Multi
- Thread starter Mrdi
- Start date
My favorite is the leatherman Super Tool mainly because all the blades/tools lock. The Schrade Tool, IMO, is very poor quality. I have both (Along with the original leatherman tool) and the Super is always close by while the Schrade is in the trunk.
Chris
Chris
MicroE
Enlightened
I'll cast my vote for the Leatherman Wave. I have two and they are high quality and do whatever is needed.
I also have a Leatherman Juice (the yellow one) and it stays in my bike's pack in case of breakdowns.---Marc
I also have a Leatherman Juice (the yellow one) and it stays in my bike's pack in case of breakdowns.---Marc
Gone Jeepin
Enlightened
Mrdi,
I have a number of multis, Wave, Juice CS4, Squirt P4, Micra, Gerber, and a SwissTool X. I think that if I could only own 1 tool and had to give up all the rest, regardless of size, I would keep my Swiss Tool X. It is simply the best tool. I would go on to say that the Wave was the best before I got the Swiss Tool X. I carry the Juice CS4 as an EDC quite a bit because on a regular basis the weight of the Swiss Tool or Wave is a bit much.
For a trip like yours I go with what you said about a good primary knife and tweezers. I would add a Swiss Tool to the list and possibly a small model like the Leatherman Squirt P4. A second and much smaller multi gives you more options for very little weight or bulk. I hope that you also have another knife to back up your primary. I think a SAK would fill the role well. They are affordable, reliable and you can select one with just a few tools or all the way up to a Swiss Champ or Work Champ.
I know others would also tell you that multis are about pliers and a SAK is really about the tools. I think that you get the most when using a combination of both. There are jobs too nasty and dirty for what I want to put my SAK through, so I would use a multi instead and not worry too much. Different sized SAKs and mulits go together well too... A Soldier with a Wave or Juice model. A Swiss Tool X with a small SAK like a Rambler or Mini Champ. A SAK Huntsmen and a Micra. You get the idea. Mix it up and try it out before the trip. That you will be more comfortable with your gear when you are in Costa Rica.
Let us know what you decide on taking with you.
I have a number of multis, Wave, Juice CS4, Squirt P4, Micra, Gerber, and a SwissTool X. I think that if I could only own 1 tool and had to give up all the rest, regardless of size, I would keep my Swiss Tool X. It is simply the best tool. I would go on to say that the Wave was the best before I got the Swiss Tool X. I carry the Juice CS4 as an EDC quite a bit because on a regular basis the weight of the Swiss Tool or Wave is a bit much.
For a trip like yours I go with what you said about a good primary knife and tweezers. I would add a Swiss Tool to the list and possibly a small model like the Leatherman Squirt P4. A second and much smaller multi gives you more options for very little weight or bulk. I hope that you also have another knife to back up your primary. I think a SAK would fill the role well. They are affordable, reliable and you can select one with just a few tools or all the way up to a Swiss Champ or Work Champ.
I know others would also tell you that multis are about pliers and a SAK is really about the tools. I think that you get the most when using a combination of both. There are jobs too nasty and dirty for what I want to put my SAK through, so I would use a multi instead and not worry too much. Different sized SAKs and mulits go together well too... A Soldier with a Wave or Juice model. A Swiss Tool X with a small SAK like a Rambler or Mini Champ. A SAK Huntsmen and a Micra. You get the idea. Mix it up and try it out before the trip. That you will be more comfortable with your gear when you are in Costa Rica.
Let us know what you decide on taking with you.
Gone Jeepin
Enlightened
I forgot to mention one other point about the pliers. The Leatherman line are the best shaped pliers on the market I think. The Gerber are blunt nose style and of limited use. The Swiss Tool (my favorite overall) are a needle nose design, however, some say that they are too short. Check out the Equipped to Survive web site and read the reviews on the multis. It may help.
tylerdurden
Flashlight Enthusiast
As far as leathermans go, the Pulse is the best in my book. All of the tools lock *and* it has the more comfortable rounded handles. It doesn't quite have as many tools as the Wave, and you have to unfold the entire tool to get to the blades, but the positives outweigh the negatives for me.
I EDC the Pulse on my belt (I even wear it with formal wear), and I also carry a Micra in my pocket, since it has tweezers and better sissors. I used to carry the Micra on my keys, but I found it too big (I try to keep the keychain pretty minimal).
I EDC the Pulse on my belt (I even wear it with formal wear), and I also carry a Micra in my pocket, since it has tweezers and better sissors. I used to carry the Micra on my keys, but I found it too big (I try to keep the keychain pretty minimal).
Wingerr
Flashlight Enthusiast
I also carry the Pulse because of the locking tools, which I consider mandatory. I have a couple of Super Tools (older version), which I carried previously, but went to the Pulse just in the interest of downsizing.
I just got a Schrade Tough Tool ST1, and I haven't used it much yet. It seems to have a good set of pliers, easily up to any task, but just isn't as sleek folded up- very
w-i-d-e... I do find the profile of the Leatherman pliers the most versatile and useful also. The profile of the screwdrivers are more rounded than the Leathermans, so they may tend to have less bite. The key tools do lock, and the release mechanism is easier than either of the Leathermans I have, which is good.
I've also got a Leatherman P4, which is useful, but there are things it just wouldn't be able to handle, so I'd consider it more as a backup.
Leatherman also has excellent customer service, should you manage to need it (I did once, admittedly by using the tiny screwdriver inappropriately for prying..).
Haven't had any experience with the SwissTool, but it sounds interesting-
I just got a Schrade Tough Tool ST1, and I haven't used it much yet. It seems to have a good set of pliers, easily up to any task, but just isn't as sleek folded up- very
w-i-d-e... I do find the profile of the Leatherman pliers the most versatile and useful also. The profile of the screwdrivers are more rounded than the Leathermans, so they may tend to have less bite. The key tools do lock, and the release mechanism is easier than either of the Leathermans I have, which is good.
I've also got a Leatherman P4, which is useful, but there are things it just wouldn't be able to handle, so I'd consider it more as a backup.
Leatherman also has excellent customer service, should you manage to need it (I did once, admittedly by using the tiny screwdriver inappropriately for prying..).
Haven't had any experience with the SwissTool, but it sounds interesting-
keithhr
Flashlight Enthusiast
I use the Juice KF4, I believe the perfect in between size at 3 1/4" but feels like a real tool as opposed to the micra tool at 2 1/2". I carry it in my back pocket and don't require a sheath like the bigger leatherman.I bought it on ebay for $30 plus shipping. Most of the tools can be accessed with the tool closed, but not the pliers of course.
flownosaj
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have both the Leatherman wave and the Gerber Urban Legend.
I like the one handed operation of the Wave for access to the blades. The edges of the handle have been rounded down and fit comfortably. My only concern is that it's gotten a little "loose" when using the pliers and it tends to have a little twist to it, but I doubt it will fail me.
I haven't had much use of the Gerber as my wife took it. From what I got to see of it, it was well made, and had a similar tool compliment to the Wave. The plier head seemed a little too bulky for me. Otherwise, it was nearly $20 less than my Wave and seemed to be just as sturdy.
-Jason
I like the one handed operation of the Wave for access to the blades. The edges of the handle have been rounded down and fit comfortably. My only concern is that it's gotten a little "loose" when using the pliers and it tends to have a little twist to it, but I doubt it will fail me.
I haven't had much use of the Gerber as my wife took it. From what I got to see of it, it was well made, and had a similar tool compliment to the Wave. The plier head seemed a little too bulky for me. Otherwise, it was nearly $20 less than my Wave and seemed to be just as sturdy.
-Jason
mvario
Newly Enlightened
I use a Gerber 600 blunt. For me, being able to get the pliers out and open with one hand has been a huge plus on multiple occassions.
Josh
Flashlight Enthusiast
The new gerbers (except the legend) are great! I beat the snot out of mine and it holds up fine. The newest can change pliers styles, if you are going to fish down there I suggest the fishermans model with carbide inserts.
My favorite multitools are all Leathermans. I love the various Juice tools, and also the Crunch. The SwissTool is also an excellent multitool, but I find it to be a little too bulky and heavy for carry outside the house.
Mark_van_Gorkom
Enlightened
Got a Swisstool with bitset (and corkscrew) and can wholeheartedly recommend it. Better quality than Leatherman, more tools (including scissors and a halfway decent metal saw) and very convenient to use (one-handed with a bit of practice).
Expensive and heavy though, but you get used to the latter.
Have a Leather Juice S2 wich is fine for fiddly stuff, but not very well made.
Mark van Gorkom.
Expensive and heavy though, but you get used to the latter.
Have a Leather Juice S2 wich is fine for fiddly stuff, but not very well made.
Mark van Gorkom.
Leatherman Pulse is the ticket. Perfectly sized. Not too heavy to carry. Locking tools (important). Scissors(yeah!) Screwdriver blades are the best of the multi-tools.
I used the old Leatherman PST for many years. In fact, I rewired much of an old house with one. However, the screwdrivers and blade would fold down on my finger. Also, no scissors which are almost more useful than the knife. The Pulse corrects all the flaws in the original Leatherman but does end up omitting the awl.
I also have a Sog Powerlock. It's fantastic with the interchangeable tools & 1/4" drive. I love it but it's huge. Nearly twice the size of the Pulse. It stays at home a lot.
I used the old Leatherman PST for many years. In fact, I rewired much of an old house with one. However, the screwdrivers and blade would fold down on my finger. Also, no scissors which are almost more useful than the knife. The Pulse corrects all the flaws in the original Leatherman but does end up omitting the awl.
I also have a Sog Powerlock. It's fantastic with the interchangeable tools & 1/4" drive. I love it but it's huge. Nearly twice the size of the Pulse. It stays at home a lot.
Seems like I've owned most every muli-tool on the market at some time, and I still like the old SOG Paratool and the Original leatherman the best for my purposes. But then each tool is really designed for a different purpose, so it's hard to say which one is the best. There are a lot of new improvements and features on some of the latest ones, but just like with everything else, once something really catches on, it's only a matter of time before the market is flooded with useless features. I think someone used the term "creeping featurism" to describe what happens to things like this.
The reason I like the SOG is because it's relatively small (like the original leatherman), and that's probably the most important priority on my list. Anything larger, and i proabably wouldn't carry it. And it can be opened one handed if necessary. I thought that would a really useful feature, but I wouldn't say it's an absolute necessity. But it doesn't have the locking features like some of the newer ones, which could be good or bad. I prefer the smaller size to having locking instruments, because I only use it for emergencies or quick repairs, when I don't have access to other tools. I figure, if you're going to be using the tool a lot, doesnt' matter which tool you have, it's better to carry a regular knife or screwdriver with you, rather than one of these multi-tools. No multi-tool is going to be able to take the place of a single purpose tool for ease of use or comfort.
I also had a the old gerber multi-tool, I like the one-handed openeing feature, but the pliers were useless when opened. The handles were parallel when closed, so it would always pinch my hand when using it, and it was hard to get a good grip on things. I think they fixed that problem, but I still didn't like the quality of the tool. Everything seemed kinda loose, and if I used it too hard, i think I probably would've broken it. And it was pretty large compared to the previous two.
definitely check out equipped.org for some really good reviews.
Whatever tool you choose, just try not to get caught up with all the latest gizmos and stuff. Most of that stuff will just end up being dead weight in your pocket, or worse yet, you'll just end up leaving it at home because it's too big and heavy (I have a lot of experience with this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif ). The same thing happened with Swiss army knives, they just kept getting bigger and heavier, with more features I'd never use. It almost became a competition to see who could pack the most useless stuff between two red slabs of plastic.
Oh yeah, one more thing. I might be the only one who would suggest buying those cheap $5 knock offs, but they do serve a purpose. You could buy a couple of those to take with you, they're really nice to have when you don't want to lose your $70 tool, or if you need to abuse it a little. Just think of it as disposable tooling. I can think of many times I was glad to use one of those instead of my own tool.
The reason I like the SOG is because it's relatively small (like the original leatherman), and that's probably the most important priority on my list. Anything larger, and i proabably wouldn't carry it. And it can be opened one handed if necessary. I thought that would a really useful feature, but I wouldn't say it's an absolute necessity. But it doesn't have the locking features like some of the newer ones, which could be good or bad. I prefer the smaller size to having locking instruments, because I only use it for emergencies or quick repairs, when I don't have access to other tools. I figure, if you're going to be using the tool a lot, doesnt' matter which tool you have, it's better to carry a regular knife or screwdriver with you, rather than one of these multi-tools. No multi-tool is going to be able to take the place of a single purpose tool for ease of use or comfort.
I also had a the old gerber multi-tool, I like the one-handed openeing feature, but the pliers were useless when opened. The handles were parallel when closed, so it would always pinch my hand when using it, and it was hard to get a good grip on things. I think they fixed that problem, but I still didn't like the quality of the tool. Everything seemed kinda loose, and if I used it too hard, i think I probably would've broken it. And it was pretty large compared to the previous two.
definitely check out equipped.org for some really good reviews.
Whatever tool you choose, just try not to get caught up with all the latest gizmos and stuff. Most of that stuff will just end up being dead weight in your pocket, or worse yet, you'll just end up leaving it at home because it's too big and heavy (I have a lot of experience with this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif ). The same thing happened with Swiss army knives, they just kept getting bigger and heavier, with more features I'd never use. It almost became a competition to see who could pack the most useless stuff between two red slabs of plastic.
Oh yeah, one more thing. I might be the only one who would suggest buying those cheap $5 knock offs, but they do serve a purpose. You could buy a couple of those to take with you, they're really nice to have when you don't want to lose your $70 tool, or if you need to abuse it a little. Just think of it as disposable tooling. I can think of many times I was glad to use one of those instead of my own tool.
Try using the phillips head of the original Leatherman. Put just little pressure on it (like you need to do for many screws). It will fold right up on you nearly every time.
Also, I find that I am much happier with a locking blade after having several non-locking folding knives fold up and cut my fingers. With any kind of serious work, you will eventually use the knife in a slightly off-canter cut...that is where the non-locking knives will turn on you. I had one folder flip around and embed itself up to the hilt in my forearm, requiring 8 stitches. After switching to locking blades, I haven't had any such problems and feel much more in control of the blade.
Also, I find that I am much happier with a locking blade after having several non-locking folding knives fold up and cut my fingers. With any kind of serious work, you will eventually use the knife in a slightly off-canter cut...that is where the non-locking knives will turn on you. I had one folder flip around and embed itself up to the hilt in my forearm, requiring 8 stitches. After switching to locking blades, I haven't had any such problems and feel much more in control of the blade.
JonSidneyB
Flashlight Enthusiast
if you want to include crecent wrench and screwdrive that seperates, check the spyder wrench
Mark_van_Gorkom
Enlightened
The Pdyderench is a very clever and original design, but not very well executed, and IMHO only suited to complement a "conventional" multitool. I found the moveable jaw of crescent wrench has to much play to work on stubborn bolts/nuts, and the pliers are a bit too short and blunt. the various screwdriver bits canb be fiddlesome too.
I have a Leatherman Super Tool and Juice S2, a Victorinox CS + and a Spyderench; the only time when I'm not carrying the Victorinox is when I'm reasonbly certain I won't need any kind of tool (so I just carry the Juisce, just in case...). Used to have a Gerber too, but gave it away; no problem opening a Victorinox one-handed (and most of the tools too).
I have a Leatherman Super Tool and Juice S2, a Victorinox CS + and a Spyderench; the only time when I'm not carrying the Victorinox is when I'm reasonbly certain I won't need any kind of tool (so I just carry the Juisce, just in case...). Used to have a Gerber too, but gave it away; no problem opening a Victorinox one-handed (and most of the tools too).
