bushcrafting

Best Tools for Survival: Leatherman

Few things are as frustrating as not having the right tool for the job. When you are out camping or in a survival situation, having the right tool can be a life or death situation.

In 1975, Tim Leatherman and Chau, his wife were on a road trip in Europe. Throughout their traveling, they had to stay in hotels with leaky plumbing and make repairs to the used Fiat car that they had bought in Europe. Fortunately, Tim was always prepared and carried around a scout knife for emergencies like these. But the only thing that Tim wanted was pliers. After the trip ended, Tim sketched his dream multi-tool and carried it in his pocket for inspiration.

The prototype was built over 3 years in the garage, and Tim was able to get the tool patented. The original tool that Tim created was called the Pocket Survival Tool (PST). It consists of 13 different tools inside of one.

A lot has changed since 1983 when Tim Leatherman started the company. Leatherman tools have sold more than a million pocket survival units since the company began. The products are for anyone that needs a tool in a pinch. Whether you are a builder, worker, adventurer, or anything else, a multi-tool can come in handy.

The Leatherman Juice S2 is one of the most popular items on the market today. Many people continue to use them because they are compact and unstoppable.

Out in the Wild  

Going out in the woods for a retreat, hunting trip, or hiking can expose you to the elements of the world. Leatherman multi-tools can be used for creating a shelter, fire, and to help prepare food. You can use your tools to cut pieces of wood and rope to create a shelter.

Other Leatherman tools, like a knife and saw, will allow you to cut small pieces of wood to burn for a fire. The Signal tool is designed with a ferrocerium fire starter to help make your job easier!

If you get injured you can use a multi-tool to cut materials for bandaging an area or even to pull out a splinter, fishing hooks, or anything else that can get in your way.

Just like many of us, Tim Leatherman was faced with a challenge that he had to fix. Carrying a toolbox can be inconvenient and impossible in certain situations. But with the help of a multi-tool, you can tackle any job.

About

Nikki is an author and writer specializing in green living ideas and tips, adventure travel, upcycling, and all things eco-friendly. She's traveled the globe, swum with sharks and been bitten by a lion (fact). She lives in a tiny town with a fat cat and a very bad dog.

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