As the founder of Multitool.org Grant has been a collector of Swiss Army Knives and multitools for over 25 years, and a user for over 40 years.
With a day job working in the field, either out in the woods or on industrial sites, Grant uses tools every day for all manner of different purposes.
I got this bag a few weeks ago, but for one reason or another I was unable to post some initial thoughts until now.
I had wanted a bag a little smaller than my usual Maxpedition Tactical Operator bag that I usually carry- it gets a bit heavy what with a laptop (old, heavy Toshiba Satellite), a tablet, miscellaneous accessories, paperwork, pens, a few tools and so on, so I wanted something that was going to hold all the essential stuff but force me to minimize the clutter. I found what I hope will be the bag I'm looking for at http://directactiongear.com/ although they do have their work cut out for them. I am hard on bags and few last more than a year with me. But, on to some pictures so you know what I'm talking about!
While not necessarily a multitool, the new RESCOM from Boker has more in line with tools than it does knives.
Following the latest trend of “Tool Knives” SOG has released the Kilowatt, which is basically a one handed opening tactical type knife with some wire stripping features. While I was curious, I have to say I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about this one, but then again, electricity has never been my strong suit.
Anyone who reads my reviews or ramblings on the forums knows that I have a fascination with rescue oriented tools. With all the traveling and security work I do, and have done over the years, I have witnessed more accidents than tactical knife-y situations, and I like tools that are oriented to helping victims rather than slaughtering ninjas.
Tool Logic is one of those companies that everyone has heard about, but no one seems to really know much about. This is a bit of a crime as ToolLogic has some excellent and innovative products, including the SLPro, Law Enforcement Model. In case you are wondering what qualifies the SLPro as a multitool, or at least worthy of being reviewed on a multitool site like this one, remember that the SLPro is more than just a one handed opening, locking tactical type knife.
Having done so many different things with their tool line, Leatherman decided a few years ago to get into pocket knives. However, being Leatherman, they had to do it their own way, and look at knives with tools added, rather than their more typical method of making tools with knife blades on them. The top dog in this particular line was the now discontinued h502.
Recently the knife and tool industry has been leaning more and more towards rescue oriented tools such as Benchmade's ERT-1/Houdini tools, the Victorinox Rescue Tool and more traditional offerings like NOV8's ResQMe tool. Jumping on the bandwagon is traditional US knifemaker Utica/Kutmaster with their latest rescue tools.
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.