My Favorite Cooking Tool to Use When Camping Is on Sale at REI

I’m a big knife guy. First of all, I never leave the house without my EDC (everyday carry), which allows me to have a cutting tool if I need one in my day-to-day activities. (These days, I like the Civivi Elementum 2, but go back and forth between a few.) Beyond the EDC, though, I have a number of knives and multi-tools that I rely on for different purposes. I have a Leatherman ARC that I keep around the house for basic tasks — when I need to screw something in, cut something quickly, strip a wire, or use pliers, it really saves me a deep dive through the household tool bag. And I have a Leatherman Free K4 that I take in public if I’m expecting to need a knife but also a screwdriver or maybe a small pair of scissors. Suffice it to say, I try to keep a good knife or multi-tool on hand at all times. But when it comes to camping, that’s a whole different beast.

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to test out the Leatherman Signal. I was initially skeptical, because I thought I had my multi-tool game intact. But after some use, the Signal has quickly become my top choice for activities during which I need to cook food outside, such as camping, in the park, or even in my backyard (when I don’t feel like grabbing tools). And as outdoor season kicks into high gear for most people, the Signal happens to be 20% off at REI through July 31.

Leatherman Signal

I like the above option because of the topographical lines on the blade, but REI also has a regular stainless version, while a super attractive new Guava model — which is the one I have — is available from Leatherman. In any case, whether I’m chilling in the park or camping in the woods, this knife has virtually every tool I could possibly need, but it feels particularly well suited to cooking outdoors. 

First, it’s got a very sharp combo knife that also has a serrated base; and there’s a saw tool as well. I’ve found that the knife can easily cut through most produce I throw at it (it easily slices through mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and even broccoli), as well as most meats, and I imagine the saw could even come in handy if you had some especially tough bread. There’s a can opener and a bottle opener, both of which are high quality, and there’s even a hammer tool (in case you want to make some schnitzel or a nice veal Milanese). 

I saved the most interesting part of the Signal for last, though: It’s got a ferrocerium rod (aka a ferro rod), which you can detach and strike with the flat edge of the saw in order to ignite sparks. I can confirm that you can start fires with this (assuming you have some fire-building skills), which is a pretty awesome feature that I haven’t seen on many multi-tools before. Thus, with the Signal, you could effectively start a fire, dice up some veggies, open a can of beans, crack a cold bottle of beer (important), and saw off a hunk of bread. And this multi-tool only costs $112 right now, which is a pretty excellent deal, in my opinion. 

Once you have the Signal, all you have to do is grab your favorite cast iron skillet and find a good schnitzel recipe (here are six).

Shop More Camping Cookware Here

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Stove

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0

Stansport 24-Piece Enamel Camping Tableware Set

At the time of publishing, the price was $112.