I admit, I’m a gadget guy. And every gadget guy (or gal) needs a multi-tool. There are plenty of them out there on the market, almost one suited to every need. In my opinion, Victorinox Swiss Army and Leatherman make some of the best. In fact, I own one of each. However, when traveling I find that the two most important tools are often missing in my multi-tool arsenal: a bright LED flashlight, and a simple compass (when exiting the Tokyo Metro, it’s almost impossible to know which way is North). I want it compact and slim (to fit in my pocket), rugged (in case I drop it), and overall just quality-made.

I’ve seen numerous models incorporating a flashlight and compass, but often times they seem kludgy or cheaply produced. When traveling through Osaka, Japan, I thought I finally found my dream multi-tool in Den-Den Town (the electronics district). Called the “Windmill Field-Max,” it incorporates a whistle, liquid-filled compass, magnifying glass, and LED flashlight in a small brushed-metal package. It’s compact (about 1.5″ x 1″), but still has a bit of heft to it. The tools smoothly rotate around a central axis.

The Field-Max compass came in handy multiple times through our travels in Japan; the LED flashlight likewise. However, I began to notice things: the small switch to the light needs to be constantly depressed in order for it to stay on (it gets tiring if pushed for more than a few seconds), the battery cover is made of cheap plastic, the battery is a hard-to-find lithium cell (not providing enough current if on for a while), and do I really need a magnifying glass or whistle? So, the search continues for my dream multi-tool. Close, but no cigar.

Windmill Field Max FMR-7000
Designed by Zero-One
About 1.5″ x 1″
1,200 Yen (approximately 12 US Dollars)
Bought somewhere in Den-Den Town, Osaka.