Leatherman Signal Multi-Tool

Most multitools stop at pliers and a knife. The Leatherman Signal also carries a ferrocerium rod for starting fires, an emergency whistle and a diamond sharpener, which tells you exactly what kind of trip it was designed for.

All told it packs 19 tools into a 4.5-inch body that weighs 7.5 ounces: pliers, wire cutters, a 420HC combo blade, a saw, a can opener, a bit driver and a hammer face for tapping in tent stakes. Leatherman also suggests the pliers for crimping fish hooks. It’s made at Leatherman’s factory in Portland, Oregon, it comes with a nylon sheath, and it carries a 25-year warranty.

It suits the camper who likes being the one with the right tool when a tent pole bends or a pot handle comes loose, and it’s a sensible step up for someone who has carried the same basic pocketknife for years.

The catch: it’s one of the pricier gifts in this guide, and at 7.5 ounces it rides on a belt or in a pack rather than disappearing into a pocket. The fire starter also takes practice, since a ferro rod throws sparks rather than a flame and still needs dry tinder to catch.