Do I need a serrated blade, scissors or a bottle opener? What about a wire crimper or woodcutter? If you've stood in the aisle of your local outdoors store asking yourself these questions, we have you covered. Here are the top eight multi-purpose tools for every outdoor adventurer. See price, features and length so you can find the tool that best suits your needs without the guesswork.
More: What to Put in Your RV Toolbox
SOG PowerLock
$114.00, 4.5 inches
Good for: camping
SOG is known for their stellar knives. Their multi-tools are worth mentioning too. Choose the durable SOG PowerLock that measures just over 4.5 inches when closed. It has 22 tools that you can use both in the woods and at home, including a lock blade, serrated blade, 3-sided file, bottle opener, hard-wire cutter, medium flat screw driver, Phillips screwdriver, scissors, wire crimper, wood saw, small flat screwdriver, ruler, needle nose pliers, large flat screwdriver and a can opener. Plus, it easily attaches to your pack with a lanyard hole.
Pocket Monkey
$12.00, about 3.3 inches
Good for: backpacking
The Pocket Monkey might not seem like much, compared to other multi-purpose tools on the market. The benefit to this tool is how much it packs into a small size. At only one millimeter thick and less than one ounce , this 12-featured tool is small enough to slip in and out of your wallet. The tool is equipped with a phone kickstand, bottle opener, flat screw driver, micro screwdriver, door-latch slip, letter or package opener, hex wrenches, Phillips screwdriver, orange peeler, ruler, a straight edge and even an earbud holder.
Gerber Crucial Multi-tool
$45.00, 3.5 inches
Good for: hiking
The name of this tool says it all—you get all the features you need and none that you don't. The Gerber Crucial is stylish, lightweight and just over 3.5 inches in length when closed. The tool is small enough that it carries more like a pocketknife than other brands, but has a longer handle that offers better torque.
It comes equipped with a variety of features: a carabineer clip, bottle opener, flat head screwdriver, V-cut wire cutters, pliers and a knife—all in a compact system. Unlike other multi-purpose tools, the pliers and wire cutter fold into the whole tool itself.
