AllOutdoor Review: Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

When we think of multitools, images of small folding pliers that we can wear on our hip more than likely come to mind. Often you’ll have a file, blade, and a few other accoutrements on there as well. This can be convenient and nice, but what if you need something more powerful? Something more robust? Something… imposing and capable? Then, the multitool you are actually seeking is from Bear Valley Tactical. For people who are in law enforcement and firefighting professions, or simply are serious outdoorspeople, the Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool can afford you some serious leverage, strength, and power when the job at hand requires it. So, today we are going to review the S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool from Bear Valley Tactical. Let’s dive in!

Axe & Hatchet Coverage on AllOutdoor

Specifications – Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

The Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool has an MSRP of $199, and comes in a variety of configurations as far as your choice of colorway and paracord aesthetic. With this multitool being 17″ in total length and 3 pounds as a hand tool, it is quite substantial. In total, you have 8 unique tools built into this multitool to assist you in your travels, adventures, and daily work.

Hydrant Wrench
Spanner Wrench
Hammer
Axe Blade
Pry Bar
7/16 Wrench
5/16 Wrench
Gas Turnoff

Features – Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

As we mentioned, there are a variety of choices you can make in the appearance of this multitool if you want it to match your department, RV, or simply prefer a certain look. With 4 Cerakote colors and 3 braided paracord options, there are 12 unique multitool looks you can achieve.

Cerakote Colorways: Armor Black | Tactical Gray | OD Green | Coyote Tan
Paracord Colorways: Ground War Camo | Multi Camo Fish and Fire | Camo Brown

**Multi Camo Fish and Fire Paracord is an additional $3.00**

Additionally, if you want to add even more utility to your multitool, there are add-on components as well. Some of these are readily available while others are “coming soon.”

Shovel
Pic
Hoe (Coming Soon!)
BowSaw (Coming Soon!)
Sand Anchor (Coming Soon!)

A Word from Bear Valley Tactical on their S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

The S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool from Bear Valley Tactical is unique to me because it is such a non-traditional multitool. This isn’t a Leatherman that you wear on your hip to do small electrical work with even though you aren’t an electrician. This is a log-splitting, door-breaching, skull-crushing multitool. Bear Valley Tactical expands on those thoughts in their press release statement below:

The BV-TAC 8 Multitool is an eight in one multitool made 100% in America. Each component is designed to work as if it were a stand alone tool allowing the user to carry one compact tool to get the job done.
The TAC 8 is made of S7 Tool Steel and is heat treated and tempered, making it one of the toughest multitools available. The TAC 8 is Cerakoted to provide unmatched abrasion, corrosion and chemical resistance and incorporates add-on attachments including a shovel, pic, hoe and bow saw.
The TAC 8 comes with paracord + blade cover and is essential for Law Enforcement, Firefighters, Outdoorsmen, Hunters, RVers, Boaters, Overlanders, Families and Survivalists.

Field Use – Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

Like any red-blooded American, I love a good axe or hatchet – however you can to categorize this thing. There is something primal and fun about hacking down a tree, processing wood, making a campfire, and cooking your own food out in nature. So, when given the opportunity to review the S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool, I took it. Also, being an extremely pragmatic person, I love it when our tools have multiple uses. Like, this very multitool.

The very first thing I did with the S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool is chopped away at a log to see if it could endure some log work. Being that this thing weighs 3 pounds, you could generate quite a strong swing with it. It would cut deep with each strike only being the size of a large hatchet (2″ – 3″ each strike into the wood). I did this repeatedly to see what kind of wear would occur on the blade. All the metal surfaces of this product are covered in Cerakote, and you could only see a faint line of the finish wear off on the blade’s edge. Overall, I expected that to at least occur. So, the blade held up well all things considered.

In a survival situation, I would find the paracord-wrapped handle to be supremely valuable, but for wood processing like I was doing, it made the handle slip out of my hand. I never dropped the multitool, but when making strong, forceful strikes on wood, I did not have the best dexterity. But again, it’s a trade-off of additional utility for maybe a less than ideal grip.

Speaking of the paracord, I did appreciate its simplistic attachment to the multitool by simply being tied off near the end of the handle or choil. Even if you began cutting sections of paracord off of the handle, you could still loop the remaining paracord around the grip and secure it near the choil area.

I also used this multitool to pound in a T-post which was more of a task than I anticipated. Normal T-posts are anywhere from 5′ to 7′ tall depending on the ones that you buy. So, even me being 6′ tall, you will be striking the T-post at eye level or higher which makes it difficult to generate force. With the precarious swinging motion above your head, the somewhat “slick” handle of the paracord, and even the buttery smooth Cerakote surface on the flat head of the hammer, I would not recommend using this tool to pound in T-posts (LOL, yet I tried anyway). I did pummel some of the Cerakote surface off of the flat head of the hammer edge, but that was to be expected. That was a pretty brutal and unnecessary test I accomplished.

Looking at the rest of the features on this tool, I can respect and appreciate the other tools built in, but I do believe in all honesty that it would be a stretch to sell this to fire departments. Not because the tool does not have merit, but because fire departments often have to abide by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards. If a tool does not meet NFPA criteria and standards, it is often not legal to be deployed on a fire scene, cannot be approved in a budget, and would be denied by a city that governs a fire department. It could have a practical use for wildland fires or more rural fire departments, but being as I am a firefighter, I unfortunately already see the legislative red tape in the way.

Departing Thoughts – Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool

So, what are my final thoughts on the Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool?… Overall, I believe there is a lot to like about this multitool and leviathan of an axe. It is heavy and can produce a strong strike and cut on wood. It is made in the USA which I dearly appreciate. It also touts paracord for additional utility; although, that does hurt your grip as it is slick. I could see this potentially in use by police departments as a tool that rides in the back of a squad car (but I am not as intimately aware of the legislative red tape PDs have that I know about for fire departments). All in all, if you want a bruiser of a tool that can handle some abuse, the $199 price tag seems appropriate. I wouldn’t hesitate to give this multitool a try.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Bear Valley Tactical for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Bear Valley Tactical S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool is something worth spending your money on? Would you take one with you hunting? Bring one along while camping, hiking, or ranching? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Bear Valley Tactical and the S7 Tool Steel BV TAC 8 Multitool in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

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Adam Scepaniak