It’s the first swiss multi tool with digital functions and that’s what makes it special. It has 27 other regular swiss knife features which all of you must be well aware of and hence the features worth talking about are the digital features, the led light and the pressurised pen.
The digital functions include time, alarm, countdown, timer, thermometer, altimeter & barometer. The smooth bit about it is that all these features are set and viewed with just one button that does not even look like a button. The button is the victorinox logo. You can’t think how cool that is till you see it, live.Digital Features
During my first trip with it, I pretty much used all the digital functions except the countdown & timer. You would expect Egyptians to be surprised by such a nifty tool but my fellow travellers were pretty amazed at the device as well. Again, within the digital function the time and alarm and a no brainer and you will use it often so the functions worth discussing are the thermometer, altimeter and barometer. I used the temperature function a lot because the weather kept changing while I was in Egypt and temperature is also something that’s just good to know when you step out in the morning.
Now since the weather kept changing it was a good opportunity for me to use the barometer to reassure my fellow traveller that the whether will be just fine while we were enjoying our full day felucca sailing and also when we went into the desert for 2 straight days (go to Travelitch for more…). Infact, the weather at the start of my desert trip was pretty bad but my barometer here seemed to tell a story that did not match. Because it was the first time I thought it does not work. Guess what, couple of hours of drive later, the weather turned out to be as predicted by the swiss god and we were happy and climbing on the Desert Mountains.
That brings me to the next feature – altitude. Every time we climbed a mountain I could tell my fellow mates the height that we are at. Also when we were in the oasis and I was showing off this tool to the hotel owner I went to altitude and it showed negative. I thought I had screwed up the tool. But the bulb lit up bright when the hotel owner told me that oases in Egypt are a depression in the desert and hence below sea level and that’s why they are able to harvest water in the middle of the desert.
So, there you go. Enough reasons to prove that the digital functions are not just for show but have real uses even in a regular travel experience. Obviously in an extreme/off the beat travelling this piece of equipment means serious business. Add to that, the fact that the digital display is backlit.
Light
This little LED is not gonna help you find your way if you’re lost but it will help you find things in your pack. It will help you place your feet in the right places when you want to go to the bushes from the felucca or your camp. It will also help you search for something in the dark (light switch, your bag, water bottle, etc) when you don’t want to bother other people sleeping around you. What I am trying to say is don’t expect this to replace your flashlight, it‘s not even close. However, it’s a very nice piece of addition as your personal way finder in the dark.
Pressurized Pen
The third noteworthy feature is something I did not use too much for the fear of running out of it. I was not in an extreme situation so I did not need a pressurised pen. But, it gives me great comfort that if I am in such a situation then I have a pen that does not leak, has a shelf life of 100 years, writes in a vacuum, any angle even upside down, under water and in extreme temperatures, in freezing cold and bitter heat. Some of you might have a separate pen that does the same thing but its not part of your swiss knife, and that’s what’s cool about this. Now, don’t give me the boring “use a pencil” comment on. Save it for when you meet the victorinox engineers.
Conclusion
If you re buying a swiss knife in the 21st century then you have to buy the one that’s made for the 21st century traveller. Oh, and all this is just 150 grams.
Victorinox Traveller Lite Multi Tool - £80. The look on peoples faces when you can forecast weather, tell the temperature and altitude – Priceless.
Did you find this review useful and/or interesting? Why don’t you let me know by adding your comment below? Or send me a mail at itchynav@gmail.com.
Link to the official Victorinox page
During my first trip with it, I pretty much used all the digital functions except the countdown & timer. You would expect Egyptians to be surprised by such a nifty tool but my fellow travellers were pretty amazed at the device as well. Again, within the digital function the time and alarm and a no brainer and you will use it often so the functions worth discussing are the thermometer, altimeter and barometer. I used the temperature function a lot because the weather kept changing while I was in Egypt and temperature is also something that’s just good to know when you step out in the morning.
Now since the weather kept changing it was a good opportunity for me to use the barometer to reassure my fellow traveller that the whether will be just fine while we were enjoying our full day felucca sailing and also when we went into the desert for 2 straight days (go to Travelitch for more…). Infact, the weather at the start of my desert trip was pretty bad but my barometer here seemed to tell a story that did not match. Because it was the first time I thought it does not work. Guess what, couple of hours of drive later, the weather turned out to be as predicted by the swiss god and we were happy and climbing on the Desert Mountains.
That brings me to the next feature – altitude. Every time we climbed a mountain I could tell my fellow mates the height that we are at. Also when we were in the oasis and I was showing off this tool to the hotel owner I went to altitude and it showed negative. I thought I had screwed up the tool. But the bulb lit up bright when the hotel owner told me that oases in Egypt are a depression in the desert and hence below sea level and that’s why they are able to harvest water in the middle of the desert.
So, there you go. Enough reasons to prove that the digital functions are not just for show but have real uses even in a regular travel experience. Obviously in an extreme/off the beat travelling this piece of equipment means serious business. Add to that, the fact that the digital display is backlit.
Light
This little LED is not gonna help you find your way if you’re lost but it will help you find things in your pack. It will help you place your feet in the right places when you want to go to the bushes from the felucca or your camp. It will also help you search for something in the dark (light switch, your bag, water bottle, etc) when you don’t want to bother other people sleeping around you. What I am trying to say is don’t expect this to replace your flashlight, it‘s not even close. However, it’s a very nice piece of addition as your personal way finder in the dark.
Pressurized Pen
The third noteworthy feature is something I did not use too much for the fear of running out of it. I was not in an extreme situation so I did not need a pressurised pen. But, it gives me great comfort that if I am in such a situation then I have a pen that does not leak, has a shelf life of 100 years, writes in a vacuum, any angle even upside down, under water and in extreme temperatures, in freezing cold and bitter heat. Some of you might have a separate pen that does the same thing but its not part of your swiss knife, and that’s what’s cool about this. Now, don’t give me the boring “use a pencil” comment on. Save it for when you meet the victorinox engineers.
Conclusion
If you re buying a swiss knife in the 21st century then you have to buy the one that’s made for the 21st century traveller. Oh, and all this is just 150 grams.
Victorinox Traveller Lite Multi Tool - £80. The look on peoples faces when you can forecast weather, tell the temperature and altitude – Priceless.
Did you find this review useful and/or interesting? Why don’t you let me know by adding your comment below? Or send me a mail at itchynav@gmail.com.
Link to the official Victorinox page
Definitely a great write-up and very useful...I use a Leatherman Tool for all my Bike-Rides...but this one looks beter with the digital functions & the pen feature...
ReplyDeleteI am sure you are utilizing it to the T !!!
Cheers...
Nishant