I've carried those exact pliers for just under 20 years. every day they are in my pocket and I use them quite a few times a day doing construction and building maintenance with them this entire time. Best tool I've ever bought
Thanks Matthew. Most interesting. I always learn something new when watching films like this. It makes you reflect on what you do yourself. Every kit is individual, because each person has their special needs. What I would suggest is that everybody who is interested in EDC has, every now and then, an 'audit.' That is to say, they reflect on the following: (1) The weight that they need to carry. (2). What they THINK that they will need (3). What they ACTUALLY use and need. When carrying out said audit I came the to the following conclusions vis-a-vis my needs. (1). Once in a blue moon I needed bits or a hacksaw.. The 'once in a blue moon' did not make them worth while carrying them around. Indeed, when I normally needed them I was usually within nodding distance of my proper kit anyway. Always use the proper kit in preference to the Swiss Army/Leatherman etc when it is available. (2). I might need a fishing kit, fire steel, if the Armageddon came. But, when that comes, I suspect that I will have more to be concerned about that lighting a fire a catching a fish. In any case, given (over the years) I have never a managed to catch a single fish with a complete angling kit, I think my chances of catching one with a bit of nylon string and a hook are somewhat remote. For the end of the world (or just before it) a condom is of much more use. Then again, if the World is about to end, why would you need to worry about contraception or AIDS? (3). Redundancy: How many pairs of scissors, tweezers, toothpicks etc do you need. One great way around this is to have a Swiss Army SD on your keychain. A great bit of kit. (4). Priorities: With the space you make for the things you don't actually (on reflection) use, you can either just downscale and lighten, or make room for more stuff that you realise you DO need. That stuff might not be so glamorous, masculine or adventurous, but you do actually need it more often. Personally, one should take a note of what women keep in their handbags. Wipes and bandages and pills and spare emergency cash are always an asset. (5). Remember, as they supposedly say in the Special Forces, "light is right." Now, as I say, each to his own. What matters is doing the audit from time to time. Many thanks for the great bit of work. Cheers from England.
Pretty cool for urban versatility imo. I'm a hiker/bushcrafter which means that there is ZERO carriage of anything on my belt as my pack waist belt dominates. I do carry a waist pack in front (similar to a belly bag) which is my well-stocked, well used and proven survival kit, always on me. Other essentials, knives, light, windproof lighter, can opener are always in my front pants pocket.
All that makes sense for wilderness survival. As you point out, this is mostly for work/home convenience since I'm living in the capital of a central African nation. If I'm actually going hiking, my machete is near the top of my list. I have a cardboard sheath. :)
They've worked quite well ( I still carry this), but some of the metal bits inside the straw are starting to rust. Maybe I should have added a little light oil.
So three years on, how much of this stuff do you still carry and more importantly, how much of it did you actually use? I just dumped out a lot of stuff from my Maxpedition Neat Freak bag. My thinking was, if I didn't use it for a year I don't need it. It certainly saved some weight.
I still carry this, with minor modifications. The flashlight is in my keys with a pill bottle, and I replaced the cracked SwissCard. I live in Africa, and unless I'm at home next to my workbench, the "right" tool is often far away. I still reevaluate regularly and I don't carry the Ricola tin full of extras. But, rather than "if I don't use it, I don't need it", I'm willing to carry a bit more weight to my loadout for something that could really get me out of trouble (relatively low risk of need, but high payoff). For example, when I travel across country, I always carry a lantern, portable water filter, USB charger, and a mosquito net.
My guiding principle is that if I don't know how to use an item well now, I won't be able to use it well in a crisis...so I'm always looking for new tips and techniques to add to my internal toolbox 🧠🧰, which may be almost as important as the tools.
@@mattgyverlee One of my most useful items is a roll of bags that people use for collecting their pet dog's poop. Yes it can be used for that too if you cannot find a toilet, but other uses are more satisfying. - Over your socks inside your shoes will keep your feet dry and warmer in wet or slushy snow conditions - On hiking trips I can put dirty clothing items in a bag to contain the funk. - Can be used for collecting water if you have nothing else. - Setting up a simple tarp for rain or sun shade, bags can be filled with sand/dirt to hold down guy lines if you don't have good stakes. - Good fire starter if nothing else is handy. wrap around a twiggy piece of wood fuel. - Lots of other uses.
@@treebeardtheent2200 Thank you, oh wise forest shepherd. Yes, trash bags are great, I usually take a dry sac or two when I go out anywhere mud or rain might come.
Of course, it's the Mondo Shield from Skinth. skinthsolutions.com/product/mondo-shield/ I'm happy to see they're still making them 3 years later. I wore this today, and the only changes to the loadout are replacing a cracked Swiss-card (even the reals one rarely last more than two years), having a few more neodymium magnets stuck to the nail clippers, and the flashlight is now on my keys instead of in the case.
LOL, no, I can't, but with a SwissCard and SwissTool, it seems that the only extra "tool" the Swisschamp offers is the "multipurpose hook" and possibly the hole in the "sewing eye". With that said, the Swiss Champ is a good backup toolset if you don't need beefy pliers. Maybe I should throw one in my backpack. In survival, "Two is one, one is none". :)
@@mattgyverlee I carry a Gerber suspension with a Swiss champ in a leather dou pocket leather pouch. I am looking to switch it to a skinth solution product. Thanks for answering question.
@@firstlineofsurvival5318 Best of luck. The Mondo case is designed for a long central multitool (the SwissTool is longer than some other multitools) and other flat or tubular accessories. Unless you can jam them in side-by-side and crush/remove the tubular slots, none of the smaller pockets are the right shape for a SAK. I hope you'll find what you are looking for. Skinth shares lots of measurements on the site for each product.
I don't have a scale with me, but it was less than 2 pounds altogether. I've been carrying it since I made the video, and I typically only notice the weight when I forget to put it on my belt.
Lol, you might have a point. Full-disclosure, I never had the corkscrew for the first 10 years I had the knife...until I moved to Europe. I bought it because it existed as another attachment for my favorite knife. I guess by your logic, I had a knife for the first years, and then it became a kitchen utensil. 🍴
Charcuterie lunches are easy and relatively healthy. Wine is easy and healthy as well. Having a cork screw and an extra multi tool knife is a must if ya ask me, so I don't have to use my main blade which usually has blood, or grease, dirt on it.
@@jj325j2 location location location. It's sophmorically common for the not-well-travelled to think they know best. In contrast, your comment adds flavor to the topic.
