Recently, I had the chance to handle Leatherman's Charge TTi, which could be considered their premier model. Although it was definitely of high quality, its movement and feel was more clunky than expected. The Swiss Spirit, on the other hand, has a movement like no other - totally fluid and precise. As someone who has already handled several of Victorinox's Swiss Army Knives, I thought I couldn't be "wow'ed" anymore by their quality, but this tool exceeded my expectation. It's great for home repair, electrical work, and outdoor excursions.


A few notes on the design:

The locking tools are the highlight for me. Every tool locks into place when extended; the mechanism is easy to operate yet very effective.

The tool itself is fairly small and relatively lightweight yet solid. For such a small size, it embodies a good combination of functionality and versatility, and it fits my hand perfectly (average sized guy's hand).

It should be noted that the pliers move very freely and do not stick, spring back (into an open position), or hold their position. Some might count this as a negative, but I believe its functionality to be, nevertheless, unhindered and, perhaps, favorable.

The tools themselves cover a wide range of on-the-job necessities, that have already come in handy in numerous situations - I do some light carpentry and construction on occasion and regular yard work.

The carrying case is also a major plus. Although the tools are stainless steel, anyone who knows their steels can tell you that even stainless steels can rust when neglected. The case is made of a fairly thick brown leather with a velcro closure that should shelter the tools from the weather and general neglect. I personally love the look of it too - very classic/timeless styling.

All in all, I can't see how anyone could think they made a bad purchase on this item. I was on the fence for awhile, did a little research on the tool, debated about buying it some more, and eventually figured it wouldn't kill me if I got it... and I'm glad I did... and you will be too.

Great selection of tools. So far, the only tool that I needed that this handy multi-tool did not cover was a pipe wrench. I didn't really buy it for that use and did not expect to use it for that. Product is strong and durable. I use it on a daily basis, so it gets alot of use.

I love everything about this tool! At first I thought that I'd have to still carry a pocket knife w/ me since this doesn't come with a traditional pen knife, but I was wrong. The knife that is in this tool is very sharp, cuts well and does about anything a regular pen knife does. Very good quality.

The only down size I have found is that it is a bit on the heavy size.

I own Leatherman multi-tools including the new Wave, Pulse, Juice S2, Skeletool CX, Micra, Squirt S4, and Squirt P4. I also own about 20 Victorinox Swiss Army Knives ranging from nearly all the recent Alox models and many cellidor models including the old Champion, Swiss Champ, Swiss Champ XLT, and Cybertool 41. After owning all of these types of pocket knives and multi-tools, I can say that Victorinox makes the highest quality, highest consistency multi-tools and pocket knives. (Don't get me wrong, I like Leatherman a lot as they make well-designed tools, too. But the consistency is lacking with Leatherman when compared to Victorinox.)

The primary strengths of the Vic SwissTool Spirit include:

All locking tools
Access to tools with the pliers in the closed position
Presence of scissors (which distinguishes it from the Spirit "S" model)
Reputation of extremely good corrosion resistance
Chisel (which is unsual in any multitool)
Extremely good wood saw (better than Leatherman)
Very light weight for its size (only 5.5 oz)
Premium brown leather case (best case I've seen that comes with a tool, only downside to the case is that it cannot be worn in the horizontal position on a belt)
Extremely attractive with highly polished metal handles and tools
Extremely comfortable handles for pliers

There are downsides, however, and they are in my opinion:

"Butterknife" shape of the only blade (it does NOT have the familiar drop point that Victorinox usually uses in their SAKs or MTs)
Serrations on that blunt blade take up most of the length
Plain edge is a very small part of the blade near the joint
Philips screwdriver that needs to be squared off as it slips quite easily
Scissors are tiny (and smaller than any other multi-tool I own listed)

The Vic Spirit exudes quality and precision crafting. People are always split on their opinion of the blunt, "butterknife" shape of the main blade. I dislike it. The serrations are also in the front of the blade, rather than the back part like most other brands. The serrations can be ground off, however.

If you want a drop point blade, then you can get the Spirit "S" version which substitutes a drop point blade, but removes the scissors.

I have never owned a multi-tool before. I did a lot of research into what tool would be best for me. I wanted a variety of tools that would be useful in day to day work as well as on a camping trip or on the trail. The SwissTool Spirit, the SwissTool RS, and the Leatherman Core were at the top of my list. I had the opportunity to try each of these tools out at local stores and the Spirit was clearly the tool for me. With all the same quality and functionality of the RS and Core, the Spirit comes in a small, sleek design that fits the hand perfectly in both open and closed positions. This is not a bulky and complex tool. It is elegant and fuctional. I highly reccommend this tool to anyone looking for a high quality munti-tool with all the might of a larger tool in a smaller package.