Ditch your dad’s keyring and pick up a limited edition EDC powerhouse in the Orbitkey Black Edition. Orbitkey consolidates keys into a neat profile that keeps them organized and silent. It adds its v2 multitool to the Black Edition, which packs a surprising 9 functions despite looking like a bottle opener. The Black Edition v2 multitool features three choices of black leather with varying textures.

Orbitkey Key Organizer: Why?

Do your keys jangle around noisily on a carabiner, visibly annoying bystanders? Do they look like an awkward bauble or misinterpreted accessory as they hang off the belt loop of your skinny jeans?

Faux pas no more with Orbitkey. Each of the three limited-release Black Edition leather choices goes with any outfit. Whether Crazy Horse, Saffiano, or Cactus, it’s a matter of texture preference. Black Edition will definitely make you look like a professional, if not like a full-on spy.

In fact, it will enhance your spy abilities. The tool compresses keys in a tight stack, so you can carry them around without everyone instantly knowing that they — and, by extension, you — are there. Use the D-ring attachment to pair the setup with any fob you like.

Orbitkey v2 Multitool: Why?

When I first scoped Orbitkey’s v2 multitool, I instantly thought, “what?” followed immediately by, “why?” I was certain it was a bottle opener with a ruler on the spine — big deal. Then when I learned about its claim to wield 9 functions, I was incredulous.

But it’s true! The v2 multitool comprises a box cutter, bottle opener, pry bar, flat-head screwdriver, Phillips-head screwdriver, letter opener, metric ruler, imperial ruler, and file. Ok, a few of these implements are pretty questionable, but in 2021, an EDC multitool should — without question — include tools for opening packages. Screwdrivers can be a nice bonus (never know you need it until you need it). The file is a nice, Swiss Army-like touch. And the bottle opener is an obvious must — especially for anyone who needs to relieve some job-related stress.

In my opinion, the v2 multitool makes Orbitkey Black Edition worth the money: it makes just another key organizer into a legitimate tool.

Pricing

Orbitkey lists each of its three limited Black Edition key organizers at $55 MSRP. You could call that a loud price for a keychain, but how loud is your current set-up, Mr. Jangle-Jeans?

At the time of writing, the tool was too new to be associated with any published reviews. So, if you pick it up, let us know what you think on our social channels.

Purchase

Garden and woodworking tool company Garrett Wade satisfies the patrician in all of us. Its austere but eye-catching motif recalls a simplicity that’s pastoral but also strangely office-appropriate. Thus, its brass capsule multitool somehow seems to belong in your pocket whether you’re wearing overalls or Brooks Brothers.

With a fitting backstory set in foggy London, the Garrett Wade brass multitool is a 5-in-1, with a case that doubles as a handle. The trim but cultivated tool promises to complete any aesthete’s EDC kit.

Garrett Wade Tools Finds Inspiration ‘Cross the Pond

Garrett Wade’s brass multitool started at a swap meet in London. Oh wait, they don’t have that crude terminology there — in London they’re called flea markets. Anyway, a pocket-size threaded tube with tools inside caught the eye of a Garrett Wade rover, who brought the intel back stateside.

It’s easy to see why Garrett Wade selected the design. At 3 inches long, it’s extremely easy to carry, and its unassuming appearance and utility seem to fit its catalog perfectly.

A Discreet Multitool

Armed with inspiration, Garrett Wade Tools produced an updated version of the British brass multitool. A two-piece tube hand-tightens together to hold all five tools: 1 & 2) a Phillips and slot screwdriver, 3) a pull hook knife, 4) a drill bit, and 5) a corkscrew. The user selects the appropriate tool, fits it into the reinforced slot, screws the tube back together, and goes to work. The resulting T-shaped tool, called a gimlet, delivers good leverage for twisting.

Astutely, Garrett Wade makes each tool from an alloy specifically chosen to support that tool’s function. Be aware: TSA has been known to confiscate the tools, but let (crestfallen) users keep the case. Still, its 3 ¼-inch total length and barely-there 2 ¾-ounce weight make it a no-brainer EDC item for anyone who can use the tool kit.

Pinkies Out: Brass Multitool User Comments

The user base, from what I can gather in online reviews, is a treasure. Sue, who self-identifies as “FixitGranny” says “I LOVE it !! I have arthritis in my hands from doing crochet and knitting. When I used a regularly handled screwdriver it hurt. This one doesn’t hurt !!!” Craft on, Granny.

Elsewhere, James Campbell says he carries the tool in his briefcase — he doesn’t mention the four-pack of Chablis he also keeps in there.

In Conclusion

In a saturated category, the Garrett Wade brass multitool marches to the beat of its own drum. The five-tool kit is sure to excite EDC folks hungry for something unusual. And it would look just as fitting in the rugged hand of an Amish carpenter as it would in the manicured one of a corporate executive. Not only that, it promises utility.

The T-shaped gimlet arrangement and reinforced connection point help it handle anything its tools are capable of. It’s priced at $37 MSRP.

Purchase

Even though it holds an entire fifth of hooch, High Camp still calls its Firelight 750 setups “flasks,” which seems almost painfully humble. The attractive stainless steel flask and tumbler set can serve purposes, including excessive outdoor drinking sessions, not just purloining a few sips of the strong stuff past security.

High Camp’s Firelight is a kit for high times. Its double-wall construction, magnetic cup attachment (patent pending), and choice of cultivated finishes ensure a curated experience; our reviewer attests to it.

Said tester poured out more than a few drops of his favorite high-test for review purposes. He came back with five simple words: “I love this damn thing.” Read on to learn what else I was able to extract from his expertly inebriated brain.

Flask Fortitude

The Firelight flask is a workhorse. With its 750-mL capacity and two 11-ounce tumblers, it’s big enough to handle a raucous celebration. And with its double-wall construction, it can keep any spirit, wine, bubbly, or even hot bevvy at the ideal temperature on the way there.

Our reviewer reports the flask’s wide mouth and non-drip lip made it easy to fill and pour under any conditions. He also says the tumblers’ magnetic hold was firm; his method was to shake it like Tom Cruise in Cocktail to jar them loose. (Editor’s note: it’s unclear whether this method is totally necessary.)

Its 18/8 stainless steel (18% chromium, 8% nickel) resists corrosion — which can be especially helpful after you’ve imbibed a fifth when there’s no telling what might happen next.

High Camp Firelight 750: Fancy Flasks?

Though it’s called “High Camp” and fully equipped for backcountry bingeing, the Firelight also looked great on our tester’s home bar. Unlike with most travel tumbler kits, the magnetic cups don’t have threaded rims, which ups their cool level for home use.

Choose from steel, copper, or gunmetal finishes to meet and match your existing aesthetic and accessories.

Purchasing

Find the highly capable High Camp Firelight 750 Flask on the company’s website for $125 MSRP. If that seems steep, think about the fact that it’s two bar sets in one — a home set and a camp set — and you’re not even seeing double yet.

Benchmade calls the 9070 Claymore an “evolution” of its automatic knives. Benchmade’s engineers tackled the challenge of creating a full-size automatic knife and making it as lightweight as possible without compromising strength. The result? The strongest knife in Benchmade’s push-button stable.

Here’s what we know about the durable, combat-inspired automatic blade.

Claymore Knife Basics

Key to the Benchmade 9070 Claymore’s balance of strength and light weight is its CPM-D2 steel blade. CPM, or crucible particle metallurgy, gives the steel a fine carbide structure, making the blade harder to break, bend, or chip. In addition to outstanding hardness, CPM-D2 shows good edge retention — but the Claymore’s 3.6-inch blade has moderate serrations, so it can perform even when dulled from use.

The automatic knife’s push-button mechanism also adds breaking strength. During destruction tests, engineers determined an optimal way for the knife’s handle and liners to support the mechanism as it engages the blade.

Benchmade designs the Claymore’s handle for an easy grip that’s secure in any position. It gives the knife a considerable tactical advantage, especially combined with the textured Grivory (thermoplastic) grips.

The release button is also textured to prevent slipping. For added security, Benchmade adds a safety switch with a red indicator. A pocket clip holds the knife in the point-up position.

Battlefield Inspiration

Style-wise, the 9070 Claymore automatic knife is an instant American-made classic that seeks to fulfill the legacy of its namesake combat weapon. Benchmade manufactures each knife in its Oregon-based facility, and two color choices — black or ranger green — embody traditional military utility.

But the force of the knife’s opening action seems to be why it’s called the “Claymore” — and from what we’ve seen, it looks like it kicks pretty hard.

Benchmade 9070 Claymore: Purchasing Info

The just-released 9070 Claymore is available at Benchmade.com. Given their curated designs and domestic manufacturing, Benchmade knives can fetch high prices, but the 9070 Claymore automatic knife comes in at a low-to-middle-of-the-pack MSRP of $230.

Swiss Army knife specialists will appreciate Victorinox Swiss Army’s new special edition pocket tool, the Climber Wood Swiss Spirit knife. The tool jackets familiar Swiss Army function with intricate, carved wooden handle scales featuring emblematic scenes and images of Switzerland.

Victorinox will only release 12,000 units of the limited-edition knife. Here’s a closer look at its function, inspiration, and artwork.

Swiss Heritage Inspiration

The knife’s walnut handle scales show a traditional Swiss scene. The textured wood is laser-cut with notable Alpine peaks and native Swiss wildlife. Skiers, mountaineers, and cyclists also make appearances. A sailboat and viaduct add flair and variety to the carvings.

Quaint but precise, the carvings invoke classical Swiss mountain aesthetics. There’s no indication what “Climber Wood” refers to, but if I were using the knife on a climb, I’d likely appreciate the carvings’ grippy texture and the tool’s multiple functions.

Perhaps, if I found myself high in a Swiss Alpine night enduring a cold, crisp bivy, the carvings in the knife handles would slowly start to animate themselves. And I would soon come alive in the little fantasy world of their creation…or maybe I’d just be hallucinating while dying of hypothermia. In which case, I could use the handle scales to start a fire.

Either way, the pocket tool seems, in fact, useful for climbers.

Pocket Tool Specs

The Climber Wood Swiss Spirit Knife features 12 familiar tools. Two blades, scissors, a bottle opener, and the confounding but quintessential “multipurpose hook.” Of course, the tool includes a corkscrew — because what Swiss climber doesn’t celebrate a summit with a bottle of vintage vino?

And it fits into every climber’s pocket, at a tight 3.6 inches and 2.1 ounces.

Climber Wood Swiss Spirit Edition: Extras & Purchasing

Victorinox commemorates Swiss mountain tradition with the limited-edition Climber Wood Swiss Spirit knife, sending each knife on its journey in a gift box with a certificate. You can find the limited-edition tool on Victorinox Swiss Army’s website. The listed MSRP is $80.

Multitools come in just about every shape and size. Some feature assortments of Allen wrenches and screwdrivers, others are larger and contain small blades, files, and pliers. But some can be clunky and are better spent resting in a toolbox rather than your pocket or dangling from your belt. The M.100 Multitool from Tactica, a Melbourne, Australia-based multitool company that launched in 2016, does not fall into the clunky category. The M.100 is built to be a light, compact, scratch-free tool you can carry wherever your heart desires — even on an airplane.

Tactica M.100 Multitool: First Glance

The M.100 features an ultra-lightweight composite construction. It weighs 1.6 ounces and spans 3 inches in length by 1.5 inches in width.

The tool’s carabiner-like shape makes attaching it to your belt loop or slipping it in your pocket for quick access easy. It has no sharp edges and a no-scratch surface so you don’t have to worry about dinging or damaging items that share real estate with the M.100, like cell phone screens or sunglasses.

The multitool’s composite outer shell is resilient and sleek. The reinforced core, made from 420-grade stainless steel, provides extra strength so you can trust the tool will hold up when being used as a screwdriver or wrench.

Owing to its lack of sharp edges, the Tactica M.100 Multitool meets TSA requirements for carry-on luggage. So don’t worry about removing it from a bag or being forced to ditch it at the checkpoint.

Features & Tools

Every part of Tactica’s M.100 is ready to perform a task. The EDC multitool comprises nearly a dozen unique tools throughout its frame. An integrated, hollowed-out storage compartment holds two hex bits. When not in use, the two bits fit into a heavy-duty magnetic socket that keeps them firmly in place.

The Tactica multitool contains the following toolkit:

• Package opener
• Bottle opener
• Imperial ruler
• Metric ruler
• High-torque socket
• Universal wrench (sizings: 3/16 in-9/16 in; 5 mm-14 mm)
• Hex bit storage tube
• Elastomer insert
• Heavy-duty socket
• Phillips and flat hex bits

Pricing & Availability

The Tactica M.100 Multitool can be yours for $40 MSRP. It comes in Standard Gray, Black, Orange, or Yellow.

Shipping for this piece of everyday carry begins April 26.

Purchase

The Gerber Armbar Drive multitool packs eight tools into one compact EDC unit — and it’s named after a wrestling move (OOH YEAH!). Like a one-hand-opening blade and scissors, pocketknife features plus heavier-duty implements (a pry bar and awl) equip the Armbar to aid your way out of tight situations.

Equip the Armbar Cork package for various kitchen needs. Here’s a closer look at the Gerber Armbar Drive.

8-in-1 EDC Pocket Tool

Here’s what the Armbar Drive includes:

• 2.5” blade
• pry bar
• bottle opener
• striking surface
• spring-loaded scissors
• 2.5” driver with a double-sided bit
• awl

Gerber’s website also mentions a hammer, indicating a sort of shield on the butt of the tool. Using your multitool itself as a hammer seems dubious to me, so I don’t encourage it — except in the direst of situations — but do as I say, not as I do!

Hammer notwithstanding, the Armbar Drive delivers on many multitool essentials and innovates with its included striking surface. It’s up to you to find something to strike against it, but if you’re anything like me when I absolutely need fire, you’ll figure it out.

Gerber’s blade is an interesting specimen: virtually no belly means it won’t be useful for skinning or repetitive chopping. But it looks like a good utility blade due to a flat edge that should be easy to sharpen and a robust tip that should resist chipping.

For the connoisseurs among us (those who don’t open wine bottles with rocks — which definitely includes me), the Armbar Cork package will be helpful. It “handles your kitchen needs,” says Gerber, with a libation-centric toolset including a corkscrew, lever arm, foil cutter, and can opener.

Amazon notes a total weight of 4.1 ounces.

How to Buy the Gerber Armbar Drive

Gerber lists the Armbar Drive at MSRP $39. As of writing, its website was out of stock of the little 8-in-1 EDC powerhouse. Interested parties can proceed to Amazon, where the Armbar was priced at $37, also as of writing.

For Leatherman, necessity is the mother of invention. In 1975, founder Tim Leatherman found himself using his pocket knife for incessant vehicle repairs while on a low-budget European road trip. Realizing that he could add pliers to his knife to create the ideal pocket tool, he started on a prototype as soon as he got home to Portland, Oregon.

Fast forward 45 years and the company he started still constantly analyzes functionality — its ratchet driver attachment proves it. Any ratchet delivers a no-brainer mechanical advantage over a regular driver. Leatherman’s attachment helps users easily adjust fasteners with its pocket tools. The ratchet driver is a low-profile addition to any multi-tool carrier’s EDC kit.

Ratchet Driver Basics and Specifications

If you’re here, you probably know what a ratchet is, but in case you don’t: it’s a system that allows rotation in one direction but prevents it in the other. Commonly found on socket wrenches and screwdrivers, ratchets help the user loosen and tighten fasteners at the best angle without fully rotating the tool or repeatedly removing and reapplying it on the fastener head.

Leatherman’s ratchet driver attachment has three directional modes (clockwise, counterclockwise, and locked) to suit any thread type. It accepts both Leatherman’s proprietary flat bits or standard 1/4“ bits.

A magnetic shaft helps secure bits and fasteners. It is 3 1/4“ long — Leatherman also sells an extender of similar length.

Pocket Tool Compatibility and Use

The ratchet driver is compatible with any Leatherman tool that has a large bit driver.  The attachment accepts Leatherman’s flat bits, plus any standard 1/4“ bit or nut driver. Visit the website for a full list.

Expand your Leatherman driver’s capabilities with the available extender and/or 21-piece double-sided bit kit.

Conclusions and Purchasing

Leatherman expands the usefulness of its built-in drivers with the ratchet driver attachment. The add-on promises to be useful to anyone who often uses their Leatherman to work on fasteners. $30 MSRP gets the job done.

Above all, your pocket knife has to be functional. It needs to hold an edge, unfold quickly, and sit comfortably in your pocket. And if you are an outdoor enthusiast with a penchant for ultralight gear, your blade is no exception.

But that doesn’t mean your EDC pocket knife has to be chunky, soulless, or lacking style. Check out Deejo Knives. This French brand combines stripped-down functionality with elegant styling for pocket knives that weigh just over an ounce on average. If you’re one of those who meticulously tracks ounces in a spreadsheet, these things are so light you might not even need to add them.

Design

Most of Deejo’s products follow the same template. An elegant, gently curved handle with a minimalist aesthetic keeps the weight down, while a 3.7-inch blade is plenty large enough to provide functionality. In general, the knives are about 4.3 inches when closed and around 7.8 inches while open. We find that size to be a sweet-spot for pocket knives. Any larger and you are going to feel it in your pocket. Any smaller and you might not be able to use the blade for the most common tasks.

Deejo offers a range of additional features on their knives: serrated or half-serrated blades, locking mechanisms, and one-hand-opener knobs. Forged from Z40C13 stainless steel (that’s steel type 420 in the American rating system), these knives will stand the test of time. This type of steel is perfect in applications that require corrosion resistance and high hardness. The blades sport a variety of finishes depending on your taste: from polished steel to black titanium.

The Finishing Touches

But Deejo pocket knives have more than just functionality and quality materials. Deejo utilizes the power of laser engraving to offer you a wondrous assortment of illustrations etched directly onto the surface of the blade. Some of our favorites patterns include Wave, Terra Incognita, Astro, Bicycle, and Wilkinson.

You can browse blade patterns by category (Deejo calls them ‘universes’). Universes include Biker, Fantasy, Timepieces, Marine, Nature, and Outdoor. All of the designs are tattoo inspired and call to mind the adventurous spirit of travelers, mariners, and outdoors-people the world over.

You can also choose from a variety of handle materials. We like the natural wood options, but you can also go with composite or metal handles if that’s your jam.

Accessories

Want to bring a little class to your table setting? Deejo has you covered. They offer tables knives in a variety of sizes, handle materials, and blade patterns. Deejo also sells a knife sharpener and leather sheathes if you want to keep your blade out of your pocket.

Customization and Cost

Our favorite feature on the Deejo website is the My Deejo function. This pocket knife creation tool allows you to customize your Deejo’s finish, tattoo, weight, handle, and engraved text. We designed a sweet one-ounce knife with a black titanium finish, olive-wood handle, topography tattoo, and custom engraved text for only $80. A half-ounce knife with similar features cost us only $40.

That’s an excellent price for a quality product with such a variety of options.  Deejo knives make a statement while remaining affordable, light, and functional. That’s about all you can ask from a pocket knife.

Purchase

The spork is the biggest thing to happen to cutlery since the Ginsu knife craze of the late eighties. But can anyone improve the spork? The folks at SparkFun think they can, and they think you’re going to love their new design.

The Semi-Horned Oblong Versatile Eating Ladle (S.H.O.V.E.L.) is a titanium spork costing just $10.00. If that’s all we said about it, it would still be a great value. But the S.H.O.V.E.L. has so much more to offer for the outdoors lover, survivalist, or multi-tool enthusiast.

Features

A generous handle provides plenty of space to wrap and stow the six feet of included paracord. Paracord, as all outdoors-people know, might be the single most useful tool anyone can have rattling around at the bottom of their backpack. The paracord doubles as a comfortable handle as well, though it is easy enough to remove the cordage if it’s time to eat some soup, and you want to keep your cord dry.

The eating end of the tool is a pretty standard spork, nicely polished for comfort and with just enough bite in the prongs to hang on to soft food. On the other end (SparkFun calls it the “business end”) is a curved, serrated blade perfect for opening packages, cutting food, or trimming the paracord, as mentioned above. The curved surface of this blade gives it some utility as a butter knife or all-purpose spreader.  A deeply cut bottle-opener should grab bottle caps with ease, and the leverage provided by the length of the S.H.O.V.E.L. looks like it will make short work of any stubborn lids.

Open Source Design

If the phrase “open source” calls to mind free software and digital technology, you aren’t alone. But SparkFun has taken the concept to a whole new level. They encourage you to improve upon the S.H.O.V.E.L. – you don’t even have to buy one first. SparkFun provides all the plans, specs, and documentation you’ll need to create a multi-functional spork yourself (assuming you have the tools and materials).

We love this kind of innovative thinking, so consider heading to SparkFun.com and grabbing a S.H.O.V.E.L. for your next adventure. Who knows, maybe you’ll even come up with a way to make it better.