Reviews > Knives > Multi-tools > Victorinox SwissTool Spirit > Anthony Smith > Field Report

Tester Bio
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email address: tjsmith1946@gmail.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida USA
Date: June 7, 2005

Backpacking Background: I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored more towards backpacking, specifically lightweight backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights. However, I am planning some longer trips in the near future.

Product Information

Year of Manufacture – 2005
Manufacturer URL – www.victorinox.com
Stated Weight – 7.23 oz (205 g)
Weight as Delivered – Tool 7.34 oz (208 g), Pouch 1.41 oz (40 g)
Size as Delivered – Tool 4.25x0.63x1.38 in (10.8x1.6x3.51 cm)

For further information, see my Initial Report.

Testing Period

This test report covers the period from April until June, 2005. During this testing period, I have encountered weather conditions that have been either sunny or overcast, with no opportunities to test the Spirit during rainy conditions as of yet. The temperatures have ranged from a low of 60 F (15 C) to a high of 98 F (36 C).

During the Field Reporting period, I have only had the Spirit out on day trips. These trips have all occurred in similar conditions as detailed above. The primary use I have found for the Spirit thus far is using the combi-edge knife to open the package for commercially-prepared meals. The knife has kept a very sharp edge throughout my testing. I have attempted to use the scissors for the same purpose, but their small size makes this a bit of a challenge. I have utilized the can opener on several occasions to open canned goods, primarily tuna fish. I have used similar can openers (fixed blade, pierce the can with the point and rock the tool back and forth, "walking" it around the can) and this one has worked as well as any others. The only other tool on the Spirit I have utilized in the field is the wood saw. I have used the wood saw on both dry and green branches, up to approximately 1" (2.5 cm) in diameter. I encountered no difficulties in the use of the saw with either green or dry wood, although with the green wood I did have to periodically stop and clean wood fibers from the teeth of the saw.

In addition to my field use of the Spirit, I have also carried the tool with me on a daily basis. Every opportunity to test the tool has been taken advantage of, in order to test aspects that may not present themselves during the testing period but which I may encounter at some point. The most commonly used item on my Spirit is the combi-edge blade. I use this almost everytime I need a cutting implement. The blade has maintained a very sharp edge, although it is no longer sharp enough to shave with as it was when the tool was new. I have used the pliers on several occasions, and they have functioned as well as I had expected, with enough leverage for me to hold on to most objects with a minimum of tool slippage. One of my concerns was that the handles of the tool would flex when a good deal of force was placed on it, but this has not been the case. No matter what angle I have placed pressure on the tool while using the pliers, the tool has not flexed or twisted during use.
During use of the wire stripper tool, I have found the combi-edge knife works better to remove the insulation from various gauges of wire. I feel I have better control and function with the knife than with the stripper. I have not used the wire bender yet, and cannot judge the value of that tool. I have used the various screwdrivers without any issues. I don't find that they slip any more than a regular screwdriver, and have not experienced any unusual wear to the tips of any of them. I have not yet found a use for the scraper or crate opener, but I will continue to seek uses for all of the tools during the remainder of the testing period.
The tool locks and releases still continue to function as well as they did when the tool was new. I have not experienced any problems with the mechanisms for any of the attachments, with all still locking firmly into place.
The case for the tool has held up well so far, with no noticeable defects. The hook-and-loop closure still holds securely, even when I have dropped the tool with it in the case. My only concern with the case is that it requires a belt for use, and I don't always wear a belt while hiking. I have found that I can undo a strap on my pack and loop the strap through the belt loop on the case, but this does not allow for the flexibility that a clip-type attachment system would afford.

Continued Test Plan

I will be continue using the Spirit on a variety of trips during the remainder of the test period, on both day trips and multi-night trips, as well as anticipating to participate in trail maintenance (maintaining trails in a usable condition) in my local area. I intend to continue carrying the tool on backpacking treks and car camping adventures throughout the test period. In addition, I will continue to carry the Spirit with me for everyday use, testing as many aspects of the tools as possible on a regular basis.

My thanks to Victorinox and BackpackGearTest for allowing me the opportunity to test this item.

Reviews > Knives > Multi-tools > Victorinox SwissTool Spirit > Anthony Smith > Field Report