As I plan to focus more on the outdoors and activities such as walking, hiking and cycling, I will also pay more attention to appropriate gear. Having the proper gear can make the difference between a disastrous and a successful trip. The expert contributor to this informative post on travel multi tools is Morry Banes from Best Multi Tool Kit.
A well chosen, slick multi tool is a perfect sidekick for your travel, and essential adventure gear for any trip.
It can get you out of some tight spots and a variety of situations when dedicated tools are simply not an option. Choosing the one that’ll have every single function you’ll ever need can be a little tricky though.
That’s what this article is all about – I’ll guide you through the most important steps when buying the best multi tool for your needs. Steps that can determine whether you’ll successfully fix anything anywhere or just get stranded because you picked a wrong multi tool for the job.
Steps?
Well, yeah. There are several things you must ask yourself before buying anything, multi tool included.
You can’t go wrong with a high-priced multi tool coming from a proven manufacturer. The main thing is whether that multi tool is good FOR YOU. Is it capable of answering properly to every need that you may have during your travels or not?
I can help you only so far by giving you these essential tips, you’ll have to do the rest by thinking through what jobs this multi tool will encounter on your adventures.
Let’s get to work.
How to Choose the Perfect Multi Tool for Your Travels
First step: How do you intend to carry it?
Imagine the following scenario; you’re just chilling at the beach when you notice the screw fell out of your eyeglasses. No worries, your trusty multi tool will take care of it. Oh, wait! Your trusty multi tool weighs 2 pounds and pockets are kind of scarce on your swimsuit.
Multi tool is as good as your willingness and ability to carry it around. Having one with 100+ tools is great but if you can’t carry it with you, not so much. This first step is all about finding the best multi tool to fit your life perfectly.
So, let’s look at some options we have here:
- Keychain multi tools – They’re smaller but very handy since you take your set of keys everywhere with you, right? The general idea is to sacrifice some of the ability in the name of portability. The most versatile and rugged keychain multi tool is Leatherman PS4 as far as I’m concerned.
- Pocket multi tools – They tend to be heavier and bigger. They still fit your pocket quite easily, or your backpack/purse/briefcase/messenger bag. They generally come with larger sets of tools and they give you additional heavier duty capabilities. I’m talking about the pliers primarily here. The general rule of thumb here is a manageable size, good capabilities and overall strength of the tool. Leatherman Juice is the very definition of this category.
- Belt multi tools – This is what you would call a big daddy category. Transportable package, featuring real tools, full-size pliers and replaceable wire cutters. These can fit your pocket sometimes, but wearing them on your hip in a sheath is more recommendable. The point here is not increasing the number of tools, so bigger multi tools will often feature about the same amount of functions as their smaller counterparts. SOG Powerlock 2.0 is a classic representative of this category.
- One-piece multi tools – They were popularized by the company called Piranha, later bought by Leatherman. They are flat, slim and basically a single piece of steel. They can be clipped virtually anywhere, onto a belt loop, keys, a bike, a bag… They’re very handy, for sure, but their application is quite limited being what they are, a single lump of metal. They’ll serve you as a box wrench, a flat screwdriver or a scraper tool, and that’s pretty much it. Atwood Pry baby is a solid example for this category.
Second step: Identify your needs
This is what I said in the beginning. You want a multi tool that will serve YOUR needs specifically.
This article can point you in the right direction, but even when your mind settles on a specific type of a multi tool, do some more research, read multi tool reviews and see if you can find yourself in the experiences of other people. No better judges for a product then the people using it.
So, before wiping out any cash or credit cards you should ask yourself how will you use your new multi tool. Whether you’ll want one to work on your bike, to repair your eyeglasses, work with some electronics in your car or even maintain your bow, you’ll want to figure all that out before shopping. First, make a list of your most common and most problematic field repairs. Then make a list of emergencies you would like to be able to handle with your new multi tool. All that’s left now is to shop according to your lists. Simple and effective.
There are two paths from here:
- You should first try and find a specialized tool for your needs, if there is one. For example, if you’re all about safety when you’re driving and want to be prepared for all kinds of things, including accidents, Leatherman Z-Rex comes equipped with a window breaker and a strap cutter. That’s just one example to illustrate what I’m talking about.
- Specialized tool isn’t fitting the bill? Then try and find the toolset that matches your needs as closely as possible. Leatherman Style PS comes to mind. It features a little flat driver, perfect for those annoying little screws on your eyeglasses. There are also scissors for trimming that torn fingernail and bottle opener for saving that slot on your keychain. A saw is a very handy tool for us outdoors kind of people too.
Third step: Avoid the marketing strategies and bad products mimicking as high quality ones
Intuitive? Maybe, but let me say it just the same. Here are some helpful tips:
- Steer clear of anything featuring a flashlight. You can buy a good flashlight to fit your keychain that won’t fail you when the time comes and save money along the way.
- Anything that fits your wallet and is sold at the gas station and is made by some “never heard of it” company is a big red flag also.
- You want tools coming from Leatherman, Victorinox, SOG, Gerber and other recognizable brands. You don’t want to find out you bought a weak tin pliers while you’re stranded on the side of the road, trying to fix your car, do you?
- Don’t buy knock-offs! They’re just false economy. You’ll save a few bucks and feel great, right up until the time you need to use it. Once it fails miserably, you’ll just feel silly.
- You want a basic toolset without any additional features and functions. They’re just added complication and potential failure points.
Fourth step: Pick your multi tool
Nothing much to say here. You’re equipped with knowledge now. So, get out there and find your perfect travel companion that will never let you down.
Travel safely and take care.
Joie Gahum
Wednesday 6th of September 2017
Pick the keychain tool. Its the lightest thing to carry. one good brand is roadeavour. Unless you really need one that is heavier like pocket multi tools.