Knife or Multi Tool?

[4eyedbuzzard]

I've only carried a little Gerber LST , 1.2 oz and a P-38 (G.I. can opener) , 0.2 oz, for years. Given how many canned goods are now pull tab, that may well leave my cook kit as well. Some UL fanatics snarl at cans as being too heavy, but an empty tuna can really doesn't weigh much and you get all the good olive oil with your albacore that way too - the foil packs are much dryer. I also carry a little swiss card tool , 0.9 oz, that has scissors, a file, mini knife, tweezers, pin, pen, and LED light in my first aid kit. It's admittedly rarely if ever used and could be left behind. It was a freebie - I wouldn't buy one at retail prices.

[Rocket Jones]

My last trip was the first time I'd left my mid-sized Swiss Army Knife home. I've carried it every day for 20 years, but finally got a Leatherman Micra. I really liked the Micra, but did miss the slightly longer length of the SAK blade. Realistically, it was a security blanket thing for me.

[Odd Man Out]

I have a SAK Tinker (two blades, can opener/small screwdriver, bottle opener/larger screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, reamer/drill, tweezers, toothpick. Probably a bit more than I need, but it is always in my pocket, so there is the emotional attachment to consider. The reamer is nice if you need to make an alcohol stove in the field. I also have fingernail clippers. I am prone to toenail infections, so I have to have the best tool possible for that. Also a sewing kit (needle/thread).

[Spokes]

Remember someone carried a Tuba while on a thru hike one year. I still can't figure out how he used it to slice summer sausage or block cheese. Crazy!

[lemon b]

I carry a Buck309 1.5 inches and a P-38 incase I need to open a can or pop a cap.

[veteran]

[4eyedbuzzard]

It's missing a thumb drive.

[HiKen2011]

Daddy like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[garlic08]

Carry what you might need to repair any gear that might fail. Back in the day, I carried a multitool and used it to repair water filter, stove, pack frame, tent poles, etc. Now my hiking style is simpler and I longer carry a water filter, stove, pack frame, tent poles, etc. I now carry only a single edged razor blade and that suffices to open food packages, helps to repair fabric gear, cut line or cord, even minor surgery and major splinter removal. If I fly with my pack I prefer to carry it on, and it's easy to throw away the blade and buy a new one at any drugstore at my destination, five for a dollar usually.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Why must you choose between the two? I carry a cell phone on my person, and a spare tire on my UTE. I almost never use either of them, but if they're needed, they sure come in handy.

Both the multitool and the knife have their advantages. When hiking/camping, especially when using my BOB only, I carry a pocket knife, a multi-tool, a sheath knife and a machette. Overkill? Not when I need them...!! The pocket knife is always with me anyway, so it's not "extra".

Unless you are an ultra-ultralight backpacker, I could not see any harm is carrying both items.

I routinely carry survival gear in my UTE, too. I may never need it...except when I need it...!!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hi...


Why must you choose between the two? I carry a cell phone on my person, and a spare tire on my UTE. I almost never use either of them, but if they're needed, they sure come in handy.

Both the multitool and the knife have their advantages. When hiking/camping, especially when using my BOB only, I carry a pocket knife, a multi-tool, a sheath knife and a machette. Overkill? Not when I need them...!! The pocket knife is always with me anyway, so it's not "extra".

Unless you are an ultra-ultralight backpacker, I could not see any harm is carrying both items.

I routinely carry survival gear in my UTE, too. I may never need it...except when I need it...!!

By those standards, pretty much everyone here is a Hyperlight backpacker.

[Hikes in Rain]

SAK Recruit: Large and small blade (I keep the little one mostly unused for minor "surgery", such as opening up the entrance wound of that darned splinter so I can grab it), can and bottle opener blades with the screwdrivers (good the the occasional can, usually that someone else brings, without their can opener, and popping the top off that end of trail beer), toothpick (for which I have no idea what to use it for, since it's a lousy toothpick), and the ever useful tweezers. Occasionally wish it had a corkscrew, but then, we're roughing it, aren't we?

Used to also carry a really nice '70's era folding Gerber (still have it), but other than slicing sausage and cheese, and cutting up the odd little onion for the stew, all of which could be done with the SAK, it never got used. Looked cool, though!

[Miner]

Things I've used on a thru-hike.
- A knife; you need something for cutting cheese and opening food packaging; mine's 1.5inches and weighs 0.6oz.
- tweezers; splinters aren't that uncommon though a needle can work. I carried one I took out of a small swiss army knife (leave the rest home).
- nail clippers had them in a bounce box so I could trim my nails every 2 weeks. You could just chew them I guess. I had 1 nail tear between towns and borrowed clippers from another hiker to cut the rest off.
- screw driver. Used it to reform the metal sleeve on my Caldera Cone stove once. Borrowed it in town.
- a large sewing needle that was used to drain blisters and to sew 2 buttons back on my shirt.

[BoBo]

Thanks everyone for all your opinions and suggestions. Some I haven't even thought about. My multi-tool is 8 oz and after looking at some of the suggestion I should be able to drastically reduce that weight. Thanks Again

[Wise Old Owl]

This thread comes up over and over and the opinions are all over the place. How do we as a group work together to find the best "three" out of ???? to solve this? How do we cut the clutter and remove large knifes "greater than six inches" get rid of the razor blades" and the stupid survival knives (Bear Grills) Yea I did that deliberately to avoid search engines and the ridiculous Swiss that goes dull to fast. Its my opinion that a knife is not the problem - its the education that one can do with the knife to stay alive when you make compounding mistakes that send you asunder.

I will point out it needs to be light - I don't need a screw driver or a corkscrew... Unless I am in France. - Swiss suck - they cannot make a decent fuzz stick in the rain. The mini Swiss is nice for nails and feet but I have broken a few in the field. Razor blade? for what? I need a good answer - other than removing splinters. If you are hiking the AT - what do you need a Bowie for? Lets stop the fear. Lets get practical and narrow this down.

Come on folks - the repeating theme is all over the place.... lets get quality info that can build an article.

That's IMO.

[garlic08]

Ditto Miner's post on the needle, tweezers, and nail clippers. I carry them with my razor blade. I also carry a large safety pin. With all those individual and nearly weightless choices, I don't need a multitool.

This thread comes up over and over and the opinions are all over the place. How do we as a group work together to find the best "three" out of ???? to solve this?

I think that might prove as futile as agreeing on a recommendation on whether to use trekking poles or carry maps or a water filter. Even if 90% of successful thru hikers agreed a 1.5" single blade is all you need, there will be the 10% who swear you need something beefy enough to split oak kindling and sharp enough to make fuzz sticks in the rain and seriously believe that anything less is foolishly risky. And there may be one time in a hiker's life that they're right. Witness the seatbelt argument, which is hard to refute.

...Razor blade? for what? I need a good answer - other than removing splinters....

It's been said above: Opening food packages, cutting cord and fabric for gear repair. I've modified shoes, clothing, and packs with mine. If I were faced with having to do more major surgery or first aid, I'd rather have a new single edged razor blade than the typical trail knife. It's easy to carry a few spares. Other nice features are the cost, and the ability to throw it away when boarding a plane with your pack. Has anyone else ever lost a knife to TSA because you forgot it was in your pack?

[Wise Old Owl]

Garlic - ya kind of nailed it - might take a few more posts - but there we are a razor blade - a swiss nail clipper and one fixed locking blade of strong steel.

[atmilkman]

This thread comes up over and over and the opinions are all over the place. How do we as a group work together to find the best "three" out of ???? to solve this? How do we cut the clutter and remove large knifes "greater than six inches" get rid of the razor blades" and the stupid survival knives (Bear Grills) Yea I did that deliberately to avoid search engines and the ridiculous Swiss that goes dull to fast. Its my opinion that a knife is not the problem - its the education that one can do with the knife to stay alive when you make compounding mistakes that send you asunder.

I will point out it needs to be light - I don't need a screw driver or a corkscrew... Unless I am in France. - Swiss suck - they cannot make a decent fuzz stick in the rain. The mini Swiss is nice for nails and feet but I have broken a few in the field. Razor blade? for what? I need a good answer - other than removing splinters. If you are hiking the AT - what do you need a Bowie for? Lets stop the fear. Lets get practical and narrow this down.

Come on folks - the repeating theme is all over the place.... lets get quality info that can build an article.

That's IMO.

Owl I just gotta throw a "wrench" in your post. Here's what I have been carrying for a while. It's been working for me. http://www.slipnsnip.com/

[Blissful]

small swiss army with basics (knife, scissors, tweezers)

[SunnyWalker]

I would love to carry a big hunting knife or a multi-tool as it is part of my dream. However, weight IS the issue and from experience I know I will never use the multi-tool. So i stick with a simple neck knife. This IS an issue that keeps coming up all the time. To each his own. the thought of taking a Multi-tool on a hike appeals to me cuz it's "cool". However, I will never make it through the thru hike if I don't cut down on the weight.