Multi tool

[JakeT]

Looking for a good multi tool to keep in my bino harness. Been looking at leatherman because they have the bit kit.
I'm mostly just a treestand bowhunter and gun hunter. No overnight stuff but I like to be prepared and have the tools if I need them. Any recommendations?

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[htlt_surfboards]

I have an Arc that I carry at work. Its by far my favorite multitool I've tried but it is expensive compared to pretty much everything else on the market. I had a P4 before that which I liked but lost and replaced with the arc and don't regret. I didn't like the tool set as much on the P4 and it doesn't use the bit kit so may not be of interest to you but is a cheaper alternative to the arc. I would find it really hard to go back to a regular leatherman without the free technology. Wave+ and surge are probably your other two options if you want one with the bit kit. The surge is a very heavy tool though.

 

[jrob712]

I second the P4 or ARC. I have the ARC and love it. The bit kit is nice and works great for bow adjustments

 

[Shortschaf]

Leatherman Skeletool is a big favorite of mine

 

[jazzturkey]

I also like the skeletool specifically the CX, it's all the tools I actually use often and nothing else. I do look at it more as a knife with some tools attached though, I don't use it for anything super heavy. I carried a sidekick for years before I lost it, I enjoyed it but don't think the price point is very good now for being such a budget tool.

 

[Mosby]

I carry a small Gerber Dime or a Leatherman Sidekick. Both are spring loaded, which I prefer. I like the weight and size of the Dime. It's more of an EDC size. I can tighten a small screw, cut some Leuko tape or open a bag of Mountain House. I carry the Sidekick mostly when I'm bird hunting with my dogs and need something bigger for a cactus spine or porky quill. More for them than me. My full size tool is a Leatherman Wave, that I normally keep in my truck. The older I get the less I carry.

 

[coiloil37]

I’ve carried a wave in my pocket at work for 23 years. There’s also one in the truck and one in the boat. It’s got everything I want and nothing I don’t.

 

[kpk]

I carry a skeletool but keep a wave in the truck or camp.
That arc looks slick but they're sure proud of it.

 

[Sinistram]

The Wave is hard to beat. I've had mine for almost 20 years and have never found myself wanting.

 

[Ron.C]

another vote for the Leatherman Wave

 

[taskswap]

You're going to get 25 opinions from 20 people. But I'll bite.

Personally I'm not a fan of multi-tools for bow work. I only need 2 hex wrenches for what I need to tweak on my Bear so I just carry those as my "bow tools" (I don't need a wrench for the bolts that hold the arms on - I never mess with those in the field.) So for a multi-tool I want something as light and functional as possible.

I'll be the contrarian here and offer the two options I swap between that might seem light duty, but if you DON'T need a hex driver or 2lbs of saw blades you'll never use, maybe given them a thought.

The first is the Gerber Dime. This is just big enough to replace a Leatherman for many in-field purposes. Small pair of pliers, scissors, wire cutter, wide/flat and pointed ("phillips") blades, plus a small knife blade, bottle opener, and a box cutter. AND it has the tweezers most multi-tools don't seem to include these days, and when I'm in tick country (which let's face it, is most country) I really like having those handy. Great for splinters, too. You'll never dress out a deer with this thing but I don't use my multi-tool for that. In combination with a good knife I find this perfect for EDC. The box cutter seems silly but I actually find it's the #1 thing I use (you can do more than just cut boxes - I strip electrical wire, cut cord...). At $20 (typically) and 2.3oz this one goes on almost every hunt and backpacking trip, as well as most EDC days.

When I want something that's "barely there", I do the Gerber Curve. This is basically one half of the Dime. It's a small knife blade, two (passable) screwdriver places, and a small awl, plus a bottle opener. The knife is tiny, but the locking mechanism is surprisingly solid so this is my "sacrificial" blade for random stuff like cutting cord in camp, or opening boxes at home without dulling my main knife. I still get a bottle opener, and at 0.8oz I feel like I need an excuse NOT to bring it, not the other way around.

 

[Speaks]

I carry a small Gerber Dime or a Leatherman Sidekick. Both are spring loaded, which I prefer. I like the weight and size of the Dime. It's more of an EDC size. I can tighten a small screw, cut some Leuko tape or open a bag of Mountain House. I carry the Sidekick mostly when I'm bird hunting with my dogs and need something bigger for a cactus spine or porky quill. More for them than me. My full size tool is a Leatherman Wave, that I normally keep in my truck. The older I get the less I carry.

I really like the dime as well.

 

[oldskool67]

I have a Leatherman MUT. It’s heavy

 

[slowcal]

another vote for the leatherman ARC. in particular, i like it because it's easy to open/manipulate with one hand - and that can be very helpful.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Another diehard Skeletool CX carrier here. Always with me hooked to my belt loop.

 

[nobody]

One thing to consider is a Leatherman with removable bits is a potential liability in the woods. If they fall out onto the ground in an area with lots of debris and ground cover it’ll be gone. I have a surge for heavy duty projects around the house and I love the thing, but I don’t take it in the woods for that reason.

I have carried a Free P2 as my EDC for awhile now and feel it’s a great option in that roll, and it also goes with me on the hill whenever I go. Don’t love the combo edge blade, but the little drivers are handy, the pliers are full size which is a huge deal to me. I’ve got an extra on hand even just in case something happens to my current one.

I know the skeletool is popular, but I’m not a fan. I’ve tried a few times and bought a couple of them and sent them down the road and they just don’t do it for me. The clip kinda sucks and it sticks way up out of the pocket, drove me nuts. The pliers are also super in-ergonomic to use in my experience. It’s just a tool that I know is popular, but I objectively can’t understand why.

While I’m a huge proponent of carrying a Multitool daily and in the hills, an Allen wrench/torx index makes about a million times more sense if you wanna work on your bow in field.

 

[WestSideMonster]

Leatherman signal could be a good option as it has a whistle, a Ferrocerium rod, and a sharpener

 

[justinspicher]

I still carry one quite often, but I definitely don’t use it as much as I used to. I still have/use the one I found in Ranger School back in 1999.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Leatherman signal could be a good option as it has a whistle, a Ferrocerium rod, and a sharpener

I have this one as well, but it is heavier than the Skeletool. The pliers are better and has a replaceable cutters.