Leatherman ARC vs Victorinox Compact
87 facts in comparison
Based on 160 Reddit opinions. Too close to call.
160 opinions
Leatherman ARC
VS
Reddit's Pick

89%
A-
Based on
273 Redditors
Winner
Leatherman ARC
~$199.95
74 opinions
tldr; One-hand opening premium multi-tool with magnetic implements; praised for ease of use, criticized for price.
Check pricesVS

89%
A-
Based on
270 Redditors
Victorinox Compact
~$54.99
86 opinions
tldr; Reddit highly recommends the Victorinox Compact for urban everyday carry, praising its superior scissors, compact size, and overall quality.
Check prices⭐TOO
🔧BUI
✋ONE
⚖️SIZ
😌ERG
26
Points
33
Points
Score by Category
Tool Selection
26%—
Build Quality
34%20%
One-Hand Operation
22%—
Size & Weight
26%—
Ergonomics
23%36%
Why is Victorinox Compact better than Leatherman ARC?
- Better value (33% vs 24%)
- Better ergonomics (36% vs 23%)
- Excellent for urban everyday use.
- Scissors are "king of the hill" in quality &
- Compact, simple, light, and easily pocketed.
Based on 543 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call
Reddit prefers the Leatherman ARCLeatherman ARC
Winning by 0 points (89% vs 89%)
Better build quality
Accomplishes the purpose of everything
Superior to mini tools
High confidence (543 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 543 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Leatherman ARC
8.9/10
273 mentions
Victorinox Compact
8.9/10
270 mentions
VALUE
Leatherman ARC2.4/10
Victorinox Compact3.3/10
ERGONOMICS
Leatherman ARC2.3/10
Victorinox Compact3.6/10
TOOL SELECTION
Leatherman ARC2.6/10
Victorinox CompactN/A
ONE HAND
Leatherman ARC2.2/10
Victorinox CompactN/A
SIZE WEIGHT
Leatherman ARC2.6/10
Victorinox CompactN/A
BUILD QUALITY
Leatherman ARC3.4/10
Victorinox Compact2.0/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Leatherman ARC | Victorinox Compact |
|---|---|---|
Value | 24% | 33% |
Ergonomics | 23% | 36% |
Tool Selection | 26% | N/A |
One Hand | 22% | N/A |
Size Weight | 26% | N/A |
Build Quality | 34% | 20% |
Lock | N/A | 35% |
Action | N/A | 39% |
Steel | N/A | 32% |
Category Wins
Leatherman ARC: 4|Victorinox Compact: 5
Head to Head
Leatherman ARC: 4|Victorinox Compact: 5
ValueVictorinox Compact
Leatherman ARC24%
Victorinox Compact33%
ErgonomicsVictorinox Compact
Leatherman ARC23%
Victorinox Compact36%
Tool SelectionLeatherman ARC
Leatherman ARC26%
Victorinox CompactN/A
One HandLeatherman ARC
Leatherman ARC22%
Victorinox CompactN/A
Size WeightLeatherman ARC
Leatherman ARC26%
Victorinox CompactN/A
Build QualityLeatherman ARC
Leatherman ARC34%
Victorinox Compact20%
LockVictorinox Compact
Leatherman ARCN/A
Victorinox Compact35%
ActionVictorinox Compact
Leatherman ARCN/A
Victorinox Compact39%
SteelVictorinox Compact
Leatherman ARCN/A
Victorinox Compact32%
Leatherman ARC
89%
89%
Victorinox Compact
Leatherman ARC89%
Victorinox Compact89%
Dead heat - too close to call
Key Specs
| Spec | Leatherman ARC | Victorinox Compact |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | LEATHERMAN | Victorinox |
| Manufacturer | Leatherman | Victorinox |
| Color | Black | Red |
| Weight | 0.5 Pounds | 0.14375 Pounds |
| Height | 0.83858267631 Inches | 0.610235 Inches |
Key Highlights
Leatherman ARC
✨ Accomplishes the purpose of everything
🔧 Superior to mini tools
✨ "Really neat"
📦 Popular for EDC
⚠️ Victorinox tools seem more functional
Victorinox CompactWinner
✨ Excellent for urban everyday use.
🔧 Scissors are "king of the hill" in quality &
🔧 Compact, simple, light, and easily pocketed.
📐 Includes a small file on back of parcel hook.
💰 Often on sale for around $40.
Topic Battles
Leatherman ARC: 4|Tied: 0|Victorinox Compact: 1
⭐Tool Selection
Leatherman ARC winsLeatherman ARC
26%
Victorinox Compact
—
🔧Build Quality
Leatherman ARC winsLeatherman ARC
34%
Victorinox Compact
20%
✋One-Hand Operation
Leatherman ARC winsLeatherman ARC
22%
Victorinox Compact
—
⚖️Size & Weight
Leatherman ARC winsLeatherman ARC
26%
Victorinox Compact
—
😌Ergonomics
Victorinox Compact winsLeatherman ARC
23%
Victorinox Compact
36%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Leatherman ARC
Best Praise
+10 pts“I saw it on [Maxlvledc](https://youtu.be/7c2SNnBx5Fg?si=ZEwyG19-inEEgDjE) recently and thought it was really neat; there's also the [GOAT Tools Multitool](https://www.goat.tools). The Roxon seems like a nice competitor to the Leatherman ARC or other relatively large/extensive multitools, and I do really like the look of the locking mechanism. With any of these tools, it probably depends a lot on how much of a community springs up around them/how well-supported they are by the manufacturer. They do also seem a little bit more cumbersome-looking than some of the purpose-built equivalents. It occurs to me that some people on the board are often looking for no-knife tools for travel or for certain European jurisdictions, and a modular multitool might be pretty neat for those scenarios.”
r/multitools
ViewNo negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Victorinox Compact
Best Praise
+14 pts“Definitely an amazing knife, so much blade in such a compact and light package. Amazing action. My review of it premiers this Friday on my YouTube channel!”
r/knifeclub
ViewNo negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Leatherman ARC
Victorinox Compact
📈Historical Price Data
Leatherman ARC
Victorinox Compact
Leatherman ARC
Victorinox Compact
Which is Better?
Too Close to Call
Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (89% vs 89%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.
Why Leatherman ARC
- ✨ Accomplishes the purpose of everything
- 🔧 Superior to mini tools
- ✨ "Really neat"
Why Victorinox Compact
- Better Value for Money (33% vs 24%)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
26%Positive
Positive
26%Neutral
73%Negative
1%Based on 273 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
30%Positive
Positive
30%Neutral
68%Negative
2%Based on 266 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Leatherman ARC or Victorinox Compact?
Based on 543 Reddit comments, both are similarly rated at 89% and 89% positive - too close to call a clear winner.
Should I buy Leatherman ARC or Victorinox Compact?
Both have similar approval ratings (89% vs 89%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Leatherman ARC?
Reddit users highlight: Accomplishes the purpose of everything. Superior to mini tools. Really neat". With 273 mentions and 89% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Victorinox Compact?
Reddit users highlight: Excellent for urban everyday use.. Scissors are "king of the hill" in quality &. Compact, simple, light, and easily pocketed.. With 270 mentions and 89% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 543 Reddit comments: 273 about Leatherman ARC and 270 about Victorinox Compact. Data was sourced from Multitools community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
160 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 3/8/2026