I enjoy reading all of the “Best SAK” threads, so I thought I’d start one myself. I bought my first Swiss Army knife a couple of years ago, and I’ve been addicted ever since. I probably should have just bought a custom SAK, and been done with it, but because I stayed with factory production I ended up buying a bunch ofdifferent models in order to get the tools I desired most. During this time I’ve developed some strong “likes” which have become standard, desirable features on the SAKs that I purchase. One of those is the in-line Phillips screwdriver. I also like the magnifying glass that comes as part of the layer with the in-line driver. To add to that list, I’ve really taken a liking to the older models with the longer in-line driver, and the gray plastic, glass lens magnifying glasses. This layer on the older models have a much more snappy feel to them that matches the rest of the knife, while the newer models are gritty with no snap, and although the glass isn't as good for reading, it does a better job of showing finer details. The other feature that I’ve really come to desire on my SAKs are the “Plus” scales, as I like having the pen, the mini driver, and stick pin, all of which I use much more than I thought I would. As a result, “Plus” models are now a standard for me.
So through this process I’ve finally settled on what I think are the 3 Best SAKs for me (and hopefully now that I found them, I’ll stop buying a SAK a week). They are the Explorer Plus, the Champion Plus, and the Swisschamp. I like the Explorer Plus as an EDC pocket knife. When I think I may need more tools, I like the Swisschamp in a belt pouch. The Swisschamp does everything for me that a regular multitool would do (minus the heavy duty pliers), plus it has the extras not found in the average multitool. Finally, I’ve been looking for a Champion Plus for an in between, I hadn’t been able to find an older model with the older magnifying glass. That was until earlier this week when I found a new Champion Plus in the older style being sold from a collection on Ebay in NIB condition. I was happy to pay $26 for it. It arrived today, and that completed my quest for the perfect SAK trio with all of the features I like best. I was so excited to find the older model Champion Plus (I wasn’t even sure they had been made prior to the new magnifying glass change), that I thought I’d share my excitement, and see if anyone else has refined their SAK likes and dislikes to the point that they think they’ve found the perfect SAK, or perfect SAK combo.
So through this process I’ve finally settled on what I think are the 3 Best SAKs for me (and hopefully now that I found them, I’ll stop buying a SAK a week). They are the Explorer Plus, the Champion Plus, and the Swisschamp. I like the Explorer Plus as an EDC pocket knife. When I think I may need more tools, I like the Swisschamp in a belt pouch. The Swisschamp does everything for me that a regular multitool would do (minus the heavy duty pliers), plus it has the extras not found in the average multitool. Finally, I’ve been looking for a Champion Plus for an in between, I hadn’t been able to find an older model with the older magnifying glass. That was until earlier this week when I found a new Champion Plus in the older style being sold from a collection on Ebay in NIB condition. I was happy to pay $26 for it. It arrived today, and that completed my quest for the perfect SAK trio with all of the features I like best. I was so excited to find the older model Champion Plus (I wasn’t even sure they had been made prior to the new magnifying glass change), that I thought I’d share my excitement, and see if anyone else has refined their SAK likes and dislikes to the point that they think they’ve found the perfect SAK, or perfect SAK combo.
