Vic Champ v. Multitool

S

southbeachlaw

Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
78
Ok...the scenario: You can only have a Vic Champ or your choice of multitool. No firestarting stuff, just the clothes on your back and one of these tools. Which one do you take and why?
 
I have never used a vic champ, but I do like my Victorinox One Hand Trekker. So I think I would choose the Vic just because it would be better suited to the outdoors, plus the toothpick and tweezers would come in handy :p.
 
if i didn't need the magnifier for fire starting, i'd go with the multitool. it'd still be a victorinox swisstool, the metal file and a mag block are an excellent match.

i guess i could learn to use a bow.
 
Multi-tool.

For me, I love my Supertool 200 and it is already part of my proven field gear so the choice is simple. While the Swiss Champ is nicely made, it is more of a novelty item when compared to a multi-tool. How many of the functions of the Swiss Champ are not used in the field? While there are screw drivers that seem to never see the light of day on my Supertool, it is a more compact package and fits my hand better. The only drawback is the weight but it is negligible.

The magnifying glass is pretty small and unless you have perfect tinder and the right sun conditions, fire will be next to impossible with that method. I've seen people try and all have failed. I'm not saying it is impossible, just very very unrealistic. Your best bet, carry a firesteel even if it is the diminutive BSA hotspark. Weighs nothing and takes up little space.

Fire is high on my priority list. I'm proficient with fire by friction but I'd rather use a modern method and spend the extra energy gathering wood, preparing signals, gathering wild plants etc.
 
IMO the Swisschamp has the most utility per ounce of any multitool. It is neither too big nor too small and it weighs less than pretty much all the multitools on the market,
barring of course keychain sized multis that have less tools than the Swisschamp.
The Swisschamp also is mostly devoid of any extraneous or useless tools.
And unlike a lot of multitools it does not suffer from excessive duplication of one type of tool, some multis have 3-6 straight screwdriver tools!
Unless you have a serious need for massive beefy pliers or one hand opening the Swisschamp will more than serve all your multitool needs!
In short its has less fat AND is more filling! lol.
SEASONS GREETINGS, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
:)
 
I have the Wave and the Swisschamp.
The Leathermans great as well but its much heavier and has less tools.
If i need serious pliers and one hand opening i'll carry the Wave other wise i'll carry the Swisschamp.
I rarely use pliers so i usually carry the Swisschamp.

Santa brought me a Leatherman XE6 which is very similar is size and weight to the Swisschamp albeit with a few less tools.
I'm gonna carry that for a while and see!
:)
 
IMHO, the Swisschamp is a little cumbersome. I mentioned the Wenger Handyman in another thread and I think it has a great selection of tools-- for the size. I agree on the Leatherman Wave for a one-tool-does-it-all survival tool. It *is* heavy. I tried the Leather Juice series, but the non locking tools and the lighter saw didn't impress me. The Wave is just a few ounces more and much more robust.

I like the Victorinox Outrider over the Trekker--- it has scissors, which I find really handy. I would eliminate the %^&* corkscrew, but at this point, I just added one of the min screwdrivers that fit in the corkscrew. One hand opening is nice, but lower down on my list of priorities.
 
I have had a Swiss Champ for years and love it but last night Santa had bought me a Vic Swiss Spirit so I think that will now be my edc !!!
 
I would go with a leatherman blast, Its got all the tools I need without alot of extra crap. I like some saks, I have a fireman and an adventurer and a few others. For some reason I always preferred the feel of a leatherman over a long use than the wider saks, I also like the fact that the blades lock.

If I really had a choice I would probably choose something like the german military sak, my fireman, or something else with a slimmer profile and longer blades.
 
i know what you guys mean about useless tool. you don't need all those screw drivers in the woods, one reason i rarely carry my gerber mp400. my swistool spirit has serrated and plain blades, the saw, and the metal file which makes magnesium shaving soo much faster. there's only one philips and one flat screwdriver that don't serve other purposes (like cap lifting and can opening) plus it has the chisel tool, so that's my choice. i also agree with dalew, the vic is cumbersome.

i would choose a smaller vic (hunstman, camper, pioneer) over most multitools, though.
 
pitdog said:
I have had a Swiss Champ for years and love it but last night Santa had bought me a Vic Swiss Spirit so I think that will now be my edc !!!
Click to expand...

Hey, hey, Santa also dropped off one of those for me except mine is the Swiss Spirit "S", all black. :D
 
I carry a LM wave, but I'm thinking about getting the Vic Swiss spirit also to replace it. I just got to figure out if it really worth the switch.
 
GEC said:
I carry a LM wave, but I'm thinking about getting the Vic Swiss spirit also to replace it. I just got to figure out if it really worth the switch.
Click to expand...

i just got mine for $36 from the rain forest with free super saver shipping, same one rededge77 has. go get it. it's so slim and ergonomic and the sheath's really nice too.
 
southbeachlaw said:
Ok...the scenario: You can only have a Vic Champ or your choice of multitool. No firestarting stuff, just the clothes on your back and one of these tools. Which one do you take and why?
Click to expand...

If you have nothing else but the clothes on your back, then a multi-tool is kinda pointless. We're talking wilderness survival, right? The multi tool only edges out a knife if you have gear that might need fixing.
 
GEC said:
I carry a LM wave, but I'm thinking about getting the Vic Swiss spirit also to replace it. I just got to figure out if it really worth the switch.
Click to expand...


I'm really impressed with the quality of the Spirit but if you already have a LM Wave I don't know if you'd find there to be much of a difference, most people who have LM's love them so maybe your cash would be better spent elsewhere !!!
 
Rich_S said:
If you have nothing else but the clothes on your back, then a multi-tool is kinda pointless. We're talking wilderness survival, right? The multi tool only edges out a knife if you have gear that might need fixing.
Click to expand...


Besides wirecutting which could be nessessary.
A multitool can salvage parts or junk into useful objects a bit better than even a SAK with pliers.
 
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