Leatherman

Leatherman is a company in Oregon that produces multi-tools. My buddy loved it while he was in Iraq. It also gives you a bit of help on the road when your bike did not come with a tool kit.

A Leatherman tool is essentially a pair of pliers with other tools stored in the handles, and generally includes a knife, can opener, files, screw drivers and assorted other devices. Some of them have as many as 20 tools. The company makes task specific multi-tool such as MUT, which contains tools that you need to maintain your firearms. Now, quite few of those new Leatherman tools looking like props you see in Sci-Fi movies, but the tool came long way to get there since Tim Leatherman thought of it in 70's.

Popular Mechanics site has a great little slide show showing the various steps that went into designing the original Leatherman tool, from drawings, cardboard mock-ups to a successful TSA prohibited item. -"The prototype that Leatherman patented combined his dual-action pliers with an integrated locking-clamp feature. Every knife- and tool-maker he approached rejected it."

Popular Mechanics: The Invention of the Leatherman