Want to carry what the Swiss Army is really using these days? Then check out this Victorinox Soldier Knife. It has a locking blade that opens with one hand, a few key tools, and grips on the side that keep it from sliding in your hand.

Carry-on bag rules and airline gotcha fees have put a dent in the use of Swiss Army knives by travelers, but I still carry one on any trip where I’m going by car or when I know I will be checking a bag. For more than 100 years, these knives have been the ultimate double-duty travel gear items. They open bottles, open cans, punch holes, saw wood, drive in screws, and—on the one I’ve had for ages—even open wine bottles and trim a beard.

I got a Victorinox Swiss Army knife as a birthday gift from Mom right before my very first trip around the world. This was in the early 1990′s. I used it on that trip, then on a second one around the world. Then a third. At this point the knife has probably seen action in more countries than Jason Bourne and it’s still working fine. Victorinox can confidently provide a lifetime warranty and know that very few people will ever need to cash in. These knives hang in there for the long haul.

This Soldier Knife is an update on the usual red knife with a white cross, with several refinements. It’s less slippery, is an army green color, and looks more like something a real army person of any kind would use. It feels more serious and hefty than the one I’m used to using, but is only slightly heavier, at close to five ounces. It lists for $60, but goes for less at retailers and online shops like Amazon.

The key difference in this model is a main blade that can be opened with one hand. This could be quite helpful when rock climbing, spelunking, or mountaineering, but I also used the function a few times while doing home repairs and gardening around the house. Sometimes you just don’t feel like putting down the stuff in your other hand.

The blade then locks after you open it, which can be good or bad. The good thing is it won’t suddenly close on, say, your finger. When you are sawing something with the serrated part, there’s no movement in the blade—it’s locked in place.

The bad thing is, you then need two hands to close the blade. So let’s say you’ve flipped out the blade with one hand, done your task, then need to move on, with one hand still occupied. Now what? Since you opened it with one hand, how do you now have two free to close it with? Should I hold it in my teeth, Rambo-style?

Maybe I’m just clueless and this is why I’ve never pictured myself in an army, even one like Switzerland’s that eats chocolate more often than it tells enemies to eat lead. It’s probably also why the fact it has been “Field Tested and approved by the North American Hunting Club” doesn’t do much for me either. But for those with better training (or coordination maybe), this is a great knife.

See the full Victorinox knife line at Swissarmy.com. Buy the Swiss Army Soldier Knife at the links below.

Soldier knife at Amazon

Get it at Buy.com