With its stout 3.25” blade and secure locking mechanism I can confidently press it into wood processing duty should that be needed. In addition, the Bugout is just the right size for food prep from veggies to game. When practiced that whole process can be executed without even turning one’s eyes away from the job at hand. When I need a knife, the task is accomplished seamlessly if I can access a blade, open it, use it, close it, and re-stow it all with one hand. Nor am I into campsite renditions of Westside Story dance scenes. No, that’s not because I’m looking for a knife fight. So why do I carry the Bugout? I’m a fan of quick-access, single-handed blades. It’s a complete package should I choose not to carry the larger Bugout The Squirt has a good 1.5” knife blade.This means I can also leave behind my favorite nail clippers. As a bonus the Squirt has an onboard file to complete your trailside mani or pedi. The short blade length (about a third shorter than my SAK scissors) make these much more suitable for nail trimming. The scissors on the Squirt are praiseworthy.The flat tip blade also has a bottle opener hook that works effortlessly Perfect for tightening the lock tension on my trekking pole last weekend. The Squirt also has very serviceable screwdriver tips for small to medium slotted and crosshead screws.When you need pliers nothing else can adequately substitute They are also spring-loaded which makes them very easy to use despite their small size. The Squirt PS4 has pliers that are surprisingly robust. What was entirely missing from my SAK was pliers. I mentioned my main three – knife blade, screwdrivers, and scissors.I still carry my SAK daily but I leave it behind on backpacking trips now. However, it has boosted the capabilities of that portion of my carried weight. The combo mentioned above (109g) has netted a wash in weight savings over my SAK (107g). I can also testify that a problem I created with it was quickly remedied by Leatherman at no charge. Many years on I’m pleased not only with its utility but its durability. Weighing only 57 grams I wondered whether it could be taken seriously. Many years before the Bugout I had taken a chance on a micro multi-tool from Leatherman called the Squirt PS4. It’s the next best thing to carrying a fixed blade knife. Their AXIS lock system is extremely secure. Several years ago Benchmade Knife Company introduced a folding model called the Bugout. I began thinking that if I’m going to carry nearly a quarter pound in my pocket it ought to offer more oomph. The blade is ample but too small for any real work such as food prep or processing wood. It boasts a bunch of features but the ones I use the most are the large blade, screwdrivers, and scissors. My Victorinox Explorer tips the scales at 107 grams. My Swiss Army Knife isn’t a great lightweight option. When I began rethinking gear (read: started giving a crap about gear weights) I had to confront an uncomfortable truth. I quietly held my own with that humble SAK. After all, it’s commonly known that cargo pockets don’t fill themselves! Those styles of multi-tools were heavy and bulky in my opinion. They were around long before companies like Leatherman came on the scene and introduced iconic handheld toolboxes touting full-size versions of tools like pliers. The Swiss Army Knife, or SAK if you’re into the whole brevity thing, is one of the original multi-tools. I use, and loan out, my knives all the time. When I meet people, who don’t carry a knife or who consider it a weight penalty to pack one, I don’t quite understand. Most of the time I have several knives on my person. Specifically, I have carried a Swiss Army Knife daily for the past 22 years. BACKPACKER // BIKEPACKER // FERMENTATION WIZARD
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