Leatherman’s Newest Premium Products Aren’t Multi-Tools at All

The 42-year-old brand strides into uncharted territory with five MagnaCut-bladed beauties, each serving a distinct purpose.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published July 8, 2025

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Updated July 9, 2025

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Over the past four decades plus, one particular Portland, Oregon-based manufacturer has steadily established a nigh-unimpeachable rep for high-quality multi-tools.

At less than one-third the age of Swiss Army knife originator Victorinox, Tim Leatherman’s eponymous company is renowned amongst the EDC cognoscenti as the go-to source for reliable do-it-all (often plier-powered) products that last a lifetime.

leatherman pioneer with sheath — With its five-inch MagnaCut blade, the Pioneer is built to tackle the most rugged of outdoor tasks.

While the brand has dipped its toes into single-use tools (aka knives) as recently as last year — see the Leatherman Garage Batch #007: Malloy Special — today it jumps in with both feet via the all-new Leatherman Knife Collection (and accompanying Built Different campaign).

“We’ve been building knives for decades as part of our multi-tool designs, and our knife collection is more than just a new product,” says Leatherman Tool Group CEO Ben Rivera. “A Leatherman knife speaks to a user’s identity, about doing more with less.”

Of course, such a monumental moment demands a closer look. So let’s take one, shall we?

Making the cut

Featuring five knives — three fixed blades and two folders — the lineup immediately impresses thanks to the use of premium, function-forward ingredients including MagnaCut blade steel and G10 and stainless steel handle material.

What’s equally notable however, is the craftsmanship and mechanical excellence involved — which should not surprise anyone, given the pricing.

leatherman blazer folding knife lifestyle — The Blazer’s 3.15-inch MagnaCut blade deploys via thumb studs and is held in place with Leatherman’s patent-pending Compression Wedge Lock.

Having recently visited Leatherman’s manufacturing facility and (separately) gotten hands-on with some of the knives, I can attest to the co-existing beauty and quality machining involved here.

In my limited time with them, I’ve become as much a believer in these fixed blades and folders as I am in the brand’s finest multi-tools.

With that in mind, here’s a bit more info about each individual knife in this maiden collection.

Leatherman Pioneer

The most heavy-duty option in Leatherman’s inaugural knife lineup boasts a five-inch tanto-shaped full-tang MagnaCut blade optimized for rugged backcountry use. Outfitted with a durable, grippable G10 handle (in Alpine and Orange Pop colorways), the Pioneer can capably tackle everything from chopping and batoning to notching and prying. Easing the carry is a large lanyard hole as well as a hybrid sheath made of long-lasting full-grain leather and Kydex.

$300 at Leatherman

Leatherman Rustle

Featuring a four-inch Santoku-style full-tang MagnaCut blade, the Rustle is Leatherman’s unique take on the camp chef knife. Designed for reliable straight cuts and thin slicing — with plenty of width for sliding food off a board — it should be the only knife you need for outdoor meal prep. The G10 handle (available in Alpine, Vapor Gray and Evergreen colorways) is ergonomic and easy to grip, while a durable Kydex sheath protects the business end when not in use.

$280 at Leatherman

Leatherman Trac

Positioned as a workhorse outdoor knife ideal for harvesting, hunting, foraging and exploring, the Trac boasts fully radiused edges along the hollow saber grind and a 4.2-inch drop-point, full-tang MagnaCut blade. Heavy-duty jimping on the spine boosts its handling, leverage and detail-work prowess, complemented by the machined and oiled G10 handle (in Alpine, Jet Black and Earth Brown). The Trac comes with a premium vegetable-tanned, hand-stitched American full-grain leather sheath, allowing for horizontal and vertical carry on either side.

$300 at Leatherman

Leatherman Blazer

Featuring a handle made from machined 416 stainless steel scales, internally cored to shave weight and improve balance, the Blazer is as functional as it is fetching. Ambidextrous thumb studs deploy the 3.15-inch drop-point MagnaCut blade, while Leatherman’s patent-pending Compression Wedge Lock (sort of a proprietary button lock) holds it firmly in place. The handle is available in three color options — Denim, Alpine and Stainless Steel — with the first two boasting a protective Cerakote finish.

$300 at Leatherman

Leatherman Glider

While it bears similarities to the Blazer, the Glider has its own unique qualities, most notably a hollow saber ground modified sheepsfoot blade ideal for utility tasks and everyday carry. Measuring 3 inches, it’s made of peerless MagnaCut steel, deployed via ambidextrous thumb studs and held in place with a Compression Wedge Lock. The stainless steel handle is available in three colors — Alpine, Jet Black and Okra, each with a Cerakote finish — and features a lanyard and reversible pocket clip.

$300 at Leatherman

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.