backpacker's best friend

In 1897, Karl Elsener, a native of Switzerland, attached a can opener and a screwdriver to a common switchblade and unknowingly created a cultural icon. The tool rose to international popularity when American troops began buying the knives en masse during World War II, but they had difficulty pronouncing its German name—Schweizer Offiziersmesser (Swiss Officer’s Knife)—and the nickname “Swiss Army Knife” was born. Here’s a selection of some of the most interesting and useful multi-tool knives available on the market today.