6 Best Multitools For River Trips That Resist Rust and Corrosion

You’re trying to land your kayak on a gravel bar, but the rudder control line is hopelessly snagged in its cleat. The knot, swollen and tight from the water, won’t budge. This is where a simple pocket knife fails and a reliable multitool becomes your best friend on the water. A river trip, whether a mellow float or a multi-day whitewater adventure, constantly tests your gear with moisture, grit, and force, making a corrosion-resistant multitool an essential piece of safety and repair equipment.

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Key Features for a River-Ready Multitool

When you’re miles from the nearest road, your multitool needs to handle everything from gear repair to first aid. For river environments, the most critical feature is the material itself. Look for high-quality stainless steel, like 420HC or 154CM, which offer a great balance of hardness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Some tools add a protective coating like black oxide or Cerakote for an extra layer of defense against the relentless moisture that causes rust.

Beyond the metal, the tool selection is paramount. Pliers are non-negotiable for bending bent tent poles, removing stubborn fish hooks, or tightening loose bolts on a raft frame. A serrated blade is far more effective than a plain edge for cutting through wet, fibrous rope or webbing. Also, consider tools for daily camp life: a can opener, a bottle opener, and a decent set of screwdrivers for fixing sunglasses, camp stoves, or paddles.

Finally, think about how you’ll carry and use it. One-handed accessibility is a massive advantage when you’re holding a paddle or bracing yourself in moving water. A sturdy pocket clip or a lanyard hole is essential for securing the tool to your Personal Flotation Device (PFD), ensuring it’s always within reach and won’t end up at the bottom of the river. The perfect river tool is a balance between having the right implements and being light and accessible enough that you’ll actually carry it.

Leatherman Skeletool RX for Quick-Access Rescue

Imagine a critical situation where you need to cut a rope or strap right now. The Leatherman Skeletool RX is built for that exact moment. It’s a minimalist tool designed for first responders and savvy adventurers who prioritize speed and simplicity over a massive toolset. Its lightweight, open-air design sheds ounces and makes it easy to clean out sand and grit.

The heart of the Skeletool RX is its deeply serrated 154CM steel blade, which can be opened with one hand and makes short work of webbing, rope, or clothing. It also features a carbide glass breaker tip integrated into the bit driver, a feature more useful in roadside emergencies but still a valuable addition. The pliers are robust enough for most quick fixes. The tradeoff for this streamlined design is a lack of other tools—there’s no can opener, saw, or file. This is a specialist tool, perfect as a dedicated PFD knife and plier combo, but it might not be the only tool you bring on a long trip.

Victorinox Skipper Pro for Boating and Rigging

If your river time involves more intricate ropework, knots, and rigging than mechanical repairs, the Victorinox Skipper Pro is in a class of its own. It brings the classic Swiss Army Knife design to the water with a specialized toolset tailored for sailors and paddlers. It’s less of a "fix-it-all" and more of a "rig-it-right" tool.

The standout feature is the large, locking marlinspike. This tapered metal cone is an absolute lifesaver for loosening knots that have become impossibly tight from strain and water. The Skipper Pro also includes a shackle opener, a large locking serrated blade, and the standard suite of Victorinox tools like a can opener and screwdrivers. Its polished stainless steel and durable scales hold up well to wet environments, provided you give it a basic rinse and dry after your trip. The primary compromise is the lack of heavy-duty pliers, making it less ideal for fixing raft frames or camp stoves.

Leatherman Wave+: The All-Around River Workhorse

There’s a reason the Leatherman Wave+ is one of the most popular multitools ever made. It hits the sweet spot of comprehensive functionality, durable construction, and reasonable size. For a river trip that involves a mix of paddling, camping, and potential gear failures, the Wave+ is the reliable jack-of-all-trades that can handle almost any problem you throw at it.

Its feature set is perfectly suited for the outdoors. You get two externally accessible blades—one plain edge and one serrated—so you don’t have to open the whole tool for a quick cut. The pliers are strong, and the wire cutters are replaceable, a huge plus for long-term durability. It also includes a wood saw, a file, scissors, and a versatile bit driver, making it just as useful for making tent stakes as it is for tightening a loose screw on your cooler. Made from 420HC stainless steel, it offers excellent corrosion resistance for its class, but it’s not invincible. This is the tool you choose when you want to be prepared for anything.

Leatherman FREE P4 for Easy One-Handed Operation

The Leatherman FREE P4 takes the capability of a tool like the Wave+ and adds a revolutionary feature: truly effortless one-handed operation for every single tool. Using a clever system of magnets and cams, the P4 can be opened and its implements deployed with a simple flick of the thumb. When you’re trying to make a quick repair while balancing in a canoe or holding onto a throw rope, this level of accessibility is a genuine game-changer.

The toolset is robust and mirrors many of the functions found in the Wave+, including pliers, wire cutters, multiple blades (plain and serrated), scissors, and a full suite of drivers. The satisfying "click" of each tool locking into place provides confidence that it’s ready for work. The intricate magnetic architecture means it’s especially important to rinse sand and silt out of the mechanism after a day on a gritty river, but the functional advantage is often worth the extra moment of care.

Gerber Suspension-NXT for Lightweight Versatility

For the weekend warrior or the paddler on a budget, the Gerber Suspension-NXT offers incredible value and solid performance. It’s noticeably slimmer and lighter than many of its competitors, and its deep-carry pocket clip makes it ride comfortably on a PFD strap or in a pocket without feeling bulky. It’s a fantastic "first" multitool or a great option for day trips where you want capability without the weight or cost of a premium model.

All the tools are accessible from the outside, so you don’t have to unfold the pliers to get to the knife or screwdriver. The spring-loaded pliers are a standout feature at this price point, reducing hand strain during repetitive tasks. While the steel and overall finish may not match premium options, it provides all the essential functions needed for common riverside repairs. It simply asks for a bit more diligence in cleaning and oiling to keep rust at bay.

SOG PowerAccess Deluxe With Compound Leverage

When you need brute force, you need the SOG PowerAccess Deluxe. Its signature feature is the Compound Leverage system, a gear-driven pivot that doubles the gripping power of the pliers. For dealing with a rusted bolt on a trailer or bending a thick piece of metal back into shape, this mechanical advantage is something you can feel immediately. It turns frustrating tasks into manageable ones.

The Deluxe version comes packed with a huge number of tools, often including a full hex bit driver set, making it one of the most capable options for complex mechanical work. This makes it an ideal choice for multi-day raft trips with complex frames or trips involving a motor. This power and versatility come with a tradeoff in weight and bulk; it’s one of the heavier tools on this list. It’s built for the person whose trip depends on serious repair capability, not for the minimalist trying to save every ounce.

Maintaining Your Multitool After River Exposure

Let’s be clear: no steel is truly "rust-proof." The best tools are only "rust-resistant," and their longevity depends entirely on you. Leaving your wet multitool in a damp dry bag or PFD pocket after a trip is the fastest way to ruin your investment. A simple maintenance routine is the key to keeping it functional for decades.

As soon as you get home, your first step should be to rinse the tool thoroughly with fresh, clean water. Use an old toothbrush to gently scrub away any sand, grit, or salt, paying close attention to the joints and pivot points. Next, dry it completely. A towel works, but a can of compressed air is even better for blasting water out of the hard-to-reach places.

Once it’s bone dry, apply a light, water-displacing lubricant to every pivot point. Open and close each tool several times to work the oil into the mechanism. If you do find a spot of surface rust, don’t panic. A small piece of fine-grade steel wool and a drop of oil will usually remove it without damaging the tool. This five-minute process is the most important thing you can do to protect your gear.

Ultimately, the best multitool is the one you have with you and feel comfortable using. Don’t get paralyzed by the options. Pick one that matches your adventure style and budget, learn its functions, and then get it wet. Gear is just the facilitator for the experience, and a well-maintained tool is a partner that will help you solve problems and keep the adventure going.