As some of you may have read in my past posts i have just bought a new landrover discovery (lovely vehicle)!
I want a multitool to go in my automobile kit! I intend to use my car all over the world on a trip i hope to commence in a year or so! I have a sheath knife oin there and have also folloowed doug's advice on a kit for it but which tool should i go for!
A LEATHERMAN or a GERBER
I've had a leatherman wave for 2 years ish now. I carry this everywhere but i need a backup
I got £100-150 to spend! On it and it needs to be a strong tool!
Which company do you advise i go with and which tool from there range!

Thanks

Mark

I would get the strongest tool possible and that would be either Leatherman Supertool 200 or Crunch and from Swiss Army family a Swisstool. I have a Swisstool in my car and it is a really strong piece fo equipment. For all around jobs it works fine (used it only once since my Wave is getting all the workout). Since I handled the Supertool in the store I know it is very similar in feel and quality to the Swiss Army. Now I mentioned Crunch from Leatherman for the reason that sometimes you have nobody to hold you a bolt and that's when having a vise-grip type tool would be life saving.

Matt

multitools as cool and handy as they might be,are intended to be carried on you in place of a well stocked tool box-
In a car,OTOH, you are not limited not by weight nor space, so the best would be to invest in a proper quality set of tools.

As for the "Crunch", it is an expensive thing, not as well equipped as a Swiss Tool, and doesn't have that jaws release "thingie"- there is no substitute foe the real thing, a good, tough and sturdy "Vise Grip".

In my "it's new, it's shiny, I want it disease", I got a Gerber Legend when they came out. Not long after, one of the screwdrivers broke under relatively normal conditions. It's now been relegated to the spares bin and I've gone back to carrying my old Victorinox Ranger. Maybe not as many features, but it's been utterly reliable for fifteen years now. If you want to get a multitool, either stick with the Wave or get a Victorinox.

Peanut

I'd recommend the Super Tool 200 AND a pair of needle nose ViseGrips.

I've had the original SuperTool for 6 years now and find it stronger and more complete than my friends various multi-tools. The 200 has better handles, a better (un-)locking mechanism, a sheepsfoot serrated blade instead of clip point and a better lanyard attachment.

As for the ViseGrips, the needle nose pair is the single most useful pair of pliers I own. The jaws can open wide enough to hold most bolts, and the wire cutters can go through stuff the leathermen can't. All that and they're only about $12-15 for the real thing (what I keep in my toolbox in the house). If you buy the Popular Mechanics knock-offs from Wal Mart (like I did for my backup pair I keep in the truck), you can get them for around $6.

Yeah maybe i should have said that i am taking a hell of a lot of spares-and the tools to go with it the gerber is more of a could be nice to have handy kinda thing!

Sorry i wasn't clear!

Mark

If you do get the leatherman supertool 200, it would be a good idea to invest in the tool adapter as well. personally, i'd still get a full tool set. sometimes you might need to use a few tools at the same time - impossible with a mult-tool.

I WILL BE CARRYING A TOOL KIT!!!-the multi-tool-is for the job that doesn't require a big tool or incase i loose my lkeatherman or if i go on a hike on foot or similar-you get the idea!

Mark

Oops <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. I re-read your post and saw that you wanted a multi-tool ASWELL as a tool-kit. I don't know much about cars and 4x4's, so i wouldn't know which tool would suit your needs best. hope you make the right descision though, and happy off-roading <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I use the Leatherman super tool. Came in handy one time broke down in Montana fixed a fuel pump. It's heavy duty and I don't worry about it breaking under load broke my regular leatherman one time under load. I sent it back and they replaced it no questions asked. Between that and my Glock shovel I feel like getting lost all the time.

I just sold my Gerber Legend 800 on eBay, then went right out and bought a Wave with the tool adapter...if that tells ya anything!

John McIntire

Mark,

Get the Leatherman Supertool. Its implements tend to be bigger & stronger than those on the Wave. That is especially true of the pliers. They are a little longer & open a little wider. For me, that's often made the difference between the tool being usable & useful for various applications versus not usable at all. It also has a crimper, awl, & ruler, but no scissors.

I had an original Supertool for several years & bought a Wave as an auxiliary. The Wave has been useful, but not nearly as much so as a Supertool. Most of the time I carry the Supertool. The Wave still makes a good backup. The new Supertool should be even better than the original with its easier unlocking & more ergonomically shaped handles. OTOH, I have gotten Waves for my wife & 12 year old son. But their SAKs do not have scissors as mine does.

Incidentally, in comparison to a Gerber (I think it may have been an 800 Legend, tho memories do fade...), I was surprised by how narrowly the Gerber plier opened. For me, the Gerber did not seem nearly as useful.

Best wishes,

John

I thought about the same thing just buying a new (to me) truck myself. I had planned on buying something like a leatherman crunch, but for the price of it I was able to buy several other tools. My plan now is to buy another Wave as a backup incase my EDC wave ever gets lost or broken. I have an extended cab truck with the fold up jump seats in the rear. Between the hinges of each of the jump seats I was able to place a small daypack (Eagle Creek Sidekick). The passenger side pack I filled up with a small screwdriver set, small wrench set, and some racheting wrenches, and a pair of pliers. I'm trying to avoid having a socket set and screwdrivers with the removable bits as they tend to be easily lost. I pull out my small tool bag when I do maintenance to make sure I can do most everything I need with just those tools. Behind the drivers seat the bag there will contain a duplicate of all my EDC gear so I have a handy replacement in the event of loss, damage, theft, etc. For example it will eventually carry a spare Wave and currently has a spare Maglite as well as spare batteries as well as some extra gear I want handy like a sewing kit, maps and compass, etc. Anyway to sum a long boring post, When I choose extras for a car kit/bob I buy a duplicate of my EDC, with my luck the day I do loose something will be the day I really need it.

1)It WASN'T boring
2)It's got me thinking-what a great idea with the different rucksacks particularly tools-i no nothing about cars-my dad is teaching me on a saturday - we take apart the landrover in sections-work out potential spares needed and tools to do the jo so to have them under the seat would be useful
3)The idea with the kit in the back with spare EDC sounds great
4)Thankyoui very much it's got the grey matter really going-it's much appreciated-i'll sleep on it-see how i could implement it!

Mark

1) Thanks, its nice to know I don't bore someone <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
2) I learned a while back that if I don't keep things neat,organized and handy I tend to not put them away or not take them with me when I should. I have started to make everything I own portable and stored in some sort of bag/case for ease of use. I have a nice selection of tools in my garage in a big tool box, but its not handy to load in the back of the truck and lock it down so I didn't have it with me once on a long trip and had to buy tools when I broke down. I have started looking for places to store things for just incase on every vehice I own. Start with the basics: Go to an auto parts store and look up your vehicle in the little books there and buy one of every light and filter and fuse. Go home and try to replace each and note the tools need to do it. Buy a small plastic box to put the spare lights it (I got a little black box from sears that is small enough to sit on top of my battery. I noted that I needed a cross and torx screwdriver, 7mm nutdriver to replace all of the bulbs so I bought them and tossed them behind my jump seat, and then ,measured the space and went searching for a bag to fit there. As I do other maint such as changing oil and filters I buy the tools (at least Craftsman quality) and stick in my little bag while noting what I have and need on a small spreadsheet.
3) The EDC spares started out one day when I chaged the batteries in my AAA Mag lite and lost the little spring from the tailcap and couldn't find it. I work next to a mall so I stopped by the sears there and picked another up and decided once I replace the srping I will store it in the truck in case I ever break or loose the one I carry. So I bought another bag and started adding. I now have the AAA mag, spare batteries, advil packets, sewing kit, compass, etc all in one small survival bag. Not quite pocket carry but meant to suppliment the pocket carry If I need anything while away from home. I am starting to prefer the smaller soft sided bags as opposed to big metal ammo cans and such as the bags are easier to carry and can be flexed to fit in tight places like inside me seat hinges.

i like your style so much so i went into my landrover and detailed all the pockets and noocks and crannies and have a room in my house where i am trying to organise stuff for my trip-i have all my tools that i may need so far laid on the floor-extra survival itemsetc!!! I'm slowly building rucksacks and Bum bags to go in these spaces-landrovers are full of little pockets and things lol!!!

Thanks-really inspiring!-do you have any lists of the kit you carry-if you do i'd really appreciate it

Thanks Mark

I have a excel spreadsheet of my kit so far, send me a PM and I'll give you my e-mail, or send me your e-mail and I'll send it to you.