A lot of multitools boast a ton of features, but such products often just end up being cluttered and confusing. The no-nonsense titanium Xbar sticks to the essentials, with a pry bar, bottle opener, hex wrenches and a fold-out cutting blade.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Xbar is made by EDC (everyday carry) company Zyac Knives. It's being offered in three models: the Standard, Mini and Sid. We should point out that none of those incorporate all of the boasted features.
Like its two siblings, the Standard sports a 14-mm M390-steel cutting blade that folds down when not in use. The spring-loaded folding mechanism incorporates ceramic beads to provide friction, keeping the blade from being accidentally deployed. The blade itself has a slight inward curve, boosting its functionality for tasks such as cutting through ropes and opening boxes.
![The Xbar incorporates what is claimed to be the world's smallest M390 blade](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/6441fc1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4240x2832+0+0/resize/1437x960!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9e%2Fec%2F1923fc554d2e8923a6be8941229a%2Fdsc04071.png)
In the middle of the Standard model are three hex wrench holes, in sizes of 8, 10 and 12 mm. At the bottom of the tool is a pry bar, the tip of which is 8 mm wide – it can be used to pull nails and pry lids off cans, among other tasks. The whole multitool measures 87 mm tall by 32 mm wide by 9 mm thick (at the top).
Designed for users with smaller hands, the Mini is essentially just a shorter version of the Standard. As such, it loses the latter model's 12-mm hex wrench hole.
![All of the models are made of CNC-machined Grade 5 titanium](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/3f69af9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3376+0+0/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe1%2Ffe%2F6e7e6fa444bea52e7926bb9c50ae%2Fdsc00033.jpg)
Finally, there's the funnily named Sid. It has 8- and 10-mm hex wrenches, which occupy either side of a single hexagonal hole. Because the whole tool is 8 mm thick, that means each of the wrench openings are 4 mm deep. The Sid is also the only model to offer the bottle opener feature.
Assuming the Xbar's Kickstarter is a success, a pledge of US$59 will get you a Mini, $69 will get you a Standard, and $79 will get you a Sid – the planned retail prices are $79, $89 and $99, respectively.
You can see the multitool in use, in the video below.
Sources: Kickstarter, Zyac Knives