Victorinox Recruit Thoughts

This Victorinox Recruit is the model Swiss Army knife in my eyes. It manages to fit a solid toolset in a compact size. When I picture a Swiss Army knife in my head, this is exactly the tool that I'd imagine. I've really enjoyed using it and think it's a great option to put in your various kits or to give to people just getting into EDC. For less than $20, you can't beat it.

Typically I start with design in these reviews, but I think everyone knows and has experienced Victorinoxs before. They're such a simple and people-friendly design that works so well for EDC. No one is ever scared when you pull out a Victorinox, since everyone has heard of them before. All the Victorinoxs I've tried have been of the highest quality. The Recruit is no exception to that. This is the first 84mm model I've tried. I love the size! It's so compact while still being very capable. The 58mm size is my favorite, but I've grown to love these larger tools especially after trying the Pioneer. This size range is a nice sweet spot between the 58mm Classic and the 93mm Pioneer. I'd be interested in trying out more Victorinoxs in this size range. I believe this is also the first red plastic scaled Victorinox I've tried. I've always owned other colors or had Alox versions of their tools. I like that this multitool comes in red or black. The plastic scales are no Alox, but they do keep the tool very light and feel nice in the hand.

As far as the toolset goes, there's a great variety of tools in this small package. You've got two knife blades (a 2.5" and 1.5"), a can opener with a smaller screwdriver, a bottle opener with a larger screwdriver and wire strippers, and finally the tweezers and toothpick. That's nine tools in all plus a key ring if you want to attach a lanyard or add it to your keys. All the tools function exactly as they should. I haven't had any problems with any of them. I do like seeing two blades on the Recruit, so you could beat up on one and then still have the other one in razor sharp condition. The steel that Victorinox uses is awesome! It's always super sharp and holds the edge well. It's easy to use the nail nicks to open the tools as always. None of these tools lock, but that's perfectly fine since it takes a good amount of force to get the tools to close. It's comfortable to hold in the hand during use. As a basic mutltitool, this has all of the bare essentials covered. 

For around $18, the Recruit is a steal. I have no major complaints about it. It's a great option to give to someone that's looking to get their first quality knife/multitool. It'd work great for outdoors stuff or just as your everyday multitool. I still think I like my Pioneer a bit more, mostly due to the inclusion of the awl and the blue Alox. Victorinox makes the best multitools in my opinion. You can't go wrong picking this one up. I highly recommend it! If this one doesn't fit all your needs, I guarantee that you can find at least one Victorinox that does. Thanks for looking!