightest genuine Leathermans and suits belt or pouch carry better than a heavier model. Its combo straight/serrated blade and pliers cover most quick camp tasks, though it's not built for heavy mechanical work.
How much does a Leatherman multitool cost in the UK?
Current UK pricing in 2026 runs from £38.50 for the Skeletool KBX up to £155 for the Surge Black Oxide. The Rev at £45 is the cheapest full-function option below the Skeletool range.
Is it legal to carry a Leatherman locking blade in the UK?
A locking blade is treated as a fixed blade under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, so carrying one in public without good reason is an offence. Using it for bushcraft at a camp or on private land is a different situation from carrying it around town.
Leatherman Surge vs Super Tool 300 for bushcraft — which wins?
The Super Tool 300 wins for anyone hiking into a bushcraft site because it's lighter and still has strong pliers with replaceable wire cutters. The Surge is bigger and heavier, better suited to a vehicle kit or a static camp than a pack.
Do I still need a separate bushcraft knife if I carry a Leatherman?
Yes — a multitool blade is a backup, not a primary bushcraft blade. A dedicated fixed or locking bushcraft knife handles batoning and fine carving better than any multitool's folding blade.
What's the lightest Leatherman for backpacking or bushcraft?
The Skeletool KBX at £38.50 is the lightest model in the current Leatherman bushcraft line-up, built specifically to shed weight compared to the Super Tool or Surge ranges.
One last thing
The Leatherman Bit Kit at £27.99 works across the Skeletool range, so buying one Skeletool and adding the 21-bit kit later gets you most of the driver versatility of a heavier tool without paying for a second multitool. That's a cheaper upgrade path than most buyers realise before they overspend on the Surge.
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