which tools??

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grobe

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Aug 18, 2005
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i recently completed a cross country trip hiking and camping in most of the major national park/wilderness areas. i have a gb small forest, mora clipper, and spyderco delica that i used exclusively. what i didn't use was the leatherman wave, and my rd7. now, the rd7 is staying, because i like to use it occasionally. but the wave sees very little use. how many of you carry multi-tools when you are woodsbumming/camping and which implements are used the most?? i'm thinking of getting rid of the wave, just because i never use it. i'd also like to get an ontario 12" machete so that i have that option as well, do you guys prefer the econo, d-handle or original?? what tools/knives do you guys commonly carry and which do you actually use??
 
I always use my on someone else's Wave while backpacking and or camping. It handles hot pots and bails, has a good backup saw and you cane make stuff with wire if you have to. It has a can opener, screwdrivers, a fine/course that you can use in a pinch to touch up your hatchet. For me it's a no brainer. If you're getting a 12" machete, don't you think the RD7 is redundant?
 
i wouldn't carry both the rd and the ontario. i've just seen so many guys rave about the ontario that i figured i get one and try it out.
 
What I carry is as much determined by what I love to carry as by what I actually use.

However...

If I had to head out for a week in the forest tomorrow, I'd seriously consider a Bahco Laplander folding saw, Mora 2000, and Benchmade Griptilian.

I sometimes carry a hatchet, but there's little real call to use it for cooking fires. The Mora and Benchmade give me a fixed-blade I'm not afraid to use hard and a convenient one-hander that I trust.

I'd give serious thought to toenail clippers, a good pair of scissors, and maybe to a scalpel blade for medical emergencies.

I carry a Leatherman SideClip pretty regularly, but I've just never needed it in the woods.

The only thing missing here is a last-ditch survival knife that has all the tools I'd need to make shelter and traps. Maybe I'd slip a SAK Trekker into a pocket or into my PSK. But really... Figure-4 traps are probably not something I need to make even in an emergency.

Bear
 
I tend to agree that the Wave isn't great for woods duty. I have the Wave as well, and just have a hard time justifying the weight when I don't use it that often. It's good for handling cookware, as mentioned, but I have a bandanna for that which weighs a lot less. I do like the saw and a few of the other smaller tools, but I feel like the Vic Farmer would take care of all that without the weight.

I don't have a Farmer right now (would like one) so the Wave generally ends up in the pack by default.

Now, I definitely see how you'd absolutely have it on you if you were do anything whatsoever with a mechanical device. Boats, bikes, cars, ATVs, etc would make the Wave indispensable. But for woods work, it just doesn't seem to have that many indications.

Awesome in the city, not perfect in the woods. YMMV...
 
I have a WAVE and I like it alot but I don't carry it in the woods and haven't ever missed it there. I do take it "to" the woods, but it stays in the car. I have used it many times for car repair and they really come in handy if you have to do a ton of odd little fix-it jobs. At our rural camp property it is in my hand more than in its case.

The machete is a great tool. I have the standard heavier 12 inch Ontario, but I use my Tramontinas more often, mainly because we can get awesome sheaths for them here and I have a "golf bag" assortment of Tramontinas to choose from.

For me at least there is a big difference between camping in park land in designated areas and camping in the bush. Not to minimize your experience at all, sounds like the trip of a lifetime. The bush requires alot more ground/brush clearing and for that I think you'll find a machete is just the ticket.

My typical tools: 14 - 16 inch Tramontina (on my pack), Small fixed blade scandi (Currently a Skookum Bush Tool, but I'm a big Mora fan). I also will alternate the machete for a BK-7 and the scandi for a Newt Livesay NRGS neck knife. Mac
 
I carry my wave virtually everywhere I go, it is sort of my security blanket. I agree, I almost never use it in the woods and probably don't need it but I still carry it. Chris
 
we actually did backcountry camping (backpacking), which is what i generally prefer. not much brush clearing as it was all protected land and there were plenty of places clean enough of underbrush to make camp. i haven't had the chance to explore any jungle type environs as of yet, but am looking forward to it.
 
I downgraded from the Wave to the little P4. Mainly so I have something to repair my glasses if a screw comes loose and to have some useable tools just in case you find useable debris in a survival situation. The Wave is way too heavy for what it is as far as a woods tool. The only thing I miss though is a saw but I usually carry a hatchet or a pruning saw anyway.
 
Camping wise I almost never use my Wave, but my camping is always combined with fishing, so I always wear it for removing hooks.

I wear it and use it just about every day in the city.

I suppose if I wear just camping or hiking I would put it in the pack so I didn't have too much on my belt, but I don't think I would leave it at home, you never know when it will come in handy.
 
If you just take a LM wave and a chopper, then you will use it more often. I find the weight is justified if you leave a extra knife at home, like the rd7. Sometime I just carry the LM and a hatchet when I'm the woods camping, fishing, and hiking. I do occassionally carry a folder, but that stays in the pack most of the time.
 
I agree That the Wave is kind of heavy for Backpacking, I have one and love it and I do use it Hiking/backpacking, I have tried using other smaller tools but end up carrying multiple just to make sure I have what the wave has. I must admit I am thinking of getting one of the lighter leathermans. The Blast is a few ounces lighter and has most of the same tools without some of the redundancies.

I like your set up, all quality choices, If I had to lighten your load I would look to eliminate one of knives most likeley the clipper. The Delica and RD7 could handle all of the chores just fine, and an upgrade to an Endura would be even better.
 
EmsRescueGuy said:
There are alot of leathermans available that might fit your bill better than the wave.
Click to expand...

I agree. I too carry a Charge or Wave as EDC and I have carried it outdoors on several trips, but it doesn't see much use. I really like the saw better on my SAK anyways, so there's even less reason to carry it when doing longer hikes. Since I still like having the option of needle nose pliers, I just purchased a purple XE6 Juice for my wife...so she carries it:D A making her guilty for thinking about not bringing along her "gift" weighs absolutely nothing for me!:D

ROCK6
 
grobe said:
i recently completed a cross country trip hiking and camping in most of the major national park/wilderness areas. i have a gb small forest, mora clipper, and spyderco delica that i used exclusively. what i didn't use was the leatherman wave, and my rd7. now, the rd7 is staying, because i like to use it occasionally. but the wave sees very little use. how many of you carry multi-tools when you are woodsbumming/camping and which implements are used the most?? i'm thinking of getting rid of the wave, just because i never use it. i'd also like to get an ontario 12" machete so that i have that option as well, do you guys prefer the econo, d-handle or original?? what tools/knives do you guys commonly carry and which do you actually use??
Click to expand...

I have a leatherman that I carry, but little use of anything except the pliers on occassion.
 
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