The Usefulness of a Multitool
When you’re packing a bug out bag, you’ll find that size and weight are very important factors in what items you’re including.
While it would be nice to be able to bring a whole toolbox with you, they’re very bulky and heavy.
However, Leatherman makes a wonderful series of multitools, which can be stored away neatly and act as almost an entire toolkit. The Leatherman Sidekick is only 1×4”, and weighs an insignificant 7 ounces.
Inside of it are a variety of tools that are all useful for survival situations. The Sidekick has a total of 14 tools in its little package. While it’s folded up, you can access the sawblade and the knife.
These two are key tools for surviving in the outdoors, as you can use them for gathering wood and bush crafting. You can build fires, shelter, and even hunt with these two tools alone.
You can also use the knife to whittle wood to create spears for fishing. Without even unfolding the multitool, you can already use it to acquire food and shelter. If you can find water next, you have all of the survival basics sorted out already.
When you unfold the multitool, the first thing you’ll probably notice is that it looks like a pair of needle nose pliers. The pliers are actually three tools combined into one: needle nose pliers, regular pliers, and wire cutters.
If you live anywhere where cacti grow, you’ll find these needle nose pliers to be lifesavers when you inevitably get some needles stuck in you. The pliers are spring loaded, so they can be easily operated with one hand.
They can also be used to get fishhooks out of a fish’s mouth if you catch one. If you’re salvaging some older machinery for parts, the wire cutters and regular pliers will come in handy.
There are more tools within the “handles” of the pliers. In one handle, you’ll find a flathead and a Phillips head screwdriver. If you need to fix any of the things you bring with you, there’s a good chance they’ll have some screws in them that need to be removed for disassembly and repair.
In the other handle, you’ll find a serrated blade, a file with an even smaller flathead screwdriver on the end, and a can and bottle opener. The serrated blade has its advantages over the straight edge blade, such as being more efficient at cutting rope.
The file can be used to sharpen pieces of metal to use as spearheads or even fishhooks. If you find any canned food while scavenging or if you brought your own, you can use the included can opener to pop them open. Be sure to get some practice using these tools first, however, because it can be difficult to figure out when you’re not familiar with them.