Best pocket outdoor/survival tool?

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Hi everyone...  as a purely mental exercise (since I'm on the tool/torch/gadget wagon for now), what do you think would be the best single MT (I'm also considering SAKs to be MT's here), to have if you were lost in the woods, or otherwise in some sort of survival/self-rescue situation?

It must be pocketable (I know that means different things to different people), but be reasonable.  Or, able to fit in one of the loops of a MaxPed Mini or Micro EDC Organizer, and so on.  I'm thinking something like a Work Champ or a Wave, etc., to be too big. 

I've been thinking that something like a Juice CS4 would be a possibility, or a Vic Huntsman, or a Wenger S17 or S18. 

Talk amongst yourselves!   

[Suveges]

i'd go with Vic Hercules or Leatherman Charge.  Both on the big side but would probably handle all your needs.

[Zed]

I carried a wave for years for camping (old model and new) and found it perfect,although i have used a huntsman as well and also a good tool, these days i would probably use between my powerlock (although a little hefty) or more then likely my ppp with a saw added, 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

A bit left field perhaps, but I'd say a Vic Farmer as it's seriously robust, and small enough to garentee you'd have it on you at all times

[AimlessWanderer]

I've been thinking about this myself which led me to buy the Bear Grylls kit with tweaked Strata, firesteel and torch. Not a bad little kit at all to be honest, and is very comfortable belt carried.

There are a couple of other considerations though and the next one I'm hoping to get hold of and consider for this role is a Wenger Rangergrip 90. Much larger tool, and many will say not pocketable. That said, if the SHTF out and about I'd want the biggest saw it is sensible to carry. The pliers should be adequate for pulling thorns, effecting repairs to personal kit etc, same with the file. Huge OHO blade would undoubtedly be a bonus, and if you discount the bit driver in the handle and associated loose bits, there's no unnecessary drivers weighing you down.

It's pricey, it's big, and it's heavy - but I believe (hope) you get good value for all those crinkly beer vouchers, and all that extra weight will make life so much easier if things go wappy. It'll be a while before I get it, but I fully intend doing a review on it when it lands 

[Gareth]

If we're thinking 'stuck out in the wilderness' then I've always felt that pliers are just an extra burden with not much benefit.  A good knife is really the thing you need.  That said, a saw is very handy as well so something like the Vic Trekker, Rucksack or Forrester would be my choice.

[AimlessWanderer]

Personally I do want pliers as I do not have much strength in my fingers, so I find them very useful even out in a woods/wilderness setting. It makes sewing of tough materials (repairing a pack etc) easier, plus wire bending, handling hot items on a fire/stove and various other little tasks. Even simple stuff like when HK stood on that real thorny twig at the meet - having pliers to get them out is just so much easier. That's not even considering fishing if that's part of your kit. I don't think the pliers need to be big, but I personally wouldn't want to be without them.

Just my take on it though, I understand others might prefer to go without for reduced weight 

[ducttapetech]

hands down it would be a CT41 or a Leatherman Surge. And yes i do pocket carry them. Sometimes i might use a case, but rarely. Either one of these tools can handle anything thrown at it.

[Lynn LeFey]

I'd go with a Trekker. If space was a serious issue, drop down to a Hiker or Camper. I have to say in my experience, the things I've needed most are blade, followed some distance off by saw, followed a GREAT distance off by a good awl/reamer. After that, you kind of get away from NEED, and get to WANT.

One of the benefits of the smaller 91mm SAKs is that extra blade. That's a nice bit of insurance, IMO, and one of the things I find just a little bit sad in its absence on the larger Trekker.

I like pliers, but can live without them.

If they made the PST with a saw, instead of file, I think it'd be an excellent survival tool. It's light, super-simple design, mostly great combination of tools, but saw beats file in the need department for a survival tool.

I'm still looking to answer this question for myself, so I reserve the right to change my answer in light of future testing.

Pliers are useful enough that I almost feel like a Vic knife AND a little 2oz plier-based keychain multitool might be the best answer.

[Gareth]

Just thinking that the LM Sidekick might be a good option for light, pocket sized, knife and saw combo.

[enki_ck]

A bit left field perhaps, but I'd say a Vic Farmer as it's seriously robust, and small enough to garentee you'd have it on you at all times

I always thought of the Vic GAK/Safari Trooper as the bigger version of the Farmer +a corkscrew. The saw on it simply eats through wood, it's more aggressive than any other saw on a multi and does the job fast. It was my main woods/camping knife for years.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Wow... great discussion guys!     Lots of good thinking!

I was thinking about this because I thought it might be handy to have a small kit I could keep in a pocket, like in a MaxPed EDC, for when I'm out camping, hiking, etc., and away from my pack / camp I'd have something with me if I were to get lost, injured, and so on.

My thoughts have been similar to most of you guys' points so far...  I'd definitely want a knife blade and a saw.  I normally find the small saws to be useless for EDC, but in the woods, I'd rather have a 91 mm saw than nothing.  Pliers would definitely be a nicety to have, as well as scissors, but I think one could manage without them.  That's why I thought a CS4 would work well in such a role, because it has a good pair of pliers, a great pair of scissors, a small saw blade, and a corkscrew (which I find very useful for working with cord and as a pointy-pokey-gougey tool), as well as the blade, and it's not much bigger than a Swiss Champ. 

Let's keep this going!  I'm heading out this afternoon for a couple of nights of hiking with my son, but I'll miss you guys while I'm gone, and am looking forward to reading what you all have posted when I get back.   

[AimlessWanderer]

The best thing about having a corkscrew on board is not the pokey gougy cordworking aspects for me, but the ability to add an eyeglasses driver. Getting in a tizz in the middle of nowhere is bad enough without having impared vision because my glasses have collapsed  I like kit far too much to do that whole ultralight thing. I've had wierd stuff go wrong on me so many times, that now I like to have a full set of options for when things go bizzarre again 

People often think about wilderness/woodland survival as being just about working with the natural materials, but what about clothes, boots, specs, backpack ... you. What about finding something that's been dumped that might be salvagable / useful with a bit of tweaking/modding.

Finding an old tin can will let you boil water if your own pot is lost/damaged. Earth/sand will clean off the rust & residue, and heat will purify it, but a file will help get rid of those sharp edges and pliers will help hold it if hot. Out and about I've had pack failure, boot failure, glasses failure, stove failure (not all at the same time  ). I've been on an island without trees salvaging driftwood for firewood, with nothing other than a 4" knife, rocks, fire and inginuity to try and process it. I've been lost and cold and tired and failing to think straight. I've been taken ill while out and about on my own.

None of these were survival scenarios as they all had very easy plan B's in place, but they all made me think ... if this was REAL could I deal with it? Now I want pliers, and scissors, and superglue, and duck tape, and ... and ... and ... Kit isn't the solution to all ills, but it certainly makes things easier, and I am prepared to lug a little extra weight around everywhere in order to have peace of mind and something to work with if things get bad.

Enjoy the trip Paul

[jzmtl]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

[AimlessWanderer]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

Rangergrip 90 - I got one on the way 

[Zed]

I'd go with a Trekker. If space was a serious issue, drop down to a Hiker or Camper. I have to say in my experience, the things I've needed most are blade, followed some distance off by saw, followed a GREAT distance off by a good awl/reamer. After that, you kind of get away from NEED, and get to WANT.

One of the benefits of the smaller 91mm SAKs is that extra blade. That's a nice bit of insurance, IMO, and one of the things I find just a little bit sad in its absence on the larger Trekker.

I like pliers, but can live without them.

If they made the PST with a saw, instead of file, I think it'd be an excellent survival tool. It's light, super-simple design, mostly great combination of tools, but saw beats file in the need department for a survival tool.

I'm still looking to answer this question for myself, so I reserve the right to change my answer in light of future testing.

Pliers are useful enough that I almost feel like a Vic knife AND a little 2oz plier-based keychain multitool might be the best answer.

This lynn is why i like my ppp as kind of like a pst but you can mod it easy and has the compound gears, plus like the pst its the only plier based MT i find comfy in my pocket 

[jzmtl]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

Rangergrip 90 - I got one on the way 

Yep that's the one, pretty much perfect toolset for the subject, if only it's a bit cheaper.

[AimlessWanderer]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

Rangergrip 90 - I got one on the way 

Yep that's the one, pretty much perfect toolset for the subject, if only it's a bit cheaper.

Yeah, they're my thoughts too and the reason why I decided to try one out. Price is steep, but hoping it delivers good value for it. Time will tell. It's the only one of all the Ranger ... range  that's interested me 

[Gareth]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

Rangergrip 90 - I got one on the way 

Yep that's the one, pretty much perfect toolset for the subject, if only it's a bit cheaper.

Yeah, they're my thoughts too and the reason why I decided to try one out. Price is steep, but hoping it delivers good value for it. Time will tell. It's the only one of all the Ranger ... range  that's interested me 

having never tried the Ranger pliers I'd be very interested to see this one at the meet-up (if you can make it).

[AimlessWanderer]

The new Wenger ranger with both saw and pliers (maybe file too?), don't remember the model number.

Rangergrip 90 - I got one on the way 

Yep that's the one, pretty much perfect toolset for the subject, if only it's a bit cheaper.

Yeah, they're my thoughts too and the reason why I decided to try one out. Price is steep, but hoping it delivers good value for it. Time will tell. It's the only one of all the Ranger ... range  that's interested me 

having never tried the Ranger pliers I'd be very interested to see this one at the meet-up (if you can make it).

Sadly, even if I can make it, the tool won't arrive with me until a week after the meet at the very earliest. Although that does mean that when you do finally get to see it, it'll have some milage on the clock and I'll be able to give you a better update on whether that (painfull) expense is worth it 

[Gareth]

ah well, next time then.

[tattoosteve99]

Hmmm mine would be,  if Vic a explorer plus pliers, or a LM wave.

[Travis Autry]

No to hijack, but I have a Ranger 73 with pliers.  They are fine for small tasks, but not nearly as large or robust as even Skeletool pliers.  Some folks call the tool I have the Electrician.  It seems more like a fisherman to me.  The pliers are about right for squeezing split shot onto a line or removing a hook from a fish.

Back to the original question:

I think a Vic Farmer or GAK/Trooper would be good choices.  Both are very pocket-able and have a decent tool selection.

In the discontinued category, a SOG Toolclip would be a very good choice.  A little larger than pocket knife sized, but rock solid.  I'm another guy who wants pliers on me whenever I leave the house.

[theonew]

Even though it has never been to the wilderness since I've owned it (well unless you consider Central Park to be wilderness ) my answer at the moment is the Sog PPP. I was able to squeeze both a saw and a PE blade into one handle and keep the file in the other handle. I find it comfortable to pocket carry at around 5.5 ounces.

The RangerGrip 90 does look like a pretty sweet tool to have in the woods

[AimlessWanderer]

No to hijack, but I have a Ranger 73 with pliers.  They are fine for small tasks, but not nearly as large or robust as even Skeletool pliers.  Some folks call the tool I have the Electrician.  It seems more like a fisherman to me.  The pliers are about right for squeezing split shot onto a line or removing a hook from a fish.

I can't wait to get my RG90, but the limited opening distance are my only concern. Out in the woods I think they'd be strong enough for most stuff I'd need, but it's the jaw aperture that's my only reservation. Having never had a play with one before, this is all just based on what I've heard discussed at MTo though.

In the discontinued category, a SOG Toolclip would be a very good choice.  A little larger than pocket knife sized, but rock solid.  I'm another guy who wants pliers on me whenever I leave the house.

Interesting choice Travis I have a Toolclip, but never considered it in that role. I fully agree on the size and durability aspects, but not sure it has the toolset for wilderness survival (for me anyway)

Even though it has never been to the wilderness since I've owned it (well unless you consider Central Park to be wilderness ) my answer at the moment is the Sog PPP. I was able to squeeze both a saw and a PE blade into one handle and keep the file in the other handle. I find it comfortable to pocket carry at around 5.5 ounces.

The RangerGrip 90 does look like a pretty sweet tool to have in the woods

  That's a well equipped PPP. Put in a PT-510 for the comfort of gear covers and I'd be very happy to try that  I agree they are very pocket friendly too 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Hey guys... I got back home from my hiking trip with my son about an hour ago... after I unloaded our gear and ate, took care of a few small chores, guess what the first thing I did was?   

I hadn't thought about a SOG plier... I have never actually handled any SOG MT so I really don't have any experience with them at all.  While this is all just a hypothetical exercise for me at this point, I'm still finding myself drawn to the CS4.  Definitely not as capable a blade or saw than something like a RangerGrip, but for what I'm thinking about for this, I personally, feel I'd rather have the additional tools. 

I'm also thinking that a 111 mm SAK model would be the next best choice.  I should be getting my modded Hunter back from Steve soon, so that will probably end up being my choice for this kind of thing.  I love my PER Ranger 179, but scissors are a must-have tool for me, and I'm finding myself wanting something smaller than my 179 for pocket carry.  I'll post pics of the Hunter in the SAK forum as soon as gets here.

[Waterlander]

Best pocket if-the-smurf-hits-the-fan tool? Spirit, hands down

[Grathr]

I would take the Vic Trekker or if that one is to big, the Vic Harvester. Good sturdy tools, good size blades and that saw is fantastic in the woods. With the Vic saw you can make a shelter i no time.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I would take the Vic Trekker or if that one is to big, the Vic Harvester. Good sturdy tools, good size blades and that saw is fantastic in the woods. With the Vic saw you can make a shelter i no time.

I've found that making a fire-bow, hand-chuck, drill, and hearth-board are a heck of a lot easier with even a 91 mm saw... 

I actually got my modded Hunter back from Steve a while ago, and I like it too much to let it sit in my fanny-pack PSK.  I keep it in a MaxPed single-sheath on the strap of my do-all/go-anywhere backpack.  (I call it my 'adventure pack'. )  So, since I don't have a CS4, and I still have my old pre-'05 Swiss Champ, I stuck that in a little nylon pouch on the strap of my PSK.  I think it should work pretty well for that.  (Now I just have to go and get myself lost in the woods for a night to see if I'm right!  )

[MeadMaker]

There are many things to consider when choosing a survival MT, but I would like to address one tool, the saw.  I've EDC'd a CS4 for quite a few years now and find it to be a very useful tool despite some the the Juice series' shortcomings.  The saw on the CS4 out preforms its size.  When I compared the CS4's saw to the saw on the larger Wave I got a surprise.  While the saw on the Wave is larger than the saw on the CS4, the row of saw teeth is the same length on both saws.   

I don't have any experience with the saws on the other models mentioned in this thread, but I can tell  you that I can cut through a 2 3/4 inch branch with the 2 3/4 inch saw on a CS4.