Lightweight multitool with can opener

[aspenboy]

Hi,
I'm new here.  I have a question for the more knowledgeable folks here.  I do a fair amount of backpacking and I need a multi-tool that has a pair of pliers, a knife and a can opener.  These are the tools I use most often.  I had a leatherman juice S2 which I really liked, but I lost it.    I'm looking for a replacement, and would get another one, but it's pretty expensive and also a bit heavy for backpacking (at 5 oz).  I have looked at other small ones from gerber (the clutch) and the squirt series at REI but they don't have a can opener on them which is pretty important to me.  They are a perfect size,  weight (~2 oz) and price but the lack of a can opener is a showstopper. 

Does anyone know of a small-ish multitool with a can opener and pliers that weighs under 5 oz that is not too expensive?  If one doesn't exist then I'll probably just get the juice s2 again.

thanks!

[Poncho65]

Welcome to the forum aspenboy I would  say for the weight and size the S2 is probably the best for your needes might just have to get another one

Of course there are a few SAKs (Swiss Army Knives) that might also fit your needs but someone more knowlegable than me will probably be along in a while to answer you

[DaveK]

Sounds like an SAK might be the way to go, it depends what you need the pliers for as they are a bit on the small side.

[Grant Lamontagne]

What about the Buck XTract?  According to the Multitool Encyclopedia it's a little heavier than you wanted at 6.29 oz, but you can probably find one for around $25-30 and it has a blade, can opener and pliers, just like you were looking for.

The smallest/lightest SAK you are going to get with pliers is the Victorinox Mechanic or Wenger Journeyman.





Of course if you want a full sized set of pliers, you are going to have to go to something a bit heavier.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Def

[Pacu]

Just get a p-38 can opener at your local army navy store. it weighs like  .000000000000000000000000001 millionth of a gram

Then you can use the weight saved on a surge.

[Poncho65]

I knew more MT and SAK wise ppl would be here shortly 

  I myself would love both the Vic Mechanic or the Wenger Journeyman

I also agree about the p-38

[DaveK]

Then you can use the weight saved on a surge.

Lol.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Personelly I'd be inclined to go down the Sak route too, if you really want to go down the lightest route possible, If not then either a Wenger Mini Grip (very light) or Victorinox Spirit (little bit heavier) would serve you well

And welcome to the forum

[Leatherman123]

I would say go for a LM Skeletool and a P-38/51

[Benner]

I would say go for a LM Skeletool and a P-38/51

That literally is MT with can opener.

[aspenboy]

Hi all,

thanks for the input.  I looked into all the suggestions people provided and right now I'm still leaning towards the Juice S2.  I'm not a big fan of a separate can opener like the p38 since the whole point of carrying the multi-tool is to have the tools that I want to use available on it, not separate. 

Is it possible to modify a Gerber Clutch or Squirt to include a can opener?  Where would one get a can opener to add?

If anyone has any other lightweight MT suggestions, let me know.

Thanks again.

[Roadie]

Minitool
http://www.multitool.org/leatherman-tool-group/keychain-tools/leatherman-minitool.html

[DaveK]

Modifying either the Clutch or the Squirt would not be a simple task, although the Clutch might be easier as it is screwed together with torx screws, whereas the Squirt is riveted.

Where you might get a can opener small enough to fit a Clutch, I really don't know.

I'm beginning to think you might be better off with an old PST. You should be able to pick a used one up from ebay easily enough, for a lot less than a Juice S2, and it excels at the things you've listed as important.

I just weighed a later model PST at 5.2 oz.

Plus, it's the best multitool...ever.

[DaveK]

PS - Good call Roadie Although they are a bit tricky to track down now...

[Leatherman123]

Just be aware, the LM Juice can opener sucks! I hate to be so vague, but it is a such a bad design IMO.. Have you looked at the Leatherman Kick at all?

[hawkchucker]

The PST is heavier than he really wants to go. I believe he is into ultralight camping. In that case I would actually stick with the juce series, or look into the kick and remove some impliments you dont need. To cut the weight.

[hawkchucker]

Or Skeletool.

[Leatherman123]

There is no need to remove anything on the LM Kick- it is light enough as it is!

[hawkchucker]

Well if he is into what I think he is there is. I dont know if he is into the ultralight camping and hiking, but those boys really do count ounces!

[Zack]

I would cut the ounces somewhere else, but I have book on ultralight camping, and they reccommend a simple SAK like the Recruit or small tinker.  Nice blades, can opener, and bottle opener with their respective screwdrivers.  What will the pliers be used for mainly?

[Smitty44]

I second the LM Kick also,light weight,cheap,very durable,and has the best of the three things that Aspenboy is looking for,and very easy to find,and the screwdrivers could come in very handy in an emergency.

Welcome to the forums,and keep us posted on what you get,and how you like it,most of us like to travel lite also.

[donvito]

I say go with a medium sized multitool. The weight will be worth every penny when the need arises for a certain implement.

Not being familiar with the Juice series I'll go with a recommendation of something well know to me.

A Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit is a mid sized mt with strong pliers, can and bottle opener, but more importantly it will give you a wood saw (very important in the woods), scissors or a second knife blade depending on the model, an awl (has dozens of uses), metal saw, and a range of screwdrivers.   

If you get a chance to visit a store and play with different MTs out there and pic the one that fits your needs best.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

[Benner]

I say go with a medium sized multitool. The weight will be worth every penny when the need arises for a certain implement.

Not being familiar with the Juice series I'll go with a recommendation of something well know to me.

A Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit is a mid sized mt with strong pliers, can and bottle opener, but more importantly it will give you a wood saw (very important in the woods), scissors or a second knife blade depending on the model, an awl (has dozens of uses), metal saw, and a range of screwdrivers.   

If you get a chance to visit a store and play with different MTs out there and pic the one that fits your needs best.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

The Spirit is quite weighty though.

[EZ822]

A Victorinox Deluxe Tinker has all the tools you require plus scissors.awl and an extra small blade. It weighs only 4.4oz.

[Rodion]

Just be aware, the LM Juice can opener sucks! I hate to be so vague, but it is a such a bad design IMO.. Have you looked at the Leatherman Kick at all?

I second that motion.

[aspenboy]

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone for replying.  I looked at most of the tools people suggested and I like the idea of a multi-tool rather than a Swiss Army knife.  As many have guessed, I'm into lightweight backpacking and would like to shave a few ounces off, if possible, hence wanting to see if anything smaller than the Juice S2 could provide similar functionality.  I took my Juice S2 on the JMT and it was great.  I didn't have any issues with the can opener.  I was bummed when I lost it.  Also a lighter MT would be great in the pocket, since anything heavier tends to swing and feel pretty heavy, especially when combined with a cell phone, keys and other stuff.

BTW, the pliers come in handy for holding a hot pot while cooking over a stove or fixing stuff like stoves, trekking poles.  nothing too heavy duty, but handy to have something stronger than the fingers.  One time, I had taken apart my white gas stove and home to clean it, but didn't tighten it enough when I put it back together, so when I was out in the snowcamping in Yosemite, white gas was squirting out the valve, which was very dangerous since it could catch on fire.    I tried tightening the valve with my fingers but didn't have any tool (just a SAK) that could help, so I decided then, I should carry pliers with me.  Luckily it didn't catch on fire, it continued to leak, but I used some alumninum foil to separate the leaking gas from the cooking flame.  It was pretty critical since it's kind of important to melt drinking water and cook hot meals when you are camping in winter.

I looked on eBay and found a generic multi-tool which might do the trick.  I asked and it only weighs 3 ounces (about 2/3 the weight of the Juice s2).   See link below (I'm not associated with the seller, just found it and it seems like it might fit my needs).  And it's only 14 bucks.  I'm not expecting it to be the quality of a leatherman, but for a few bucks I can see if it fits my needs, since I just need a knife, pliers, can opener.  If it does, great, and if not, I can just get the Juice.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Personalized-Mini-Multi-Tool-w-Belt-Pouch-ENGRAVED-FREE_W0QQitemZ140292271228QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item140292271228&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318

[Leatherman123]

Trust me, just look at the Kick! It is a few ounces heavier, but it will last! I have experience with generic Juice tools at they are crap. You will find the blade edge to be too thick, and all the other implements just suck!

[donvito]

Stick with the original tools, the bootleg tools are crap and will fail on you when most needed.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

TBH I agree with the other fella's here, don't scrimp on a tool that could keep you alive in the wood's mate, you just can't trust a knock off in the same way as you can a Victorinox, Wenger or LM ect ect, and there worth the extra few ounces as there cheap life insurance if something should go wrong out there

[NeitherExtreme]

Hi aspenboy! I'd agree with the others that the "real deal" is a better option. I knew a guy that was happy with the Squirt P4 as a backpacking tool, but as you said, there's no can opener. If I was really trimming weight, I'd be tempted to get the P4 and attatch a P-38 type can opener to the keyring attachment. Personally, though, I think the S2 sounds like the best tool for your situation. But, if you do end up getting the one you linked to, let us know how it stacks up against the S2 you had... I'd be curious to know what they're quality is like, though I wouldn't spend the $$ just to find out.