The Leatherman MUT EOD: A Multi-Tool for the End of the World

Up until recently, my experience with multi-tools has always ended in disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, I see how useful the swiss army/plier combo can be. But after owning several swiss army knives and several multi-tools, I always seem to wander back to just carrying a really good, strong, folding knife. Having a blade is incredibly handy. I use mine, especially at work, several times each and every day. But more than that, a good knife doesn’t break. My experience with multi tools, be it from Victorinox, Leatherman or Gerber is that they just don’t stand up to the punishment of everyday use; they do everything poorly and are awkward to use. All those moving parts tend to come loose or break after a few months of daily use. Last year, however, a friend of mine purchased the biggest, burliest, most bad-ass multi-tool I have ever seen and after seeing it in action for a few weeks, I decided to get one for myself.

The Leatherman MUT EOD is the top of the pile when it comes to multi tools. A Military Utility Tool designed for those working in Explosives Ordnance Disposal, the EOD is meant to withstand even the harshest conditions. I was a little skeptical when I got it, thinking that all those tools and features designed for weapons and explosives would be useless to me. Boy was I wrong. The EOD has quickly become the handiest tool I have every owned.

Construction:

Right out of the box, it’s evident this is not a normal multi-tool. First off, it’s HEAVY. For some, this will be a downside, but believe me, it’s not. The weight just convinces you that Chuck Norris would carry this thing. Handling the EOD, it becomes obvious that this thing was made to last through the end of the world. Every bolt, screw and connection is super strong. The pliers have absolutely no give in them and are easy and comfortable to use. It’s well made but also practical; every tool on the EOD can be replaced. Another practical aspect of the tool is the fact that everything locks into place. The blades are locking and the tool itself, in the closed position, is locked. That way, while using the blade options, the pliers won’t open. A very small thing, but critical in everyday use. It is also designed so almost every tool can be deployed with one hand. Another handy option. Finally, the EOD has a pocket clip, and can be comfortably worn in a pair of jeans as a pocket knife.

The Tools:

The EOD has a whole range of tools, many of which are designed for military and law enforcement use. Things like the carbon scraper, C4 punch, military performance, spec cap crimper…the list goes on, sounding cooler and more nerdy each time. Here is a list of everything the EOD has to offer:

I have used all of those tools several times over. The C4 punch is particularly useful at chipping ice from ski bindings and untying knots in rope. I have even used it to plunge detonation cord into Emulex, which made me feel like Arnold Swartzenegger in Commando. The knife is sharp, partly serrated and locking. Along with the saw, the blade has proven to be comfortable to use and a rival to the hard use knives I have used in the past. Even the hammer, which is small, has been handy, from hammering in steel snow pickets through bulletproof grooming to bent bindings and boot buckles, the hammer is much more useful than I thought it would be. The seat belt, or loop cutter, is a nice thing to have if you need to get out of something really fast, be it a crashed helicopter or a crashed SUV. Laugh all you want, but a) I ride in helicopters sometimes for work and b) I drive one of the most dangerous roads in BC to work everyday, mainly because it’s filled with SUV drivers who think snow tyres aren’t useful in, well, snow.

Durability:

The whole concept of the EOD made me laugh at first. It seemed just a little too flashy for its own good. But after 6 months of hard use, I’m no longer laughing. My EOD has seen use on the ski patrol, rope access jobs, tinkering at home, on climbs, working on mountain bikes, and being dropped, smashed, run over and even used as an anchor for a rappel (not a manufacturer’s recommendation). Every little tool on that monster has multiple uses. The wire cutters and fuse cutters, for instance, seem to be able to cut just about anything. That C4 punch is uber handy. The blade is sharp. The hammer works. Even the bits for the bit drivers are still usable and not stripped. The saw has seen some action cutting branches and best of all? The pliers are still stiff and functional, which in years past, has been my greatest pet peeve of multi-tools from pretty much every manufacturer. So after 6 months, how does it stand up? It’s burly as burly can be. That thing will last forever. And if something does break or come loose, everything on the EOD is replaceable. But so far, I have had to replace nothing and it has stood up better than any other tool or blade I have ever owned.

Conclusion:

If you’re in the market for a do-it-all mutli-tool that even Chuck Norris would be proud of, get an EOD. It’s big, burly and handy as handy can be. It also has the added benefit of making you feel like you’re a hardcore, tactical survival wizard that would be at home in the suburbs or roaming the through the zombie apocalypse.

Be safe, ski hard.