Leatherman Bolster vs Bond, Sidekick, and Wingman: Which Full-Size Value Multi-Tool Makes Sense?

Introduction

Leatherman has quietly brought back one of its most interesting value tools. The Bolster, once a low-key Costco exclusive at $39.95, is now available directly from Leatherman’s official website at $59.95. That price bump deserves scrutiny, because the tool itself has not changed: it is still essentially a Sidekick without the saw, now sold at the same price as the Leatherman Bond.

To work out whether the Bolster deserves a spot in your pocket, we are comparing it against three tools you are far more likely to find on a shelf: the Bond, the Sidekick, and the Wingman.

Why the Bolster Is Back, and What It Costs Now

The original Bolster launch was about as low-profile as product launches get. It appeared at Costco for $39.95, most people never heard about it until photos started circulating on social media, and it was later discontinued. Resale prices on the secondhand market climbed to genuinely silly levels for what is, at its core, a straightforward full-size multi-tool.

Now Leatherman sells it directly for $59.95. The tool set is identical to the Costco version. What has changed is the packaging: instead of the blister pack the warehouse version shipped in, the website edition comes in the familiar Leatherman box, and it still includes a nylon sheath. Beyond that, there is nothing new for the extra twenty dollars.

For what it is worth, $39.95 for a full-size multi-tool was a fantastic deal, and anyone who grabbed one at that price got real value. Whether the same tool justifies $59.95 is a fairer question, and the answer depends on which of its strengths matter to you.

Leatherman Bolster: Spring-Action Pliers on a Budget

The Bolster carries 13 tools and weighs about 5.9 ounces. The headliner is the spring-action needle nose pliers, alongside spring-action regular pliers and spring-action wire cutters. That spring action is genuinely pleasant to use and is something the Bond does not offer at the same price.

The outside-access tool is a 420HC straight edge blade. Everything else lives inside: a 420HC serrated knife, a Phillips screwdriver and medium screwdriver revealed by a handy thumb notch, a ruler, a wood and metal file with a small screwdriver at its end, a can and bottle opener, wire strippers, and an attachment point.

The biggest drawback is the file. It is a small, half-size file, the same one found on the Sidekick and Wingman. For anyone who actually uses a file regularly, this is a real compromise.

Leatherman Bond: Fourteen Tools and a Better File

At $59.95, the Bond sits at exactly the same price as the Bolster and gives you 14 tools instead of 13. It is slightly longer in the hand, and it lacks spring-action pliers, which is the Bolster’s clearest advantage.

Where the Bond pulls ahead is the file. It offers a full-size file with a diagonal cut on one side and a diamond cut on the other, which is a meaningful step up from the miniature file on the Bolster, Sidekick, and Wingman. For anyone who works with their hands and reaches for a file often, that alone tips the scales.

Leatherman Sidekick: The Saw Changes Everything

The Sidekick costs $69.95, ten dollars more than the Bolster, and adds a saw to what is otherwise a very similar tool set. It weighs 7 ounces, about 1.1 ounces more than the Bolster, and that weight difference is honestly the main reason to choose the Bolster over it.

For many users, the saw is worth the extra ten dollars and the extra weight. The Sidekick combines the saw, spring-action pliers, and the same small file, making it a more complete outdoor-oriented package. Anyone who has used one tends to like it for exactly that combination.

Leatherman Wingman: Scissors and a Familiar Formula

The Wingman is an older design that shares a lot of DNA with the Sidekick, and the Bolster is almost the same length as it. Its defining extra is a pair of scissors, a feature the Bolster, Bond, and Sidekick all skip. On a well-used example, the scissors can start refusing to fold back cleanly, which is a reminder that even simple tools age, but the feature itself is genuinely useful for everyday tasks.

It carries the same small half-size file with a ruler on the opposite side, so it shares the Bolster’s main weakness. If you want scissors in a full-size Leatherman without stepping up in price tier, the Wingman remains the obvious pick.

Buying Advice

If you value spring-action pliers above all else, the Bolster makes a strong case at $59.95, and it is the lightest of the four at 5.9 ounces. If you want the best file and one more tool at the same price, the Bond is the more sensible buy. If a saw matters for camp tasks or yard work, spend the extra ten dollars on the Sidekick. And if scissors are a daily-use feature for you, the Wingman fills that gap.

Just know what you are paying for with the Bolster: the same tool that sold for $39.95, now twenty dollars dearer, with nicer packaging as the only change.

Conclusion

There is no perfect multi-tool here, only trade-offs. The Bolster’s spring-action pliers and low weight are real strengths, but the Bond matches its price with a better file, the Sidekick adds a saw for ten dollars more, and the Wingman brings scissors into the mix. Choose based on the one feature you will actually reach for most, and you will not regret any of these four.