Miscellany: Gerber Clutch

I like to keep a multitool on my keychain at all times - life has a way of throwing situations at you where a screwdriver or blade saves the day. It has to be small, because I'm lugging around a cell phone, wallet, and often a 642. Unfortunately, the TSA confiscated my old multitool - a Leatherman Micra that I liked a lot. Rather than get bitter, I decided to shop for a new multitool.

The one I grabbed was the Gerber Clutch, a rather inexpensive little unit that features a pair of centrally mounted spring-loaded mini-pliers. I suppose you could use it as a jury-rigged wrench if need be - other than that, I didn't think these were too useful. Better are the screwdrivers - there's three sizes (including a thin-style Phillips head) and they're sure to come in handy. I also think the blade on this model isn't bad.

There are some caveats, though. The tools do not lock in place, so you really can't use this thing for anything that requires serious force. The bottle cap opener is really awful, one of the worst ones I've used, though it gets the job done eventually. Finally, the tool as a whole feels a bit cheaper than a comparable Leatherman, but then again, it is cheaper.