Alloy side plates and short-shaft tools mean the Trailside 16 weighs just 110g, which is 70g lighter than claimed. It’s also almost totally flat, with the pointy ends covered on one side by the ‘handle’ of the chain splitter. This means it shouldn’t be too bad to land on if you crash. The tools are holding up OK to regular use and there’s a full range, including a T25 Torx key, cross and flat-head screwdrivers, and even a steel Mavic spoke key (plus four conventional ones). Their short length means it can be awkward to get into some places, the 8mm Allen key is simply a ‘hat’ on the 5mm and you have to unscrew the chain tool to access the bottle opener, all of which can make the Trailside 16 frustrating to use at times. But buying direct from Alpkit means it’s way cheaper than most multi-tools with a similar number of functions.
Price $19