Victorinox Swiss Tool
Hannah Belford
January 23, 2025
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Everyone needs a multitool, whether they realize it or not. I’ve been using my Victorinox Swiss Tool religiously since my mid 20’s, roughly 25 years. I have two of them, one resides on my fishing/work belt and the other I keep in my truck.
The original was given to me as a gift from a friend, and after 25 years, I can say I’ve used it in every weather condition imaginable, and it’s still in fantastic shape. It does sport some damage, because it’s been used hard, sometimes for the wrong purpose, and been left out in the elements. But overall, the tool has survived remarkably well.
The steel constructed, lockable blade Swiss Tool is almost indestructible in my opinion. Also, every individual tool in its arsenal is well considered. I often use the file to sharpen hooks on the river, yet it’s also strong enough to file down the rakers on a chainsaw.
The screwdrivers have fixed cupboard doors and adjusted countless small engines; the saw has been used to help start riverside fires.
The knives have held up remarkably well, and I’ve sharpened the flat blade many times, and haven’t lost much, if any, of the steel. The serrated blade has never required sharpening. I’ve used the knives to prepare meals on and off the river, clean fish and the serrated blade is strong enough to create “notching” when doing woodworking projects.
When you consider the Swiss Tool’s price ($155) in context to its total years of (quality) use, the consumer value is pretty impressive.
For anglers who appreciate simple, durable and well constructed gear, this multitool is a great addition to any day trip or river float.
Pros
Well constructed and extremely durable.
Super functional–every tool has a defined purpose.
Water tolerant (except for the case).
Blades maintain their edges and stay sharp.
Cons
Case snap rusts after water exposure.
Need to choose what tools you need (from the Swiss Tool product line) and which ones are overkill.
The price isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for.
The Swiss Tool isn’t cheap, coming in at just under $200.00 CAD (now about $155 U.S.) for the model I have, and up to $267.00 CAD for a couple other models that have ratchets, screwdriver heads and corkscrews.
I personally don’t need models that fancy and prefer the simple, basic multitool. The scissors could be useful, but when guiding the wire cutter is just fine for cutting mono with enough precision for me. Regardless of which model you prefer, I can guarantee the quality is worth the price.
I wouldn’t be able to live my day-to-day life, owning and running the Damdochax River Lodge in British Columbia, without mine, as I use it continuously, whether it’s in the wilderness, on the river, or in town in my truck or RV/travel trailer, where I reside in the off-season.
It’s worth the money, and every man I know ponders stealing it after a day of use. To be honest, I’ve had a hard time sharing it with others, not wanting to be separated during times of need. It’s also a great gift, any time of year.
- Price: $155
- Weight: 10.2 ounces
- Color: Gray
- Length: 4.5 inches
- Width: 1.4 inches
- Materials: Stainless steel
- Features: Needle-nose pliers | wire cutter | wire crimper | blade | can opener | screwdriver | bottle opener etc.
- Warranty information: Victorinox warranty
From Victorinox: “No other tool enables you to do so much from such a small package. Every tool is accessible from the outside for ultimate convenience; and every tool locks into place with its own spring and lock for ultimate precision.”
“Victorinox Two-Year Warranty: Victorinox AG warrants to the end-user purchaser that the Victorinox product will be free from material or manufacturer defects that appear during the course of normal use of the product for a warranty period of two years from the date of purchase.”
The Swiss Tool is superior to other multitools, particularly the Leatherman. I had to send my first Swiss Tool back for warranty repair, because the case snap had rusted and was failing. I bought a Leatherman from our local fly shop to get me through, and the very first time I used the Phillips screwdriver on a cupboard hinge, it snapped completely in half, tightening a screw. I returned the Leatherman and waited for another Swiss Tool, which showed up with a reasonably quick turnaround.
Although attractive, the Swiss Tool case does need some work–the snap rusts and fails after too many exposures to water. As a guide, I’m often wading the river, and it gets wet a lot. I keep it on my belt at all times, beside the bear spray.
To solve the storage problem, I now use a Leatherman case (tough nylon with a velcro closure) for the Swiss Tool. Depending on which Victorinox model you purchase, some of the higher priced designs have strong nylon cases, which look superior to the leather case, yet maybe not quite as classy.
But at the end of the day, the Victorinox Swiss Tool is the best multitool I’ve used: on the river, fishing and guiding, the most extreme environments, for over 25 years.
Find the Victorinox Swiss Tool direct:
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