Do you carry a multitool in the woods?

[BigMonster]

90% of my walks are day hikes or overnighters. But I'm getting more in to multi day trips and with growing weight of food/water/clothing I'm lookoig closer at my base weight.

Been lugging my Leatherman charge tti (300g+ with the bit kit) as I like the capability to cut the old fencing/barbed wire and various screwdrives to service growing population of electronic gadgets. Also I do have a small fixed blade for kitchen/bushcraft duties.

I had too use my tool a handfull of times to grab something hot or to fix an odd buckle but want to hear what is your opinion and experience with multitools on the trail? Is it really wort it?

 

[MrEd]

For me yes, I carry one to, and if I don’t have it I am guaranteed to need it!

tbh I would find the 300t weight saving elsewhere.
What else do you carry?

 

[BigMonster]

For me yes, I carry one to, and if I don’t have it I am guaranteed to need it!

tbh I would find the 300t weight saving elsewhere.
What else do you carry?

Rest of my kit is quite lightweight and streamlined so I can handle my multitool. Just wondering how usefull it is for the weight...

 

[fenix]

I carry one, mainly use it while cooking to handle hot stuff.

 

[Broch]

Does a Victorinox Swiss Champ count? if so yes!

 

[Jared]

Just a SAK.

Did think about getting a dedicated set of Knipex combination pliers to pair with it. It would have worked out lighter, cheaper & better (imo), than a full sized multitool.
Plus option of swapping out the SAK to nonlocking/locking depending.

 

[BigMonster]

Just a SAK.

Did think about getting a dedicated set of Knipex combination pliers to pair with it. It would have worked out lighter, cheaper & better (imo), than a full sized multitool.
Plus option of swapping out the SAK to nonlocking/locking depending.

That's what I'm thinking about right now.

 

[forrestdweller]

i carried an original "supertool" for over 18years until i lost it in the robbery 2years ago -- i bitterly miss it (like my other tools) and hope to be able to get a new one this year (lack of funds and availability have so far prevented it )
i've lost count of the amount of times it saved the day (carried in a victorinox pouch together with a victorinox bit set and a piece of hacksaw blade) -- one example would be using it to reset all the scrappy and neglected bowsaw blades in all the DoC hugs during my walk on Stewart Island 2008...

 

[eraaij]

Yes, a Leatherman Wave replaced my Alox SAK a long, long time ago. Allround practical tool. I lost my first one on a snowshoe trip and immediately ordered another one when back.

 

[gra_farmer]

I carry a multi tool everyday, and it is used at least once each and every day. I rotate the Victorinox swiss tool and any of the leatherman tools I have.

For camping I find it even more useful, as some have said for lifting hot stuff, but on a number of occasions the awl has been so useful, and the saw on a multi tools is often used. From the practical side, the full sized tools add weight, but more often I find that a comfort.

In summary, I would not ever be without mine, and has saved the day so many times, it would be silly for me to leave it at home.

 

[JonathanD]

Ditto. They’re invaluable. I carry mine in a .45 mag pouch. Sits close to the body and doesn’t stick out at all like other pouches.

 

[Silverclaws2]

Yup, a Juice XE6 - in purple,

In fact it usually lives in my day to day bag, to not be without it.

 

[John Fenna]

A Multitool is NEVER far from my grasp!

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Nope,

 

[MrEd]

Ditto. They’re invaluable. I carry mine in a .45 mag pouch. Sits close to the body and doesn’t stick out at all like other pouches. View attachment 63715

That’s nice, did you make that?

 

[JonathanD]

No. It’s a Bullard holster.

 

[C_Claycomb]

No.

Fascinating! I have both a Leatherman Wave and a bladeless SOG, and despite having packed them on some car-based trips, I have never used them, and never missed them.

I carry a SAK Camper, but a Huntsman (has scissors) would be better. The difference with a multi-tool is the pliers, and while they seem a good idea, I have never missed not having them, and never found a use for them when I have had them on hand.

Perhaps a Swiss tool would impress me, but I have been very unimpressed by the design and finish of Leatherman tools compared to those on my SAK.

 

[TinkyPete]

I always have at least one SAK with me, I also often have a multitool in a bag close to hand. I have everything from an original Leatherman, sideclip (the 2nd one the did which had it own pocket clip and the same tools, my favourite), side kick, wave, signal and up to the surge. I also have SOGs and Swiss tools. On my key ring I keep a squirt PS4 which I have used a fair bit. I prefer the SAK because of the legal option, but when bimbling about I sometimes go for a large locking SAK. I have the new alox farmer X (basically the Huntsman in alox) and it is going great, I like the huntsman but prefer the ranger. but the compact with a dangler clip has the basics for use in the office in home but I like a saw when out and about.

 

[Tiley]

I always carry my alox SAK (the one with scissors and saw...) and, on longer trips where a lot of camping or foreign countries are involved, I look at my Leatherman Skeletool and try to work out whether I'll need the pliers, which are the main attraction of such a tool. Almost always, it stays at home. Why? I don't really know but, thus far, I've never regretted the decision. I suppose that I don't much like the extra tools on the Skeletool as they are only, to my mind, slightly inferior repeats of what is on my SAK. I'd love to find a pair of really good need-nose pliers as I probably would take them, though what I'd use them for, I don't know...

 

[Erbswurst]

In my opinion one needs in the woods a Victorinox Compact, a 10 to 12 cm full tang knife, perhaps in Winter and Spring a folding saw or folding bow saw and perhaps a hatchet.

Only in really cold areas a full size axe seems to be usefull to me.

Such a leatherman multitool can be handy for fishing and for technical equipment like fire arms, snow shoes, ski, and so on.

In my bushcraft equipment for Germany I don't need it and never owned such a tool.