Best EDC tool for air travel carry

[spmason]

Any suggestions for air travel carry?

[Antti Lammi]

It may be bit hard to find anything that goes air travel carry, Jetsetter may pass check but it really depends TSA officer who makes final choice.
I have read that many had to give up or mail it to home those bladeless tools.

[nate j]

As AL says, the biggest challenge with air travel is that, in spite of publishing lengthy lists of what is and isn’t supposed to be carried on, TSA’s policy of ultimately leaving it up to the individual agent’s discretion makes it a crap shoot.  So, I would say the first rule of air travel tools is, “Don’t take anything you would be really upset if you lost.”

With that out of the way, there are options out there…

- Vic Jetsetter, as AL mentioned
- Wenger Swiss Clipper AT, though these are discontinued and difficult to find now
- LM Style PS, though these are discontinued and difficult to find now.
- There are some strong possibilities in Vic’s new Alox Companion series.  The Companion S Alox is the same as the Jetsetter, except Alox scales instead of cellidor (gain some durability but lose T&T).  Companion X Alox is just small folding scissors, so should be safe from all but the most overzealous TSA agents, and not too expensive.  Companion Slim Alox is questionable due to the package opener, and approaching the price point where I’d hate to have it confiscated.
- Most OPMTs would probably get through, provided they measure less than seven inches in their longest dimension and don’t have any sort of cutting edge.  Again, I’d lean towards the inexpensive; maybe a Niteize Doohickey or similar.
- A small set of plain old nail clippers is cheap, unlikely to be confiscated, and good for more than just fingernails.  I’d get one that has a built in nail file.
- Sliver grippers/field tweezers are available with key ring attachments.
- Small dedicated non-cutting tools (e.g. screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches) are generally allowed if less than seven inches long.
- I’m not sure if a P-38 or P-51 would get through .  It’s possible it wouldn’t because of the sharp edge, however small it may be and however difficult it might be to use against another person.  But they are so inexpensive that losing one wouldn’t be an issue, and they are handy for far more than just opening cans.

P.S.  I see you dual-posted this in some other subforums, so I’m responding here but not elsewhere.

[charlie fox]

UNPOPULAR OPINION INCOMING

I use to try to carry some kind to tool onboard all the time. Then I figured out there is absolutely nothing I'm going to use any kind of tool for during a flight. I carry a small flashlight and my Zebra F701 in my pockets and a small set of trauma shears (like pictured below) for opening those stubborn bags of goodies that always seem to find their way into my carry on

[Old Boy]

Back when I traveled extensively for work pre-Covid (just know maybe things have changed), I've tried several blade less MTs, OPMTs, etc. and the only only that passed both domestic and international security was the Gerber Shard. The problem is that whatever you choose may have passed in one country but may fail in another. Note that you could cut a small cord with the Shard notch.

Just for additional context, anything that looks like it can dismantle a plane (wrench, pliers, a obvious looking screwdriver) or be a weapon (OPMT or large carabiner that can double as a knuckle duster, saw / blade, large pointy, etc) will get taken.

I think I got away with the Shard because it's not obviously a screwdriver and it's tiny. I would love to have asked but then they may figure it out 

Cheap too, so not a tearjerker if confiscated, unlike my confiscated nostalgia now discontinued my very first Pocket wrench. I still kick myself for that.

[nate j]

…unlike my confiscated nostalgia now discontinued my very first Pocket wrench. I still kick myself for that.

Ouch. I would have guessed the PW would have made it through.  I can’t recall if I’ve flown with mine or not.  I suppose that just underscores the unpredictability of these things.

PWs do still pop up on the ‘bay, though if the loss was more about sentimental value then that obviously isn’t replaceable.

[ReamerPunch]

Any suggestions for air travel carry?

Yes. Don't do it. I've seen members post about anything and everything being confiscated, when it theoretically should not have been. I remember an Olfa auto-lock snap-off utility knife being confiscated, even though it had the blade removed, and the reason for it being taken was that "it made a threatening clicking sound". It does not matter what the laws and lists say. TSA and airport security can confiscate anything they want, so do not count on anything being TSA-safe. The same adage for boats applies to planes:
"Don't bring anything that you aren't prepared to lose."
-Mr Krabs

[aicolainen]

UNPOPULAR OPINION INCOMING

I use to try to carry some kind to tool onboard all the time. Then I figured out there is absolutely nothing I'm going to use any kind of tool for during a flight. I carry a small flashlight and my Zebra F701 in my pockets and a small set of trauma shears (like pictured below) for opening those stubborn bags of goodies that always seem to find their way into my carry on

Sounds pretty reasonable to me.
I used to travel extensively for work, and whatever tools I may have needed at my destination went in my checked in luggage.
Irreplaceable stuff like spare parts went into my carry-on bag.

If my checked in luggage got lost, it would cause nuance and delay, but everything could most likely be purchased locally at my destination.

For the last 7-8 years I've carried a flat 3" CountyCOMM prybar in my wallet. It disappears in there to such a degree that I forget I have it with me until I need it.
And due to me forgetting it's there, it has followed along on every air travel I've done in the same period. Despite not flying as often as I used to, it's still quite surprising it has not grabbed anyone's attention at any security check.


Travel tested prybar on top of wallet

[Jack the Zipper]

SwissCard. If you run into a particularly dorky TSA agent, you can ditch the blade. Or get the one with a nail file. You still get the flat four-way screwdriver, pen, ruler, light, magnifying glass, pin, scissors (blade length something like one inch). Chances are you can't bring anything that cuts or pierces, and why would you? In another thread I recommended checking in your carry-on luggage, if you must bring tools. I know, I know: we MUST have tools! The best I could bring was a 2AA pen light and a "tactical" pen that had a pretty pointy end. Even that was excessive, a blunt end would have been less conspicuous.

Once I flew with only carry-on luggage, with said flashlight and pen combo and nothing else. I stopped toneat at a pizza place and pocketed one of their cheapo serrated Tramontina steak knives. For fruit, you know. Returned it before I left. If shops are open, you can get a non-brand multitool almost anywhere.

[Jack the Zipper]

Continuing on the topic, you can bring a bit holder and a set of bits instead of a screwdriver.

[fullbreakfast]

UNPOPULAR OPINION INCOMING

I use to try to carry some kind to tool onboard all the time. Then I figured out there is absolutely nothing I'm going to use any kind of tool for during a flight.

I think it's mostly an issue for people who travel light, with hand luggage only. In that case, the only tool they'll have at their destination is what they can take through security.

Jack's suggestion of Swiss Card is a good one. You can leave the mini knife at home.

[ToolJoe]

I've kept a P51, Craftsman 4 way screwdriver, pair of folding craft scissors in my wallet while traveling/flying and gone through TSA with no issues.