Since 1891 we’ve loved Swiss Army Knives, but we’ve needed help in the wallet. Enter the Victorinox Swisscard Lite multitool card review. This EDC kit has almost everything you need including a small knife. But what’s missing?
(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
Swiss Army knives have been around since 1891, which means that we have used the multifunction knives for over 130 years. There is a subset of tools we always seem to use within those knives. That is the purpose of the Swiss card that we will be reviewing today. That said, I think this card is missing things we have already proven we use all the time.
We have the lite version of the Victorinox Swiss Card Lite, a multi-tool card that has a good retail packaging with a lot of different language support. I got it in the blue color, and it comes in black and red transparent as well. It is about the size of a credit card, or actually a little smaller.
So what is missing from this multi-tool?
As part of the Swiss Army family, we expect a lot of features. This multi-tool card has 13 functions. Accessed from the exterior, we have a magnifying glass, which looks to be 2X or 3X in its capabilities, a three-inch or 7.62 centimeter ruler, which has notches on the back that gives us an edge to work with precision as well. Those notches are also on the side, which is quite nice. It has an 18,000 MCD or millicandela, which is in the lite form as well. I cannot find the beam angle as it is required to determine the lumens, but based on the battery, I would say this is a three to five lumen, depending on the freshness of the battery. It is not super bright, but good enough in a pinch. For the other features on the bottom, we can pull a little piece out to uncover a few screw heads. We have a three-millimeter and five-millimeter flathead screwdriver on one side, and a double OT and a one-half Phillips on the other side, all very useful in a pinch. We also have scissors that come out and have the finger loop, which is nice for stability. Furthermore, it is one of the largest features of this multi-tool card, but you kind of have to push it down a bit to get it under the hump, and then it just pushes right in. Next up top is a knife blade that has a little indentation for the ability to grab it, and it simply slides out and back in. Being that it is less than three inches, we will talk about its carryability on planes. It is suitable for opening packages or a million other things that you can do with a very small knife. At the top, the first feature is a pressurized pen, a refill type, but it is much stronger. We also have a pressurized pin, and right next to it is a stainless steel pin. How often do we need a pin? I do. I can see and think of many ways that you need a pin, so it is quite nice to have it. Finally, we have a little set of tweezers. Tweezers are awesome, I think everybody knows and understands their benefits. This card is pretty thin, it measures 3.2 x 2.1 x 0.17″ and weighs 26 grams or 0.9 ounces.
Based on decades of traditional Swiss Army knife usage, what functions do you think are missing from this card?
I have got four flat credit cards, among which three are embossed. The thickness of this utility card is 0.19″, while a flat card’s thickness is 0.13″. With three embossed or four flat cards inserted in this multi-tool card, the thickness is still much. In order to see how this card fits in wallets, we selected four wallets for this test. One thing to note is that its slant edge not only provides a proper edge for measuring, but it is also the gray edge used to slide it into a slot. It goes in nicely and does not demand a fight against a square edge.
We began with the Bryker Hyde bifold. Without inserting any cash or cards in, it still does look thick in the slot. The next tested wallet is a Tauruscamp Grain Wallet which has many different slots. Meaning, the card can be put about anywhere. It fits in the front without any issue, it can be put in the middle, which might be the ideal location, and the wallet closes without issues. Depending on your priority, you can put cash and other cards in there. The difference with multi-tools that are metal is that, unlike this one, they are a lot thinner but have fewer capabilities. It depends on what you are looking for as to what you would put in your wallet. I think multi-tools are a great kit to have in your wallet as you travel every day. The next wallet is Topology, a slim and quite nice-looking wallet from Rustico. We used a slot on the exterior to push this multi-tool into and it did fit fine.
although it might take quite a bit of room, especially when dealing with a slim wallet, it takes up space that would normally be there with cards. The final wallet is a Speed Wallet, the Frenchie. They have pull straps that we can use to put this multi-tool in, and it works and closes fine. It just means that it is not a place where you can have cash. Unlike the other versions of Frenchie, this has a sewn bottom. The small or the mini opens on the bottom, which means that you would be able to carry more cards in addition to this multi-tool. It is meant to work with wallets, but it compromises the normal amount of cards you would carry.
This is designed and made in Switzerland from a thorough plastic cellulose. As I mentioned, it comes in black and red in addition to blue. All the feature components are made from stainless steel or other high-quality material. From a usability perspective, the Swiss Card series also comes in a nail care version and a classic, which adds a few additional function pieces that do not come to light, besides all versions miss one thing or another. That said, there are different cards for different functions. The lite truly is an urban EDC kit item, it is not something I would make my primary multi-tool if I am going rural or wilderness. I have different kits that I take with me based on where I am going and for how long I am traveling. If you are interested in that, let me know in the comments and I will make a review on the different kits that I carry depending on where I am going and for how long.
As mentioned, all versions of this multi-tool have little knives that are under three inches. The TSA or other airport security organizations throughout the world have been known to confiscate these types of cards, but despite this, many have carried them for years without any issues. Thus, be aware of that if you plan to travel with it, and if worse comes to worst, try to convince them to take only the little knife out so you will not have to lose the entire card. Furthermore, you might even think that this little light might be a throwaway because the battery might be a throwaway, but you actually can replace it. When you push forward to turn on, as you pull back, if you get your fingernail in and pull back further, it begins to pull out, at which point you can pull it out, replace that battery, put it back in, press forward, and you are back in business and you can still continue to use the light.
So finally, what is missing?
Well, I am going to say the toothpick and the nail file. Both of these are in the classic card, but I want them all and I want them in a single card. I am sure it is possible to put the nail file portion on perhaps the other side of the knife, there are always creative people.
Let me know what tools you want to be added, would be willing to trade for, or lose entirely.
The final score of the Victorinox Swiss Card is four for quality, as it has good quality but it is a bit fragile compared to other multi-tool cards that are all metal. Price scores a three, features a five since it has got lots of things in there, and usability scores a five because it is very easy to use. Finally, perception scores a five, the company makes great products. This multi-tool card gets a final score of 4.3 out of 5.
The Swiss Card just might make you question everything you know about multi-tools. How many tools are inside? You won't believe it. How small? It's the size of a credit card.
