SOG Multi-Tools Worth Buying: PowerLock, PowerAssist, and PowerAccess Assist Compared

Introduction

SOG multi-tools rarely get the benefit of the doubt, and for a long time this writer was firmly in the “not for me” camp. That position just changed. After spending real time with three models in the Power series, the verdict is that there is more genuine design intelligence here than expected, even though none of these tools is perfect. The common thread is SOG’s compound leverage plier system, which multiplies squeezing force so effectively that the biggest question is not whether it works, but whether the surrounding frame steel can keep up with it.

Prices across the lineup have also dropped noticeably, which changes the value equation considerably. What used to be premium-priced territory now sits close to budget multi-tool money.

SOG PowerLock: A Serious Value at a New Price

The PowerLock comes in two variations, scissor and V-cutter, with only about $2 separating them on Amazon. The one shown here is a limited edition titanium nitride coated variant, picked up because the coating adds corrosion resistance, but the tool set and materials are identical to the standard versions you can buy today.

Historically this tool cost $90 to $100 or more. Right now, a brand new PowerLock in either variation can be found for under $55, which is less than many used older multi-tools sell for on eBay. At that price, the value proposition has to be re-evaluated completely.

One hidden trick changes how usable this tool is: hold the outer cover, open it, and it locks into the plier head, giving clear space to reach in and select an implement. Grab one tool, close the rest, and you are ready to work. That makes dealing with implement clumping far easier than on comparable tools with internal implements.

The tool set covers both sides well. One side carries a partially serrated blade that is not too aggressive on serrations, a flathead and bottle opener combo, an excellent V-cutter (arguably one of the best things SOG makes), and a 1/4-inch driver that works with any standard 1/4-inch hex bit, no proprietary bit kit needed. The other side adds six implements including a tapered saw with good teeth, a sharp and long reamer, a robust flathead, a narrow-stock three-dimensional Phillips, a can opener with a small flathead, and a file. Crimpers sit at the rear.

The needle nose pliers deserve special mention. They taper nicely and are longer than most, approaching a true needle nose profile, and combined with the compound leverage at the tip they grip with serious force. That force cuts both ways: you can accidentally apply more squeeze than intended and mar whatever you are holding.

The one real weakness is the 420 stainless frame. It can only reach about 54 HRC, so heavy leverage on the gearing can deform the teeth over time, and gear failure is the known long-term weak point of this design. A harder frame steel, or a separable gearing section in better steel, would turn a good tool into a great one.

SOG PowerAssist: The Sleeper Pick

The PowerAssist might be the most underrated tool here. It weighs about the same as the PowerLock but flips the frame layout: one side holds an assisted straight blade, the other an assisted serrated blade, each with a secondary lock to prevent accidental deployment.

A detail worth knowing: this is a genuinely left-handed multi-tool, since the serrated blade opens from the opposite side. Even right-handed users may find that useful when one hand is occupied.

The trade-off is tool space. The assisted mechanism consumes slots that could have held more implements, and assisted deployment can be hit or miss on some units. The internal tool set includes a V-cutter, a file, a Phillips, a can opener, and a bottle opener/flathead combo. Personal preference would swap the file for a saw and trade the can and bottle openers for a 1/4-inch socket adapter, but your priorities may differ.

It shares the same basic plier head as the PowerLock, sits at about 5/8 of an inch thick, and despite weighing 9.6 oz it is comfortable enough for pocket carry. At around $60, roughly the price of a budget Leatherman, it is hard to argue against as a staple.

SOG PowerAccess Assist: Great Pliers, Questionable Assists

This is the newest of the three, and also the most puzzling. All four outer implements are assisted, and the assisted mechanisms live in an outer frame that widens the tool from 5/8 of an inch to nearly a full 7/8 of an inch and pushes weight up to about 10.6 oz.

The problem is not just bulk. Thumb studs on assisted implements shorten their usable length, most obviously on the saw, where teeth are effectively cut off at the stud. The draw cutter is weaker than the PowerLock’s, and only a right-hander can comfortably access both blades.

Yet buried in this tool is one of SOG’s best modern ideas: a bit holder inside the plier head. A bit locks in magnetically, and with compound leverage doing the work you get a genuinely usable inline screwdriver with serious torque. Put that plier head in the PowerAssist body and you would have something special.

Strip away the questionable assists and this is actually an impressive package: six implements on one side, five on the other including the socket adapter. The core compound leverage idea shows enormous untapped potential, and separating the gearing from the frame, in a harder steel with swappable plier head options, could make SOG a genuine leader for heavy-duty tradesman use.

Which One Should You Buy?

At $52 to $54, the PowerLock in either variation is an easy recommendation and one of the better values in multi-tools right now. The PowerAssist at around $60 is the sleeper, offering a one-hand-opening blade and the same plier head for near-budget money. The PowerAccess Assist is the hardest to recommend in its current form; the inline bit holder and plier head are excellent, but the added width, weight, and compromised implements from the assists undermine the package.

If you want maximum implement access and the best price, get the PowerLock. If one-handed blade access matters, the PowerAssist earns its slot. The PowerAccess Assist makes sense only if the magnetic bit holder in the plier head is a must-have feature for you.

Conclusion

SOG’s compound leverage system deserves more credit than it typically gets, and these three tools prove the design has real promise. The PowerLock and PowerAssist are genuinely recommendable at current prices, while the PowerAccess Assist shows both the potential and the missteps of the platform. With better frame steel and smarter use of the assisted space, SOG could compete at the very top of this category. Until then, buy the tools that get the fundamentals right.