Leatherman, Skeletool CX, 7-in-1 Lightweight, Minimalist Multi-Tool for Everyday Carry, Home, Garden & Outdoors, Guava

I used to carry a Leatherman around with me all the time. But after a bad car accident, paralyzation, and a lot of physical therapy; I hadn't carried one in a long time. I decided it was time to start again, so I purchased the biggest roughest one I found from Leatherman, the Surge. Plus all of the add-ons possible. And that thing was fun. A whole toolbox on my belt. Came in handy at work (telcom engineer). But after a while, I realized I don't use it as often as I remember, and that Surge (with all the add-ons) is surprisingly heavy! Plus, it just has too many tools on it that I'm never going to use. So I sat down and thought about it: Which tools on my Leatherman do I really ever use? Turned out, there was only three: Knife, Pliers, Screwdriver. That's about it. So I did some looking around, and came across this specific model of SkeleTool (as there are many variations that have different tools on them). This one literally only has the three tools I wanted! (I'm not counting the bottle opener. ANYTHING is a bottle opener if you're inventive enough.) And it's SO MUCH lighter! I'm fairly certain that the "carbon fiber" parts are just a gimmick (so they can call it "space age" and "lighter than steel"), but they don't add any bulk or take away from the tool at all, so no loss there. I'm not sure if the tool is incredibly light for how strong it is, or if it's incredibly strong for how light it is; both, I guess. But it is incredibly well designed and made. It is much lighter in hand than it looks, yet is very sturdy and strong. The jaws of the pliers are smaller than the full-sized Surge, but still big enough to get the job done. Because it's so light, I decided to go ahead and toss some add-ons in for it. So I got the belt pouch, and stocked it with the double flat-bit set, and the bit extender. That way I've got all of the most used bit drivers. (Which can be customized if you like. Also, if you don't get the bit set, the multitool itself comes with two bits, one in the driver, and one stored in the handle; so both bits are always with the tool.) I also tossed some Band-Aids in the pouch as well (as I've learned from experience. By the way guys, it's not a bad idea to keep a few Band-Aids in your wallet.) I am happier with my SkeleTool purchase than any other multitool I've ever owned (and I've owned quite a few in my time, across several brands). It is my EDC tool, and is always on my belt. I'd buy another one without a second thought if I could just come up with a reason to need a second one. UPDATE (May, 2025): I have carried the Skeletool on my belt everyday for several years now. And it gets used almost every single day. It's a genuine rarity when a whole day goes by and I didn't whip out my Skeletool for something. Everything is still working perfectly, and the tool is showing no signs of wear or tear. I genuinely expected it to be fairly worn down after this much use, but the tool could be cleaned up a bit, and it could pass as a brand new unit; it's *that* well made. I keep fighting the urge to buy another, but this one is in perfect order, so I have no reason to spend the money. Leatherman quality is second to none. I can whole-heartedly recommend this product to everyone. Happy shopping, all!

*Update* I have owned the tool for a couple of years now, if you need a lightweight (for a multi-tool) EDC option with more than just a blade I would recommend no other. I have used it extensively for standard EDC tasks and it has been incredibly useful, so useful in fact I rarely carry other pocket knives/tools. I do think it would be possible to break this tool if used for heavy duty purposes but that is not what it is for. EDC tasks are simple, drive a screw, tighten a bolt, open a bottle, change the battery in your kids toy, open a package, cut open a box or break a box down, etc. If your looking for a practical EDC tool for light to medium duty I would recommend no other. This is an excellent tool and has taken over as my primary EDC when in town. I am writing this after carrying the tool for over 6 months so I feel I have been able to get a pretty good impression of the skeletool and I am confident it will be clipped to my pocket regularly for quite some time. I help manage the apartment building I live in and am responsible for small repairs and the like. When I am carrying this I take far fewer trips to the toolbox as I am able to tighten up screws, nuts, etc. on the spot. I have also used the knife fairly often to open packaging, break down small boxes, and shave plastic or wood off the odd item, the 154CM steel blade holds a great edge and does not have a spec of rust on it. I have used the pliers more frequently than I perhaps expected for anything from repairing small items to grabbing stuff just out of my reach. The pocket clip is positive and has only been taken out of my pocket once by a freak occurrence where a loop of cord slipped along my leg at just the right angle to snatch it away by catching the pocket clip (which was immediately noticeable). The weight is negligible and while I have not put them on a scale it feels less than a few pocket knives I own and no greater than the average pocket carry knife I have owned over the years. Overall I am impressed, while no one tool on the skeletool is better than a job specific single tool you may have in your toolbox/knife collection they all get you pretty close. I have really been surprised at the utility created by keeping the skeletool, a small pocket flashlight, and a bottle of superglue handy in the house. I am very pleased, I have used it more than other EDC knives I have owned and it looks damn near new. If the unlikely happens and I were to loose or destroy it I am sure I would buy another.

I'll start by saying I'm not one of those dudes with tactical utility stuff strapped all over their belts. I typically find leatherman tools heavy and filled with stuff I never use. Something to keep in the car for emergencies, not a daily driver. I bought this because I was looking for a knife with an integrated clip for my keychain. Now, this isn't it. It's a bit bigger than I expected, too big for my car keys. To be honest I liked the colors and didn't look at the size. But I have a big utility keychain and it's going there. This thing is awesome. I had mixed opinions at first. It's a bit pricey, it's pretty minimal on the tools (why do we always think more is better?), it's definitely not keychain sized or something most people will carry in their pockets daily (unless you wear cargo pants). But those opinions soon changed to pure appreciation. Yes it could probably be 50% or 75% the size and it would be more portable. But the size actually makes the pliers and knife much easier to use. Huge benefit. The tools themselves are extremely high quality. I bought it for the knife, and this thing is definitely "a knife with benefits" instead of "a wad of random tools that happens to include a knife" like most leatherman tools. The knife is EXTREMELY sharp and high quality. It's sharper than the folding utility knives I use and I cut my hand almost immediately, just by grabbing the blade wrong. That's a real knife. The size and shape make using the knife great. Any smaller would compromise the awesome grip you get on this thing. And instead of being this fat metal brick with a knife sticking out, the thickness feels more like a perfect knife handle. Not too thick, not too thin. Just great. The screwdriver includes 2 sizes each of phillips and flat head. They look like they will actually work well because they're not just thin sheets of metal, but actual bits. I'm a bit concerned because they look proprietary so losing one would be a pain. But overall they look far more functional than the screwdriver on any other multitool I've ever seen. The pliers seem sturdy. Haven't used them. They aren't spring loaded but that's alright. More parts is more stuff to break, so better to keep it simple. The weight is great. It's very light for the size. This is going to be my new go to tool, it has what I need without all the extra junk. I'm honestly having trouble thinking of what other tool I'd add. A bit driver maybe, but how often do I have the bits without a driver? All things considered this is perfect. If they made one 50% of the size I would buy it in a heartbeat. But they would also need to make it proportionally thinner or it wouldn't be good for a keychain. And if they got rid of the tools it would just be a knife....of which there are plenty of existing options. It's pretty much perfect as is, only improvement I can think of would be that the action when opening the pliers is not the smoothest I've felt. However, the knife is buttery smooth to open and it can easily be opened and closed with one hand. I'd buy again in a heartbeat if I saw it on sale.

I’ve been carrying the Skeletool CX for a few months now, and honestly, it’s become my go-to EDC. The build quality is exactly what you’d expect from Leatherman—solid, precise, and no rattles or loose joints. What I love most is that it’s just enough tool without being bulky. The knife is razor-sharp right out of the box, and the pliers feel sturdy enough to handle real work. Lightweight, sharp, and tough. The Skeletool CX has all the essentials—knife, pliers, screwdriver—without the bulk. Feels solid, looks great, and fits in your pocket like it belongs there. Worth it if you want quality over quantity.

Husband loved it as a christmas present. Will likely purchase another for him to keep around the house. This was a perfect in between, not too heavy or bulky and not too basic while still being functional. Definitely worth the price and seems like good quality.

Most multi-tools are so big and heavy they're uncomfortable to carry in your pocket, and they're so big because they have tools you're rarely going to use. Seriously, how often do you need to have a saw in your pocket? This little gem has only the tools you're likely to use on a fairly regular basis, so it's small and light and easy to carry. It's also made of high quality steel so the knife blade should stay sharp for a long time. Not the cheapest multi tool out there, but it's the one that will hold up and that you'll keep with you.

It probably seems a bit silly to spend $80 on a pocket knife - I only got my first one because it was my birthday and I figured I'd treat myself. Am I glad to have done that! Unfortunately, that one got lost - when I gave up looking, I re-ordered without thinking. These things are amazing! This tool is extremely high quality - the feel, the materials, the design, the hinges, everything is so well made it feels like you're holding a piece of art. The weight is just right - not too heavy and not too light, it feels perfect in your hand. Everything, especially the blade, locks in place when in use and doesn't rattle or play. The steel is very solid, the knife comes extremely sharp and retains its edge for a long time. By the way, in those sad places where they impose a limit on knives, often blades below a certain size are less restricted - I think it's no accident that this one has a blade just below the common 2.5" threshold. You should look through Leatherman's catalog when buying one, because they have many tools designed for specific purposes. This one is supposed to be a more minimalist tool that doesn't have the less commonly needed things like nail clippers or corkcrews. Since I don't really do manual labor at my job, I didn't need too many features - just a blade for cutting the odd thing and maybe a few other handy widgets. Of the 7 features in this, I expected to actually use about 4 when I bought this. I ended up using all 7, and I hardly ever felt like something was lacking on it. Even the pliers, which at first I thought was more of a silly decoration, are surprisingly handy for prying, pulling, straightening things and can even turn screws in a pinch. Originally, I couldn't find a pouch for this so I used one of Leatherman's pouches for a similar tool, with a velcro flap. It was a bit loose in the pouch (it wouldn't come out, but would bounce inside). This one came with a pouch made for the Skeletool - but unfortunately the flap is now a rivet, and doesn't seem as secure as the velcro. So far it's okay - I had it come open once accidentally when pulled by my shirt, whereas the velcro never did in 3 years. It's not really that bad, but I'm worried that over time it will become very loose and not stay closed - oh well, so long as I don't lose the tool again, the pouches are only 10 bucks to replace. The button IS very quiet, though, compared to the velcro. I'd also like to give a shout out to the amazing company that Leatherman is. They have a LIFETIME warranty on these tools. I thought there must surely be a catch, but when I sent my very dirty, partially rusty, dull, poorly reassembled by me tool in for a cleanup, they did a great job fixing it up, making it look like new, and giving the blade an excellent edge. And all for free! All I had to do was print out a warranty form and send the tool in an envelope. This was 3 years after purchase - obviously I haven't really tested the lifetime claim yet, but even 3 years is a lot more than many other companies will give you, and the process was so smooth that it's literally easier for me to send it in than clean or sharpen it myself. And of course they do a better job than I could. Definitely would recommend this or any other Leatherman product - $80 seems like a lot, but you get a LOT of use out of it, and if you don't lose it like me, it will last a long time. If you're really strapped for cash, they do have some cheaper products as well, I'd suggest looking at them. But for me, this one is the perfect balance of features, size and weight for EDC. I've bought 3 of them now (2 for me because I lost one, 1 as a gift) and I'd happily buy again.

For the money, this is I’d have to say probably one of the best lightweight multi tools that are on the market. I do wish it had scissors but other than that this has all the basics that you need. I carry one of these every day and while I do carry a separate pocket knife, many times I find myself just using the 154CM blade that’s included on this version. The ergonomics are great when using it as a knife. It is a bit stiff to open when you first get them, but they break in fairly quickly with regular use. The pliers are great for what I need to use them for which is pinching Ribbon to pull it out of bearings or to grab pins or just to tighten or loosen small bolts on my machinery at work. The bit driver is a nice touch and I like the fact that I can store an extra bit in this one so I keep the T6 T8 bit in the storage and then I keep the flathead bit in here as well in case I need to do some very minimal light prying with this. The Leatherman bit kits that I purchased to go with this are nice enough, however considering how thin they are, I do worry that they may break so I’m not gonna go cranking on anything trying to pry with this, but I have used several the other bits just for small tasks here and there and it works very well. I like the idea of a multitool with the pliers, but to be honest, I carried a Swiss Army knife for years, so having the weight of a full sized wave or charge just seemed a bit much and tended to weigh me down a little bit too much. I keep one of those in my work bag, but this is probably my favorite multitool that I’ve used other than my Swiss Army supertinker. Now this is one of the cheaper Leatherman’s out there and while I could’ve gotten a bond, I like the idea of having quick access to my tools where I don’t need to open the whole thing up, and I bought it because of the bits. I do also like that the knife on this is a liner lock, so I don’t have to worry about it closing up on me overall very good knife and set up pliers.