Okay I'm going to stir this pot a little...

I just found out today that I'll be taking part in an evidence search exercise with my SAR organization...a perfect time to do some multi-tasker vs uni-tasker testing. I want to be 'fast and light' but still be versatile enough to have the proper gear to do whatever is asked (usually the police call the shots and don't always give you all the details...understandably).

This thread plus that news got me to thinking about some of the redundant stuff I often carry. So here's a few examples for you to wrap your brains around while I do the same.

• Gerber LMF II: Lighter than my Gerber Brush Thinner Machete, Gorge folding shovel, or either axe. Much more versatile than my Gerber folding saw. Can dig but not as well as the shovel, can hammer like the axe but not as well, can chop but not as well as either the axe or the machete, can do what the saw does but not as efficiently, can take 'abuse' (like digging in rocks) better than any other option. Plus it's a knife! But can it/should it replace some/all of those other items?
• Crusader Canteen set in carry bag: In the given situation (an evidence search) I only need a good supply of water and shouldn't need to cook anything. Given that the canteen set is overkill but should I run out of water, I then have the option of boiling found water or purifying (as I keep purification goods in the bag itself). I also have the option of making a hot beverage which, given the current season in Alberta, could be desirable...but is it worth the added weight to have those multi-tasks over a Nalgene bottle? Though now that I think about it I've heard stories of people being effictively stranded in place for hours. Once you find a piece of evidence you CAN'T leave until the police (or a CSI) take control of that item/scene (to maintain continuity)...so maybe the ability to cook a small but hot meal is good?
• Gerber multipliers or SAK?: Going into such a search I might not know if the environment is urban, rural, bush, swamp, etc. Would multipliers be a better option or would my swiss army knife? Or should I carry both to be sure despite the added weight and bulk? Tough call again.
• Clothing: Waterproof/breathables all around (bulky but nothing needs to be carried unless layers are shed)...ie Multitask. OR Fast/light clothing with some reserve gear in the pack (rain poncho, windbreaker, etc) ie: Unitaskers. With the former I might not even need a pack...with the latter my mobility would be way better at the cost of some additional weight in my pack...plus those items might be slightly redundant...or not even needed (like if it doesn't rain).

Just because this is an experiment, I think I'm going to go for a lightweight mix focusing on the multi-tasking side but mix it up a bit to see how lightweight I can get. This goes against my typical 'take the kitchen sink, it only weighs 20 lbs' routine and will force me outside my box a little. There can be a LOT of walking invovled and the last thing I want to be is loaded down be it with multi-taskers OR uni-taskers. I can make notes about what I use and what I don't. There is little risk in trying a combo which isn't ideal because it's an excercise.

My "Looney's (Loonie's) worth":

I would take the LMF. You probably are not going to be required to do much digging. Minor excavation around the piece but not full-out digging (assumed).

I think you need a way to carry/purify water. Also, if you have a Pepsi can stove, take it. I believe a warm drink or Ravilois/Dinty Moore (whatever) would be valuable (morale).

The Gerber would be my choice, 'cuz you never know.

Clothing is an area I haven't delved into yet; no opinion.

I'd go with all your multi tasker options, and the small addition of redundancy you mention might be just enough to wean you off the security blanket a bit.

Hopefully you survive the ordeal, having learned something about what is really needed and when the kitchen sink can be left in the kitchen.

I'm not much on the whole digital thing. I got along fine without cell phones or a PDA, GPS or digital cameras for decades. I contend most of the jobs done by these devices is better handled by more primitive means. Most of what my friends have on their PDAs could be stored on a 3by5 card written on with a stubby pencil. Most cell phone calls area waste of time and money. A GPS has advantages in speed and accuracy, at least most of the time, but I get along fine with a map and compass. In some ways I'm more a 20th century guy. More than one has said it's more like 19th century.

I only recently got a cell phone. I still keep forgetting to carry it. Then again I have has a PC since the late 70s. I'm not adverse to technology, when and where it makes sense.

As for combined devices, assuming you really need all those functions, I would lean toward combining them to save weight and bulk. But it isn't as simple as that. The size of the devices has gone down. (Remember when cellphones were the size of a brick and had a hand-set on a coiled cord?) Now you could fit a dedicated GPS unit, a digital camera, a cell phone, a PDA and toss in a MP3 player in a moderately sized pocket. So combining them doesn't save as much bulk or weigh as it used to.

Separate you might be able to share batteries. And if you drop or lose one your still up for other functions. With a combined device your screwed. The other part of this is replacement cost. Combined devices tend to go for a premium price. The exception seems to be the cell phone camera. Which is cheaper than the camera alone.

On the other hand I'm not big maintaining redundancy on my person. One Leatherman and one tiny flashlight and ... well you get the idea. I keep replacements in my truck so they are pretty much always within a couple of minutes walk. I tried carrying multiple copies on me but it got to be I rattled when I walked. I hate the "bat belt" look and feel. Feeling like I have to go through narrow doors sideways and the slight delay on movement. I like to keep it light for every-day wear. If I was camping in the deep woods I would carry more. But I'm not and don't.

It has been decades since I needed more than one knife.

As I said in the other thread, I like each piece of my EDC to be as versatile as possible. Instead of using multiple devices to get the redundancy of multiple batteries, I'd carry one device and some spare batteries. A spare mobile phone battery may be expensive, but it's generally cheaper than another device that includes a battery, and it takes less room. (Plus I can generally afford to pay to reduce weight and volume in my EDC.)

I try to avoid devices that have batteries that can only be charged.

I am willing to put some effort into monitoring battery levels, and prioritising applications of multi-use items. I wouldn't lose use of the phone by over-using its camera. If I had to, I'd switch the phone off and just turn it on when I needed it, and rely on store-and-forward protocols such as text messages and voice mail.

What all can a cell phone replace functionally? Besides being a phone, I can take pictures, shoot video, record audio, keep time, generate a map (no gps for my phone yet, though I see it coming), check email, browse the internet, use it as a daytimer, use it as a low light flashlight, an alarm clock, listen to music, watch movies, and I am sure there's plenty more. I do still carry a flashlight and a watch on my person so there is some redundancy, but it is amazing how much they've crammed into the little platform.