@@eng3d It's not a multi-tool for starters. As to the size, recently I had mine out just to do some little adjustments and the construction foreman who was working upstairs saw it and was interested in it. I said to him that I guess it would be nothing for a tradesman like him but he actually responded that he could see himself doing a lot with it. Often there are spaces where a larger water pump pliers, won't access, and this will.
“This little additional pouch…”. You are young, that’s a watch pocket.😄 I have carried Leatherman WAVE since it came out (with tool kit), but I also carry Knipex Cobra, a Proto 704 (I know, the big jaw version you can no longer find) 4 inch crescent, plus a good lockblade folder and a Victorinox Ranger. My cargo pants and belt are full, but everything has been used (except the trauma kit). Before Leatherman and Knipex, I carried 4” ChannelLock and 4” Crescent. I agree, Knipex Cobra is very useful. Carry what works for you.👍
Man after my own heart. I have never weighed my tools tosee if they are too heavy to carry. I'm only 73, but I have been living by that scout motto, "Be prepared," for over 60 years. On my belt I have 2 leather pouches which came with the Vise-Grip Toolbox about 20 years ago. One has my Toolbox and the other has my Wave with a Volty DC voltmeter in place of the reversiblebit. In my pocket is my Select-a-Bit 16 bit driver which I set up with 6 Torx rather than the stock 4. In that pocket is also a 16 ft tape measure. Then there is the zippered cargo pocket which has a gerber pouch with Knipex 125 Cobra and the 125 Knipex parallel jaw "wrench." There is also a Gerber Sportsman's Steel I purchased over 50 years ago at the PX at Ft Ord. Outside the pouch is my Victorinox Champion (same as Champ but no pliers) which also has a Firefly firestarter in place of toothpick. Then there is my 1 AA Innova billet aluminum lens focused LED light. So I carry some extra weight, I can do more things with what I have at hand.
@@grantdavis5992 I agree. As time goes by (I’m 69), you alter your EDC according to your needs. After a while, you have a lot of tools you use, none you don’t, be it the pocket voltage detector or the light that’s just right to hold in your mouth. Everyone is a bit different. But I like being prepared.👍
Been EDCing the Cobra XS since they cMe out. I never leave home without them. Great to remove staples, pulling out nails, grab unto hot things, bend sheet-metal, and work on large hose clamps and fittings.
I use these for everything, including bicycle repair. It's surprisingly easy to get the wheel nuts loose, even though I've torque'd them like a mofo using much larger spanners. They are shaped in such a way that you can focus on the turning, instead of wasting energy keeping them engaged
I carried a Leatherman Wave+ for many years and loved it. I recently got into SAKs and it got me thinking about why I'm carrying this Wave+ when I can carry something like a Swiss Champ which is about the same size, half the weight, and has twice the number of tools. Now I EDC a Swiss Champ and the XS pliers and I feel more equipped than when I just had the Wave+. Good video!
That's interesting. I have a Swiss Champ which I EDC and am considering buying the Cobra XS or the 125mm ones. I was using my Leatherman Wingman for a while until I fixed the scissors. So happy to have the Swiss Champ back again. The Cobra XS would be a great combo.
I have never been cut from a slip joint,(i have been cut a lot but not from that reason) i never liked modern pocket knives though. You just need to know to predict the tool. Plus when you cant carry a knife the plier is a separate tool. I made a horizontal sheath for it and it always on me(very disguised), most of time i forget its on me. You can open bottles and cans with it too, far from ideal but doable. Im still trying to find more unintended inusage for it. Over all the cobra xs and the vic classic sd are my most used tools for urban carry. Sorry for the long message :).
Yes! I have these as well. The only other pair of knipex that I have is the 12 inch. They bite squarely at every setting instead of creating the angle bite. EXCELLENT tool for working on your pew pews
LOL im halfway tru vid and checked comments cause I was thinking "wtf am I the only one seeing this???" LOL it looks like those comparisons in shitty "call now" TV ads ^^
I've been seeing a lot of videos saying carrying one of these is unnecessary but I use mine nearly every day, both city life and camping. Between this, Griffin pocket tool, and my pocket knife it covers all my normal daily needs. My Leatherman's just live in the vehicles now.
I am a huge fan of helping creators out that use links for Amazon. I always appreciate when someone uses my links so I used yours. Great video man keep up the great work. Btw I subbed ya. Have a great weekend
I was an electrician for 4 years and my favorite tools are my set of Cobras. So versatile, i can use them for so many things. They're not the cheapest pliers but well worth the money. Didn't even know they made that baby version, good to know :)
Also a big fan of the Knipex XS and the next size up for carrying around as a supplement to another non-plier based tool/knife. I still carry a traditional multitool more often, however as I often do more work on the go with wire and cables or fine work where I need to get into a small space than with larger nuts and bolts, so the lineman style found on LM / Swisstool / Gerber make more sense. You can break wire by bending it back and forth using the Knipex, but compared to just using wire cutters in a job where you have to do several back to back it gets tedious. I always have a medium to large tool (with a pocket clip, not on a belt, like you were carrying the Fastback in the video) and a smaller tool in case I need to use pliers and a driver. I change my carry often depending on where I will be that day and what may need to be done.
Excellent points, after experimenting with multitools I found they are designed for camping more that repairs. Now I carry 6 in 1 + Ozark Trail 17-in-1 and might switch that to the Knipex Cobra. Good examples of using the tools to solve problems.
I recently started as maintenance guy for a county agency. I'v carried my Swiss Champ for over 37 years , now I also carry Knipex 125mm Cobras, 125 Pliers wrench, 6 in 1 Fastback, Kline flip bit 1/4" and 5/16" and a Craftsman 8' tape measure.
Great vid. I came to hate the Leatherman needle nose pliers for all the reasons you've shown. My solution though was to get the Leatherman Crunch. I like the wire cutting and stripping capability of that tool and locking pliers are a multi-tool in and of themselves.
Totally agree; these and the pliers wrench that comes in that little 2 piece kit - they're amazing! Not cheap, but you keep finding reasons to use them, and because they're small but really well built, sometimes you don't even need a bigger one... and they fit in tiny spaces too!
I really want both of them with the little pouch but they’re damn nearly $90 on Amazon idk if I can justify it (I’ll probably end up buying them for myself for Christmas). I own the pliers wrench and cobras in the 7-1/4 and they’re amazing. It’s a great size for just about anything. The twin grips are also great, I just got them a couple of days ago and I already got my moneys worth pulling out a bit from a nut driver that got stuck 😂
Leatherman (and Knipex) would be smart to make a new multitool based on water pump plier head. It's just a better design for gripping bolts than needle nose.
I quit carrying a multi tool years ago. These pliers look good, but I switched to craftsman ignition pliers as they are mire functional than the needle nose in multi tools. Good video
I use the needle nosed pliers on my leatherman almost daily and I've carried a pocket knife since i was a kid. If I need pliers, I have a variety to choose from but I don't have a pair like those so I see myself buying a pair before too much more time passes.
it's great, but I bought a cobra 130mm, it is for big hands better and it has red plastic covered handles. That's advantegous under frozen conditions. So I sew a belt cover for it to carry it beside my Leatherman, and a LED torch.
Dang, this is an awesome review!!! I was less than a minute into the review when I subscribed. Getting the Knipex pliers wasn't even on my radar. I'm still going to get a Leatherman as it seems like the needle nose pliers will come in handy for other applications. But I'm going to also have the Knipex pilers in my go-bag as well.
There's been (rare) moments where I'm glad I had my Leatherman at work with the random tools it has but 99% of the year the Milwaukee utility knife and these Cobras would be more than enough.
Your edc is the same as mine for a year now, the kinipex pliers are amazing, use them nearly everyday, love my leather man but only wear it if doing outdoor adventure activities
I carry a leatherman wave or gerbe MP for years. My buddy Is a auto tech and always carries a 5" cobra pliers and first hand can seewhat they can accomplish and is impressive, enough after decades I am wondering like others, why am I lugging a muti tool for edc since the pliers are what I use 95% of the time. I have a 5" Cresent pliers I decided to carry just to see how it would work for me.....sold. Will be picking up a few knipex pliers, especially a 4 and 5" to see which I will use along side of my other edc gear. My buddy is a big guy, and have seen him lossen nuts and bolts with the 5" that has amazed me, they do not slip and have truly amazing grip.
Have my 5" cobra for over a week now,I will not l99k back, was a diehard mutitool guy for decades, have a number of them even after giving multiples away.
Yesterday I handed a friend of mine this tool to remove zip ties. He was surprised not to see cutters but instead this tiny thing… told him to just squeeze the tie rib at the connector. Two seconds to remove two zip ties. He was impressed. It’s also a great defensive tool.
Welp, you just sold another pair. I wasn't even looking to buy new pliers, yet i now have these in my amazon shopping cart (using your link here). Thanks for the recommendation!
Whatever works best. I carry the wave with me and it comes in handy with little things if I don't have my tool pouch nearby. I like these little Knipex pliers you're showing here. Good review
I totally agree, except that I prefer the 150 mm Cobras. Sometimes I may use the 125mm, but the XS are just too small (for my big paws). There IS a very nice Leatherman compliment to this combo, though: the Style PS. By adding that small thing, one also gets the right tool for tiny spaces.
I’ve bought two Knipex smaller tools on Amazon and everything looked the same, as your unboxing, with one exception. Neither had the tag with the plastic loop, on them. This is part of what leads me to believe that the ones that I have, are counterfeit (I’ve seen one other video, with there tag looped to them). I have other reasons but I won’t speak on them, though I will say, I paid, full price. I’ll probably contact Knipex and see if they can test my tools. That being said, I definitely need that Cobra model and this is an excellent video of the real world applications.
Needle nose is certainly different than a adjustable pliers I use a leatherman for so many things pliers are just that you can figure it out that needle nose pliers aren’t very good at nuts and bolts I carry both good little pliers
The knipex are much more ideal for pliers, but you pretending to not be able to turn a nut with the multi tool was hilarious. Reminded me of those 90s infomercials.
very true lol. the point of multitools is that they're not really the ideal tool for the job and you need to get creative. carrying a bunch of proper tools around feels like cheating
It was ridiculous, beside that he didnt mention all the points that leatherman is way better.. Cutting copper wires, fence wires, nails, grabing small things inside small holes, cutting with the scissors, yes the milwaukee cut too, but cuting thin ropes, and soft wires the scissor is better. The leartherman have a saw, that works fantastic with wood!
@gutierrezmoreno8974 Those little scissors will be pretty much useless after you use them to cut wires of any type. I have carried several different multitools including the Leatherman Wave and I just don't like it. So, I am biased because of this but I would much rather carry a couple of dedicated tools in my pocket/belt instead of the leatherman. My pocket knife stays razor sharp at all times so I can use that to cut anything that a blade is needed to cut. The most important feature that a multitool can have is the pliers and I'd prefer these tiny Knipex over the leatherman any day.
Victorinox Huntsman + Knipex Cobra 125mm + high quality splinter tweezers (Feilchenfeld) Thats's my EDC-combi for over a year know, and to me it's nearly perfect.
I will get both of them but to add to my tool bag or tool kit. Am not changing my leatherman to carry two tools. My leatherman sidekick and free p4 have helped for years without fail.
I mean sure, if this suits your daily needs better, definatley go for it. The goal of any EDC is to sort out those daily problems you run into as effectively as possible afterall. I would not go as far as to say the knipex is "better" though. The whole idea behind the most common multitool plier designs is to make them as versatile as posible hence the wierd hybrid designs that does alot of jobs but none of them particularily well. The knipex is much more specialized. Gotta sat this is a really cool concept by knipex and its really cool how versatile they can be even in such a pocket friendly format and you video does a great job demonstrating that. I could definatley concider carrying one of these to compliment a standard needle nose multitool or even a SAK. I bet the knipex are alot more stable when twisting something with the nose of the pliers aswell - a move that is likely the most common cause of failure for most leatherman tools.
I was looking at all kinds of sheaths, even leather sheats for combs for this. Then I stumbled on a Phillips leather case for an iPod Nano for just £5 on the bay...bloody fantastic, perfect fit, means I can carry it in my main pocket without it slipping down to the bottom, or opening/closing and pinching my nads. My 5th pocket is occupied, with a Vic Swisschamp. Mostly also I clip a folder like the Spyderco Urban into the main pocket. Lots of capability and although I don't know about the file on the Champ, I do know that the woodsaw and scissors on it are better than on any Leatherman. I had tried various bit drivers as a 5th pocket addition to a folder and the Cobra XS but still I was lacking scissors, and the folding bit driver I found was almost as big as the Swisschamp. I find the Champ covers me for drivers for general EDC, the inline Phillips on it is outstanding. Going by the criteria of multitool manufacturers, the Knipex Cobra XS is a multitool, with 5 tools: needlenose pliers, regular pliers, adjustable wrench, bottle opener, and pry bar.
I carry channellock plyers. they're similar, they overall handle about the same size jobs but their physical bulk is much smaller and lighter. Alpha carries some three inch irwin brand vice grips that are fabulous
You could add that it is better at fixing a car. But the Wave will outperform in a wider variety of tasks. I could make a video doing things the knipex is far worse at than the lm. Also the knipex can not cut wires. So it depends on the tasks. They are very different pliers and to be honest they can be both part of an edc kit.
yes because it has 10+ tools so yes it can do much more than single pliers. And thank you for acknowledging my superior mental capabilities. :) have a nice day@@vendettagrazie5653
I've gone from carying either a Leatherman Wave, or a SAK Hiker, to carrying a Case Stockman, a small 3 bit Picquick, and the Cobra Xs. I give up a small degree of versatility over the Wave, but each of these tools far out performs the Leatherman at their respective tasks. Not quite as compact as the SAK, but again, performance is improved.
I always carry a Leathermam Surge, usually with the pocket clip in my front pocket. I got the Cobra XS to use in conjuction with the Surge because, like you said, the Surge pliers don't always cut it. These pliers along with the Surge and bit kit with the Lennox general cutting wood saw blade cover about everything I encounter.
My mama always said to me: son, whatever it is that you do in life, always always carry a pair of pliers with you. Thank you mom for the priceless advice
I carry every a Leatherman like rebar or something and the like 5 inch cobras, a kraftform kompakt a small Cresent wrench a Milwaukee box cutter ,a 21700 flashlight
Great review man I just got my cobra xs today n already love em. I already have a 6in1 fastback n even better I can use the pouch to a leather men my buddy gave me... It fits both the fastback and cobras in it perfectly.
SOG power pint and Gerber dime and that's servers me well as I am never probably doing a bunch of macho stuff but if I do I definitely getting some of these!
Love the knipex too man! I have one too. But for everyday carry, check the leaherman skeletool. It has a spring clip that hooks to your belt loop and that makes it vastly superior to having to carry in your pocket. Plus the blade flips open with an easy thumb action.
I have the cobra xs and the leatherman. I also have a small ratchet and a single blade Swiss army knife. All of these serve a purpose and do their respective jobs better than than each other. The leatherman should never be discounted, however, its cost has become exorbitant. Having options on a budget is fantastic.
Good combo, I will still carry a leatherman tho. The wave+ has an option to add a lanyard and a pocket clip, making the sheath not required for carrying comfortably, for me EDC is less items to remember to carry = better carry, adding two items instead of just one item that can do both things is a no brainer for me
way out of my price range. I'll "make do" with the pliers on the SAK Hercules, and LM Charge+ TTI I traded into a few years back. So far, they've done what I needed pliers for.
Very nice review. Have some 125mm's, have some Leathermans, the jaws are bettter on the Knipex, those XS are too small and have no insulation grip. Had this Milwaukee knife too, like it very much, gave it to my good friend, who is very happy with it.
