A purpose-built, specialized tool for outdoor adventure and wilderness survival, while also serving purpose around the house Aside from the size, there are a few notable improvements over its chief rival, the Skeletool. The Flash MT has a much better, pointier pair of pliers, allowing you to get in and do real work.

We wish the main blade were not serrated. Yes, a serrated edge cuts a few things a little better than a straight edge. But that serrated edge suffers or completely fails to cut other things, especially when it is dulled. Once dull, a serrated edge is more difficult to sharpen, whereas the included sharpener on the Signal could be used to resurface an entirely straight-edged blade. The inclusion of a serrated portion on the blade seems like a marketing move more than a practical one. The Signal is unique and functional. It isn't too huge or too clumsy to use. With it, Leatherman comes another step closer to abandoning their proprietary bit driver interface. They built in the expected "squashed" bit driver, but they also included a standard 1/4 inch drive bit holder. We like this. The standard bit holder isn't oriented in an ideal fashion, but it is better than nothing. For survivalists looking for a multi-tool designed with bushcraft in mind, while also functional around the home, the Signal is a great piece of gear to add to the kit. The driver — a two-headed 4mm with Phillips on one side and flathead on the other — is small enough to sometimes not work on bigger fasteners. The Gerber Center Drive Plus displaces its non-Plus predecessor for this specialized award. The Plus takes all we liked about the original Center Drive and adds scissors and a larger blade, which we deem significant and worthy upgrades. The screwdriver configuration has a long extension and a handle ready for more torque. This award-winning Gerber centers the bit along the handle's long axis, vastly improving ergonomics and making it feel like a true, single-purpose screwdriver. The 12 bits that come with this model fit inside the included leather sheath along with the tool.The best survival multi-tools are durable, versatile, and highly portable. The products on our list fulfill those criteria without question. Features Compound Leverage plier heads for smooth open and close and increased gripping power. A total of 21 tools are on the heavy duty, stainless steel PowerAccess Deluxe including two knife blades, can & bottle opener, wood saw, two flat screwdrivers, Phillips screwdriver and a 1/4" driver with hex bit kit. A standard multi-tool is better than nothing if you’re in a bad situation, and there’s a decent amount of overlap when it comes to function. But we wouldn’t trust our lives with it.

At this price point, however, there are some compromises. The lone blade features a hybrid straight and serrated edge made of mid-grade steel, which will require regular sharpening depending on your use. The straight portion is easily reconditioned, but sharpening serrations requires special techniques. Further, that blade is significantly shorter than it needs to be. There is almost a half inch of extra space in the handle that Leatherman conspicuously does not utilize. Overall, you get far more than you pay for with the Leatherman Wingman, including some truly unique features not seen in even high-end models. If you're willing to spend a little more, the Leatherman Skeletool CX offers better ergonomics but fewer functions. If you use a multi-tool for basic tasks but are prone to losing it, the Wingman won't hurt quite as much to replace.If your multi-tool use includes a lot of driving screws, choose the Center Drive Plus. It is the best tool we know of for that purpose. Otherwise, it's more average as a general multi-tool. The rattly construction holds up well but doesn't instill high confidence. The pliers are more prone to pinching than more sophisticated options, and accessing tools other than the blade, pliers, and bit driver requires multiple steps. As we move forward, this buyer guide will be updated frequently to make sure it’s as useful and accurate as possible. Any excuse to play with more gear is fine by us. It didn’t take long for the clear winners to emerge. 1. Leatherman Surge Heavy Duty Survival Multi-Tool

One of the questions we get from time to time is, “what’s the difference between a survival multi-tool and a regular one?” It seems like they’re all pretty much the same at first glance. SOG's proprietary Compound Leverage technology works by employing multiple pivot points that generate greater handle travel in relation to plier movement. The result is a leverage advantage of approximately twice the power of a conventional multi-tool, which makes every cut smoother and easier. This all comes down to build quality. The materials and design of a tool will impact their lifespan. One thing that was surprising was the blade play on the knife. I’d prefer no assist and less slop, but I think, given the design, there needs to be some fidget room for the assist to work. Conclusion Size and weight is another area you need to think about. Like we mentioned above, cramming too many functions into one tool will result in you lugging around a 4-pound beast.Survival multi-tools are supposed to be portable. It’s part of what makes them so valuable in the first place. Short term durability is the strength and ability of a tool to handle immediate tasks. You might find yourself in a situation where you need to put a lot of force on this piece of gear, and there’s no other tool you can use. But if you’re curious about the main factors we consider, this section is for you. It doesn’t cover the intangibles you’ll notice when you get your hands on one, but it should be helpful. Durability For us, finding the best survival multi-tools wasn’t that difficult. We’ve been into prepping and survivalism for quite a while and have gotten to use many of the tools on the market.