CIVIVI's Crit Reimagines the Multi-Tool Folder at $73

Swiss Army knives occupy a strange place in the knife world: universally respected, rarely redesigned, and almost never exciting. CIVIVI's Crit takes the multi-implement folder concept and rebuilds it from scratch, and Knife Informer's review — republished this week by Knife Magazine — rates it among the most innovative knives the reviewer has handled recently.

The structure is the interesting part. Like a Swiss Army knife, the Crit packs several implements plus a blade into one handle. Unlike one, the layout and mechanism are completely rethought, which is why the reviewer describes it as retro and modern at once. Retention is handled with CIVIVI's familiar modern hardware rather than traditional back springs, and the result reads closer to an Elementum with extra tools than to a Victorinox with a different logo.

Pricing lands around $73 across three versions: green Micarta, natural Jade G10, and Black G10. That positioning is deliberate. A Victorinox Pioneer or an Alox Cadet costs a fraction of that but uses softer stainless and traditional construction, while premium multi-tool folders from makers like Leatherman cost more and weigh considerably more. The Crit's argument is that it feels like a modern EDC knife first and a tool carrier second — with Micarta scales and modern blade steel, it carries like a folder rather than like a toolbox.

The skepticism in the review is worth repeating. Knife Informer's own comment questions whether the accessory arm delivers real utility, noting the rest of the knife resembles an Elementum. That is a fair read: multi-implements on a folding knife are usually used less than their marketing suggests, and the Crit will not replace a dedicated screwdriver or a proper multi-tool for serious work. What it does replace is the loose collection of small tools that normally rattle around a bag.

For buyers who want one object that handles light screwdriving, package opening, and normal cutting, the Crit is a more interesting choice than another plain drop-point folder at the same price. Anyone who wants pure cutting performance should skip it — a dedicated folder from the same catalog will do that better for less. Start with the CIVIVI lineup if you want to compare the Crit against the Elementum and Baby Banter on price and size.