Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman Review

I got my first Swiss Army knife at a flea market when I was about 11 years old. I have no clue which model it was, but it had the basic tools we typically see nestled between those familiar red handle scales, such as a knife blade, can opener, bottle opener, and corkscrew. 

I beat the hell out of that knife for a few years. It whittled hundreds of sticks into sharp points. I used it to open cans of Dinty Moore or Chef Boyardee I’d brought to the campfire. It trimmed rope we used in countless forts in the woods. When I remembered to do so, I’d sharpen it on a whetstone my dad had sitting in his workshop. 

Eventually, the knife was lost on one adventure or another. By the time I was 14, I was already deeply immersed in knife collecting and had picked up a few other Swiss Army knives, so the loss wasn’t too much of a sting. Tell you what, though. I wish I’d had this Huntsman model back in those days. 

In short: The Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman is an ideal companion for hiking, camping, and other outdoor recreation pursuits. With 15 tools at the ready, you’ll be able to handle just about anything you’ll encounter on the trail.

Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman Review

Over the years, I’ve owned dozens of different Swiss Army knives. For a long time, I loved the simple Tinker. Eventually, I found my way to the Hiker, with Victorinox’s flawless onboard wood saw. But there’s a Swiss Army multitool for just about every type of person, so when someone asked which one was the best, I was nearly stumped.

But after giving it some thought, I landed on a singular recommendation, at least for outdoor use and urban/suburban daily carry. And it just happened to coincide with my decision to upgrade my field Swiss Army knife to the Huntsman model. It adds a couple more tools to the Hiker’s array without increasing the size or weight very much.

I’ve carried the Huntsman for about a month so far. It’s come on several hikes with my wife and me, as well as a camping trip to Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, Wisc. I’ve found plenty of uses for it, and at no time was it a disappointment.

Onboard Tools

The Huntsman has a total of 15 tools available:

• Large knife blade
• Small knife blade
• Corkscrew
• Scissors
• Wood saw
• Multipurpose hook
• Reamer/Punch/Awl
• Tweezers
• Toothpick
• Can opener
• Bottle opener
• Small flat screwdriver
• Large flat screwdriver
• Wire stripper
• Key ring

Now, truth be told, a keyring isn’t really what I’d consider to be a tool, more just a feature. But Victorinox counts it as a tool in its list, so I’ll do the same.

If I had my druthers, the one change I’d make to the Huntsman is its tool layout. The reamer/punch/awl is located on the underside and unfolds such that it sticks out from the middle of the handle. While this arrangement works well for the corkscrew sitting next to it, the reamer would be much better served if it opened like the knife blade and unfolded at the end of the handle. That would give the user better control.

As a bonus, the reamers on Swiss Army knives happen to work great for scraping sparks from ferrocerium rods for firestarting. While that can be done with the Huntsman’s configuration, it’d be easier with the reamer at the end of the handle.

Materials and Design

The Huntsman is considered a medium-sized pocket knife in the Victorinox lineup. The handle is 3.6 inches long. It’s about 0.75 inch high and 0.75 inch thick. The listed weight is 3.4 ounces, which matches what I found with my postal scale.

Victorinox uses a proprietary Martensitic stainless steel for many of its knives, including the Huntsman. It has great corrosion resistance and takes a pretty decent edge. But it is a softer steel, thus you might find it dulls more quickly than some other steels with frequent use.

The handle scales are the typical plastic found on traditional Swiss Army knives. It’s durable and holds up well to both use and pocket wear. The Huntsman is available in nine different handle colors, including a few camouflage prints. Personally, I’m not big on using a camo print for my knives, as if I set it down or drop it, I want it to stand out so I can find it easily.

Like many slip-joint pocket knives, the blades and other tools on the Huntsman are accessed via nail nicks. However, a few of these were difficult to access, more so than I’ve seen on other Swiss Army knives. This isn’t a huge problem to overcome, but it was definitely noticeable.

Huntsman Performance

Over the last 4 weeks or so, I’ve played around with almost all of the tools on the Huntsman. We’re not wine drinkers, so the corkscrew remains untested. However, I have little doubt that it would be up to the task. I do recall one instance during my misspent youth where we used the corkscrew on whichever Swiss Army knife I was carrying to open a bottle of very cheap wine. It must have been good stuff, as that’s about all I remember from that evening.

Outside of the large knife blade, the wood saw is the tool I’ve used the most. It really works well for making notches and such. It’s no Silky Saw by any means, but for a tool you can carry just about anywhere, the Huntsman’s saw is outstanding.

The tweezers have never been a true highlight on a Swiss Army knife, and that holds true with the Huntsman. They’ll do okay with small splinters, but beyond that, you’re going to want to get something a little stiffer. The toothpick does okay with getting bits of steak or pork chop unstuck.

The Huntsman’s scissors are small, but are perhaps a little more robust than they appear. I used it to cut up some paracord, and there were no problems at all. The scissors made short work of the cordage, and they sprang open easily after each cut.

I’d never want to rely on a folding knife’s screwdriver for a major repair, but the ones on the Huntsman are about as good as you’ll find anywhere else.

I think one of the best performance features of the Huntsman is its familiarity. Many of us have used one or another flavor of Swiss Army knife before. Getting the Huntsman in hand, you know going in what to expect in terms of feel and heft. It’s not awkward nor clumsy. It’s as familiar as an old friend.

What’s With the Hook?

One tool that puzzled me for a bit is the multipurpose hook. This is a tool that debuted in 1991 and has stuck around ever since. It’s also been called a parcel hook. I did a little digging and learned the original intended use of the hook was to help carry packages wrapped with string. The idea is you open the hook, hang the parcel from it, and then use the knife as something like a handle for carrying.

It’s a neat idea, but the last time I remember getting a box or parcel wrapped with string was about 40 years ago at a mom-n-pop bakery. However, that doesn’t mean the tool has no practical use today. It can serve as an ersatz marlinspike for busting tight knots. Doing so might take a little creative maneuvering to get the hook into the right spot, but it works.

In camp, it works fairly well with lifting pots off the fire if said pot has a bail. It’s not ideal, as your hand is directly over the heat, but it does the job. The hook can also be used to pull stakes when it’s time to break down the tent.

Who Needs This Knife?

The Huntsman is an ideal pocket knife for those who spend a fair amount of time in camp or on the trail. It might not qualify as an ultralight option for those who cut handles from their toothbrushes, but for the rest of us it works great.

Is it the very best Swiss Army knife on the market? That’s a tough claim to make, but you’d be hard-pressed to find one better suited for use beyond where the sidewalks end. Given the $52 price and tremendous functionality of the Huntsman, it’s an incredible value.