10 Victorinox Swiss Army Knives Worth Getting

My interpretation of the best Victorinox Swiss Army knives to consider for someone just getting started. What would your Top Ten be?

0:00 Overview
0:22 Criteria
1:58 Jetsetter (everyone needs one!)
3:59 Compact
6:45 Ranger
8:54 Forester
11:13 Deluxe Tinker
12:43 Nail Clip 580
14:15 Explorer
15:52 Minichamp (NEVER Get MIDNIGHT!)
19:00 Fieldmaster
20:28 Trekker
21:22 Roundup

SAK ACCESSORIES!

[johnshepherd]

I recently discovered this channel and I think it is kind of cool. Over the years I have reduced my EDC profile looking for tools and other items that cover most of my daily needs in the smallest package. I have other tools that I can carry for specific situations. I found that a blade, scissors, Philip's and flat head screwdrivers cover about 95% of my daily needs. The Leatherman Free T4 is what I carry at the moment.

[manwiththeredface]

For urban EDC I swear by the "Pioneer X + 58 mm keychain SAK of your own choosing" combo. That way you have the robustness and the inline reamer of the alox line and the scale tools + small blade + no 1 Phillips screwdriver (+ the nailfile if you need) on your keychain. All you lose is the corkscrew.
For outdoors I'd say the Outrider (= Forester with scissors).

[charliel]

Another SAK that tends to fly under the radar, but is great for urban living EDC is the PioneerX. Slim profile, good knife, great awl opening packages, and scissors. For a few years I tried so many different multi-tools, and eventually landed on this one as being the one with the tools I would use the most with the smallest profile for my pocket.

[DavidDoingLife]

I'm a sold out swisschamp man myself. But great list man. Can't go wrong with victorinox, simple as that

[altfyt]

The minichcamp "medicine measurer" is a cuticle pusher and the "cotton hook" is a orange opener sorta thing.

[rustybarrel]

So many good options. There really is a Victorinox to meet almost anyone’s needs. For most days, a Cadet is plenty for me. I will swap it with others depending on my mood and what I’ll be doing that day - Bantam, Climber, Huntsman. I have others stashed in vehicles or in a box waiting their turn. Never had a quality problem with any of them, so I always feel confident relying on whichever one I choose.

[Bethany]

I'm probably 20 years older than you. That magnifying glass looks pretty handy to me. It's not an ECD item, but I *highly* recommend putting a magnifying glass lamp on your desk. I've given them out as gifts as my friends age with me, and they come in surprisingly helpful. I prefer the swing arm type, but any of them are fine. Thanks for the vids!

[leeendley]

I love my Ranger, the perfect SAK in my opinion. In addition to the normal tools, I wanted and I use, scissors, saw, file and small chisel. Ranger has them all, a super useful tool, unless I specifically need to use pliers, I use my Ranger more than my Wave+.

[xwingrox]

The Victorinox Companion and its package opener + nail file are awesome options too!

[robbowman]

If you can't come at the ridiculous price of the compact, the Climber/Super Tinker 3 layer option is excellent. I just can't get over the ~$100AU the Compact RRPs for here in Aus. I don't miss the Compact combo tool because I have no idea what it's like, but I'd rather compromise thickness for capability. I only have the Huntsman/ Fieldmaster, Ranger, Explorer and Minichamp from your list. Unfortunately the jetsetter would still be seized by Australian airport security

[tiagotoledo]

I do have an Explorer I keep mostly home and its an amazing tool..for EDC I use a Classic + Compact..

[Revole.]

Excellent list and wonderful recommendations! I've EDC'd a Handyman (Ranger toolset plus pliers) for a hot minute now and I can never go without it. I also regularly carry a Rambler or Minichamp in my watch pocket for a keychain tool.

[nicksoehren]

My Opa (grandpa) always had one in his pocket a small one that we’d consider key chain size. I found a larger one in his shed after he passed and I kept it. That’s what got me into always have a tool on me.

[atdotcom]

Love it.
I’m never without a couple of tools with me. I have a Swiss card as part of my money clip. I have another Swiss card that I keep in my three piece suit vest pocket(I wear suits every day). I have a Rally on my keychain. My cycling pack and ski pants have 111 mm work champs. My e-mountain bike has a 111 millimetre work champ XL strapped onto it. I carry the Victorinox Swiss tool X on my hip around the yard. I love my Onyx black Ranger 55 as a companion for the X tool. And I have carried Trekker, trail masters and out riders over the years and still love playing with them. So does my grandson lol. I gave my son-in-law a rescue tool when he graduated firefighting school. You simply can’t have too many! My latest obsession is the annual alox Hunter pro and Pioneer X knives in beautiful different colours.

[BeGe]

Really glad to see someone not ignoring the Deluxe Tinker. It really is a great tool to grab when you're gonna only be carrying 1 tool. Still only 4.3 oz but has pliers. And those pliers are useful for a lot more than people give credit for, even if they aren't huge.

And don't count out the classic. I still think a Classic SD is the best bang for buck /slash/ size out there. For basically $20 and 1 ounce you can have a knife, flathead screwdriver, 2d philips screwdriver, scraper, lightweight pryer, scissors that hit like much bigger scissors, tweezers and toothpick (or whatever you replace the toothpick with...ferro rod, sewing kit, etc etc). It's the best way to be 5000% more capable than the average person (who has nothing) for almost no cost or weight/size.

[MrSamoDude]

I’ve had several Victorinox over the past 30 years, but had a Swiss Champ in my pocket for over 10 years now and wouldn’t be without it. It’s been used for work, for camping, for DIY, and has a great selection of tools for pretty much any situation. I probably watched too much MacGyver when I was a kid.

[Leviathan]

The fact that the nail clipper one doesn't have a non blade version is a travesty. I would through that in my travel bag in a heart beat as i then wouldn't have to worry about airplanes

[ricksandstorm]

The difference in price between the Huntsman/Ranger and Compact/Climber should be noted. The Huntsman is so much cheaper that it throws the Ranger out of the water for most people, while the climber gives you more tools for less money and a few mm of bulk.

[DonaldMohrMusic]

my interest in Swiss Army knives was limited to a period of time 25 years ago where I worked in a kiosk in a mall in Northern Westchester county NY, . We sold Swiss army knives and darts, and had manual engraving machines. It was my first customer facing job.

At the time, I adored these little devices, and bought the now discontinued Mini Champ with the push out pen and little red flashlight. I think that's the one you specifically advise against, and I get it. The jet setter looks like it's going on my keys. Knowing TSA will be cool with it is perfect.

Along with my little blue mini champ (which there's some kind of lifetime warranty, I wonder if Victorinox could bring it back to its former glory? I have zero idea how to do that.) I also bought a Super Tinker, and that's where my interest in Swiss army knives and pining for something better went away. The pair of them has served me well for the last quarter decade. I think the modern equivalent would be that Alok mini and the Deluxe Tinker. f

I just got a Swiss Champ this week, which I want to say was the biggest, baddest one we had at that store, though the cyber tool was brand new at the time. The XXL was maybe available but was just a silly thing in the catalog. There was no serious interest in it.

[fivevs]

The straight pin on the compact is surprisingly useful. My favorite larger sak is the locksmith. it’s basically a soldier with an all straight blade and it adds a full length file.

I replaced a Leatherman with the locksmith and a set of knipex pliers, and the combined two way less than the Leatherman and the tools are better