Best Survival Multi-Tool Brands

Multi-tools Are They Essential To Your Bug Out Bag? Short answer, Yes, OK, that’s it. Need I say more? Well of course I must… I am after all a tiny bit verbose. So let’s talk about the best survival Multi-tool brands and models.

A good multi-tool is amazingly versatile, it’s like having a light use tool kit with you. That said.. Do you need a whole tool kit in your pocket? No… Well then choose your multi-tool carefully. Keep in mind, a multi-tool will never be as strong as a dedicated tool of equal quality, so don’t abuse your multi-tool.

How To Choose A Multi-Tool

Choose a multi-tool that has the tools you need, and are most likely to use. Resist the urge to buy the multi-tool with the most tools on them, I know it’s hard, after all, who can resist all those fancy tools packed into such a compact little device. But most people end up using just a few of the tools, the rest of the tools are just for show, added weight and of course, added cost.

Compare the cost of a Leatherman Charge+TTI with the cost of a Leatherman Sidekick. By all means, get the Charge+TTI if you think you are going to use all the tools on it, but I found that the Sidekick was exactly what I needed. Relatively compact and light. Remember you are going to be carrying this around with you, no one wants to carry a brick-sized multi-tool.

The most often used tools on a Leatherman :

Americans seem to be obsessed with bottle openers, so I guess it goes on the list here. In Asia and Europe. Bottle openers are a low priority on a multi-tool.

The Leatherman Sidekick was the perfect choice for me, the knife and saw are on the outside and one-hand open, and both blades come with a decent liner lock. The plier is great (for light use), the can opener is sharp, and the screwdrivers work.

This is the EDC multi-tool that will most probably be in my pocket when I grab my bug-out bag.

The Best Multi-tools Brands

Leatherman

The reigning king of multi-tools, the brand that all other multi-tools are judged by. Leatherman are durable, well designed and probably the most popular survival multi-tool in the world.

Swiss Army Knife by Victorinox

The dethroned king of multi-tools, before the rise of Leatherman, was the go-to brand that soldiers, hunters, preppers, and survivalists went for. The SAK (Swiss Army Knife) was for many years the only reliable multi-tool. As an EDC, the SAK is still very popular, it’s a handy little tool, but not quite as heavy-duty as the Leatherman. The main issue I have with the SAK is that most of them do not have a locking mechanism for their blades.

Gerber

Gerber is a well established outdoor gear brand, they have some very well designed, heavy duty models on the market right now, But I find that the finish on the Leatherman is a little bit better and comparing similar models of Gerber and Leatherman, I find that most Leatherman are a little more compact and lighter.

SOG

A diamond in the rough, the models of SOG multi-tools I have tested, well… the designs are nice, but the quality just isn’t quite there yet. The ideas they have are great, and as soon as they fix their slightly erratic quality control issues and work a little bit on their fit and finish, they will be solid contenders on the multi-tool market.

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Choosing The Perfect Multi-Tool

It’s really weird how you can go months without looking for a screwdriver, then you get a multi-tool and suddenly you are whipping it out daily. Thinking to yourself, how on earth you managed so long without a multi-tool in your pocket. Once you have a multi-tool, you find all sorts of things around the house that need fixing.

Multi-Tool With A Locking Blade

Never go for a multitool that doesn’t have a locking blade. I know that in the past all the SAK (Swiss Army Knives) didn’t have a locking blade, my SAK being one of them. And until I got my first Leatherman (no turning back now), I never realized how much of a difference in utility it made. Locking blades give a certain level of security that increases confidence when using the knife. I tend to use my multitool as often as my folder for cutting things now, even for whittling.

Stainless Steel Multi-tools

A certain level of corrosion resistance is a requirement. Need to be stainless steel. Just be aware, some brands are more stainless than others.

Multi-tools To Avoid

Niche multitools are best avoided (gun, bike, etc), after all the whole purpose of a multitool is versatility. Niche multi-tools kind of negates the whole versatility idea. Another red flag is multi-tools models that try to squeeze in a ridiculous number of tools. Ever seen a Multitool with dozens of tools on them? They cost a bundle, weigh a ton, and aren’t worth the hassle of lugging around.

Multi-Tools cards Don’t Rely On Them

The market is flooded with card multi-tools, most of them are just a gimmick, and while they look good, they aren’t comfortable to use, and in most cases will fail. They are designed to be cool-looking and handy for little things around the office or home. Do NOT rely on them to actually get any work done, they are meant for very light use. Makes for a great present for teens who just wanna fool around with EDC gear.

Card multi-tools are compact, light, fit in your wallet, and are practically useless as a tool (I have thrown mine away after a short testing period). I would recommend a Swiss Army Knife or a very basic Leatherman instead.

Possibly A Handy Multi-tool Card

That said, here is one card tool, that I think might actually come in handy.

The Covert Titanium Lock Pick Manipulation Card by Countycomm is the only one I would consider carrying with me. This is based solely on what I read about it. I haven’t gotten around to buying one yet, but as soon as I get one and test it, I will pop up my opinion of it. If anyone has tested the Covert Titanium Lockpick, please do tell me what you think of it.