Leatherman Style PS Multitool

www.leatherman.com, 1.58 ounces
For those whose love of gear and gadgets conflicts with today’s go-light approach to travel (nevermind the insult of paying to check a bag), there’s finally a multitool that’s TSA-compatible. Leatherman’s new Style PS gives you a hearty handful of tools in its 2.9-inch-long body, including a petite pair of narrow, spring-action pliers (with a wire cutter); small scissors; flat- and Philips-head screwdriver with a nail file; a carabiner/bottle opener; and a pair of tweezers that ingeniously slide into the tool’s black handle. As with most Leatherman tools, the construction is top-notch, including the 100-percent stainless steel body and 25-year warranty.  No, you won’t find any sort of blade, save those on the scissors (which are shorter than the four-inch max-length dictated by the TSA).  But until they stop making you remove your shoes at the security line and allow pocket knives on planes, this is one of the best carry-on multi-tool available.

Product Type
Multi-Tools
Good For
,
Tested In
Countless TSA security lines throughout the country.

Wenger Ueli Steck Special Edition Knife

www.wengerna.com,  four ounces
We love products that are built with input from of hardcore outdoor athletes. Not because our skill levels are equal to theirs, but because their insight into what makes something perfect means the product will never fail us. So when Wenger announced a partnership with alpine climber, Ueli Steck, we took notice. The result? Pretty damn impressive. Wenger’s Special Edition Knife is built to Steck’s rigorous specifics—which makes it more of a tool that just another knife.  The titanium blade is 50 percent thicker than standard blades, making it one of the strongest available. The 65 mm blade is partially serrated near the base, which adds to the cutting power. The knife boasts a long metal file, regular head screwdriver/bottle opener, a can opener/wire stripper, and a variety of hex keys (7, 10, and 13 mm) that slide into the grooves of the knife blade for loads of torque.  The soft pouch also carries a quarter-inch bit adapter as well as the flat- and Philips-head screwdriver bit, making it one of the most versatile tools on the market, even with a modest 2.3-inch length (when closed).   The handle even has a nice Ueli Steck graphic—it won’t make you climb the Eiger in under three hours, but it’ll perform admirably whenever you need it. We do wish the blade was easier to unfold one-handed; your thumb fits into the large hex in the knife blade, which allows you to flick it open—but we’ve seen other models that perform this action more smoothly for on-the-go, quick access.

Product Type
Knives, Multi-Tools
Good For
, , ,
Tested In

Leatherman Super Tool

www.leatherman.com, 9.6 ounces
I’ve owned the Super Tool since 1997. Whenever I travel or have an adventure my trusty tool comes along with me. This particular one has accompanied me ever since the previous model base jumped off Yosemite’s El Cap without a parachute. It’s versatile enough to slice cheese, cut bread with a serrated knife, poke holes in stuff with the awl, file my nails, adjust a derailleur, remove a fish hook, or open a can of tomatoes. The locking blades were a big improvement over the previous model; I no longer had to worry about a blade inadvertently closing on my fingers. I intend to keep using this tool until it is pried from my cold dead hands.
The Super Tool sports 19 appliances, including multiple knives, pliers, wire cutters, screwdrivers, openers, and crimpers.
-Barbara Howe

Product Type
Multi-Tools
Good For
, , ,
Tested In
Yosemite

Gerber Crucial F.A.S.T Pocket Tool


www.gerbergear.com, 5.8 ounces
Most of us have admired switchblades from afar: West Side Story, The Wild Bunch, even The Terminator.  And while these spring-operated stilettos aren’t practical (or generally legal), there’s a more down-to-earth version that’s equally as sexy and, even more useful. The new Gerber’s Crucial F.A.S.T is an assisted-opening knife. In layman’s terms, that means that a with a flick of your thumb, the blunt-tip half fine/half serrated 2.5-inch blade is out and ready for action. The ridiculously compact, lightweight tool sports so many other handy components, you could potentially perform in-the-field brain surgery: pinch style wire cutters, pliers, needlenose pliers, a long square cross driver bottle opener (try saying that three times, quickly), and flat head screw driver.  F.A.S.T. stands for Forward Action Spring Technology—a patented one-handed opening mechanism that isn’t found anywhere else.  We also love the locking mechanism on the tools; the spring-loaded needlenose pliers are so cleverly built into the tool that you don’t even know they are there, until you need them.
Closed length 4.8 inches

Product Type
Gear All-Star, Knives
Good For
, ,
Tested In
Maroon Bells, CO; Camping in Oregon (Walton Lake, Silver Falls State Park, Green Lake); Fixing Sprinkler Systems

Avenir Road Micro Tool-8

www.avenirusa.com/; 2.8 ounces
Every gearhead knows: size matters, especially when you’re wearing a cycling jersey with narrow pockets.  This leads to what we dub “The Boy Scout Struggle”: the need to always be prepared vs. the urge to keep things light. And the Road Micro Tool-8 from Avenir, the accessory-and-parts arm of Raleigh Cycling, hits that sweet spot.  The ultra-compact tool is shorter than a tube of chap stick and about as thin as four quarters, but it boasts eight tools, including four hex key wrenches (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mm), flat-head and Philips screwdrivers, and a t-25 Torx.  Bust a chain, this tool won’t save you. But for quick adjustments to the bike (or, in our case, to fix an inexplicable loosened cleat), its tiny enough to stash in your pack or jersey and then forget about—until you really need it.

Product Type
Bike Accessories, Tools
Good For
Tested In
On the Road and Trail—Pretty Much Any Time Anything Needs Tweaking, Tightening, or Fixing
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