Weight, weight, weight… no, seriously. I have carried a multi-tool in my bird vest for years. And the number of times I used that massive have-it-all tool with something for every eventuality over the course of those years…… zero.
Because of the rigors of this season of Way Upland, I broke down all my gear to reassess every single item I carry. It really just came down to weight. Every ounce counts when you carry it across hundreds of miles.
I took a hard look at that old multi-tool yet to be used and decided it needed to go. BUT, in the back of my mind the what-ifs got to me. I needed a multi-tool with the bare minimum that could help me out of the impossible scenarios in recesses of my mind but also not weigh me down.
The Gerber CRUCIAL has pliers, wire cutters, serrated blade, cross-head screwdriver, bottle opener, medium flat driver and weighs in at 5 ounces — half the amount of the old, unused tool.
I’ve already used it twice in the field this season. True story. Perfect addition to the bird vest — $40.
