I have been trekking for years now, mostly in Scandinavia, Canada and Peru. For most of treks we had to be sustainable and carry food for 10-14 days at a time - so weight is always a big issue.
Obviously this requires very optimized equipment, and for this reason I never considered bringing a multitool (like a swisstool or leatherman): personally I just never saw the benefit of such a tool, as out in the wild I essentially never encountered situations that would call for pliers, screwdrivers, or any of the other sophisticated tools.
However, over the years I have seen plenty of people who absolutely swear by their multitools and bring them on every occasion, including long hikes or trekking trips.
I'd like to know of you:
- Why do you bring your multitool on long trips?
- What kinds of purposes does it serve, which a normal knife can't?