Bushwalking gear and paraphernalia. Electronic gadget topics (inc. GPS, PLB, chargers) belong in the 'Techno Babble' sub-forum.
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Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.
Fri 28 Sep, 2012 12:10 pm
Hi
I tend to be a fan of the Leatherman range of multi-tools but must admit their Swiss rival Victorinox does some pretty neat gear as well. Great when to top brands compete as we the consumer are the winners. Anyway the Leatherman PS4 Squirt flunked the test in the real world with the pliers failing. I store it in a tube along with clothes line and such stuff and when I went to use it a piece of metal fell out of the tube. Weird as the tool failed in storage
Anyway, rang Zen Imports and they asked me to send it back. So about $7.00 later in postage and padded bag away it went. Chased them up to day and they have despatched a replacement so looking forward to getting a smaller mult-tool back into my light weight kit. Hopefully this one will last the distance. But it is good to see that with minimal mucking around Leatherman's Australian distributors can fix problems. Oh, and for the record I did buy it locally as it was a magpie purchase
Cheers
Fri 28 Sep, 2012 7:49 pm
Good to know that they have good warranty service here, as I'm a big fan of the tools as well. I was getting concerned by the insane markup I've seen on them, but if the warranty is supported (without having to ship stateside) I'll be sure to get one the next chance I get. (by next chance, I mean the next time I'm in canada, although the markup isn't quite bad enough to make me fly all the way there, just to save the shipping cost...)
Sat 29 Sep, 2012 11:14 am
I've had a few leather mans. One (can't recall the model- many tools) lost a heap of small angular spines, they just fell out.. I didnt get around to sending it back, it seems to work just as well without them.
Carl sent an earlier one back for me, replaced it with counter stock on the day! So the warranty is good.
Which is reassuring cause they aren't very tough, cheap steel probe to breakages esp the smaller pliers.
Sat 29 Sep, 2012 2:26 pm
There are cheap multi-tools on the market for sure, but I wouldn't consider leathermans among them. I know my dad has broken a few (but then again, he uses them well beyond design spec, he breaks vice-grips pretty often too!)There are trade offs anytime you aren't using the proper tool for the job.
"if it ain't broke, you're not trying"
Sat 29 Sep, 2012 6:47 pm
Hi Nuts
The locking prongs on the Squirt appear bit suspect. I have the older full size original and it is good. Also have the aviator and the mid size one. Tend to lose rather than break tools. Still handy things to have in the field.
Cheers
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 10:24 am
Yes, very handy. I really like the tiny pliers or scissors skeltool types, $20.. But carry some sort of decent knife as well, never know when you'll need to fell a tree, build a hut/ canoe, defend against southen types etc
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 10:53 am
Nuts wrote:...defend against southen types etc

That's alright we're lovers not fighters down here.
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 11:32 am
I Do have a sharp butter knife
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 1:52 pm
No Nuts you do need knife just the multi-purpose tool with ear plugs.
Cheers
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 7:45 pm
Lol... Now, now boys
Sun 30 Sep, 2012 8:38 pm
I have 2 Leathermen (is that the correct plural? Hmm, not sure)
The Leatherman Wave and the Leatherman Flair.
The Flair comes with a cocktail fork, pate knife, corkscrew and bottle opener - what more could one possibly need?
Mon 01 Oct, 2012 5:53 am
Ent wrote:No Nuts you do need knife just the multi-purpose tool with ear plugs
Nice. Fortunately we also come with thicker skin in the beautiful south.
I see no need for these tools anymore or a big knife
Mon 01 Oct, 2012 12:55 pm
matagi wrote:The Flair comes with a cocktail fork, pate knife, corkscrew and bottle opener - what more could one possibly need?

I wondered who bought them lol
Leather woman?
I've used the pliers and scissors. The knifes hard to keep clean enough for food so some sort of separate food knife is handy. On private walks probably wouldn't bother.
(Thick skin, that's the go!!! )
Mon 01 Oct, 2012 5:47 pm
Scissors are great for fixing damaged finger nails and pliers very handy but do use a separate knife if in cooking mode but handy for repair work for cutting ropes, etc. Still waiting but hopefully it will come tommorrow. Now only got to figure out where is my Juice?
Cheers
Tue 02 Oct, 2012 3:15 pm
Well good news. The replacement Leatherman PS4 Squirt turned up today and is the same model and colour so no complaints about the service from Zen Imports apart from a little slow. But still great to see a manufacturer and more importantly their Australian distributor supporting the products that they sell. Only hope that this one lasts longer than its sibling. Still can not find my Leatherman Juice, just hope it did not make it into the things chucked out
Cheers
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