We have previously looked at the Series2 AR-specific multitool from Multitasker and here are their two other offerings for the AR. There are some new versions upcoming, but today we are mostly going to look at what is actually available right now, with one or two minor exceptions.
As before, we'll start with the video and follow up with pictures and further explanations.
The Multitasker Ultralight. Small, compact, about the size of a lighter.
The Ultralight with the bits and bit holder that it comes with. Just like it's bigger brother, the Series2, the Ultralight accepts standard 1/4 inch hex bits. No need for proprietary bits. Also, note the pocket clip and lanyard loop. Unlike other tools, this clip is not an afterthought.
Here you can see the two main tools; the castle nut stock wrench which doubles as a big flathead screwdriver, and the bit driver, here mounted with the A2 front sight adjustment bit.
Again, like the Series2, these parts are not cast, but rather EDM-machined out of billet tool steel and melonite-finished. The locking mechanism is very positive and impossibly solid. I used the Ultralight to break the staking on a Daniel Defense AR castle nut, the same castle nut that I broke a dedicated stock wrench on. The Ultralight didn't even break a sweat.
Here you can see the locking mechanism for the dental pick tool. This tool unscrews and allows you to attach an Otis pull-through cleaning rod. The lock is a liner lock, with a large finger tab.Note on the tang that there is an over-travel lip. This ensures the longevity of the tool, so that even after extensive use and wear, the lock will still function.
The aforementioned dental pick shown with the carbon scraper. This scraper is identical in shape and function as the one on the Series2 and as such the curvature fits the bolt tail curves perfectly.
Here you can see the dental pick removed and the 8-32 Otis-compatible thread exposed.
The liner lock for the carbon scraper is shown here. Like the other one, it too has the over-travel lip.
A different angle of the liner lock. Note also here how beefy the tool is in general. The liners and clip are the only stamped out parts here.
Showing the considerable heft of the tool. This heft contributes also to the great feel in your hands when using it. It's very confidence-inspiring.
Here we can see the sheath for the Ultralight. Cordura-covered closed-cell foam semi-hard case, with a MOLLE- and belt-attachment on the back. These sheaths are seeing constant revision so expect changes in the future.
The sheath closed up. It does a quite decent job at holding the tool securely.
The back of the sheath showing the MOLLE-attachment.
Here you can see the Ultralight in comparison with the bolt-carrier group of an AR and about to be used to clean the AR.
Note how well the curvature of the carbon scraper matches the curves of the bolt tail. Very obviously a purpose-designed tool.
Here is where things get a little interesting. In the above picture you can see the Gerber eFect. This is Gerbers' entry into the weapon-specific multitool field, and likely the most direct competition to the Ultralight. Note that while the Ultralight is made from high-grade tool steel and G10 composite machined mostly from billet, the eFect is largely made from plastic, with thin, stamped out or cast components
The selection of tools on the eFect. A nylon-brush, a dental pick, frontsight adjustment tool, flat-head screwdriver, punch and a carbon scraper.
This is the blade of the screwdriver. Note how thin it is.
Side-by-side with the Ultralight. Note the considerable difference in size.
The carbon scrapers from each tool side-by-side. The Ultralight is of course on the bottom. The carbon scraper is probably the strongest of the tools offered on the eFect and seems in my experience to do pretty much as good a job as the scraper on the Ultralight. However, if I wanted just a good carbon scraper, I'd carry a specific tool for it and not bother with the rest of the tools on the eFect.
The two flat-head screwdrivers. The Ultralight is not only made from thicker material but it is also a much larger blade. The Ultralight is a picture-perfect fit for the screws on my Daniel Defense rail system. The eFect, not so much.
And here the difference in thickness and strength becomes painfully apparent. The Ultralight uses almost twice as thick a steel.
And lastly, a bit of a teaser. This is a prototype version of an updated Ultralight. This has a double-ended box-wrench snapped to the side of the tool in a quite clever way. This further broadens the utility of the Ultralight and adds almost nothing to the size.
Moving on, we come to the Tube.
The smallest of the Multitasker tools, the Tube is hardly larger than a big pen. It offers four different tools, in this very compact package. The Tube is made from aircraft-grade aluminum with a Type III anodized finish.
The Tube comes in this rather nice case that lets you carry the Tube and a number of other tools. Similar to the case for the Ultralight, it's a cordura-covered closed cell foam that protects the tool very well.
The inside of the case, showing the included accessories and the Tube itself. You can see here how there is additional space inside for other tools.
One of the tools on the tube is a small pin punch. This works perfectly for popping out a stubborn pin on an AR receiver or other firearm.
Here you can see the Tube with the bit driver exposed, mounted with the front sight adjustment tool. Again, like the others, no proprietary bits are needed,
Closeup of the threading for the bit driver cap. Note the O-ring which helps keep the cap from loosening and provides some protection from the elements. One improvement that I would like to see here is for the threading to square-cut. That would significantly improve the longevity of the threads themselves.
Here you can see the Tube with the carbon scraper installed. The threaded post that it attaches to is the same threading as on the other Multitasker tools and thus lets you attach an Otis pull-through cleaning rod. This same threading also lets you attach the dental pick.
Closeup of the attachment for the carbon-scraper.
And here you can see how I've added a few items to increase the versatility of the Tube. A boresnake and a bit extender to increase the reach of the Tube's bit driver. It comes in very handy for reaching a pistol grip screw on an AR for instance.
As an aside, the pocketclip on the cap doubles as a light-duty screwdriver.
Using the Tube for a bit of cleaning on my Springfield Armory XD. The Multitasker tools are not limited to just the AR-platform!
Conclusions
I really have become a big fan of the way Multitasker approaches the problem of a multitool.
Not only are these tools overbuilt, but they show a general level of forethought and good design sense that is heartening to see.
The Ultralight is probably my favorite of all the tools, as it not only does pretty much everything I need to work on an AR, but it does so with security and confidence. The locking tools are a huge bonus in my book and it just trounces the nearest competitor, the Gerber eFect, in all fields except for weight where the Ultralight is, ironically, quite a bit heavier. But I am more than ok with the extra weight for what that weight buys me in durability and usefulness! If I were to put my finger on any area where the Ultralight could use some improvement, it would be the pocket clip. For the most part, it works fantastically. But if you are carrying the Ultralight in your pocket or clipped to nylon gear that has a reinforced edge or is just a heavy material, the clip is a little too shallow and the result is that the end of it will stick out quite a bit from the tool. This makes it very prone to snagging on various things and I had it come almost entirely out of the rear pocket of a pair of 5.11 pants when the clip snagged on the door. Making the space between the tool and the clip a little bigger would completely alleviate this issue.
Moving on to the Tube.
The Tube is a tool that you can, in it's barebones configuration without the carry case, comfortably carry almost everywhere and not notice it's there until you need it. It fits easily in the MOLLE-webbing on a tactical vest or plate-carrier and can be readily at hand carried that way. Since the carbon-scraper also functions as a bolt-override tool, this or the Ultralight, is something that every shooter that runs an AR should have in his toolbox. Now, that being said, there are a few things I'd like to see improved on the Tube in the future.
The pocket clip, which as mentioned above, also doubles as a light-duty flat-head screwdriver is in dire need for a better attachment method. While the clip is recessed into the surface of the Tube, it is only held in place by one screw. The problem with this is a question of load-distribution. With only one screw holding it in place, every time you clip the Tube to something or use it as a screwdriver, you're putting an awful lot of load on that single screw. Two screws would hold the clip much better and make for better longevity of the tool. Furthermore, the wall thickness of the attachment point should be increased. With mine, I actually ended up stripping out the screw entirely after clipping it only a couple of times to my chest rig and I had to replace the screw with a bigger diameter one. This seems to have alleviated the issue, at least temporarily, as the bigger diameter of the screw allows it to distribute the load better.
The design itself and the idea behind it is overall rather good, despite the issues with the pocketclip.
I'd like to thank Shane from Multitasker for the opportunity to review these tools and I am very much looking forward to seeing what else he comes up with in the future.
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