Carabiner-type multitools with integrated bit drivers may be a dime a dozen, but the new EH4 distinguishes itself in one important way. It provides storage space for three double-ended bits, offering users a total of six onboard bit options.
Let's be honest. If a multitool has a driver but no way of storing bits, you're not very likely to carry the bits around separately. That defeats the whole all-in-one purpose of such tools. And if you're in a workshop or someplace else where bits are close at hand, you're probably just going to be using an actual screwdriver.
That's where the EH4 comes in.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign – no surprise there – the device is made by Chinese outdoor gear company MecArmy (aka Altun).
Backers can choose between metal options of stonewashed Grade 5 titanium, stainless steel, and 7075 aluminum alloy with a black PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating.
The carabiner mechanism at the top of the EH4 features a spring-loaded gate, allowing the device to be quickly popped on and off of belt loops, backpack straps, or anything else it can be hung on. It can also be utilized to hang up other items, although it certainly shouldn't be used for activities such as rock climbing.
In the bottom of the EH4 is a storage compartment for three included double-ended 4-mm bits. That compartment is accessed by swinging open its lid, which is held in place by a recessed steel bead. Magnets inside the compartment additionally keep the bits from all tumbling out as soon as the lid has been opened.
Once removed from their cubbyhole, the bits can be inserted in one of two magnetized hexagonal driver holes. A hole in the bottom of the EH4 allows the device to be utilized like a regular-handle screwdriver, while a hole in one side lets it be used like a T-handle screwdriver for extra torque.
Other features include a 2-inch ruler along one side (although there's no metric ruler on the other side), a keyring hole, and an included titanium keyring.
Pledges start at US$49 for the aluminum model, ranging up to $59 for stainless steel and $69 for titanium. The planned retail prices are $70, $85 and $99, respectively.
You can see the MecArmy EH4 in action, in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter