Leatherman Skeletool

The Skeletool is a streamlined fullsized multitool offering the most basic tools at a reduced price and weight. The tool includes pliers with needle noose ends and wire cutters, a blade, a driver that can use exchangeable bits, a carabiner and bottle opener a bit storage compartment and a removable pocket clip, nothing else. There are two versions of the skeletool, the regular one in aluminum with a plain blade and the CX version with tungsten cover and a partially serrate blade.

The pliers are strong and good as it is common in leatherman tools, the handles are ergonomic but if you need to do a lot of pressure the grip might be a little unconfortable. The blade is made of 420HC steel and is plain in the aluminum version and partially serrated in the CX version, it cuts really well and locks in place when deployed.

The driver is compatible with the charger bits, included are two philips and two flat screwdriver bits, you can store one bit in the driver and an extra one in the tool handle so you can carry your two most used bits in the tool, it works really well and has a good torque. The carabiner doubles as a bottle opener, it is probably not the best carabiner nor the best bottle opener found in a multitool, the tension of the spring is slightly annoying when opening bottles and when clipped the tool just moves a lot, the way the tool is clipped is a little strange so its not easy to find a way to carry it using the carabiner. The pocket clip that is removable works very well and being the tool small is quite good for pocket carry.

At only 5 ounces (142 grams) the Skeletool is a reduced version of the Charger with many of the tools left behind but if you need a light tool and the options this tool provides are good for you then you can find a serviceable light option in the Skeletool.

You can get it for $60 from Amazon.

Buck Summit

The summit is a folding knife with a couple of extra tools created mainly for campers but also useful in urban environments.

The knife is a liner locking folder with a 3'' modified clip point blade, half serrated made of 420H steel. It offers thumbstuds to open and locks in a secure way. We found it good enough for normal cutting jobs with good edge retention and sharp from the factory. The grip is very good due to the shape of the handle with a generous area to rest your fingers, the inlays in the handles make the grip secure and non slippery.

At the back of the knife you will find a very generous lanyard attachment point and two small tools with their own thumbstuds. One is a can opener and bottle opener combo that can also be used to clean nails and minor cutting jobs. The second tool is a screwdriver that can work on both flat and philips screws. Both tools work very nicely and are well built.

The last tool in the Summit is a corkscrew, that in our modest opinion is a little hard to explain combined with a knife. Some other tool would have made more sense, anyway if you need a corkscrew this one works in an acceptable way.

The Summit is a good knife interesting if you go camping or as a multi use tool, it doesn't have a pocket clip and the corkscrew is not very useful, if you can deal with those problems then the rest is really very good.

You can read more from Buck's website or order from BaseGear for $55.

Gerber Clutch

The clutch is a pliers-based multitool that has a size bteween a keychain tool and a full multitool, it is similar, slightly bigger than the leatherman squirt, bigger than a LM micra but smaller than the Leatherman Juice series.

Available in red or greay it features slightly textured handles with cutouts.

One of the handles labeled "nailfile" you can find a flat philips driver, a flat driver that also acts as a cap lifter and bottle opener and the nailfile with a pointy shape to be used as a nail cleaner too.

The second handle is labeled "blade" and features a small blade, eyeglass screwdriver and non removable tweezers.

All these tools can be used without opening the pliers, the labels help you know which side to use. The pliers have square shaped ends and are not spring activated, to our taste rounded pointy pliers are better. They work well an are strong and the handles offer a very good non slippery grip. The small tools behave as expected, the tweezers being short, wide and non removable are not very useful.

The tool has a spliring attachment point in case you want to use it in your keychain or attach it to some clip or lanyard.

The clutch feels compact and heavy for its size and the general impression is that the tool is a good quality product, being quite affordable in price it is a good option if you like the tool selection offered.

You can order from REI for $18.

Victorinox Soldier

The Soldier is the original model issued by the Swiss Army, it is a simple multitool with just 4 elements and the handles are made of an aluminium aleation referred as Alox.

The soldier features a blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper and finally a reamer/awl.

The blade is excellent, non locking but stronger and thicker than blades in other popular SAK models, it is certainly beyond the category of letter opener and can be used for most common cutting jobs without any problems. Production year is stamped on the blade.

The can opener, bottle opener and screwdrivers are the same as in other SAK models, they are strong and functional and in case of need can be used for prying or scraping jobs without breaking them.

The awl/reamer is probably the most characteristic item in the soldier since it is not common in other models; it is a very pointy and sharp piece of steel that can be used to create holes, punch, scrape, pry little things and other similar jobs. It can be a handy tool since many times we found a pointy/sharp object is needed and we never have one. It can also become useful as a last resort self defense tool.

The handles made of Alox metal are very strong and very stylish, they have a fine knurling job that make the grip excellent and non slippery. The only detail is that there are no toothpick or tweezers in the Alox handles as you can find in the plastic ones. There is no lanyard hole or attachment point so you have to carry it loose in your pocket or in a belt sheath.

The soldier is a classic knife that is stylish and functional, if you just want a stylish pack of basic tools of high quality this is an excellent idea.

You can get it from Amazon for about $25.

Leatherman Squirt S4-P4

The squirt S4 is a keychain multitool by leatherman conceived as an improved version of the classic Micra. In the squirt the most significant change is that tools can now be opened with the scissors closed, the tweezers can be sepparated and the handles are now in color.

There are two models of the Squirt, the S4 featuring scissors as the main tool and the P4 featuring pliers as the main tool. In both models the accesory tools include a small blade, a small screwdriver, medium screwdriver, nail file and cleaner, philips screwdriver and tweezers. There is also a splitring attachment point in one of the handles. There is also a ruler in the handles in case you need to make a quick measurement.

The main tool either the scissors or the pliers work great and they are spring activated the spring being very noble so it will last as long as the tool itself. all the tools work well as expected in a leatherman, the tools can be opened without deploying the scissors or pliers. The screwdrivers are strong enough to be used for little prying and scraping jobs if needed.

Compared with the Micra the Squirt is a little bigger due to the handles being thicker this is the price you pay for being able to use the screwdriver without opening the tool. In our opinion you don't have to replace your micra if you already have one but if you don't then this is a nice tool to consider. Along with the Victorinix minichamp this is a top quality and useful keychain multi-tool.

The squirt is available in red, blue and gray. You can read more about it at Leatherman's official website. And order for about $25 from Amazon.

Wagner Swisspen

The Swisspen combines a multi-tool and a pen, it can be seen as a Victorinox classic mounted on top of a pen with the addition of a LED flashlight.

The tools included are scissors, letter opener and the file, the section of the pen with the tools can be detached to help using the scissors. The cross logo can be pressed to activiate a small led flashlight that can run for about 10 hours using a coin cell battery.

The pen itself uses a twist mechanism to hide the writing tip and the ink cartridge is pressurized meaning the pen will write in difficult scenarios such as upside down or over greasy paper. We found the writing fine without smears the trace is thick and clear and the ink doesn't get dry if you don't use it for some weeks.

The weight is balanced to make writing pleasant even having some tools at the pen top, as a result the pen is quite heavy and might be used as a kubaton by trained hands. The tools work well as expected but the pen is sometimes a very strange grip so you are not as confortable using the file or the scissors as you would be with a SAK.

We found this a combo that priorizes the pen over the multitools so it is a good gift for people that want a pen and would like some extra tools handy in case of need.

You can read more and check different models from Wagner's website, or order for about $40 from knifecenter.

Kershaw Twocan

The twocan is an interesting combination of a knife and a pair of scissors by Kershaw.

When closed the twocan is just 2-3/4'' long (70 mm) and weights 0.9oz. The material is stainless steel, it has a nice solid carabiner that has good pressure and can be used to clip the tool to a backpack, belt loop, keychain, etc we don't think the carabiner can open by accident so the risk of losing the tool is very low.

After deploying the first blade you have a wharncliff style knife that is 1 1/2'' long, very sharp and pointy from the factory can be used to open boxes, make sharp cuts, remove splinters and many other tasks.

Things get interesting when you deploy a second blade that opposes the first one and has a spring mechanism converting the knife in a pair of scissors. There is no handle so you use the scissors pushing the spring blade with your thumb. The scissors cut excellent because the blades are very sharp and the fit is perfect, they will get a little difficult to use for long cuts because your hand will get in the middle of what you are cutting but for small precision cuts they are great, small rope, fishing line, paper, cardboard are cut without any problems.

The twocan is a great combination of a pocket knife and scissors in a small size and with superb quality construction.

You can get it from Knife Center for $20.

Byrd Harp

The Harp is a multitool made by Spyderco for his child brand Byrd. It has eight tools that rotate out individually from an outer ring and snap open to be used.

The tools included are: A corkscrew, a flat screwdriver, phillips screwdriver, an awl, gimplet, saw, a file and a small and large head hammer that doubles as bottle opener.

The harp is 3 3/4'' when closed and weights 4 5/8 ounces so it's not precisely a wallet sized tool but the flat shape makes it an interesting tool for pockets, including backpack pockets and other bag pockets.

The selection of tools is interesting, this is probably the only multi tool that includes a hammer so if your activities frequently require the use of a hammer this will be a great tool. We found that having the hammer and the awl but not being able to smash the awl with the hammer might lead to frustration but that is how the tool is designed, we would have liked being able to remove the tools completely, maybe even customizing which tools are included but that is just daydreaming.

The corkscrew is as useless as in other multitools and consumes space, a blade is missed and the reason why a blade was not included is probably that this is intended as a complement to your Spyderco or Byrd knife.

A curious tool that is interesting as long as the selection of tools fits your needs.

You can read more and order for $32 from Spyderco's website.

Cyber Snipa Dog Tags

This novelty item combines a USB pendrive with a flashlight and a multi-tool in the shape of a dogtag chain.

The tool comes shaped as a dogtag with a chain, intended for neck carry but can certainly be used in a keychain with a shorter chain or a splitring.

The USB drive has 512MB of capacity and slides in and out from the tag. It has a normal transfer rate, nothing exceptional but is not bad either.

From the "case" sides 3 small tools can be opened, a small set of pliers, a flat screwdriver and a bottle opener. The small tools are fine, a little fragile but they are not intended as power tools.

The flashlight is activated pushing a button, it is not very bright but works if you need a light in a hurry and have this handy.

You can read more and order for $54 from this site.

Tool Logic's SL Pro

The SL Pro is a folding knife including a flashlight and an emergency whistle.

The knife has a 3'' blade made of 420J2 Stainless steel with a bead blast finish or a black titanium oxide coating. The blade is 50 percent straight and 50 percent serrated to make it more functional, it cuts well and can be easily opened with one hand using the thumbhole. When opened it locks in place using a framelock mechanism.

The knife handle is made of Zytel plastic and incorporates at the end an emergency signal whistle that is not as strong as ad-hoc emergency whistles but certainly enough to get attention.

The top of the handle has a holder for a LED flashlight, the flashlight is interesting because it can be removed from the knife and there are several options for the opposite end of the flashlight, you can get it with a magnetic rotative swivel, you can get it with a firesteel firestarter, a cuff key and other interesting options. We assume you will be able to buy a sepparate flashlight with a different end and use the one you prefer as a modular system. The version we tested came with the magnetic swivel end that you can use to attach the light to any metallic object and use it as a task light. The tool comes with a pocket clip for pocket carry and a lanyard hole.

Neither the knife, the whistle or the flashlight are the best in each category but they work well and we liked the combination of a knife a light and a whistle in a small folding pocketable knife.

You can read more information and get it for $60 from Tool Logic's website.

CRKT Zilla Tool

The Zilla is a futuristic multi-tool from CRKT. It is a combination of pliers, knife and screwdriver with a clip for pocket carry.

The pliers are spring loaded, one of the handles being released from the body, they have the classic wire cutter in the middle and are shaped like think needle nose pliers. Operation was good but the different sizes in the handles make leverage not as good as in the other more typical multi tools, for small precision jobs the spring loaded mechanism is very good.

The knife is opened using a flipper at the opposite end of the pliers, once opened it locks in place using a liner lock mechanism and the flipper acts as a guard for your finger. The knife was fine for most cutting jobs but it is probably not suitable if you need to use force with it. The grip of the knife was a little ackward since the tool's body is not wide enough.

The screwdriver is an hex bit driver located at the opposite extreme of the pliers, it can take any standard hex bit, the tool has room for 2 bits in its body which is a good thing to have. The driver was by far the best part of this tool with very good torque since the whole body of the tool can be used for leverage, even the pliers handle can be used with some care to take out some rebel screws.

The pocket clip is strong but maybe not long enough and the pliers end will be visible outside of the pocket, the clip can be removed if it doesn't work for you and you prefer to use the included nylon sheath.

The zilla is a nice looking tool with a very good screwdriver, an interesting set of spring loaded pliers and a regular knife, if you use often this 3 tools it can be a good tool for you.

You can read more and order for $40 from CRKT's website.

ASP T2 Tac-Loc

The ASP T2 tool is a small keychain multi tool with a size similar of a leatherman micra.

It features a serrated edge saw, a plain razor edge, a file with a flat screwdriver end, a key for handcuffs, a seat belt cutter, scissors with plain edges, quad key, frame scale, bottle opener and pliers.

The tool is just about 2 inches long and can be used in a keychain without being a bulky item. The scissors have very short handles but cut very well, he other tools are good for their purpose as long as you don't use excessive force.

The mini serrated edge worked nicely and the plain edge razor was very sharp without sharpening, the cuff key is probably for those that may need it, a philips screwdriver or something more day to day practical would have been a lot better to us.

A good combination of practical tools in a very small packager, probably not a good idea for people with big hands but if you like a small set of tools unnoticed in your keychain this is a nice option.

You can order for $10 from this website.

Victorinox Rescue Tool

The rescue tool is a product created by SAK manufacturer Victorinox for rescue and safety services, SAR, fireman, policeman and others.

It's a tool that offers the elements that are most needed in a rescue operation, it can be used with gloves and has a luminiscent body. The crate opener and the blade can be locked using a liner lock mechanism.

The tools included are: a large blade that as mentioned can be locked, philips screwdriver, window breaker (can be removed), strong screwdriver/crate opener with cap lifter and wire stripper. Reamer, curved seatbelt cutter, disc saw for laminated glass, tweezers, toothpick (to rescue your teeth) and keyring. The window breaker and disc saw can be replaced since they are subject to a lot of use and wear.

The tool has probably everything that is needed to rescue somebody trapped inside a car, the windows can be broken, the laminated glass can be cut and the seatbelt can be cut too, probably in a planned rescue bigger tools will be used for a faster operation but in an improvised emergency this can certainly be a very useful tool.

It is my idea that the tool makes more sense for the rescuer than for the eventually trapped victim, a more simple window breaker/seatbelt cutter makes more sense for an emergency tool inside the car. The rescue tool comes in a red pouch for easy visibility and retails for about $80.

You can read more in the product page or order from SwissArmyKnives.com

Atwood's Mini Son of PryThing

This is a very small tool that can be used as a knife, a pry bar, bottle opener, scraper and nail remover, other uses are possible depending on your imagination.

The MSOPT is about 3 inches long and it's made of S30V steel with a satin finish. As the picture shows the tool is really very small and cute. The blade is sharp and can be used to open boxes, cut wire and other jobs. The bottle opener works perfectly and the front of the tool can be used to pry, scrape, clean and remove nails. The only small detail to remember is not to put your thumb over the blade when you use the bottle opener, unless your thumb is very thick or the blade very dull but the blade comes very sharp from Peter's shop.

The MSOPT comes with a cord handle, either rubber or paracord and it has a hole that can be used for a lanyard. They come with a kydex sheath that is setup for neck carry but can also be used in your keychain, in your backpack or dropped inside one of your pockets.

The blade being sharp means you need to store your MSOPT in the kydex sheath to carry it and while the tool is really small it is not so small with the sheath so it may be a little bulky for your keychain.

In short words this is a very very nice and useful little tool that is not only beautiful and cute but also very strong and does many things very well.

You can read more and order for $80 from Peter Atwood's website.

SOG CrossGrip

The CrossGrip is a small keychain multi-tool from SOG. When closed the tool is just 2 1/2 inches long. It features SOG's compound leverage coupled with two springs, so the pliers will keep springing back every time you use them.

The pliers are a very particular design not seen in other tools, they work like a powerful lobster clip being a hybrid between needle nose pliers and regular pliers. They have a wire cutter that is quite strong and can also be used as a wire stripper. With the leverage system and the springs you can apply a lot of force to this small pliers and they will resist, we can say they are really excellent for their size.

To access the tools you have to open the CrossGrip. In one of the hanldes it has tweezers, a flat style screwdriver and a small knife with a chisel style grind. These tools work very well, the screwdriver being strong enough for some light prying and scrapping jobs. The second handle features a nail file, bottle opener, eyeglass screwdriver and philips screwdriver. These tools are all very good except the philips screwdriver that is too small and the head is too round to be used effectively. Finally the tool also has a lanyard hole and a ruler.

The CrossGrip offers a very particular set of pliers of excellent quality and a nice set of additional tools in a very small package, a very interesting option as a keychain multitool. It has many similarities with the leatherman micra, changing the scissors for pliers in the SOG.

You can read more at SOG's website and order for $28 from KnifeCenter.

The Guppie

The Guppie is a futuristic multi-tool combining a knife, screwdriver, wrench, carabiner and flashlight.

The wrench can open up to 1/2'' using an endless screw, it has a good grip and will work well as long as the bolt is not inside a narrow place since the tool is quite wide.

The carbon knife has a thumbhole for one hand opening, it is very sharp out from the box and will be fine for most cutting jobs. The screwdriver has a bit holder with 4 different bits, it has very good torque. The bit holder is attached to the Guppie via magnets and is removable and also holds a LED flashlight, not very bright but can be helpful to find something inside a backpack or help you find a keyhole. At the other side we have a stainless steel pocket clip that can be used as a money clip if you want. The carabiner clip can be used to attach the Guppie to a belt loop, backpack strap or a d-ring, it looks strong but is, of-course, unsuitable for climbing. After opening the carabiner the end can be used as a bottle opener.

The Guppie is a handy multi-tool with an interesting look and good carrying options including both a pocket clip and a carabiner. If you frequently use either a wrench or a screwdriver combined with a knife the Guppie is a nice combo to have. As many other novelty multitools the final evaluation is very subjective.

You can order and read more about it in CRKT's website.

Wenger Evo Grip S557

The new Evo Grip line from Wenger is a line of Swiss Army Knives (SAKs) multi-tools with rubberish scales for improved grip and usability. The S557 model is the one with more features there are other models with fewer tools than this one and the same grip system.

The tools include a very good philips screwdriver, a corkscrew, scissors with micro-serrated edges, a can opener, nail file, a locking blade, a cap lifter, awl, tweezers, wrench toothpick, pliers and the typical keyring.

The blade has a locking feature activated with a lever release, that looks to be good. The corkscrew is probably not very useful but it can be used to attach a victorinox mini screwdriver (The Wenger does not include one). The wrench is a very nice tool that will fit nuts up to 5/16", this is not common in SAKs and can be useful. The awl does not have a thread hole so it can't be used to thread cord.

The S557 is a very complete multi-tool with a very nice locking blade, excellent scissors and pliers and the nice touch of the wrench complemented by many other tools. The Evo Grip system feels very well and will provide a very good grip to use the tools. With a quality that can certainly match Victorinox and the special details this tool has it is a very interesting option for your EDC SAK.

You can read more and order for about $60 from this site.

Swisstech Mpro 11 in 1 tool

This is a very small multi-tool that can be stored in a docking station featuring a small flashlight. It includes a set of pliers, wire cutter, wire stripper, sheet shear, standard philips and flat screwdrivers, micro philips and flat screwdrivers, 1/4'' rule markings and key ring. It weights only 2.2 oz in total and is only 2-3/8” x 1-1/4” x 1/2" when folded.

The tool is stored turning the legs and can then be coupled to the micro-light docking station, releasing the tool from the station is easy and you just unturn the legs to use it.

The mpro is nice for small repairs and other precision jobs that can benefit from a small multi-tool, as you can imagine it can't be used for jobs that require force. The micro light uses a LED bulb and two coin sized lithium batteries and is good to illuminate keyholes or as a small light to work with the mpro tool in case of need.

Each of the tools included does the job well, you are basically using a good set of micro pliers with some screwdrivers so the tools complement well. Being as small as it is the mpro is probably one of the few available options as a keychain sized set of pliers, smaller than the smallest leatherman tools.

You can read more and order from SwissTech's website.

Leatherman E306x Knife

This is a folding knife offering some extra functions. This knife has two ways of deploying the blade. The first, is Leatherman's patent-pending Blade Launcher™ that works as a flipper in other knives. The second method, is a thumb stud.

The blade is a drop point made of 154CM steel and can be very sharp, once opened the knife locks in place via a liner-lock mechanism.

In addition there is a bit driver. One can carry three double-ended bits onboard the knife at any given time, with one in the bit driver and two in the Bit Holder, which is integrated into one of the glass-reinforced nylon handles. The other unique feature of this knife is the combination Carabiner/Bottle Opener. Both of these unique features remain hidden in the knife until needed. A set of 10 bits is supplied with the knife, 3 of them in the knife and seven more in a plastic bit holder. There is also a pocket clip in the side where the extra bits are not stored.

The E306x is a nice folding knife with the addition of a carabiner to clip it to many places if needed, a bottle opener and a very good screwdriver with replaceable bits. Depending on the activities you do often the aditional tools may become useful and the knife will be a pleasant tool to use. If you don't use the screwdriver or you carry a multi-tool with you maybe a better knife that is only a knife is your preferred option.

You can order for $55 from REI or read more from Leatherman's website.

Kershaw National Geographic Carabiner Tool

This is a mix between a carabiner and a knife with some multi-tool elements dropped into the mixture. The Kershaw five in one is a 4.125'' (10.4cm) carabiner featuring a knife, a phillips screwdriver, a flat screwdriver and a bottle opener.

The carabiner is made of anodized aluminium and has a screwdown safetylatch. It is unsuitable for climbing but can be used attached to a belt, backpack, vest or many other items. The total weight of the tool is 2.7oz.

The knife is made of AUS6A Stainless Steel and is 3.25'' (8.1cm) long when opened. It has partial serrations and a small thumbhole to assist the opening.Once opened the knife locks using a liner-lock mechanism.

Both the carabiner and the knife are good tools but are certainly not in the top quality section of either knives or carabiners, the screwdrivers and bottle opener are also ok. It is not each tool but the combination of all the elements what makes this multitool interesting. If you use carabiners frequently to attach different gear to your backpack or vest you can certainly consider this. One interesting advantage is that being in a carabiner shape that can be clipped to many things makes the tools very handy for quick use in case of need.

You can get this tool for $39 from KnifeCenter or read more information visiting Kershaw's website.