Minimalist Design, Built to last.
Enjoy the 7-in-1 credit card Multi-Tool from Ekster. Solve several daily tasks with a bottle opener, metric/imperial machined rulers, a variety of hex wrenches, flathead screwdiver, and add a credit card to crerate a horizontal phone stand. Although a bit pricey, the multiple uses/features combine nicely with the portable/pocketable design to ensure consideration for your EDC needs.
- Ease of Use
- Design
- Cost
- Features
- EDC/Minimalism
Credit Card EDC Multi Tool for your daily challenges.
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing the Ekster Parliament AirTag Wallet and have carried the device over the last two weeks. I had previously carried a Big Skinny Wallet with too many cards, a few folded checks, a couple of stamps, too many small monetary bills, a Nite-Ize Quickstand, and a PlusUS 5.1V/1500mAh Lifecard, which is a credit card-sized battery backup. Loaded with numerous items, the nylon ultra-thin wallet reached mega-thick leather wallet territory. Intending to reduce bulk and limit my everyday carry items to things I needed, I rummaged through the wallet to reduce some items.
I loved having the battery and phone stand but realized I had not used them in the past year. I reduced the check/stamp to a single item each, added loyalty/redemption cards to my iPhone, added gift cards to their respective website accounts, dropped the amount of cash to a few bills, and transitioned to the Ekster Parliament Wallet for most days. When I heard about the EKSTER Multi-Tool Card, I quickly thought that it would fall into a similar category to the devices mentioned above, something I would not need or use. I have used the Ekster Multi-Tool Card more in the last two weeks than the previously mentioned devices in the previous two years.
The card arrived in a 2 inches wide by 3 9/16 inches tall by 3/16 inches thick cardboard box. Like the Parliament Wallet, the cover panel proudly displayed the glossy-black EKSTER magpie logo upon a matte black background. I loved the “E” shield, the dual crossed magpies, the EKSTER name, and the overall design; the logo has become one of my favorites. I slid the inner black tray out from the outer shell and removed the 1.2-ounce (34.02g), 1 7/8 inches wide by 3 7/16 inches tall by 1/32 inches thick, 304 stainless steel card from the package. The 7-in-1 device felt cool to the touch and provided a reassuring, durable, well-laid-out, feature-packed design. It is important to note that the thin card was designed to resemble a standard credit card, but the width was 7/32 inches less, and the length was 1/8 inches longer than a standard credit card. Despite the differences, the card worked great within the EKSTER Parliament wallet’s back pocket, front pocket, retention strap, and in my Big Skinny Wallet. You may have some issues with slide-in style card holders due to the length of the tool card.
I was impressed with the tools/layout of the card. The top left corner provided a flat-head screwdriver, while the left side panel provided a machined 2-inch long imperial ruler and awl posts at 1/2 inch increments. The right side panel provided a 7cm ruler with awl posts at 1cm marks. The bottom edge provided a 1 inches wide by 1/16 inches tall wedged edge that you could use as a gentle pry tool. The lower left corner provided a tapered box opening tool with a nice angle/tapered edge. The center portion of the tool provided several additional features. The attractive EKSTER name/logo was etched into the surface along the upper segment. Beneath the name/logo, you will find a magnetic post with a SIM card ejection tool, and hex cutouts for 3/16”, 1/4”, 5/16”, 1/2”, and 9/16” wrenches. The lower segment provided a standard bottle opener. Last but not least, you will find a 1/16 inches wide by 3 3/16 inches long cutout adjacent to the imperial ruler. You can insert a credit card into the slot and use the card as a horizontal phone stand. The design did not accommodate a phone in vertical mode.
I have carried the Multi-Tool Card within the Parliament wallet for two weeks. My wife, children, and I recently visited our local park with some sandwiches for a picnic. We grabbed a few bottles of soda/root beer for the kids from a local market thinking they were twist-off style bottles. Unfortunately, we incorrectly assumed the bottle type. The Ekster bottle opener tool proved invaluable in opening the bottles on the trip. Since then, I have used the card to remove/replace a broken light switch cover and the box opener on several occasions, but I have not yet utilized the wrenches, rulers/awl posts, or SIM card ejection tool.
As a lightweight multi-tool, it has fulfilled my needs on several occasions. I was pleased with the device’s overall design, layout, and aesthetics. I liked the flat back, the wedged corners, and I found a use for most of the included features. The credit card phone stand slit worked okay but not as well as the Nite-Ize Quickstand, which fit nicely into the retention strap on the parliament wallet. With so many credit card tool options, finding one that solves all of your needs can be a struggle. The key is to plan for the most common scenarios and to develop a plan for everything else.
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1 Comment
Like many, I had high hopes for the Ekster wallet. Unfortunately, I was let down by the product then let down by the company. First, I’ll say they look good. But it doesn’t hold enough cards and if you have more than 3 bills it cannot hold cash. My prblems started after about a month when the piece that pushes up the cards broke leaving all the cards “stuck” in the wallet. Of course, I was able to remove the cards but not easily. I contacted Ekster customer service about this using their online form (3 times!) and a telephone call. Nothing ever happened. I was ghosted and left hanging with a wallet I can’t use. Lesson learned. If you want to roll the dice go ahead. Just don’t expect them to back the product. If something happens to it you are on your own.