Gerber manufactures some serious outdoor tools. Known for its quality builds and great designs, the brand is trusted for a reason, and it’s because the equipment works well, is reliable and stands up to the harshest outdoor conditions.
When it comes to the multi-tool few other companies have the experience and knowledge of Gerber. In the past, Gerber’s created many hugely successful outdoor multi-tools, including numerous butterfly- opening, one-hand opening, solid-state, zipper-pull and specialised multi-tools.
Gerber’s Suspension multi-tool is an open- frame multi tool which has a lot of great tools on board, but takes up minimal space on a tool belt or in a pocket. With a flick of the wrist, the spring-loaded pliers are ready for action. The Suspension has taken the classic multi-tool design to the next level, and a slimline, butterfly design means a treasure trove of tools and features are accessible in a snap.
But that’s not all that’s inside. Let’s take a closer look.
TEST 1: WHAT GOODIES ARE INSIDE?
It would be wrong of me not to start with the spring-loaded needle-nose pliers which also have the regular plier section and the wire-cutter section as well. They were very comfortable to use and give great leverage. We also have:
- A fine-edged, super-sharp knife that’s great for cutting sarking or boxes and so forth. We effortlessly sliced through some thick cardboard, plastic and 50-pound fishing line we found on site. The blade is sharp!
- A serrated-edge knife for cutting through more robust materials.
- A saw which works well. Obviously, you’re not going to build your house with it, but we can see it being valuable on camping and fishing trips. We sliced through some thick form ply, and the serrated blade had no problems leaving very clean cuts.
- Scissors that cut well and were comfortable to use. A lot of times scissors on multi-tools can be a bit of a joke, but these were made for real-life cutting. The sharp blades didn’t separate or jam up when a lot of other multi-tool scissors we’ve used would’ve.
- The Philips head screwdriver worked well. We tested this on several screws on our air compressor and it managed to loosen all of them.
- Small and medium flathead screwdrivers. Very handy.
- A can opener for smoko. When you break the pull ring of your tuna tin and can’t eat your lunch, this tool is a lifesaver.
- A lanyard hole for when you need to keep the multi-tool close at hand and not lose it (like my keys).
All of the tools are very easy to access and typically include thumb studs for fuss-free, one-handed opening.
TEST 2: THE BOTTLE OPENER
After testing out all of the above tools the final test was a clincher.
We flicked out the bottle-opener tool and cracked open a few fresh bottles of 4 Pines Pale Ale. As any self-respecting tradie will admit, this test will make or break any serious multi-tool and I am happy to say the Gerber passed with flying colours.
But don’t take my word for it. Try it out for yourself and feel free to repeat this test every other day just to make sure the beer opener, correction, I meant ‘bottle opener’, is still working well. Then the Gerber Suspension can be folded away and tucked safely into its Ballistic nylon sheath (tool holder) for a well- earned rest.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
The Gerber Suspension has some great tools on board, but it’s the build quality and materials that also make this a ‘go to’ multi- tool. Built with a stainless-steel handle, the Suspension also has the SAFT Plus locking system inside which is said to be the safest and strongest blade and tool lock on the market. Tools are locked in place when fully opened and can’t be closed until the sliding lock release is pulled back. This stops the blade from closing while in use and the user slipping and potentially cutting or hurting themselves. The tungsten-carbide wire cutters are very sharp, but they’re also replaceable, which is excellent for when blades do eventually wear out.
The verdict is: ‘Great! I love these things!’ It’s always good to have one close by , especially on a plier wire-cutter, SAFT Plus locking, system tungsten-carbide wire cutters, fishing, camping or 4WD trip. You can’t go wrong with Gerber’s Suspension. There’s a good reason (many good reasons, actually) why Gerber is the number one supplier of multi-tools to the US military.
For more information visit: www.gerbergear.com