Displaying items by tag: Gerber

While Megan was covering the 2020 SHOT Show in Las Vegas she was able to get some video of new products at the Gerber booth to share with everyone. 

(UPDATE below) Today I chatted with Gerber's Kalon Pilmanis about the Armbar multitool series. I know, I know, we had a thread on this tool back in June. But this was the first time I had an opportunity to have these plier-less multitools in my hands. The release date on these tools is Spring, 2020.

My first-impression is very positive. I love the way these tools fit in my hand. The edges feel smooth and finessed. And I am pumped about the features on both of them. I will always carry SAKs. They're beautiful and functional. But there's something to be said about a tool that you don't mind getting scratched up. Could thisbe that tool?

Armbar Driver

The Armbar Driver is Gerber's answer to the SAK. It's a great looking, great feeling tool that's ideal for EDC in your pocket. Aimed to stop folks from abusing their knife, the Armbar has a bottle opener, pry-bar and an awl. The bit in the driver can easily be replaced with a cheapy from the hardware store—I like this. It also has a one-hand opening blade with a frame lock, that is indeed easy to open.

Best of all, it has... wait for it... scissors! And it's a pretty good pair of scissors too. It's a small tool, but they have a hammer feature on there too.

It comes in onyx, urban blue, and orange.

I really like this tool, but it's sister tool, the Armbar Cork (is even better

Armbar Cork

Save the day with the Armbar Cork! No really,when you carry a tool with a cork screw, I promise, there will be a time where you'll be the hero. Unfortunately, through a bit of carelessness, I've broken the corkscrews on two of my favourite SAKs. They're bent out of place from desperately trying to get the cork out of the wine bottle. And this tool might be the answer.

To me, the Armbar Cork, is an ideal tool for camping and general every day carry. In fact, I really want one of these for EDC. Like the Armbar driver, it has the same one-hand opening blade with a frame lock, scissors, bottle opener, and hammer. But it has a fabulous cork screw. Why is it fabulous? It comes with, what appears to be, an effective lever (like a bartender's corkscrew) to ensure you safely remove the cork from the bottle. No desperately holding the bottle with your legs which trying to yank the cork out (maybe I'll stop breaking my favourite SAKs?) This also has a can and package opener.

I believe this tool comes in onyx, gold, and orange.

Both tools are retailing for $39 USD.

UPDATE, Jan 22, 2020: After having another good chat with Hal and Eric at Gerber, we brought in a 91mm Victorinox Spartan to compare sizes. Here are a few photos for comparison purposes.

What do you think? Would you consider carrying one of these? 
Don't forget to join the conversation here.

Recently a member on our forum had an issue with a new Gerber Diesel multitool. As was to be expected, Gerber replaced the Diesel under warranty, something we have come to expect from all major manufacturers. But this issue was far from over.

Gerber just sent me a cut sheet on the new Gerber Versafix machete, and in the surface it looks quite interesting indeed. Will it hold up? Only time will tell, but it looks like it has just about all the things you want in a machete.

In a world where it can sometimes be difficult to carry a multitool, many of the manufacturers have struggled to come up with designs for TSA friendly type tools.  The latest from Gerber is called the Mullet- will it live up to the "business up front, party in the back" mentality that has driven the haistyle it's named after?  I'm not sure the mullet hairstyle sets the bar that high, so, yeah, it probably will.

It’s not often you get the opportunity to pit a multitool directly against a competitor as the variety of functions makes almost every model different from every other one.  Occasionally though, we manage to find a couple that are close enough that we can match them against eachother in a very fair fight- last year it was the Leatherman OHT vs the Gerber Center-Drive and it resulted in a draw.  You can see last year’s match up here:

Gerber Center-Drive Vs Leatherman OHT

This year we are going compact as the SOG Reactor takes on the Leatherman Skeletool.

With the introduction of the new black Gerber Center-Drive I thought it was about time to do a Group Buy on them. We should have also done one when the Center-Drive was originally issued, but we were a bit tied up with another Group Buy at the time, and when we got around to Gerber, everyone already had one. 

Ever have a secret that you want to tell but you can't? It gets a lot worse when it's a case of you can't tell yet. I have- in fact, I have been really resisting the urge to go public with something that we have been working on for a while, but it's finally time!

This is it, the Grande Finale! Buckle up boys and girls!

The ending may surprise you somewhat, but it was absolutely, 100% as objective as I can personally get, and I stand by it.  But, enough rambling about it- let's get down to it and find out once and for all, which multitool is better!

And, if you haven't seen the first three parts to this shootout you may want to check them out before this one:

Part 1	Part 2	Part 3

To continue our epic battle between large sliding head plier tools from both Leatherman and Gerber, today we are looking closely at the blades.  Since both tools feature plain and serrated blades, we thought we would put them together and see how they stack up.  Since blades are among the most used functions on a multitool we thought it was only fitting to dedicate an entire battle to just them.

As we begin, both the Center-Drive and the One Hand Tool (OHT) are tied at six points after Leatherman's early lead in Part 1 and Gerber's almost total domination in Part 2.  Both tools are going to try to pull ahead today, as the final challenge is tomorrow, and time is running out!