Welcome back everybody! This post has the potential to cause some controversy and uproar in the EDC community. Ask anybody that's serious about EDC and they will probably tell you that they carry some form of multitool with them everyday, the question I have is which one is best or most preferred? Leatherman or Victorinox?
Victorinox or Leatherman: Which is best
In my opinion there is no real right or wrong answer to this question but everybody has there own preference when it comes to choice of multitool. One person may choose to use a Leatherman Wingman for cutting cables and wires while another person may choose to use a Victorinox huntsman for chopping through small sticks and logs. I appreciate that there are other options for multitools out there on the market but for the moment I'm just going to cover these two.
Victorinox
Victorinox is a brand that is extremely popular within the EDC community and although there is a handful of people that really don't appreciate them you will normally find a Victorinox model of some description included in the majority of EDC Kits. Founded in 1884 by Karl Elsener its safe to say that Victorinox have been in the EDC game for quite a while and since 1891 have even produced knives for the Swiss army. Now correct me if i am wrong but if you're making knives for the army your product has to be a good solid piece of gear rather than a pointy bit of tin with a handle. Basically what I'm saying is Victorinox are a serious player in the knife making business and make some seriously good models. For a number of years the contract for the Swiss army was shared with a company called Wenger which I'm sure most of you have heard of, victorinox eventually bought out Wenger in 2005 and now both products appear very similar.
In terms of how good the SAK multitools actually are, i mean they have been used on expeditions to places such as the arctic and mount Everest. I very rarely leave the house without one because in the last 10 years or so i haven't found a job that the SAK cannot complete. For the Heavier tasks there are models such as the Swisstool and the Huntsman while for those little everyday jobs you will manage quite well with a Classic or a Waiter. If you don't yet have a Victorinox in your EDC kit or Bug out bag i would strongly suggest that you get out and give them a try. Even if you start with something small like a Waiter or a Pioneer you have to try it to appreciate how good they actually are.
Victorinox offer a range of tools for all needs
Leatherman
Leatherman is my next subject and again a very popular brand for most people within the EDC community. Founded in 1983 by Timothy S. Leatherman as Leatherman Tool Group they have only been around for a fraction of the time of Victorinox but are by no means and less worthy of daily carry. I tend to carry a Leatherman with me most of the time but instead of being a pocket item it generally lives in my bag. I usually turn to the Leatherman for much heavier duty tasks, its not that i don't trust the SAK for heavier tasks it's just my preference and i feel that the Leatherman has a heavier duty feel and appearance to it. The Leatherman also has pliers which i use on a regular basis, you can get pliers with the Victorinox Swisstool but don't come on most other models so the Leatherman wins for pliers!
I recently carried out a survey of 225 people within the EDC community on my social media pages and to put it bluntly, Leatherman smashed it out of the park with 71% of people saying they prefer Leatherman over Victorinox. Some of the reasons include the versatility of the tools, how easy they are to clean and all round just been a tougher tool. It goes without saying that Leatherman are a seriously great piece of kit even been issued to US army personnel since the gulf war.
The Leatherman wins for the pliers!
General overview
Having taken into account all of the above points its time to make a decision and to be truly honest... i can't. This decision has seriously been floating around in my head for about two months and i still haven't been able to make the choice. I could bring price into it but here in the UK i don't feel that there is a huge amount of difference and difference in models of both items make them both easily affordable for any EDC kit. I know that in America Leathermans are much more affordable but that probably comes with the American origin of the tool with no overseas shipping to think of etc. One thing to certainly watch out for is the locking blade with the leatherman, here in the UK any locking blade is illegal so this makes the leatherman risky to carry daily without good cause or reason. Victorinox on the other hand are non locking blades in most cases making them legal to carry.
In terms of the functionality of tools and blades the victorinox is difficult to use one handed. Generally it requires two hands to open the knife and other tools which could be unsuitable for some tasks. The Leatherman on the other hand usually has a knife and another tool (in the wingmans case, scissors)which can be opened one handed making it easier to use for certain tasks. The Leatherman also has a pocket clip as standard whereas the SAK does not, this isn't too much of an issue for me as I bought an aftermarket suspension clip.
Its all about personal preference
I have no choice but to say i will have to leave the decision to you because i simply cannot reach a verdict. I will continue to carry both a Victorinox and a Leatherman and i will use the Leatherman for the heavier tasks. That's how its been for the last ten years and that's how it will stay for me. Like i said before, its all about personal preference.
Both come with High Quality tools
My advice would be to look at getting both tools or borrowing a friends to get a feel for both and see which works better for you in your daily tasks and duties. Although i cant make a decision i am sure lots of you already have your preference so please do not hesitate to get in touch and let me know your thoughts or see if you can sway my decision.
As always guys thanks for reading and remember to like and follow my social media for more content!
Until Next time
Liam
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