No roadside emergency kit is complete without a multi-tool. Small enough to carry in a jeans pocket or to attach to a belt, a multi-tool allows you to have a set of useful tools almost anywhere. Our choice is the Leatherman Skeletool CX, which offered the best mix of functionality, ergonomics, and solid construction of the 22 multi-tools we tested. With a high-quality 2.6-inch blade made of 154CM carbon-fiber stainless steel, as well as pliers, a bit driver, a pocket clip, and a carabiner/bottle opener, the Skeletool comes with all essentials and none of the extra bells and whistles that make other multi-tools bulky and difficult to use. Short of a socket set and a hammer, it has just about everything you would normally need to tighten stray parts, replace bulbs and loose wires, make minor adjustments, cut or pull out stuck debris from under your car, and perform other emergency repairs on the road.
