Best Tool for CAMPING

[Leatherman123]

Every year I go camping at least 5 times and what do you guys think the best tool to bring is?

Last year I brought a SURGE. Tough and big blades.. I think I am going to bring a SwissTool this time

[toytoy]

Do you go fishing? Do you drive to the camp ground? Or do you carry a tent with you on foot?

[FredKJ]

I don't know if I would say what the best tool for camping is but I know what should be on it.  A saw is more handy for camping.  Also that hook on the SAK's that everyone wonders about is a great pot bail hook for lifting pots.  Tools for fishing become more important.  Pliers and wrenches that work with things like camping stoves are good.  

[Leatherman123]

I fish, hunt, backpack- I do it all!

[toytoy]

Then you may want to bring a SAK. Surge may not be very useful because you may not need the pliers and screwdrivers. Surge's replaceable saw is also too small. I think a machete or a survival knife and a small SAK may be what you need. A small and cheap flat diamond file may also be helpful.

[GMArthur]

Any plier based multi-tool + a 4-5" fixed blade knife + small hand axe or hatchet.

 Personally I take a LM Super Tool + Chris Reeve Shadow lll + Estwing hand axe when I go camping. If all I'm doing is hiking through the woods I lose the hand axe but add in an Benchmade Axis lock folder like a 520 or 615. If I'm just going fishing I lose the fixed blade because I keep a fixed fillet knife in my tackle bag but keep the LM and the Benchmade.

That is just my routine. Depending on how you hike, fish, and camp you might need more or less gear. A good friend of mine always brings along one of those hand powered chain saws with the two hand loops when he camps. It helps cut bigger firewood faster. Like I said more or less depending on how rustic or modern your outdoor experience is.

[FredKJ]

Machetes, axes, chainsaws, is this camping or building the bridge over the river Kwai?  Pliers can be very useful to field repair a camp stove.  I do usually carry a Buck lockblade for more heavy duty cutting.  A filet blade for fishing would be nice.  A serrated edge is good if you are cutting rope or cord. 

[GMArthur]

Where I camp there isn't any electrical hookups or public showers. A small axe or hand saw is essential if you want to actually cook something over a fire. Getting out of a truck and unloading 400 pounds of propane powered gear is not camping to me.

Just my humble opinion.

Greg

[FredKJ]

Usually deadfall makes  better firewood.  In the wilderness areas of Colorado you'd get in trouble fast starting to down timber.  I use a Zip Ztove which is nice.  It's a small backpacking stove that uses a fan to force air.  It burns as hot as a fuel stove and uses very small amounts of wood.

[toytoy]

I think the point of bringing an EDC with you is that you may want to use it once or twice a week. If you have a well established goal, you may want to bring a dedicated tool and a small multi-tool as a backup.

If you plan to explore a jungle, you bring a machete and a general purpose SAK. If you need to start a camp fire, bring an axe to chop the woods and a general purpose SAK. One dedicated tool and a general purpose tool.

If you really have no idea where you're going to and you have a very limited weight budget, bring one or two biggest and baddest multi-tools with you. "Life was like a box of chocolates. So bring a fondue pot wherever you go for God's sake!"

[FredKJ]

Unless I am going into some Godless drug cartel infested South American jungle I have little use for a machete unless I am in the mountains of Georgia beheading unsuspecting hikers  .  Can't think of much use for one.  If I am car camping I might keep a small hand ax and/or folding saw.  The wrench on the S557 is great for stove repairs and a pair of pliers is good for gear repairs and using as fingers around a fire so I don't get burned.

[crls1]

Hey, what about that Bear Grills knife? 

[ringzero]

Unless I am going into some Godless drug cartel infested South American jungle I have little use for a machete unless I am in the mountains of Georgia beheading unsuspecting hikers  .  Can't think of much use for one.  If I am car camping I might keep a small hand ax and/or folding saw.  The wrench on the S557 is great for stove repairs and a pair of pliers is good for gear repairs and using as fingers around a fire so I don't get burned.

The Zip stove is a really cool approach to wilderness cooking.  I've never owned one, but have cooked using friends' Zip stoves on backpacking trips.  Seem to be reliable and they're certainly light on the trail.

The S557 looks to be a superb tool for backpacking.  Maybe a little heavy, but the pliers and universal wrench really appeal to me for stove repairs.

I wish Wenger would offer a slightly pared down, lighter model with universal wrench and pliers and an inline Phillips.

I've backpacked thousands of miles (total miles over the years, not through-hiking) in the Ozarks, Rockies, Tetons, and Appalachians.

Most of those miles were hiked carrying just an original Leatherman Tool and a Victorinox small Tinker.  Those two tools were sufficient to handle nearly every circumstance that arose along the trail - including emergency repairs to packs, tarps, stoves, etc.  (Can opening always handled with a P38 and dedicated folding scissors in first aid kit.)

Early on a fixed blade knife was carried - usually something with a 4 to 6 inch blade.  Eventually I noticed that the fixed blade knife was hardly ever used to do anything that the Vic or Leatherman couldn't do about as well.  So I stopped carrying a big fixed blade to save weight.

For camping - as opposed to backpacking - the sky's the limit!  Axes, folding saws, multiple knives and multis, folding shovels - why not bring 'em all?

.
     

[Benner]

Every year I go camping at least 5 times and what do you guys think the best tool to bring is?

Last year I brought a SURGE. Tough and big blades.. I think I am going to bring a SwissTool this time

Is that because you no longer have a Surge though?? 

[Leatherman123]

Sure, rub it in!

[Benner]

Sure, rub it in!

 

[Viking]

I would think that your Bear Grylls knife would do nicely while camping.

[Leatherman123]

Yeah, indeed it would. But its going right into my rather large gun vault. I think I am really gonna use it once then put it away. But, I think it may be a user I haven't decided yet!

[Viking]

Any pics yet? 

[WhichDawg]

Any pics yet? 

"YEAH!" and your next post LM123 will be 666!