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Every ounce in a backpacking kit has to justify itself, and a multitool is the piece most likely to become dead weight. I’ve carried a clunky hand-me-down on enough trips to know the wrong one rattles against your hip belt and only gets noticed when something breaks. The right multitool fixes the small failures that can derail a day: a loose pack strap, a frayed cord, a stove that won’t light, a bandage that needs cutting. Over eight months, our team tested 12 multitools on day hikes, overnight trips, and campsite chores to find the ones that earn their place.
The details mattered more than I expected. A blade that shaves paper at home can dull after a weekend of cutting cord, and a vague locking mechanism is a cut waiting to happen. Portability isn’t just weight—it’s how the tool sits in a hip pocket and opens in cold rain. We weighed quality and value too, since paying more should buy better steel and smoother pivots, not a longer tool list. The picks below came back still worth carrying.
Best for All-Around Backpacking
Leatherman Sidekick
Key Features
- Tools: 14
- Blade lock: Yes
- Carry weight: 6.88 oz
- Closed length: 3.8 in
- Price: Midrange
The saw is what makes the Sidekick feel like a backpacking tool rather than a pocket knife with extras. At 6.88 ounces and 3.8 inches closed, it disappears into a pack lid or hipbelt pocket, but it brings 14 tools: a one-hand-opening locking blade, spring-action pliers, saw, screwdrivers, can and bottle openers, file, ruler, and wire cutters.
We used the spring-action pliers on a bent tent stake and the saw on small dead branches, and both did the job without turning the tool into a pruning saw. The one-hand blade is the part we appreciated most when the other hand was holding a strap; the lock gives it a secure feel for camp chores. The Sidekick is not the lightest way to carry scissors and a blade—the Rambler wins there—but it is the strongest default here for a backpacker who wants real repair capability.
Carry is the one practical adjustment: there is no pocket clip, so plan on the sheath or the integrated lanyard ring. Keep the pivots dry and oiled after wet trips, and the 25-year warranty is reassuring for a tool with springs and locks. If scissors matter more than a saw, this is not the one; otherwise, it is the first tool we reach for on a trip where something might need fixing.
Pros
- Saw and spring pliers cover camp repairs
- One-hand locking blade is secure
- 14 tools at a packable 6.88 ounces
- 25-year Leatherman warranty
Cons
- No scissors for first-aid or fine repairs
We recommend the Sidekick for backpackers who want a full camp tool without a full-size brick; it is the best tool-set-and-weight balance here.
Best for Ultralight Backup
Victorinox Rambler
Key Features
- Functions: 10
- Screwdriver: Magnetic Phillips
- Carry weight: 1.1 oz
- Closed length: 2.3 in
- Price: Budget
At 1.1 ounces and 2.3 inches closed, the Rambler is the tool we stop noticing on a pack strap—until a bottle cap, a loose screw, or a frayed cord needs attention. It packs 10 functions into that tiny frame, including a blade, scissors, magnetic Phillips screwdriver, bottle opener, nail file, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring. For ultralight backpacking, that is a more useful set than the Classic SD because you gain a real Phillips and a cap lifter for a fraction of an ounce.
We kept it on a keyring and used the scissors for tape and cord, the Phillips for a loose pack buckle, and the bottle opener at dinner. The blade is small, so treat it as a light-duty cutter rather than a wood-processing tool. That is the trade for the weight, and it is the right one if your primary tool already covers camp repairs.
The Rambler earns its place as a second tool, not a replacement for a plier-based multitool. If you want one do-everything tool, step up to the Sidekick; if you want something that disappears until you need it, this is the one we keep on the strap.
Pros
- Ten functions in a 1.1-ounce package
- Scissors, bottle opener, and magnetic Phillips
- Keyring carry stays out of the way
Cons
- No pliers or saw
We recommend the Rambler as the ultralight backup: it adds scissors, a bottle opener, and a magnetic Phillips driver to a pack strap for barely more than an ounce.
Best for Light Pliers Carry
Leatherman Skeletool
Key Features
- Tools: 7
- Carry clip: Carabiner
- Carry weight: 5.6 oz
- Closed length: 4 in
- Price: Premium
The Skeletool looks less like a toolbox and more like a pocket knife that grew pliers. The open-frame design and carabiner clip make it easy to hang from a hipbelt or pack loop, and at 5.6 ounces it is the lightest plier-based tool in this group. Seven tools cover the essentials: needlenose pliers, wire cutters, a one-hand-opening blade, a bit driver, and a bottle opener.
We used the blade one-handed with gloves on and appreciated the clip when our hands were full. The pliers have no spring, so you open them manually; for fast-and-light trips, we think that is the right trade for the lighter frame. The bit driver is the part to watch—keep the bit seated and check the clip now and then, because those are the details that loosen over time.
This is not the tool for a full camp kitchen or firewood. It is the one we reach for when the priority is moving fast and still having pliers for a stove or a bent stake. If you want a more complete camp set, the Sidekick is the better call; if you want the lightest pliers, this is it.
Pros
- Lightest plier-based tool here at 5.6 ounces
- One-hand blade and carabiner clip
- Open-frame design carries easily
Cons
- No saw, scissors, or can opener
We recommend the Skeletool for fast-and-light hikers who want pliers and a one-hand blade without a full toolbox, as long as a saw is not on the list.
Best for Budget Camp Tool
Gerber Suspension NXT
Key Features
- Tools: 15
- Locking: Yes
- Carry weight: 8.48 oz
- Closed length: 4.25 in
- Price: Budget
The Suspension NXT is the value play: a 15-tool, 8.48-ounce full-size multitool that covers pliers, scissors, drivers, openers, and a short saw. It is not the lightest thing you can put in a pack, but it is a lot of tool for the money, and the butterfly frame feels solid in hand.
We used the pliers and scissors around camp and found the pocket clip handy for keeping it on a hipbelt. The tool locks open for drivers and the blade, which gives it a secure feel for camp chores. The blade is better suited to camp chores than heavy carving.
The real trade is weight. At 8.48 ounces, this is a basecamp tool rather than an ultralight one, and the Sidekick is the better backpacking pick in this set if you want a more packable tool. But if you want a full set of locking tools for camp and do not want to pay premium prices, the Suspension NXT earns its spot.
Pros
- Fifteen locking tools for camp chores
- Pocket clip keeps it within reach
- Solid full-size frame
- Budget-friendly full tool set
Cons
- Stiff lock release with cold hands
- Short saw limits larger branches
We recommend the Suspension NXT for budget-minded campers who want a full tool set and do not count ounces; ultralight hikers should look elsewhere.
Best for Survival Extras
WETOLS 27-in-1
Key Features
- Tools: 27
- Carry weight: 9.38 oz
- Fire starter: Yes
- Closed length: 4.37 in
- Price: Midrange
The WETOLS is less a backpacking multitool than a pocket survival kit: 27 tools, a fire starter, a whistle, a hammer, and a window breaker in a full-size package. The fire starter and whistle are the details that separate it from the usual plier-and-driver cluster.
The useful parts for camp are the needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, drivers, openers, and the fire starter. The hammer is a nice touch for tent stakes, and the whistle is a backup signal that takes no pack space. The self-locking design and butterfly opening make it feel more substantial than a keychain tool.
We treat it as a basecamp or emergency tool, not an ultralight primary. If you want a fire starter and whistle built in, it earns a place; if you want the lightest pliers, the Skeletool is the better call.
Pros
- Fire starter and whistle built in
- 27 tools including pliers and drivers
- Self-locking butterfly frame
Cons
- Heavy at 9.38 ounces
- Many tools add maintenance points
We recommend the WETOLS for campers who want fire-starting and signal tools built into a full-size multitool, not for ounce-counting backpackers.
Best for Minimal Keychain
Victorinox Classic SD
Key Features
- Functions: 7
- Carry weight: 0.7 oz
- Closed length: 2.3 in
- Price: Budget
At 0.7 ounces, the Classic SD is the one that disappears on a keyring until you need to cut a thread, open a package, or trim a nail. The seven functions include a small blade, scissors, nail file with screwdriver tip, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring. It is not a trail-repair tool, but it is an honest ultralight backup.
We kept it on a keyring and used the scissors for first-aid tape and cord, and the blade for opening food packets. It is for small jobs and emergencies, not food prep or wood. The Rambler is the better ultralight primary if you want more camp functions.
As a second tool, the Classic SD is the lightest backup here. It gives you a blade and scissors without a pouch, clip, or pocket bulge, and the key ring keeps it attached to a pack strap. If you want one tool to do camp repairs, look at the Sidekick; if you want the lightest possible backup, this is it.
Pros
- 0.7 ounces on a keyring
- Scissors and blade cover small jobs
- Key ring keeps it attached
Cons
- No bottle opener or Phillips driver
We recommend the Classic SD as a featherweight backup for hikers who already carry a primary tool and want scissors and a blade on a keyring.
How We Tested Backpacking Multitools
We started by building a shortlist of multitools sold for backpacking, filtering out anything too heavy to carry on a hip belt, too bulky for a chest pocket, or padded with tools that rarely come up on trail. We also compared specs and owner reviews for steel quality, locking mechanisms, and warranty support before buying 12 tools to test. Over eight months, I carried them on day hikes, two- and three-night backpacking trips, and plenty of campsite mornings.
On trail, I used each tool for real camp chores: cutting cord and moleskin, slicing cheese and summer sausage, tightening pack screws, prying open food packaging, and adjusting a stove valve. I sliced paper and rope with each blade before and after trips, noting which edges rolled or needed sharpening. Back home, I weighed every tool, clipped it to a hip belt, and carried it in a chest pocket to judge portability—whether it disappeared or dug into my side. I also opened and closed every locking blade and tool with cold, gloved hands, then pushed on the spine to see if it held. We dropped each tool on rock, soaked it in a puddle, and left it out overnight to check for rust, wiggle, and screws backing out.
At the end, we compared what each tool actually did against what it cost, and we counted which functions we reached for daily versus which stayed folded. A tool with a dozen implements isn’t versatile if half of them are hard to open or never get used. The ones that scored best had blades that stayed sharp, locks that snapped solidly, and handles that still felt tight after eight months.
How to Choose a Backpacking Multitool
The right backpacking multitool is a weight-and-tool-set compromise: carry enough to fix a strap, stove, or tent stake, but not so much that you resent it on the climb.
Start with weight and packed size
The first number we check is carry weight, then closed length. A 6.88-ounce tool like the Sidekick can live in a pack lid, but an 8.48-ounce full-size model starts to feel like a brick on a long day. The trap is that compact in a listing often means closed length, not pocket fit; check both. If you want a backup that disappears, the Rambler at 1.1 ounces or the Classic SD at 0.7 ounces makes more sense than a full-size tool.
Match the tool set to your repairs
For backpacking, we prioritise a locking blade, scissors, pliers, a Phillips driver, a bottle opener, and a saw if you will be around dead wood. Pliers are for bent tent stakes, stove parts, and pack buckles; scissors handle tape, moleskin, and cord. More tools is not automatically better: the Skeletool’s seven tools cover fast-and-light repairs, while the Sidekick’s saw and 14 tools suit camp chores. The WETOLS adds fire starter and whistle, but only if you will use them.
Locks, springs, and one-hand access
A locking blade is worth having for any cut that needs pressure, and one-hand opening matters when your other hand is holding a strap or a stove. Spring-action pliers are convenient but add a wear point; check that the jaws open smoothly and the lock releases cleanly. The Gerber’s lock release can be stiff with cold or dirty hands, so test it with gloves before a trip. A lock is a safety aid, not a license to pry.
Choose pocket, sheath, or keyring carry
Carry method decides whether a tool comes with you. A pocket clip is convenient, but clips are a common weak point on heavier tools; a sheath or lanyard is more secure for a full-size model. Keyring tools like the Classic SD and Rambler win because they never get left in the pack. If you split the difference with the Skeletool’s carabiner clip, check that it sits tight on your hipbelt before you trust it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a multitool on a plane?
Not in carry-on. A folding blade is treated as a prohibited item at security, so pack the tool in checked baggage and check the destination’s knife rules before you fly. If you are only carrying a keychain tool, remove it from your keys and pack it the same way.
How do I keep a multitool from rusting?
Dry it after rain, oil the pivots, and do not store it in a damp pouch. Stainless steel is rust-resistant, not rust-proof; the springs and locks are the parts most likely to stiffen. A thin coat of oil on the joints after a wet trip is enough.
Can I sharpen a multitool blade myself?
Yes. Use a fine stone or ceramic rod, match the existing angle, and work in light passes. Leave serrated edges alone unless you have a tapered rod; a sharpener that clamps the blade at a fixed angle is easier for beginners. Test on paper, not on food, until the edge is clean.
Final Verdict
For most backpackers, the Leatherman Sidekick is the one we recommend: its saw, spring-action pliers, locking blade, and 14 tools cover camp repairs without the weight of a full-size toolbox. If you count ounces, the Victorinox Rambler is the better ultralight backup, and the Skeletool is the lightest way to keep pliers in the mix here. The Gerber is the budget call for basecamp use, while the WETOLS earns its place only if you want survival extras. Start with the Sidekick unless your pack weight rules it out.