Why do you think any multi tool is ever marketed as a "primary" tool????? The signal is the perfect outdoors man tool. Every outdoorsman will always have their primary tools but when camp is set up and you go fishing, ur not taking all ur primary tools with u all the time. Most outdoorsman are always in all types of situations where ur never always gonna have primary tools but when a situation arises they are always prepared with minimal effort

The hammer is the main reason I've been attracted to this Leather-man tool.

People who put down serrated blades have never worked on a ship or near rope in general, its fundamental.

It has a lot of good features for alpine hiking and camping where you don’t want to bring a ton of pack weight because you are going up and down a lot of elevation etc. I’ve used the hammers and pliers quite a bit. I like the caribiner style clip to secure it easily

A lot of folks are mentioning that they bought it because of the hammer. I did the same but I realized that a rock or branch in the wilderness do a much better job of hammering.

If you’ve ever just about ripped a chunk of your palm off by pinching it between the spines of the saw/file and either blade on the wave+, the signal is an immense upgrade. Specifically when cutting double stranded wire, like barbed wire

I carry it for leisure mountain biking, where it’s impractical to carry each separate representative tool

They should've given the signal to each cast member to those on the show survivor that would've both great marketing for them as well as show just how useful the signal is..

I use my Signal as urban EDC only, it comes very handy at work or while doing my chores around town or at home. Love the whistle!!... I can call my kids without yelling😃 I have several other Leatherman multi-tools, one for each occasion, fishing, camping, hiking, etc, that way I don't need to depend just on my Signal.

Hopefully Leatherman will come out with another with outdoors stuff like a micro lite, fire steel etc..

I like the emergency & rescue & survival features of the L. Signal. It would be perfect for long travel if could be easily changed into a TSA compliant multitool (removable blades like the standard exchangable saw blade).

1:30 in, and you're very mistaken. Nowhere in their marketing do they say this replaces any given tool. It's very obviously a backup for when you *don't happen to have a saw, or ferro rod, or full size knife* . It's the exact same concept as any other multi-tool, only it has outdoor focused options. If I lost my pack, or I forgot a tool, or someone lost one, or one breaks, this is a backup. If I find myself stranded with only what's attached to me, this would be a hell of a help.

Bought it knowing it was a gimmick for outdoor use, because of the specific reasons you stated. Mine lives in my work bag for those unique features.

For me, I think I'll stick with my Surge for camping. It covers all my needs, and with that T-shank bit, I can really stretch it out into anything I might come across. The signal looked interesting, but at the end of the day, I can just stick a fire starter in the Surge's pouch, and keep a whistle around my neck. And those are the only two things it really seemed to add for me.

Thank you now I'm thinking about one for a get home bag

Great sum up! I ordered mine just yesterday, i feel it is meant to serve you when you dont expect to need it. I dont think it is meant to replace your gear when you go camping….

I bought a Charge Plus and a Signal. I planned on keeping the Signal with my hiking daypack. However, I ended up returning the Signal. I simply loved the Charge Plus too much. The Signal did not feel as nice in my hand. I have a separate whistle and ferro rod. The other reason for returning the Signal was that I was not prepared for how small it actually was. I decided that I wanted to keep the serrated blade and the knife blade separate for sharpening purposes. It appears the Signal is a dressed down version of the MUT. I am sure those are good tools for their intended use.

Hi, I don't know if you still read these comments or not but what other tools that leatherman makes are compatible with the signal knife insert. I live in a country where it is suspicious having a knife that is just barely knife-legal so I would very much love to replace it with some useful tool that it lacks. And in what ways can I get my hands on the others inserts? Is there some way where I could buy them as "replacement" parts for another tool they offer?

I think it's no coincidence they named it after the signaling part.

For me the hammer is a must have. Personally, having 2 Leatherman. Signal for simple camping, hiking, easy outdoor trips. And MUT for heavy duty, military applications, range, hunting, missions etc.

Two is one , one is none that’s the way I look at that tool example if you carry a fire starter and you loose it then at least you have the one on the leathermen so yes it’s a back up to your main tools. Do you have a video on the file replacement you did on the leathermen? Great idea!

Hi , i have some questions. So i try to add surge saw exchanger on my signal but i wont fit on there at all . And its apparently this saw exchanger is come from the old surge i am not sure. Its pretty much looks different than your's it has a flat surface. So i wonder if ot this mods only works with the new sure saw exchanger or u do a little grinding on some part to fit in on ur signal ?? Looking forward Cheers 👍👍

I gotta say it’s been awhile since I needed to cut my way through a wall with my leatherman

Hey that's awesome putting the exchanging tool on the signal. I'm going to do the same, and was wondering if it just dropped right in or if you had to modify the lock mechanism at all and if so how? I can probably figure it out but hoping you could give me a headstart on it.

If you live in a rural area and are prone to spontaneous outdoor activities then it’s a perfect tool. I could wear it and use it at work and then head out fishing. Remove a hook from a fish and fillet it. Start a fire and cook it up. The bottle opener/belt loop clip is also a huge component to ease of access. And then on top of that I have a hammer as well. It’s a win in my book I’ve finally found my almost perfect multi tool

I miss my Signal. I carried it as a backup to my backup gear. My Super Tool 300 was always the multitool on my hip in the woods. Now I EDC a Charge + and a Skeletool but the Super Tool 300 is always in my backpack which goes with me if I leave camp as a backup to the Charge. The Signal is an absolute last ditch along with the survival tin

I want to put surge exchanger to signal, too. Can I just unscrew the exchanger and put it on my signal ? Is there any change I need to do?

Does anybody know if the awl from the signal will for in replacement of the scissors on the wave?

Good video. But I feel that a lot of people testing out those multi-tool don't really get the point of caring one all the time what ever the circumstances are. I have a MUT that I love, I use it nearly everyday for a lot of small task. Sure I have a dedicated tool that could do the task better but my Leatherman is in my pocket and is enough for it so why bother go to the garage, and look for a tool when during all that time you'd be fine with the multitool. Also it's the best tool for a lot of outdoor job where you need to cut some stuff, use the pliers, the screwdriver. Again you can find dedicated tool for all that but when you're on the rush you don't usually carry the whole tool box. About A month ago I decided to get a new Leatherman for outdoor stuff because I don't want to loose my MUT. After some research I decide to go for the Signal (in blue and red do find it easily anywhere) and I love if, more compact then the MUT and with more day to day tool like a can opener and a regular plier. Also the Swedish lighter is not a gimmick ! Of course you will carry a lighter or matchbox with you (even more as I'm a smoker) but sometime you loose stuff or it can get wet ! When camping you usually take a saw/machete/axe, some big knife to. But sometime you just want to travel ultra light and the Signal seems perfect to replace all that heavy stuff. The saw can help you weaken branches that you brake with you foot or hand after, the blade can cut anything and be use to cook and eat ... As for the everyday use, if you're doing a lot of crafting, small woodwork of home fixing, it's still the most useful tool you'll have. Anyway sorry for the long post but I need to appease my mind after all people talks about is how it perform in the wild and how you can find better specific tool for those task. A simple comparison, Multitools are like a BMW M3 (or a Audi S4 if you prefer), Sure you can find a better racecar that will dominate on the track, or a better family car, but the M3 can be a great track car AND a family car. Anyway, thanks for the video defending the Signal (a lot of people don't like it) PEACE

Fair review. Love the Signal and Raptor combo for almost any situation.

I have to agree with a lot of these arguments, and for a similar reasoning I feel like more multi-tools should come in a bladeless variety. I always carry a Leatherman tool, a dedicated pocket knife, and a flashlight. The knife on my Leatherman is small, hard to open, and cumbersome to use compared to the dedicated knife I'm carrying. But having pliers, bottle/can opener, scissors, etc. with me at all times is great. I just wish I could choose a multitool that wasn't going to be redundant in some aspects - that Signal would be really great with a saw and file for instance, instead of having the blade - or if it were fully serrated, it would at least distinguish itself. Not to mention that, depending on where you live/work, the blade can be problematic in a way that scissors, saws, files, and such are not.

I just think that for camping etc. Is victorinox huntsman more useful

My normal EDC multi is a Charge Ti. I would have not given the Signal a second look if not for TSA. If you want to travel and not arouse suspicion at the gate you don't/can't carry everything you would have in a bug out bag. Being stripped of options I advance shipped a brand new Signal to my destination knowing the return trip would be a cross-country drive, without my usual kit. The signal fills that niche without buying duplicates of everything in my bag at home. After that purpose it serves as a nifty back up for short day hikes and birding excursions. It has a place as another option in a pinch.

I’ve been looking at the signal for a couple months, but after seeing your leap review I’m conflicted hahaha Thanks for the upload!

Do you still carry it with the lock issues?

While I don't disagree with you about this one, I prefer my Rebar because it has one of everything I need and almost nothing I don't. But I do wish it had the whistle and fire steel. The Signal is an excellent EDC but I don't have one, and probably will be getting the Skeletool instead, for when the Rebar is too much. I also like my Swiss Army Knifes (Huntsman, One Handed Trekker, Rangergrip78), but I also have a van full of big tools for when sh*t gets real. But I especially like your point about the ability to service other tools. Priceless!

Can you post how you modified it to be able to use the changing blades

A persuasive analysis. It sounds like a disconnect exists within Leatherman - the people marketing the Signal have not talked to the engineers who designed it, so they misunderstand the use case that it was designed for.

The whistle is fine, but I can make louder noises with my fingers in six different ways.

Whistle equals signal fire, smoke and light. So serves same purpose as whistle. So maybe your kayaking and you lose your kayak and gear, but you still have this tool in your pocket....Then every item can become a life saver.

Hi, what's the last tool on the bottom right?

All Leatherman’s or multi tools are secondary tools.

Great tool for someone else. I returned mine for a Surge.

Fair review. I love mine!

where is the second part

I agree with what you are saying, but if we apply your main argument as a litmus test, then the whole category of multi-tool is invalid, not just the signal: one should always be prepared, there are always better version of the tool, you shouldn't depend your mission-critical tasks on a "lite" or "crippled" version of the tool. I don't think that's why people carry a multi-tool. People do use a primary full version of the tool for their mission critical tasks. They use multi-tools for foreseeable tasks that they have performed on a regular basis and gauged that the multi-tool will be "good enough", trading off functionality for convenience, and unforeseeable tasks that they have no way of gauging what full size tools to bring.

Mine lives in my lunchbox for work. I agree, most uses are half-way measures. The knife is sharp and multi function, but not good enough for many things. The saw could be useful, but I have never used it. The sharpener is too small to really be effective. If you have to use the ferrostick, you have ventured too far off of the path. Pliers are decent and provide decent grip, the cutters are great. The flat bit driver is good, the bottle opener is good, the hammer is better than nothing, the 1/4 inch driver is good for both Leatherman and regular 1/4 inch bits.

Cant agree more. That sharpener is useless and I agree the whistle is the most underrated piece of equipment!

Pretty good review in comparison to other ones

I'm building a get home/bug out bag. Still going back and forth on a Signal or a Skeletool. The difference in price doesn't seem to justify the Signal, but on the other hand, to have this kind of redundancy in one well made tool is hard to find.

What you're forgetting though is that it's not meant to be the main tool. You carry your main tools. You keep this in your pocket, clipped to your pants, etc. What if your kayak tips over and you lose your gear? What happens if you're crossing a bridge/ledge/etc and your gear falls, What if you fall down a bit of cliff or something and lose access to your gear? The idea is that it can assist you in situations where you have no other gear. It isn't meant to REPLACE that other gear, but rather to be a backup in the event that you find yourself, for one reason or another, without that other gear. That being said, I enjoy your video.

I agree!

1:46 are you high? It’s a backup tool. When you don’t have the primary. It has 14 tools on my belt. It’s not rocket science. I think you’re expectations are wayyyyyyyyy to high for a multi tool.

+

Cheers Mate!

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