Kershaw vs Leatherman:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Leatherman had more branded searches than Kershaw among pocket knife brands worldwide. Leatherman had about 368,000 branded searches, while Kershaw had 40,500. Leatherman made up 43.6% of all pocket knife brand searches we track, and Kershaw accounted for 4.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pocket knife brands, Kershaw appeared in all five answers and Leatherman in one. Kershaw was mentioned before Leatherman in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Leatherman, about 9 searches for every 1 for Kershaw
Who does AI mention more?
Kershaw, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Kershaw, named ahead of Leatherman in 4 of 5 answers
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Top pocket knife brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Kershaw appeared in all five answers. Leatherman was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kershaw was listed before Leatherman in four out of five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Spyderco1st
Benchmade2nd- Kershaw3rd
Victorinox4th- CIVIVI5th
- Opinel6th
- Leatherman7th
Gerber–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Kershaw5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Benchmade4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Spyderco4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- CIVIVI4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Victorinox4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Opinel3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Leatherman1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Gerber0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about pocket knife brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which pocket knife brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best pocket knife brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best pocket knife brand for everyday carry?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“everyday carry knife”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pocket knife brands”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Kershaw or Leatherman more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kershaw and Leatherman by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight pocket knife brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Leatherman, Kershaw. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Leatherman | Benchmade | Opinel | Spyderco | Gerber | Kershaw | CIVIVI | Victorinox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.6% | 17.7% | 11.9% | 6.5% | 4.4% | 17.7% | 2% | 0.39% |
| Nov 2025 | 42% | 18.8% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 12.6% | 2.1% | 0.41% |
| Dec 2025 | 43.1% | 19.3% | 15.8% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 4.7% | 2.1% | 0.52% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.9% | 18.3% | 15% | 10.1% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 3% | 0.49% |
| Feb 2026 | 40.3% | 18.1% | 18.1% | 9.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 2.4% | 0.48% |
| Mar 2026 | 42.7% | 15.7% | 15.7% | 8.6% | 5.7% | 8.6% | 2.6% | 0.42% |
| Apr 2026 | 45.4% | 16.6% | 13.6% | 9.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 2.7% | 0.36% |
| May 2026 | 42.9% | 19.3% | 15.8% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 4.7% | 2.6% | 0.34% |
| Jun 2026 | 41.7% | 18.7% | 15.3% | 10.3% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.33% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.5% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 8.9% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 0.43% |
| Aug 2026 | 41.6% | 15.3% | 18.7% | 10.2% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.6% | 16% | 16% | 10.7% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 0.43% |
How has the Kershaw and Leatherman comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Leatherman was ahead of Kershaw in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kershaw’s share of searches among pocket knife brands worldwide moved from 17.7% to 4.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 40.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Leatherman’s share of searches among pocket knife brands worldwide moved from 39.6% to 43.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 368K.
How did search popularity change for pocket knife brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Leatherman gained share of searches among pocket knife brands worldwide, from 41.6% to 43.6%.
In September 2026, Kershaw lost share of searches among pocket knife brands worldwide, from 5.6% to 4.8%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kershaw’s and Leatherman’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Kershaw
1 branded search term
- kershaw
Leatherman
1 branded search term
- leatherman
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