Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Which multi tool actually has the best most practical selection.

You're just jealous. Because you weren't the one who gave the best advice on the internet. Ever.

Only on the internet would it take this long for some people to understand that multi-tools have multiple tools.



Travis

Do the newer Wave's have any better steel in the pliars than the older ones? The culprit in the older ones is the wire cutters. They won't cut anything much harder than copper without notching. I use mine all the time but I have to go back to the tool box if I need to cut wire.

How could anyone that has a need for a corkscrew in back country even give a dam about weight...

Snap On has a good one. I prefer it over my Leatherman. But I'd still rather have my green handled full size Swiss Army knife. I've done about 5 moose with it now. From gutting to sawing bone it can't be beat.

Snap On has it's multi tools made in China. Look at the specs on their web site.

Thanks for the heads up. I try to stay China free when ever possible.

Well, if you're not savvy enough to hide the wine in your buddy's pack then yes, you have a point. I think asking him to make sure he carries a corkscrew is a little over the top though.

I have 'cut' barbed and double strand smooth fencing wire many times with a Leatherman. Key to cutting is you don't want to cut the wire, just notch it a little and then break the wire by hand. Bend it a couple times and it breaks easy.


Obviously a fencing pliers is preferred but the Leatherman will work.

They also work very well for removing/replacing T-post wire clips, the needle nose has a 'cutout' that holds a clip perfectly. Again I wouldn't do it all the time though.

I don't know what sorts of things you're into, but in my case the buddy carrying the wine will have breasts, and not be a he.

This is the backpack hunting forum right?

Hey, if you're into hunting dudes, that's ok with me. But I'm not interested, thanks.

No, but I do go hunting with dudes.

Any misconstruction of that on your part is merely projection.

I like the Wave as well. Aint the lightest thing in the pack for sure. Still waiting for the day when you can pick and chose the blades/tools you want.

The old "Sideclip" model is my favorite by a mile. If it had a saw blade, it'd be perfect.

The leatherman charge or wave are clearly the ultimate tools. Weight aside, these two certainly provide the most logical selection and have the quality of materials to go with it.

Certainly not for the ultra weight conscious packer. I'm more inclined to keep my body fat minimal and not worry as much about the weight I carry.

Having watched guys with 25-30% body fat discuss the virtue of 23lb mountain bikes has always been very amusing. It's a lot more comfortable on a bike 28-32 lbs and way easier to climb hills with less then 20% body fat. But the almighty dollar always seems to compensate for physical effort!

I have needed and used a multi tool more then I can count on fishing and hunting trips. It's a very worthy companion in my kit. I'll just watch my body fat and not worry as much about a few ounces here and there with a few selected pieces of valuable kit.

Well, to each his own I guess. I'm not what you would call "ultra weight conscious," and I own probably 5-6 Leatherman tools as well as others. And I've carried them on backpack hunts. They're just one of the items I've found that I rarely if ever use on an actual backpack hunt, so I make do without, unless I think I may need pliers for some reason. If I need a saw, I bring a saw. I can't imagine cutting a skull plate on an elk with a multi-tool, and don't need screwdrivers or wire-cutters in the backcountry where I hunt.

As far as guys with 25-30% body fat discussing a difference of a few ounces or pounds, I'm with you there and I'm one of the lucky ones who doesn't need to worry about that but you dance with the body that brung you. And one thing you can't do anything about is age and the dings that come with it; the older I get, the lighter I want my pack to be.

And as far as the extra body fat thing, I've seen the opposite as well. That is, guys who don't backpack hunt or don't hunt in a situation where weight matters who like to say "a few ounces here or there won't hurt anything." Start a thread on lightweight mountain rifles that save a couple pounds and sure as the sun shines someone will chime in and say "only a wimp can't carry an 8 1/2 pound rifle." And sure as the sun shines, they'll be someone who doesn't carry all their gear on their back in the mountains.

The thing is, "a few ounces here and there" applied to all you carry is really a few pounds. If your style of hunting is to hike in a few miles and dump your gear at a central camp then a few pounds may not matter. If you need to climb high or move camp around, "a few ounces here and there" does matter, regardless of your body fat percentage. YMMV.

I don't know, I rarely hunt in the central camp kind of style and often its 10+ miles in to where I begin hunting. That said however, I don't think 5 or even 10 extra pounds on my back its gonna stop me from getting back there..maybe take a bit longer but not stop me.

With that said I try to go as long as possible, but I also at times don't shy away from some creature comforts either.

I don't shy away from creature comforts either, I carry two sleeping pads. And I've been known to carry in filets and potatoes for the first night or two, and apples, butter, cinnamon and a small skillet for fried apples, and cream for my coffee which is almost never instant. And I carried even more creature comforts when I was in my 30's.

I just don't like carrying stuff that I know I most likely won't use. I wouldn't criticize anyone for carrying a multi-tool or imply that they should go on a diet, what other people carry/don't carry is not my concern.

One last thing--I'd be willing to bet the 5-10 lbs of extra stuff you carry would be stuff you think you're likely to use, or you wouldn't bring it. Also that you carry a lightweight rifle. I'm guessing Kimber Montana in .308......

smokepole;
Top of the morning to you sir, I trust this finds you and yours doing acceptably well.

Your post made me smile a wee bit as when my good wife and I were in our late 20's we did a few pack in trips that spanned several days.

On our first one we headed up onto the Kokanee Glacier out of Nelson and once we got up onto the glacier itself were astonished to see fellow hikers who had packed in skis, ski boots and tucked into the ski boots - bottled beer!

One thing I know for sure and certain now is that like horses all humans are not created equally and some of us can pack a lot more than others of us will ever dream of.

My hat's off to the folks who are still able to go 'way back in on their own two feet - regardless of their age.

All the best to you and yours this week sir.

Dwayne

Well thanks Dwayne, same to you. Hope your weather up there is good, it's looking like Spring here, the dog found open water the other day for the first time in months and I had to get the hose out to clean him up--a sure sign of Spring.




Having read some of 'Lanche's posts, I think he fits squarely in this category.