Best Survival Multi Tools – Step By Step Comparisons!

If you love to spend your time outdoor, you know how important it is to be prepared. If you don’t know what you’re doing, a casual trip into the woods could easily turn into a survival situation.

Whether you love to camp or you prefer to challenge yourself by truly “roughing it,” nothing is more valuable on your trip than a best survival multi tool. This device will make it so much easier to stay on top of things out in the field. Whether you need help building a fire or want to prepare your next meal, a multi-tool can help you get the job done.

Today, we’ll show you some of the best multi tool for survival that you can find, as well as point out which factors you should be considering when making your final decision.

9 Best Survival Multi Tools - Comparisons

9 Best Survival Multi Tools - Reviews

In a survival situation, having the right tool can mean the difference between making it home safely or not at all, so choose wisely.

1. Victorinox Swiss Army SwissChamp Pocket Knife

Whereas most hardcore survival knives have about twelve to fifteen functions, this has an impressive thirty-three different uses.

While not every component is built to take on tough jobs, you can do more with this little device than you could with anything else we’re about to see. Overall, no matter what you have to do out in the field, you can probably get it done with a Swiss Army Knife.

Some of the highlighted tools include a pocket knife, tweezer, a saw, a fish scaler, a ruler, and a corkscrew. There are even a few screwdrivers to help you stay on top of mechanical repairs. Overall, if you want something compact and versatile, this is your best option.

While some Leatherman models are ideal for outdoor survival, the MUT is much better in the garage or around the house. What makes this particular model so desirable is that it has a one-handed operation, which means that you can whip out the right tool easier than ever before.

Overall, this multi-tool comes with sixteen different functions and has Leatherman’s incredible twenty-five-year guarantee. What’s best about that is that it’s not like a warranty, which means that if you’re not satisfied at all, the company will replace it with something else.

Overall, the Wave has seventeen different functions, including the standard pliers and wire cutters, as well as screwdrivers, can and bottle openers, and spring-action scissors. The scissors are also helpful in the field, whether it’s cutting fishing line or nylon cords.

Also Read: 10 Best Survival Knife Reviews – Top Models Compared

That being said, because it is military-grade material, it will be much more durable out in the field.

Some of the EOD centric features include a Remgrit blade for cutting fuses and cables, a blasting cap crimper, and a matte finish to prevent glinting or sparking as you work. Other than those functions, the rest of this multi-tool is pretty standard fare.

Highlights include pliers, two different wire cutters, a knife, a saw, a ruler, and a couple of screwdrivers. Overall, this can be a decent multi-tool, even if you aren’t worried about arming or defusing C4 explosives.

This design makes it much easier to use this tool out in the field, which is why we would highly recommend it for camping or survival situations.

Another reason that we like the SOG Multi Tool is that it has PowerAssist opening, meaning that you can open and pull out whatever you need with one hand. That, coupled with a standard locking mechanism means that this tool is highly capable in most survival situations.

Overall, this device comes with sixteen different components, including two knives (that open on the outside), pliers, wire cutters, saws, a bottle opener, and a nail file. The only things that are missing are scissors and tweezers.

The best part is that it is small and compact, meaning that you can put the whole thing in your bag or pocket without any issues. Overall, you get sixty-two uses out of this bag, and the accompanying survival guide will help you understand each and every one of them. If you take nothing else with you while camping, then bring this.

Some highlights include a hunting knife (with a built-in flashlight), a compass, a fire starter, fish hooks, nylon paracord, and signal starters. You even get a large mirror and a whistle to signal people or vehicles that are far away from you. In short, this is the ultimate survival tool.

What sets this tool apart from the others is that it comes with a soft rubber grip on the handle. That means that you can work longer and with less fatigue as your hands aren’t holding onto something hard and metallic.

This tool also comes with a Safe T Plus system to prevent you from accidentally stabbing yourself while you work. That, coupled with the one-handed opening, makes this an ideal choice for camping or going outdoors.

Some highlights of the twelve different components include two knives, a saw, a fish scaler, and scissors. Best of all, everything is rust and mildew-resistant.

Also Read: Best Survival Machetes For Preppers & Survivalists

Best of all, if you don’t want to work in the garage or around the house, the multi-tool also works for almost any environment, with knives, a saw, pliers, and scissors. Overall, if you want to take it camping, leave the screwdrivers behind.

One of the primary features that prove that is that it comes with spring loaded pliers. Considering that springs don’t do well in wet or humid environments, this is mainly designed to work inside.

Other components include two different knives, wire cutters, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and a nail file. Overall, this is a decent, compact multi-tool that will come in handy plenty of times.

How to Choose The Best Survival Multi Tool

Size

When it comes to picking out the right tool, size does matter. The reason that you should pay attention to the dimensions of your multi-tool is that it will make a huge difference in how well each component will survive out in the field. For example, a compact Swiss Army Knife is ideal for small jobs, but if you have to do some heavy duty cutting or repairs, then it won’t do the job well.

Thus, if you’re looking for the ultimate survival tool, get one that is bigger and more durable than the rest. That way, each tool will be large enough to take care of any problem you face, and won’t break under pressure.

Number of Tools

While there is something to be said for a multi-tool that has a ton of different features, the fact is that you won’t be using it for everything that it’s designed to do. For the most part, people only use multi-tools for a handful of different situations, meaning that most of the components are there for show.

Thus, when picking out the best tool for your needs, don’t automatically pick the one with the highest number of features. Instead, figure out what you need it to do the most (cutting, screw driving, etc.) and then choose the tool that will make your life easier with that. Everything else will be icing on the cake.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

After looking at all of these multi-tools, it’s easy to see that some of them are designed for outdoor use, while others are made for indoors. Typically speaking, if a tool focuses more on screwdrivers and pliers, then it is intended for working inside.

Conversely, if there is a wider variety of instruments (such as scissors and tweezers) as well as knives, then it will be much better for camping and working in the field.

So, when picking out the best multi tool, first decide if you want something that will help you survive outside or inside, then make your decision based on that.

One-Handed Opening

One thing that can help you out vastly is the ability to open and access your different tools with one hand. No matter what the situation is (working on a project or gutting a fish), having a multi-tool that opens with one hand is a huge benefit.

For the most part, these kinds of tools require two hands to make them work properly, but some of the higher end models will give you this ability. When it comes down to it, if everything else is equal, we highly recommend getting a multi-tool with this feature.

Locking Mechanism

While most multi-tools come with a locking mechanism, some of the more casual ones (like Swiss Army Knives) don’t. You may think that it’s only necessary for sharp blades, but the fact is that having your tools lock into place makes your job much easier, no matter what you’re doing.

So, if you can find a multi-tool that locks everything into place, then go for it. The only downside to that is when you need to switch tools or close the whole thing you will most likely need two hands to do it effectively.

Final Verdict

Overall, when picking out the best survival multi tool, we decided that it would be better if we chose one designed for outdoor use as well as one that’s built for indoors. With that in mind, we highly recommend the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Multi-Tool for survival situations and the Magnelex Multi Tool for inside use.

The reason for our choices is that both units have the best features for their respective environments. We like the rubber grip and military-grade precision of the BG knife, and we also appreciate the extra screwdriver tips that come with the Magnelex.

Overall, however, each of these multi-tools is well built and should be more than satisfactory, regardless of your needs.

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