The Compact is a versatile & popular edc SAK but are there better choices for your edc? #edc #victorinox #keychain #multitool #compact #waiter #classic #alox #review #corkscrew
I admire the ingenuity of the smaller SAKs, but I don't own any. My hands are too large to properly manipulate a knife smaller than 91mm. I do prefer two separate knives rather than a knife suffering from tool overload syndrome. My constant knife is the Compact. For serious work I have a Victorinox 111mm German Army Knife. The tools compliment with almost no overlap.
My biggest issue with the Compact is that it usually costs $60 on Amazon (in the Us). I definitely like combining 2 smaller tools to get what I actually want. My favorite combo is a Walker and a Jetsetter to which I’ve added the 58mm pen scale.
$60 is a bit steep… I wonder why it’s so expensive over where you are…? 🤷♂️☹️ Must say, I’m really liking my new Jetsetter and I also have a Walker - another great discontinued model, an excellent choice for outdoor trips I think 👍👍
Good combo, I got a Jetsetter for a trip overseas, I'm really impressed by the little Phillips which will handle up to PH2 screws, you can turn to 90 degrees to get more torque but obviously I wouldn't overdo it, it's not for dismantling truck engines but will handle most EDC situations.
There are a couple of sites selling the Waiter for £13.95 still - Heinnie Haynes and another one, but it's another £4 for delivery. The Classic SD alox is £24 on the same sites so assuming you order the 2 together you're looking at £24 + £14 + 4 which comes to £42.
I still carry an old *Wenger Traveler* in my pocket. I prefer the smaller 85mm size and use scissors often. Shame Victorinox stopped making their 84mm Climber!
U don't see many Wenger Travelers out in the wild - nice work! I do really like the Vic 84mm & Wenger 85mm size, & I agree its a shame Victorinox won't pull their finger out & reintroduce the 84mm scissors. I have heard their 84mm scissors machine broke years ago & they just haven't bothered ever repairing it/getting a new one :o(
My favorite (but more expensive) combo is a Pioneer and a Swiss Card Nail Care in my wallet. This way I get the "proper" basic tools (dedicated openers, big blade, in-line reamer) in a sturdy but thin alox package, and in my wallet I have even more useful little gadets, like magnifying glass and ruler in addition to the extra tools of the Compact. And I have zero redundant tools.
Just like yourself, I always carry a 58mm. Therefore the question is answered. Any other SAK is creating a combo :-) When thinking about a combination of SAKs, start with the 58mm, not the other way round.
That’s a good way to look at it I think 👍 a Vic Manager covers most edc bases around town so I suppose it’s a case of what else might u need on top of that 🙂
Nextool keychain knife (similar to Classic SD Alox) is £8 on the Chinese site. I couple that with a Jetsetter £12 Amazon and either a Recruit £13 or my Climber £20 that were on offer in the last few weeks. Hoping to see if Nextool produce an Rambler Alox.
Seen some very good reviews of the Nextool stuff - i might pick up one of their 'Sailor' tools to try. The Compact does absolutely seem pricey when you can pick up some of their other knivs for so much less - i especially think the Climber at twenny quid is such a bargain! I've just bought a Jetsetter: really like it & it's a steal at £12 - pocket money price for a genuinely useful & 'non-threatening' tool!
There are some great deals on the Chinese auction sites. SOG PowerPoint around £20 shipped as well as Nextool etc at around 50% of list price. Sailor and Sailor Scissors under £10 delivered at present, and are both great value. Roxon have improved their steels (D2 on blades) and the KS2E with pouch and screwdriver bits is a favourite of mine! Hopefully this encourages Victorinox to develop something to compete.
I'm going to get a Sailor from AliExpress to try i think - it's pocket money prices isn't it! Good to hear Roxon have improved their steel too. £20 for the PowerPint is a bargain - might get one of those too! And we can only hope this might encourage Victorinox to introduce some new products - the speed at which they move/update is absolutely glacially slow, & there's such a lack of innovation from them, it's so frustrating!
1. My first two SAK purchases ever were the Manager and the Huntsman (no coincidence there, I wanted to cover urban and hiking needs as well). If you manage to get your hands on a Manager you can pretty much pair it with any 91 mm SAK with little redundancy. If you don't mind the extra weight of alox knives and you don't need a corkscrew or the hook pair it with a Pioneer X or a Farmer X (or if the small scissors are enough get a Farmer - you'll have 2 bottle openers but that's all the redundancy you'll have). If you can't get a Manager get a Rambler, it also matches well with the alox knives. I've also seen someone on RU-vid combining a Leatherman Style PS (flight-friendly, allegedly) with a Victorinox Harvester. 2. No Waiter is worth all that upgrade (sorry, it's just my opinion). Too much hassle to make it less minimal. 3. The Compact is full of compromises, that's the main problem with it. The thin combotool that can barely handle Phillips screws, the tiny nailfile, the pen that's awkward to use are all compromises. A backside Phillips screwdriver instead of the corkscrew (and a new eyeglass screwdriver as a scaletool) would make it better. Hell, they should open up the fourth slot on the scale (if you watch Felix Immler you know where that is) and give us maybe a tiny ruler as another new scaletool.
Thanks for the useful comments! I think ALL SAKs are a compromise to a certain extent - unless you get a custom made one there's always something I'd change on them tbh. I only like the Compact as an EDC tool if you don't think you'll be doing much & just to have it with you as a knife for light duty - as you say that combo tool is a bit thin & flimsy for anything but the lightest duty tasks. Have to say i absolutely LOVE the Manager - my favourite small SAK by a mile - I have several & can't count the times they've come in so useful for little jobs! Bring it back, Victorinox!! And you're probably quite right about the Waiter upgrades!! I find myself going down the rabbit hole with this stuff & sometimes get a bit carried away! lol
Yeah, true enough, but if you CAN have a pen tucked into your edc for just-in-case as a back up why not have it? I wouldn't choose to write an essay or anything with a tiny SAK pen, BUT I have used them for important information on several occasions when I didn't have another pen. Just handy to have I reckon :o) Thank you for commenting!
@@accoutrements4469 That would be the Swiss Champ then, my go-to for travel, in checked-in lugggage of course. And with a 20k suitcase there's going to be a pen and 4 in1 screwdriver in there too if I'm honest!
It’s the pen and plus scales that make the Compact more expensive than other 2-layer SAKs, and I don’t need the pen. If they made a Compact without the pen it would be my first choice. For now I have a Jetsetter on my keychain and sometimes carry a Climber in my bag. But I’d love a 91mm 2-layer SAK with corkscrew, hook, and scissors, so someday I may give up and buy a Compact.
Are u in the US? Someone else has just commented the Compact is about $60 over there so quite a bit more expensive… too expensive really. If you don’t want the pen then yes I can see the appeal is lessened. There’s plenty of other SAK options aren’t there but not many in the 2 layer format with scissors (can’t think of ANY others currently in production) - I think in this case carrying a classic SD/Alox is a good way to gain the scissors at least. I think otherwise your nearest bet with the tools you mentioned is the Climber but that’s a bit bulkier at 3 layers. Thank you for commenting 🙂
I like the Compact, it's a good tool(s), but certainly not as great as it's made out to be for that price.. worth it... eh.. maybe, just depends on the person. With that statement, however, I do currently have 4 compacts, and a 5th in parts that i'm using to make another custom SAK. Keep in mind as well that I purchased all of these in great condition for about 25 USD each at different times. Personally, if they still made the 84mm Golfer that is basically the Waiter there with a Scissors layer they'd be golden. I actually have two 84mm Scissor Layers that I rescued from old SAKs that had broken blades or just trashed over all and am using them to make a couple of custom 84mm's for my Father and I. I also like the 74mm Executive but again, discontinued. Realistically, I carry a Pioneer X most days for general use when I don't feel I require a lock back knife.
I always have my Manager on my key chain and would rather have a Compact over any any 2 layer 91mm or 84mm. And I have the SwissCard Lite in my ejector type wallet and it makes carrying a 93mm Alox 2 layer great because the SwissCard Lite has about everything you need that isn't on Alox knives
The Manager is probably my most carried SAK over the years - I LOVE that little tool! Not tried a swisscard - must pick one up! Thank you for the comments - great to hear what other folks like and use!
Ah, is that the single bladed folding knife? I've avoided that one as it's quite a large locking blade - we aint allowed to carry anything like that here in the UK... :o( That & an SD would be cool though. Don't you miss any extra tools though?
Ah yes sorry I realise that now - that looks like a great knife! Again, still limited where we’re allowed to carry one of those in our nanny state where I live… ☹️ ugh!
