Gerber Radius Multi-Tool: Product Review
My first impression of the Gerber Radius was that it was extremely heavy, compared to the Leatherman, and it was also oversized and extremely sturdy.
Description
The tool, when open, measures 7 1/4″ long, and the handle is 1 1/4″ at the widest point. When closed it’s only 4 3/4″ long, but the width of both sides together measures a significant 1 1/4″ wide.
The handle is gray and black colored, with all of the accessories being a silver metal, which I assume is stainless steel (they don’t say stainless on them, and neither the Cabela’s or Gerber websites will tell me what they are made of).
Compared to the Leatherman, the Gerber is very comfortable to hold. It claims to be ergonomically designed, and has large SoftGrip� handles that are also pretty much non-slip.
Each tool has the patented Saf.T.Plus� locking system, which means when the tools are open they are locked in place. In order to close them, there is a small leverl on the side of the handle that you pull back on, and it releases the tool so that it can be closed.
Tools included in this Gerber Radius are:
* Needle-nose pliers
* Wire cutters
* Scissors
* Flathead screwdriver
* Cross-point screwdriver
* Knife
It fits nicely into a heavy duty canvas style sheath, that has a velcro closure, as well as a loop so you can thread it onto your belt.
Thoughts
My husband says that the blade is really short, compared to his Leatherman. The blade on the Gerber Radius measures 2 1/2″ from base to tip.
The phillips head screwdriver has a flat tip, rather than the typical round shape, so it doesn’t do quite as good a job as I had hoped because it’s harder to keep in place.
The regular screwdriver is very sturdy, but I was surprised they didn’t have the foresight to add a file to the side of it.
One of the tools is a scissors, which extends out just over two inches when pulled out, so it’s quite large and sturdy. It’s got a spring on it which makes using it a bit easier.
When the pliers are opened up, there is a curved out portion in the center that my husband said could be used as a type of pipe wrench (this feature was not added to the description given by Cabela’s).
My husband says this is a tool you would want to carry around on a daily basis, (like he does with his Leatherman), but it would be great for hunting or camping. He plans on adding his Gerber Radius to his toolkit, and when we get the motorhome out of storage next spring, he’ll add it to the supplies we keep there.
From a womans perspective, I like the design, and the locking mechanisms. I personally have a hard time getting the tools out of these gadgets, but Gerber has made this very easy. Each tool has either a small hook or a lever built onto it that allows me to grip and pull it out of the pliers. The locking system really does keep the tools firmly in place, and closing them up is also easy. I always get nervous when opening and closing knives, but I feel very comfortable with this Gerber.
This is a very heavy duty tool! Out of curiosity I put it on my postage scale, and it weighs 9.2 ounces (out of the case, 10.1 ounces in it), and our Leatherman weighs 7.9 ounces.
It is extremely heavy duty, so much so that my husband said he would feel comfortable using it as a hammer when closed up. I’d only do that in an emergency, as I wouldn’t want to bend any of the contents.
The Gerber Radius Multitool sells for $50 at Cabela’s, but I’ve seen this online as low as $47.00, and as high as $74.00.
My husband did find one fault with it, and that concerns the small plastic device that is used to unlock the tools. It consists of an inch long plastic lever, which is spring loaded, and one of them is already starting to come away from the tool. There is no screw there to tighten it up. He says it’s a very poor design to put a cheap piece of plastic on such a heavy duty tool.
His Leatherman also has a lot more tools, such as a saw, a file, and a serrated knife. I don’t know if I would pay $50.00 for this, since I have a mini Leatherman, and my husband has the full sized version, but it is a very nice gift.
