Gear

Trail tools

A knife on a tur.

Knife, axe, saw and multi-tool — the tools you occasionally need on a tur. What do you need, and what is safe use?

In friluftsliv (outdoor life) you sometimes need a few assorted tools. The typical ones are a knife, an axe and a saw — plus a multi-tool for repairs and small fixes. How much of this you actually need on a given tur depends on whether you are going to make a campfire, split wood, whittle, or just fix a zip that has broken.

Types

The tools serve different purposes: the knife is versatile and should be along on every tur. The axe and saw are mainly for cutting firewood and splitting — only useful if you are planning to use a campfire and are allowed to take wood. The multi-tool is for repairs and small fixes along the way. What they all have in common: sharp tools are dangerous tools, and it is you who is responsible for using them safely.

The axe along on a trip.

Axe

A heavy tool that often is not needed on a trip. But useful on trips where you rely on a campfire and have to split wood.

The knife does not need to be especially long.

Knife

A good outdoor knife sits well in the hand, has a fairly short blade and is sharp. The knife you have full control over is the best one.

Multi-tool.

Multi-tool

A practical repair tool (Leatherman and similar) that typically combines a knife, scissors, pliers, a tin opener and a screwdriver in one. Choose according to your needs and weight.

A folding camp saw.

Saw

A folding camp saw — the companion to the camp axe. It saws the logs you then split with the axe. It should have a guard and a replaceable blade.

Text and images: Bjørn Henrik Stavdal Johansen, Snuitide (2022)

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