Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X Review

The SwissTool Spirit X is solidly built, well-appointed and polished to shine. Few non-award winners scored better than the SwissTool. Two that beat the SpiritX are virtually the same tool, with some budget considerations made for the less expensive version. The SpiritX didn't win any awards because it lags slightly behind these other all-around tools and it doesn't have a unique niche to fill like our Top Picks. Nonetheless, it is a piece of art that can work hard. It deserves your consideration. Read on for more details.

Performance Comparison

For backcountry base camping, a full function tool like the Victorinox SwissTool (pictured behind the fuel bottle) is handy and useful.

Functions

According to the respective manufacturer's count, the Victorinox leads the field, by far, in terms of numbers of features and functions. However, when you boil it down and look more closely, the feature set isn't all that much different than your typical multi tool. First, Victorinox claims 24 functions in bold print alongside the tool's name on their website. This number is pretty liberal, including separate entries for needle-nosed pliers, soft wire cutter, hard wire cutter, wire bender, wire stripper and scraper, cable cover longitudinal cutter, cable cover crossways cutter, crate opener and 7mm chisel. These nine listed tools, best we can tell, are contained entirely in the jaws of the pliers and on a single piece of metal in the folded tools. Another manufacturer might list these ten as three or four, total. Examples of this "feature inflation" exist elsewhere in the Victorinox literature.

One "arm" of the SwissTool's feature selection. Each tool is functional and very reminiscent of the company's red "Swiss Army Knives".

When one looks past the potential catalog exaggeration, one sees a pretty standard set of tools for a modern full-size multi-tool.

One "arm" of the SwissTool's feature set. Each tool is functional and versatile. Notably the lowest tool in this photo is responsible for what could be 5 or 6 of Victorinox's claimed 26 features. It is simply a shaped and sharpened protrusion, each curve attributed a specific sort of cutting or opening task. With some creativity one can see the function, but it also seem like a simple straight blade would be more versatile.

Construction Quality

The durability and strength of all our tested tools is a testament to both our initial selection criteria and the practical design criteria these companies use. Across the board, we had no problems with the strength and construction quality of any of our recently tested tools. (in the past we have had tools fail in testing. We have since omitted those products from our review roster). The SwissTool is no exception to the quality of our tested tools. In going head to head with a category super-power like Leatherman, Victorinox is wise to have built a solid product. They also surely have that Swiss pride that results in precise, smooth mechanical and electronic products.

Ergonomics

On one level, the SwissTool is a basic, rough-sided pliers based multi-tool. Of the four "corners" of each plier handle, only two are rounded for comfort. However, for some reason, the tool is comfortable in one's hand, and the squared corners hardly affect the function. The good news is that the rounded corners guard the user's hands when using the pliers, and the fold-away tools themselves sort of round out the external profile of the closed device. The plier handles, when deployed, are slightly curved inwards. It's as if the handles have been bent by incredible hand strength when grabbing a nut or bolt with the plier's head. This pre-curve makes for a small-fist-full with the pliers fully closed, while leaving a generous space between the handles to minimize pinching. We like this.

Finally, every single fold-away feature is accessed from the outside of the stowed pliers. In our review, only select tools were built this way. We like this attribute. In the end, regarding ergonomics, the SwissTool has pros and cons, generally tilting to slightly above average performance and score.

All the features of the SwissTool, folded out for viewing. Every single tool is accessible without deploying the pliers, which is nice.

Portability

The portability of a tool is a function of its size, weight, external "roughness" (rougher tools tear up pockets), and carry options. The Spirit X is average in size, a little heavy, and has a few squared edges on the outside that aren't that sharp. It's ok in terms of portability.

The velcro closure on the Victorinox leather case is lower profile than a snap but is less durable and secure.

Value

This is a solid product, and we definitely recommend it. For considerably less, though, one can get a remarkably similar feature set in our Best Buy winning Leatherman Wingman. The only major feature the Wingman lacks, as compared to the SwissTool, is a saw. The SwissTool has two, one for wood and one for metal.

The SwissTool and dedicated case. Something about the brown leather case suggests sophistication and quality.

Conclusion

We love the Spirit like we love espresso machines, Arc'teryx jackets, and classy underdogs in major sports leagues. It is a super polished product, whose panache is likely unnecessary and perhaps detracts from some practicality. Not to mention that the sophistication in the Spirit comes at a premium price.