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I admit it: I’m addicted to multi-tools. My daily load for the last year has been Gerber Double Strengthwhich has the most powerful pliers and the best screwdriver in a multitool I have ever used. However, the Dual Force is large and heavy, making it unsuitable for lightweight applications like hiking.
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I have some hikes on the horizon where I’ll want a flexible multi-tool that can handle things like opening bottles, tightening some screws, and cutting and fixing things. In my search for such a compact and lightweight multi-tool with a decent selection of tools, I came across the NextTool S11 Pro.
Leaving aside the name, which makes it look like a smartphone, the S11 Pro is marketed as a 12-in-1 EDC (everyday carry) multi-tool aimed at the hiker and camper.
Small but very effective bottle opener.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
It measures a compact size of 1.97 x 0.63 x 4.12 inches and weighs a minuscule 2.9 ounces. It’s much smaller and lighter than my Dual Force, which weighs a tiring 12 ounces.
The NexTool S11 Pro is much smaller than the Gerber Dual Force.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
It’s also packed with features I rely on when I’m out and about. The pliers are a good balance of size and performance, the blade is sharp enough for most tasks and holds the edge well, and the screwdrivers and scissors are well designed and do their job well.
It also has some more specialized tools, like a SIM tray eject tool (which is useful for a lot more than just ejecting SIM trays), and even some glow-in-the-dark inserts that make finding the multi-tool at the bottom of a backpack or in the brush where you’ve left it much easier.
I like a little glow in the dark!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The tools are tough, too, with NexTool upgraded to 8Cr14Mov stainless steel for the knife blade, a metal that has decent hardness and resistance to wear and corrosion, while the scissors, screwdrivers, bottle opener, and pliers use 5Cr15Mov, a more general-purpose steel that balances toughness and corrosion resistance.
These materials are ideal for a tool that will be exposed to rain, salt spray, and sweat, and will be asked to perform any task that requires manipulation, from tightening a screw to using it as a caveman’s hammer.
Anything can be a hammer if you try hard enough. This is how to securely hold a multi-tool like a hammer.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Plus: The Myth of the TSA-Approved Multi-Tool: I Tested It on a Plane So You Don’t Have to
When traveling, remember that this multi-tool has a blade and this may affect authorities in some locations (think airports everywhere and places like train stations in Europe). If you want something that is more travel friendly, I recommend the NexTool Mini Sailor Lite.
The blade is useful, but it makes the NexTool S11 Pro airport unfriendly.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Why do I recommend this product?
NexTool He’s been seriously impressing me lately. As someone who used to be a fan of expensive multi-tools, this company proves that a decent quality tool doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Sure, there are always trade-offs and you don’t get 25-year warranties like you do with a Leatherman, but with the NextTool S11 Pro you’re buying a tool that costs $30 and for that you still get a generous 10-year warranty.
For me, this is the perfect tool if I’m trying to keep weight to a minimum. I get a set of tools that will take care of the basics, without having to carry a heavy piece of metal with me on the trail.
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