📝 Victorinox Altimeter Plus

March 16, 2026

The Huntsman-Based Electronic Instrument Knife

Introduction

The Victorinox Altimeter Plus was introduced just after the Altimeter in 2001, extending the same electronic instrument concept to a more outdoor-oriented toolset.

While the standard Altimeter used the Climber platform, the Altimeter Plus was built on the Huntsman configuration, adding a wood saw to the electronic instrument system.

Both models followed the same lifecycle: appearing together in the early 2000s and disappearing at the same time when Victorinox streamlined its electronic instrument lineup.

Unlike the Altimeter, which was replaced by the Traveller, the Altimeter Plus disappeared without a direct successor.

I. Technical Overview

The Altimeter Plus follows the classic 91 mm Officer Knife architecture, based on the Huntsman toolset, combined with the electronic instrument module.

Main Tools

Large blade
Small blade

Scissors

Wood saw

Can opener + small screwdriver
Bottle opener + large screwdriver + wire stripper

Back Layer Tools

Corkscrew

Reamer / awl

Multipurpose hook

Fine screwdriver – 2 mm

Scale Tools

Toothpick
Tweezers - (late versions)
Ballpoint pen - (late versions)

Electronic LCD module

II. Electronic Module and Production History

The Altimeter Plus shares the same electronic module as the standard Altimeter, integrating two environmental measurement functions directly into the scales:

Altimeter
Thermometer

Altitude is calculated using a miniature pressure sensor, while temperature is measured by an integrated sensor in the module.

The system is powered by two CR1225 lithium coin-cell batteries.

The Altimeter and Altimeter Plus appear almost together, marking Victorinox’s first production electronic instrument knives.

Catalogue 2001

Both models share the same electronic platform but differ in their mechanical toolsets:

Altimeter → Climber platform
Altimeter Plus → Huntsman platform

Like the early Altimeter, the first Altimeter Plus models were produced without tweezers or pen, using standard shaped back scale that only included the toothpick.

Early Altimeter Plus

Later examples adopted the Plus scale configuration, adding the tweezers and ballpoint pen to the rear scale.

Late Altimeter Plus with Pen and Tweezers

The Altimeter Plus also includes the fine screwdriver on the back layer.

When Victorinox reorganized the electronic lineup in the mid-2000s, the Altimeter was replaced by the Traveller, which combined altitude measurement with clock and alarm functions.

The Altimeter Plus, however, received no direct successor and quietly disappeared from the catalogue.

III. Expedition Kit Configuration

In the 2003 and 2004 Victorinox catalogues, the Altimeter Plus appears with an optional “Expedition Kit”, consisting of:

a belt pouch
a small compass

This accessory package positioned the knife as part of a compact navigation and outdoor orientation set, reinforcing its outdoor-focused configuration.

From 2006 onward, Victorinox introduced a new configuration within this kit: the 👉Expedition Lite.

Rather than replacing the Altimeter Plus directly, the Expedition Lite used a more complex toolset with two additional layers, combining the Ranger-style outdoor tools with the Lite electronic module.

This evolution reflects Victorinox’s shift from instrument-based electronic knives toward the later Lite platform integrating LED lighting.

Collector Perspective and Significance

The Altimeter Plus occupies a unique position within the Victorinox electronic series.

Collectors appreciate it as:

the only Huntsman-based electronic instrument knife
one of the few 91 mm models combining outdoor tools with environmental sensors
part of the short-lived generation of electronic instrument Swiss Army Knives

Altimeter Plus Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe

Explore the electronic AVT models and the evolution of Victorinox digital scales:
👉 🤖 Victorinox AVT Models — Electronic Scales, Digital Tools & the Swiss Army Knife

Conclusion

The Victorinox Altimeter Plus represents the most outdoor-oriented interpretation of Victorinox’s early electronic Swiss Army Knife concept.

By combining the Huntsman toolset with an altitude and temperature instrument, Victorinox created a hybrid tool bridging traditional outdoor equipment and digital environmental measurement.

Although it disappeared without a successor, the Altimeter Plus remains a distinctive chapter in the brief history of electronic Victorinox instrument knives.

This article is part of the SAKnife Archives, an independent collector-driven project dedicated to documenting Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. All photographs shown come from the SAKnife private collection unless otherwise noted. The historical and technical information presented here is based on period catalogues and expert collector databases. Additional material will be added as new information emerges.

Identify every Victorinox 91 mm configuration using the structural identification tree:
👉 🔎 Victorinox 91mm Identification Tree – Identify Your Swiss Army Knife by Toolset

Identify the production period of your Swiss Army Knife using the interactive visual tool based on tang stamps and tool evolution:
👉 ⌛ Swiss Army Knife Production Period Guide – Victorinox Interactive Tool Evolution

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👉 📘 Swiss Army Knife History & 91 mm Model Evolution