Mulltitools?

My Victorinox one handed Trekker is my edc, and I used to carry a Leatherman Supertool, but I never used anything but the blades, and occasionally, the saw, so I went back to my Scandis and Vic. I wish the Vic had a corkscrew instead of a Phillips head. I don't think that in my entire inventory, pistol included, there is a Phillips head anywhere. Cant say I've ever needed one off trail...but I've had to do some screwy things to get a wine bottle open once or twice.
 
13 years ago I had a Facility Manager boss who gave all the staff in our dept. a Gerber multi-tool which totaled up to about 15 of us at around $50 each at the time. He said if we got as much use out of them as he did his it would save our college facility budget double or triple the cost of purchase because of time savings. If you were out in the building and saw something that could be remedied by a simple screw to tighten or loose thread to snip then you wouldn't need to go back later. A couple of years later a stray Gerber MT showed up which I held in my desk drawer to let our student workers use if they were tool handy. Now Gerber may not be all the cat's whiskers but for the price they can save your heinie at work, in the woods or on the lake. Plus if it gets dropped overboard or lost in the trash compactor at least it wasn't a Leatherman. Someday if/when I lose this Gerber I will have to break down and pay for a Leatherman to see if I was missing out.
For anyone who is clever you can see a ton of ways that a multi-tool can be put to use. They can't do everything but there's plenty they will do to get you through.
 
When I was a restaurant manager, I did a lot of the routine jobs myself and was never without my Leatherman Wave. I have two multi tools these days: the Wave at home, and in the car, a Swiss Tool. I'd buy another in a minute if I lost either of these. Very handy in the outdoors too, just a bit of a weight issue.
 
Rockywolf said:
When I was a restaurant manager, I did a lot of the routine jobs myself and was never without my Leatherman Wave.
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When I was a post office manager, I did a lot of the routine jobs myself and was never without my offset flat / phillips screwdriver and a small Vice-Grip. Then the Leatherman multitool came along and I've never been without one since. Usually have a SAK handy, but I'll take a multitool if there's a chance I'll need it.
 
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I carry a custom SAK in a pocket sheath with my EDC knife. To be honest, I only use the pliers and the scissors. I have only rarely needed the other tools, so I'm thinking of sending this back to Syph for alteration.
 
All depends on your uses. A multitool is exactly that, multiple tools for the sake of convenience. If you have a specific job for those multiple tools, great. If you don't, they're just dead weight.
My outdoor use for hiking/backpacking is pretty minimal as far as tools go, and certainly does not include various sizes of Phillips and flathead screws, cutting wires, etc. so there's no reason to carry a tool geared in that direction. Similarly, I have a multitool with a bunch of Allen heads and a chain break tool for adjusting and repairing stuff on my bike. I don't carry it for any other activity, just like I don't wear a PFD unless I'm on the water.
 
I tend towards relying on my Victorinox Soldier for EDC, but I do keep a Leatherman Juice S2 in the car. I don't particularly care for the Juice series, but the S2 fits nicely in a Maxpedition 4" x 6" notebook cover that I turned into a semi-EDC emergency kit (I used to carry it in a cargo pocket of my pants back when I was still maintaining ES quals... now it rides in a glovebox). The scissors are it's most-required feature, as the Soldier covers most everything else that comes up.

I'm sort of over-multitooled, and my current favorite is a SwissTool, just because it is so nicely made; sizewise... umm... did I mention that the SwissTool was nicely made?

toc
 
I owned a Leatherman Micra once that I quite liked. It made for a handy pair of snips with built in pokey tool to keep with a pipe. I never replaced it so it can't have been that thrilling though.

I can see merit in some of the larger ones but not really for anything I do. I'd rather carry my SAK Outrider in the sticks, and when I think I may want pliers I take a proper pair of comfy needle nosed pliers. If I'm doing something that involves me having transport then it is far better for me to take the optimal tools for the job rather than compromise with a master of none thing.

I can envisage a scenario in which I might like a tool like that. If I were on skis and was dragging a paulk full of gear including electronics and firearms and mebe some wood burning stove that requires assembly, then I'd give one some serious thought.

Similarly, if anyone remembers that discredited journalist fellow that made out he was a bit of a Kate Aide type, embedded and up close to the action. Well I can definitely see how one could come in handy there to keep the gear rolling and do emergency bodge jobs on mechanical contraptions as well as being a knife. Certainly way better than that laughable HEST solution he came up with anyway.
 
After a buttload of multitools, I found the Victorinox Swisstool Spirit to be the best for me. The only tool that won't painfully pinch the flesh of my hand when using the pliers.
I wanted to like Leatherman's but they just kept biting me.
 
I EDC a Leatherman PS4 or Style PS so it is usually with me on camping trips. If the trip is a hunting trip, I'll take my old-style Leatherman Wave. It can really save the day if you need to do some work on a rifle or bow. It has saved the day on a couple of bicycle camping trips, too. Otherwise, it's too heavy to lug in the backpack.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
For work, I use the Leatherman Rebar.

For the woods, a Victorinox Spirit-X.

The tool selections are the closest to perfect for each job.

bacpacker said:
I have 2 Supertools and a couple of smaller models. My wife and I both have Micra's that get more use than any of the others. to me, if I had to have 1 tool for anything it would fit that role, but I just have a thing about having a proper tool to do a job with. I haven't found many jobs that a multitool ended up being the proper tool.
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IMO, multitoolsa re fo jobs you may have to do occasionally, not for jobs you know you'll have to do.

bacpacker said:
All that said, what does any/everyone think about the Leatherman MUT. I was thinking it would be a good addition to the range bag.
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For range/tactical use, the MUT can't be beat. I would recommend getting the accessory bit set and the other punch sizes for pistols that go with it. The only complaint I have is that it has a wood saw, which I don't see as a great choice for its intended role. I think is combination toothed and diamond file would have been a better choice. The knife on it is a lot beefier, and useful for a general purpose blade, like people already overloaded with gear -- like soldiers.
 
desmobob said:
I EDC a Leatherman PS4 or Style PS so it is usually with me on camping trips.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
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For EDC, I pack both the Swiss Spirit and the Leatherman Crunch. The Crunch is better suited to typical office, motorpool or other mechanical repairs. The Swiss Spirit is an excellent tool for the outdoors, but because of the weight, I don’t often pack it.



For backpacking where I do a little fly fishing, I’ve found the Leatherman PS4, CS and even the Gerber Dime microtools to be very functional with just what I need.





ROCK6
 
As I use my Leatherman Wave and/or Rebar everyday at work, I rarely ever use them when out of doors.
 
I have 2 origional Leatherman Supertools, but I usually carry a Vic Delux Tinker, I have a pouch for it but I usually carry it in my pocket. ftd
 
I found my Leatherman Sidekick to be pretty handy on my last camping trip. I also have a ST300 but I haven't used it yet.
 
I have used or carried a multitool of some sort almost daily for going on 15 years. Started with Gerber and then moved to Leatherman. I stayed with Leatherman for several years and they served me well. Then I got a job as a travelling heavy equipment mechanic and the Leatherman tools started breaking. I never overly abused them, but I have broke the jaws on two and with my last Wave all the interchangeable bits disappeared. This led me to try a Swisstool and have not nor will I ever look back. The ergonomics are not quite as good, but the overall build quality seems a lot better. I have had the Swisstool for the longest now and am very fond of it. I also find the multitool a indispensable piece of equipment for camping and outdoor use. The saw is very functional, and there is always a need for the pliers. Plus you have the smaller blade for more detailed work rather than getting out the fixed. Even though I am now a stay at home dad I use a multitool at least weekly for something around here.
 
I carry my leatherman wave occasionally but most of the time it just rides in the console of my truck. I always have a herbed solstice on my keys as well. It had a flat and Phillips driver, scissors, a can opener and a bottle opener. I don't worry about it not having a knife as I always have one folder or another on me, usually one of my kershaws, but lately one of my friction folders I have started making. If I am out in the bush I also carry a medium to large fixed blade.
 
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