General Purpose Pocket Multitool

[Mark Som]

Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a general purpose pocket multitool that's suitable for hiking, cycling, and everyday use. I don't mean for it to be the only tool for all that, just something handy to consolidate common tools.
From my research, it seems leatherman and gerber are the biggest players. I've heard gerber tools don't have a locking mechanism for the knife, so I'm a bit weary of that. I can't seem to find any places to physically look at a pocket leatherman (to examine the build and weight), so I'm stuck at this point. Perhaps there are alternative brands I can look into?
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[ReamerPunch]

redacted

[zoidberg]

Everyone wave goodbye to Mark...

[Gareth]

 

[chip]

What have I missed?

[dks]

  we NEED to know!!!!!!

[SteveC]

 

[Aloha]

 

[Sidney Porter]

Bicycle or motorcycle? For modern quality bicycles you want a number of allen mm  wrenches, spoke tightener,  tire lever and possibly a chain tool. I have a couple made by park

[dmattaponi]

Shame...based on the title I thought this would be an interesting topic.  Maybe people can turn it into one...for me I bought my first multi tool, a Gerber in 1995 for an archaeology field school.  At the time, there weren’t nearly as many to choose from.  I remember the primary contenders being Gerber, Leatherman, or the SOG Paratool.  Anyway I wanted a convenient pocket tool chest that contained what a I felt were the most useful tools I’d  need/use at the time, that could be carried comfortably in a pocket.  All of my choices were a little heavy in a pocket,  todays choices provide a lot more options.  My criteria hasn’t really changed tool selection wise .  I still like a knife blade, a file, some basic tools like screwdrivers, wood saw, pliers, scissors, and wire cutters.  After quite a few years the Gerber came up missing and I missed the convenience of that tool so much I went out looking for a replacement.  At the time about 2003, I picked up a SOG Powerlock.  Since then I’ve bought a variety of Leatherman tools, but about 2007 I discovered the Utility and convenience of a Victorinox Swiss Army knife and find a good SAK supplemented with a Leatherman Squirt covers most of my everyday needs and these combined tools are pretty easy on the pocket.

Something I don’t like about so many of the current choices is how gaudy they look.  I still prefer the tool metal, utilitarian tool like appearance of those early multi tools.

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[Fuzzbucket]

Shame...based on the title I thought this would be an interesting topic.  Maybe people can turn it into one...for me I bought my first multi tool, a Gerber in 1995 for an archaeology field school.  At the time, there weren’t nearly as many to choose from.  I remember the primary contenders being Gerber, Leatherman, or the SOG Paratool.  Anyway I wanted a convenient pocket tool chest that contained what a I felt were the most useful tools I’d  need/use at the time, that could be carried comfortably in a pocket.  All of my choices were a little heavy in a pocket,  todays choices provide a lot more options.  My criteria hasn’t really changed tool selection wise .  I still like a knife blade, a file, some basic tools like screwdrivers, wood saw, pliers, scissors, and wire cutters.  After quite a few years the Gerber came up missing and I missed the convenience of that tool so much I went out looking for a replacement.  At the time about 2003, I picked up a SOG Powerlock.  Since then I’ve bought a variety of Leatherman tools, but about 2007 I discovered the Utility and convenience of a Victorinox Swiss Army knife and find a good SAK supplemented with a Leatherman Squirt covers most of my everyday needs and these combined tools are pretty easy on the pocket.

Something I don’t like about so many of the current choices is how gaudy they look.  I still prefer the tool metal, utilitarian tool like appearance of those early multi tools.

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Why don't you? 

[dmattaponi]

Why don't you? 

🥱


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[Mechanickal]

Well that was anticlimactic ...

[Fuzzbucket]

🥱


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Charming.

[ElevenBlade]

I would say - for a general-purpose pocket multitool, there would be a few criteria.

1. It would have to be pocket carry appropriate. Now, I'd carried a Wave in the pocket for many years... but that doesn't mean that it's fully qualified.  Mor appropriate would be -  a SAK,  LM Skeletool, Sidekick, or Wingman just to name a few.

2. general-purpose... I suspect that would mean it must have pliers of some sort,

Then you have the inexplicable task of finding tools that aren't discontinued... there goes the entire Juice line. 

So what are we left with?   LM Skeletool, Sidekick, or Wingman.  Vic Spirit, SwissChamp (I would certainly count those little pliers), Gerber MP400.

To answer this interesting question, we have to step outside our daily lives, and think globally.  Which one would be a good general-purpose tool for cycling, hiking, and EDC... not geared towards a particular setting or occupation.  Something that would be good for someone that works in an office or a warehouse.  (where the tool doesn't need to be good enough to be used on the job, but can be in a pinch)
To give an idea of what I mean - the last time I used the multitool that I bring to work every day was to fix the coffee machine.   

[cody6268]

Mine's the Rebar and the Removable Bit Adapter, with the rack of bits from my Gerber Center Drive (flat bits on the carrier for the bit adapter are just backup--expensive, hard to replace, and quite frankly, suck).  It's not that heavy, and fits in my pocket. All drivers are 3D, the basic ones are fixed (not a bit driver like Wave/Surge) and it's comfortable to carry and use. PST/ST100 digs into my hands when using the pliers. Wave/Surge digs into my hands when using outside tools. Rebar is rounded inside and out, as is the ST300 I drag out when the going gets tough.

[ElevenBlade]

Mine's the Rebar and the Removable Bit Adapter, with the rack of bits from my Gerber Center Drive (flat bits on the carrier for the bit adapter are just backup--expensive, hard to replace, and quite frankly, suck).  It's not that heavy, and fits in my pocket. All drivers are 3D, the basic ones are fixed (not a bit driver like Wave/Surge) and it's comfortable to carry and use. PST/ST100 digs into my hands when using the pliers. Wave/Surge digs into my hands when using outside tools. Rebar is rounded inside and out, as is the ST300 I drag out when the going gets tough.

But what if you were wearing my pants?  My pockets aren't so roomy.

[Sidney Porter]

For cycling I use Park Tool IB-3 I-Beam Multi-Tool

https://www.parktool.com/product/i-beam-mini-fold-up-with-chain-tool-ib-3

[dmattaponi]

Thanks everyone.  I’m enjoying reading the comments.

I guess another general purpose contender that comes to mind is the a Victorinox Craftsman.  Pretty much a full set of tools, but easily pocketable and fairly light weight.

My EDC as of late has been a Vic Explorer Plus combined with a Leatherman Squirt.  These tools also provide a good general purpose tool set with the ability to distribute into different pocket arrangements.


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[Aloha]

 

[cody6268]

Thanks everyone.  I’m enjoying reading the comments.

I guess another general purpose contender that comes to mind is the a Victorinox Craftsman.  Pretty much a full set of tools, but easily pocketable and fairly light weight.

My EDC as of late has been a Vic Explorer Plus combined with a Leatherman Squirt.  These tools also provide a good general purpose tool set with the ability to distribute into different pocket arrangements.


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Especially if you get a Craftsman with the newer file. It is both very aggressive, and the saw teeth cut into it cuts most non-hardened metals quickly.

[dmattaponi]

Especially if you get a Craftsman with the newer file. It is both very aggressive, and the saw teeth cut into it cuts most non-hardened metals quickly.

Agreed, the newer files on the Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are much better (more aggressive/effective) than the older ones.  I have a couple of older models and the one thing that disappoints me on those are the files (when compared to my newer SAKs). My Craftsman is a newer model and I bought my wife a newer model Swisschamp.  My Swisschamp, and Champion Plus are the old type.

Speaking of the utility of a good Swiss Army Knife, my wife had no interest in carrying a knife of any sort.  I bought my first Swiss Army Knife, and one day she asked for some scissors.  After that she'd ask to use it again, and again with increasing frequency.  So I bought her her own for Christmas.  That was 13 years ago.  She has carried her Swiss Champ daily for those 13 years in her purse.  She uses it for all sorts of things (even things that I strongly discourage like a hammer :-(  The knife has held up perfectly and she has become known as something of a MacGyver at her office where all of the tool-less co-workers now come to her anytime they need a screwdriver, a stick pin, etc.  She doesn't leave home without it, and it gets used much more than mine.

[Aloha]

  to you for getting her a Swisschamp and to her for using it. 

[dmattaponi]

to you for getting her a Swisschamp and to her for using it.

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