Tacray MT1 Flashlight Multitool review – Lightweight, sharp, and bright EDC essentials

REVIEW – A tool is only helpful if you have it when you need it. I’m seldom without a flashlight and a multitool. Tacray’s MT1 combines the necessary EDC tools with a bright, rechargeable flashlight in a lightweight package. Please join me for a closer look!

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $69.00 and up
Where to buy: Kickstarter

What is it?

The Tacray MT1 is a pocketable multi-tool with a folding, locking Tanto knife blade, can opener, bottle opener, glass breaker, prying implement, hook blade rope cutter, and rechargeable, 3-level flashlight.

What’s included?

• Tacray MT1 Multitool
• Plastic box with foam insert

Tech specs

Design and features

My everyday carry gear basics have not changed in more than a decade—phone, wallet, keys, multitool, and flashlight. All have changed as technology advances, but leaving any one of them behind leaves me feeling woefully unprepared.

Friends and associates know I carry a multitool. Yesterday, during a visit to my local Walmart, one of the pharmacy assistants asked me to tighten the screw on their point-of-sale terminal. The repair took less than 15 seconds, but it will probably make a few dozen people’s day a little brighter. It’s fun when the engineer gets to me the hero ;-)!

I love it when gadgets integrate, making them more useful, reducing weight, and increasing utility. Tacray makes an array of knives, pens, and tools that are fun and practical, and is introducing its newest creation, the MT1, on Kickstarter.

The MT1 sample arrived in a plastic box with a foam insert.

The tool is very compact, a tad over 3-1/4 inches. Quality is top-notch. The tool feels very sturdy with no flexing or play.

Weight is 83 grams (2.9 ounces)

One-handed (right-handed) deployment of the Tanto blade is silky smooth. The blade secures with a liner lock that springs into place. Because the liner lock is almost as long as the knife blade, be careful not to release it when aggressively working.

I love the shape, feel, and sharpness of the Tanto blade. It’s flat on one side and chiseled on the other – ideal for scraping tasks with a tip that’s sharp and tough enough for fine work. Great job, Tacray!

The tool blade opens equally smoothly with a bottle opener nearest the fulcrum. For rope cutting and wire stripping, the hooked blade worked exceptionally well.

Can opening was no problem, easily piercing the lid, a few dozen oscillations lifting it free with a few jagged edges. Nice.

Both instruments have some camming at the pivots to help keep them securely stored. When nearly closed, there’s a satisfying detent that pops the implements into their rest positions.

The pocket clip holds the glass breaker in place. I didn’t have anything needing shattering, but having used a similar one before, I’m confident it’ll work like a champ.

Speaking of the pocket clip, it’s very sturdy!

There’s a strong loop if you want to carry the MT1 on a keychain or lanyard.

Tacray wasn’t messing around when they designed the flashlight. It turns on and off by pressing the button on the side for about two seconds.

The lens, reflector, and LED are small.

Once it’s on, a quick tap cycles through the three brightness levels. The first time it turned on, I was shocked by how bright it was. The LED is slightly offset, so the beam pattern isn’t perfect, but it’s still pretty good, with a bright hotspot and a wide corona.

One caveat – the MT1 gets uncomfortably hot when used for a long time on the brightest setting.

The USB-C charging port hides under a rubber cover. A red LED indicates charging, and it turns green when it’s full.

Final thoughts

The Tacray MT1 is well-built, with a helpful tool set and a wonderfully bright flashlight. I love the Tanto blade, smooth operation, pocket clip, and, at under three ounces, it’s great for everyday carry. Excellent job and thank you, Tacray!

What I like about the Tacray MT1 Multitool

• Smooth opening
• The tool locks feel very secure
• The flashlight is dazzlingly bright, especially for its size.

What needs to be improved?

• Gets hot on the brightest setting.

Price: MSRP: Base Gray – $80, Base Desert – $80, Pro – $120, Elite – $150. Kickstarter Super Early Bird: Base Gray – $49, Base Desert – $49, Pro – $79, Elite – $99. Kickstarter Early Bird: Base Gray – $69, Base Desert – $69, Pro – $99, Elite – $119
Where to buy:  Kickstarter
Source: Tacray provided a free sample for this review, but did not provide input, guidance, or editing before publication.

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