Innovative Multi-Tools and Gadgets
Whether you are an urban jungle explorer or an avid outdoor enthusiast – if you like to fix stuff – a good multi-tool is a must-have life accessory. Multi-tools come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from models that offer a handful of basic tools suitable for casual camping trips to models equipped with a large assortment of heavy duty tools designed to help with tasks like fixing your 4-wheeler. Some multi-tools even come outfitted with surprisingly innovative features and gadgets. The best multi-tool for your lifestyle should be determined by size / weight, number of available tools, and of course price. We’ve assembled some of our favorite multi-tools that are sure to put your handy skills to the test in just about every peculiar situation you might find yourself in. Become the ultimate “fixer” with one of these awesome EDC (Everyday Carry) multi-tools today.
- Let’s start with the smallest, most affordable multi-tool. The Gerber Dime ($23 US) is a mini, lightweight multi-tool designed to attach to your keychain. But don’t let its small form factor fool you: the Gerber Dime packs 10 impressive tools including pliers, a wire cutter, cutting blade, package opener, scissors, philips / flat screwdriver heads, bottle opener, tweezers and a file.
- The Gear Infusion EverRatchet ($28 US) is a mini 10-in-1 multi-tool that landed a spot on our list thanks to its innovative Philips ratcheting screwdriver feature. Its other tools include a bottle opener, box opener, fire flint, pry and score tool, 7 wrenches, flat edge scraper, flat screwdriver, imperial and metric rulers, as well as 30 and 45 degree protractors.
- The compact, lightweight MGear EDC 10-in-1 Multi-tool ($31.50 US) stands out from the crowd by offering a magnetic belt holster. Simply slip the holster on to your belt and the multi-tool snaps into place thanks to powerful neodymium magnets. Its suite of tools includes a larger selection of screwdriver heads compared to other competing products – and hence this multi-tool makes a perfect companion if you find yourself frequently working with screws. What’s onboard? You’ll find pliers, a wire cutter, knife, file, bottle opener, #1 & #2 flat screwdriver, small / large Phillips screwdriver and even a SIM card extractor. The holster is also equipped with a handy D-ring attachment that can be used to hang your keys and other items. The same 10-in-1 multi-tool can also be found in MGear’s Belt Gadget ($45 US) which comes outfitted with an LED flashlight. This mini flashlight uses a single AAA battery, offers 2000 lumens of output, features a waterproof design and allows you to adjust the size / focus of its light beam. The Belt Gadget comes in two variations: with the multi-tool and with a compact coin knife.
- The Victorinox Fieldmaster ($38 US) is a 15-in-1 multi-tool designed to assist you with both outdoor and indoor projects. Its features include: large & small blades, a can opener, 3 & 6 mm screwdrivers, bottle opener, wire stripper, reamer / punch / swing awl, ½” Philips screwdriver, scissors, wood saw, multipurpose hook, toothpick, tweezers and a key ring. That’s a lot of value for $38!
- How did a wallet make its way onto our multi-tool list? The MGear Gadget Wallet 2.0 ($40 US and up) comes equipped with a unique 18-in-1 credit card multi-tool, which offers an impressive host of functionality from its flat form factor. Here’s what you’ll find on-board: a flat screwdriver, metric hex wrenches (M3, M4, M6), imperial hex wrenches (#4, 6, 8, 10, 12), 6.3 mm hex driver, ruler (cm & inches), wingnut wrench, knife edge, protractor, can opener, box opener, belt cutter, and finger grip / paracord. Since the 18-in-1 credit card multi-tool always sits in your wallet, you are more likely to use it than any other tool on this list – we speak from experience!
- The Gerber Truss ($52 US) is a badass looking multi-tool thanks to its blacked out truss design. It packs no less than 17 tools that will help you tackle just about any task at hand. What do you get? Needle nose & regular pliers, wire cutter, 2.25” fine blade, 2.25” serrated blade, scissors, saw, real cross driver, S/M/L flathead driver, can opener, bottle opener, awl, file, ruler and wire strippers.
- The MGear EDC Mag Tact Belt ($54) is no ordinary belt. The base edition of this belt comes outfitted with a compact coin knife magnetically integrated into the buckle. That’s a pretty smart design, considering that a knife is one of the most versatile tools that a modern outdoor enthusiast is likely to be in need of. From cutting a piece of food to cutting a rope or a fishing line, the usefulness of a knife is virtually unlimited. The belt itself is constructed out of strong 38mm nylon webbing and hence can be a useful outdoor tool in itself. But things can get even more interesting if you add the MGear Belt Gadget with the multi-tool and flashlight to your belt.
- The Leatherman Rebar ($59 US) is a great 17-in-1 multi-tool from a long trusted manufacturer. It offers a slight variation of the tools featured in the Gerber Truss above, along with a unique feature: replaceable wire / hard-wire cutters – a feature rarely found in compact multi-tools. Its full complement of tricks includes: needle nose / regular pliers, wire cutters, electrical crimper, wire stripper, knife / serrated knife, saw, awl with a thread loop, ruler (8” / 19cm), can opener, bottle opener, wood / metal file, Philips screwdriver and S/L flat screwdriver.
- The SOG PowerAssist ($75 US) was designed to offer strength and durability rather than a compact form factor. Hailing from SOF’s Professional series, the 16-in-1 PowerAssist packs a number of heavy duty tools on-board that include two one-handed operation blades (straight-edge & serrated) with a full-size handle, heavy duty pliers, hard wire cutters, gripper, wire crimper, blasting cap crimper, 3-sided file, large screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, can opener, small screwdriver, bottle opener, medium screwdriver, v-cutter, and rulers.
- Topping off our list is the Rapid Response TraumaPAK ($265 – $285 US) which you can think of as a multi-tool for the human body, rather than the traditional multi-tools above. The TraumaPAK is designed for first responders, medics, law enforcement professionals and hardcore outdoor enthusiasts. No, this is not just another med kit to help you with paper cuts. Packed with medical grade products, the TraumaPAK will be your best friend in real life medical emergencies. Available in 3 different versions, the TraumaPAKs share these common elements: 1 tourniquet (SAM-XT, CAT or SOF-TW), 2 vented chest seals, 1 SWAT-T (orange), 1 pressure dressing, (standard with the Israeli T3), 2 pairs of medical gloves, 1 hypothermia blanket, 1 mini duct tape, 1 trauma shears (military grade), 1 QuikClot rolled gauze, 1 compressed gauze 4.5″ by 4 yards, 1 high threat action card and 1 black Sharpie.
That’s it for our multi-tool list. Hopefully you’ll be able to locate a multi-tool for yourself on the list, or explore some of the brands mentioned above to a further extent. If you enjoyed this guide, why not also check out our Best Survival Gear list. In the meantime, we wish you happy outdoor adventuring!