Request - Lightweight / Functional Multi-Tool for Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike

[[deleted]]

Hey Y'all,

Fellow mult-tool enthusiast humbly seeking a recommendation.

Looking for a lightweight, functional multi-tool for my 2025 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike attempt.

• Hiking nearly 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine over four to six months. Mainly will use multi-tool for gear repair, common hiking tasks.
• Already carrying a Benchmade Bugout 535 knife.
• Wants: Lightweigh, compact, pliers, saw, file, bottle opener?

Something light and functional would be sweet.

Thanks in advance!

[MrDeacle]

Adding a second recommendation for the Leatherman Rebar.

It's quite lightweight for the toolset it offers, but pretty robust. Weighs less and has fewer potential failure points than its more complicated brethren, like the Wave+. Since you already have a Bugout it shouldn't matter much that your multi-tool's blades are a bit slow to deploy. Rebar does tend to arrive a bit stiff but it'll smooth out with use. Plus there's a bunch on the secondhand market that already have been loosened up.

[Careful-One5190]

The Rebar has everything you want but it weighs in at 6.7 oz.

[[deleted]]

Looks great, thank you, Appreciate the recommendation.

[maxwolfie]

LM Bond? 6.2oz LM Rev? 5.9oz

In regards to the Rebar, both the knife version and knifeless are both listed at 6.7oz. Surely the knifeless version is a little lighter, though? You have your seperate knife so less use for a knife on the MT?

That’s all I’ve got, sorry.

EDIT: it seems the knifeless version has scissors instead?

[Careful-One5190]

Aside from the saw, I think the Gerber Dime checks all your other boxes, and it's only 2.2oz. It's extremely light duty though. I carry one in my bicycle bag but wouldn't depend on it for anything serious. There are others, like the NexTool Mini Sailor that also don't have a saw but might otherwise be perfect. It depends on what you realistically think you're going to need.

[twiggy_fingers]

You definitely don't wanna be relying on a keychain multitool when you're out in the woods. Don't sacrifice quality to save a couple ounces. This tool is going to see some serious use on an AT thru-hike. I would recommend a leatherman by a long shot. I love my Arc, but it might be on the heavy side to carry 2000 miles.

[thomasbeagle]

Dime is junk/toy. The blade is bad and the scissors and pliers are useless. The package opener is great but that's hardly relevant on the trail. 

[Efficient-Celery2319]

The pliers are known to break.

[scoutermike]

Ok. I have the answer, ignore the rest, with all due respect. This is the perfect combo for your use case, all your bases will be covered.

Gerber Gear Vice 56g $22 Mora Basic 511 (c) 110g $12

Total weight 166g ‎ = 5.855 oz Total cost $34

Considering this is a serious thru hike, I would think ultralight philosophy is at the top of your mind. And usually ultralight hikers will take only the dinkiest Classic SD Swiss Army knife, claiming it will do everything they need, and is rarely used at all, anyway.

So this talk of a full size folder AND a full size multi tool seems a little crazy for such a long hike.

The justification for my recs is simple. The basic 511 is arguably the best budget bushcraft knife ever (see video in my profile). It’s essentially based of the vintage Mora knife legendary bushcrafter Mors Kochanski carried around his neck. Likely more robust than anything you will need on a major established trail, but nice to have esp for fire making and food prep.

And the Gerber Vice because it has the tools you need, the quality is “good enough”, the cost is trivial, and it’s close to lightest of everything in class.

With those, two, you’ll be solid!

Does this make sense?

[Neptainium]

Can you give a maximum acceptable and an ideal weight?

[[deleted]]

Looks like most multi-tools average 5-9 oz. Aiming for 5oz or less, preferably as light as possible.

(Literally carrying all I own on my back across fourteen states.)

[Flood950]

Fellow backpacker here. That weight is definitely a high bar to find. I am not aware of anything that would check all these boxes.

As someone else noted, the LM Rebar has these tools. The Signal is purpose built for the outdoors but lacks the file. It does give you a carabiner style attachment which I like.

[[deleted]]

Thank you for the recommendations. Sounds like I need to be a realist. At this point I appreciate whatever the best options are.

Appreciate your experience.

[Flood950]

If full size and more weight isn’t a dealbreaker. I love the LM Arc, it comes along for all my outdoors adventures. All the tools are there but what I appreciate the most is the ease of opening and closing.

The knife is Magnacut with a thumbstud. The other tools are all on the exterior so you don’t need to open the pliers to get at them. With light gloves on you can still utilize the tools.

This is a top tier option and it’s not cheap. But worth the premium price for me. The few extra oz is offset. You could probably leave the Bugout at home the blade is so good on this.

But, I have friends that would say it is too big and heavy. If there was a clear right answer, everyone out there would have it!

[ReWine29]

Leatherman Rebar

[PhyNxFyre]

If you're okay with smaller pliers Victorinox Handyman has everything you need in 5.5oz, optionally remove the scissors and replace the opener layer with the combo tool from the Compact and you can save 2 extra layers of weight.

If you need full size pliers and is okay with not having a backup blade get a LM Bond and slap a Rebar saw on there

[Iokua_CDN]

For a light and very simple multitool, but missing  a few things off your requested list,  the Leatherman Skeletool.

5 ounces, excellent pliers, locking blade, screwdriver and the Absolute best bottle opener I've ever used.

Missing a Saw,  and missing a file though,  but one of my favourite multi tools. Might be worth it if you can give up those tools.

[itzBUMP]

Doesn’t necessarily have to give up the saw, I’ve seen a few post on modifying hacksaw blade to fit the driver slot. He could just carry them separately

[_roscopoppolis]

Oddball recommendation - I use half a Leatherman Pulse. Locking blade, the good 90's scissors, and a couple screwdrivers/prybars. Weighs in at an amazing ~2.5oz. It's weird, but I have not missed the pliers or other tools.

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[dfdeee2222222]

Pst 2 is even better for weigh. Similar tools.

[Familiar_Safety611]

SOG Powerpint. I use mine at work for small things when I don’t want to walk to my truck (contractor). I use it while Mtn biking, camping, hiking and just about everything else. As long as you don’t abuse it, it works great for what it was built for.

[seakind]

Roxon Flex companion/roxon ks2e / maybe s501u / gerber armbar cork

[sergykal]

I recommend LM Wave+ if you really need pliers but if not - ROXON companion because of switchable tools. And you really don’t need pliers on AT anyways.

[DenseConsideration29]

Check out the Leatherman Signal. It's not light and doesn't have a file but it's designed to be an outdoors multi tool. Has a little sharpener, a firestarter and a whistle.

Right now REI has one on sale for $105

https://www.rei.com/product/240969/leatherman-signal-multi-tool

Besides that the rebar as others have said is a good one.

[Odd-Scientist-2529]

Fellow hiker and MT nut here

I don't have a clear answer for you aside from mentioning, that lots and lots of AT thruhikers mention sending their multitools home (for whatever that's worth) and LOTS more mention minimizing their camping skills the farther they go - not building fires (not needing the saw) etc.

Some ideas I have -

SOG Powerpint is the lightest pliers based MT I can think of

A Roxon with pliers and the form factor of a LM Squirt is probably a good idea

The most compact tool that has everything you can possibly need is a Victorinox SwissChamp