In the "Spirit"

A new multi-tool from Victorinox.

Most people are familiar by now with the Leatherman tool, a pliers-based multi-tool that provides you with a pocket-sized toolbox you can wear on your belt. These have been around since Tim Leatherman invented the concept and began marketing them as an alternative to the Swiss Army knives that many people carried. Recently, the original Swiss Army knife company, Victorinox, has answered back with a new tool called the Spirit, a LM Wave sized multi-tool with a number of very cool features.

The Spirit is a first-class tool, very beautifully finished, and with comfortable “ergonomic” handles that do not bite into your hand when you have to really squeeze down hard on the pliers. This was a real problem with the older LM tools. Like all multi-tools, the Spirit comes with an assortment of smaller tools which unfold from the handles, but the tools in the Spirit are well chosen and very useful. It comes with a knife blade, saw blade, file, bottle opener, can opener, box cutter, mini prybar, scissors, regular and Phillips screwdrivers and several other tools. Each folding tool opens easily and separately, without the “clumping” that the earlier LMs were infamous for. Each tool also locks solidly in place so that the knife blade or whatever won’t fold over on your fingers as you use it. The lock is safely and smoothly released when you want to close the tool back up. The Spirit comes with a leather belt pouch and is backed by Victorinox’s 100% lifetime guarantee.

I really like this tool and carry it daily to handle all sorts of chores and minor emergencies. It’s hard to imagine how useful one of these tools can be until you’ve carried it for a couple of weeks. Then you’ll find you just “can’t leave home without it”. If you’re thinking about getting a multi-tool, check out the Spirit. I think you’ll be as impressed with it as I am.