A nudge, if you will

[Charger]

I'm starting to get tempted to expand my horizon's in multi tools.  I do feel like a multi tool snob towards Gerbers, though.  They just strike me as cheap crap.  A friend of mine has the Terminator 3 one and I can't stand how much work it is to get the knife out to use it. Slide this open this slide back close it up...and the tinny feel...ugh!

Anyways, I am debating the Flik due to outside blades, and it seems a little better from the reviews.  So what (in your wisdom) is a gerber that wont burn me?  I have a charge ALX and my expectations are high. I have 0 Gerber experience of my own, but I do scoff when I see a tradesman pull one out at work, I just pat my leatherman and walk off.

I'm also looking to get a swisstool spirit x to expand that way too..

[Fisting_Chili]

Chako and his 4,000,000,000,000,000,000 Gerbers needs to chime in on this.  I love the MP 600 Pro Scout, but I haven't tried all that many.

[Grant Lamontagne]

The proof is in the use- if you can't get past the feel of something different, then I doubt you'd be happy with any Gerber, or any other brand for that matter.  I have often used/reviewed tools that I initially didn't like, then forced myself to carry and use it for a while only to find out that I appreciate some of the attributes I initially didn't think I'd like.  

As for having to go to some effort to get the blade out, the "Box" style Leathermans are the same way- open the pliers, pull out the blade, put the blades you don't want back then close the pliers to use the blade.  It's the same idea, just with a slightly different execution.

The MP400/600 series (which includes the T3 models) are arguably some of the best tools Gerber has made, so since you have already decided you don't like them, that kind of rules them out, along with the new Octane, which is sort of a Skeletool version of the MP400/600 models, and the new Grappler, which is a Crunch version of the MP400/600 models.  The Flik, Freehand and Diesel are all very similar models, and you might appreciate them, although on the Flik at least I find the opening system somewhat over-technicalized.  Not bad, but more complex than I think it needs to be.  It is a good tool, and overall I really like the Flik, Diesel and Freehand.  The Freehand BTW dwarfs even the Surge, so don't go there unless you want a monster on your hands!

The new Strata is actually impressing the heck out of me- yes it has a few issues, but then show me a tool that doesn't!  So far I've been quite impressed with it.

Def

[Fisting_Chili]

The proof is in the use- if you can't get past the feel of something different, then I doubt you'd be happy with any Gerber, or any other brand for that matter.  I have often used/reviewed tools that I initially didn't like, then forced myself to carry and use it for a while only to find out that I appreciate some of the attributes I initially didn't think I'd like.  

As for having to go to some effort to get the blade out, the "Box" style Leathermans are the same way- open the pliers, pull out the blade, put the blades you don't want back then close the pliers to use the blade.  It's the same idea, just with a slightly different execution.

The MP400/600 series (which includes the T3 models) are arguably some of the best tools Gerber has made, so since you have already decided you don't like them, that kind of rules them out, along with the new Octane, which is sort of a Skeletool version of the MP400/600 models, and the new Grappler, which is a Crunch version of the MP400/600 models.  The Flik, Freehand and Diesel are all very similar models, and you might appreciate them, although on the Flik at least I find the opening system somewhat over-technicalized.  Not bad, but more complex than I think it needs to be.  It is a good tool, and overall I really like the Flik, Diesel and Freehand.  The Freehand BTW dwarfs even the Surge, so don't go there unless you want a monster on your hands!

The new Strata is actually impressing the heck out of me- yes it has a few issues, but then show me a tool that doesn't!  So far I've been quite impressed with it.

Def

Hey Def,
you ever check the Gerber Legend? 
http://www.gerber-tools.com/Gerber-Multi-Plier-800-Legend-8239.htm
I believe the blade has a thumbscrew for quick deployment.  Description says you can access all components without opening the tool....?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes I have, and yes it does.  I have both the 800 Legend and it's smaller sibling the MP700 Urban Legend.

http://www.multitool.org/gerber/4.5-inches-and-up/gerber-legend-800.html

http://www.multitool.org/gerber/3.5-to-4.5-inches/gerber-multi-plier-700-urban-legend.html

Def

[Fisting_Chili]

Yes I have, and yes it does.  I have both the 800 Legend and it's smaller sibling the MP700 Urban Legend.

http://www.multitool.org/gerber/4.5-inches-and-up/gerber-legend-800.html

http://www.multitool.org/gerber/3.5-to-4.5-inches/gerber-multi-plier-700-urban-legend.html

Def

Nice...I think I may have the smaller mp700 in my stash.  Its in perfect working condition, just the body is dirty with something I don't know how to get  off...

[Grant Lamontagne]

The MP700 Urban Legend has been discontinued for some time- if you are hoping to sell it to a collector, you'll want to be very careful about cleaning it up!

Def

[Fisting_Chili]

The MP700 Urban Legend has been discontinued for some time- if you are hoping to sell it to a collector, you'll want to be very careful about cleaning it up!

Def

damn...that'll be a pain.  I gave it a quick over with Flitz and nothing happened....

[Fisting_Chili]

Yep its an MP 700.   I suppose if all else fails....I can always sell it to Chako.  Word on the street is, he'll buy anything...

[TxSxB]

IMO you can't go wrong with a Freehand, MP 600, Diesel or Flik, I'd say go to wherever is close that sells MT's and get your hands on some of them. Avoid from the Suspension, Ripstop, etc. like the plague. and you'll see that Gerber can still do some things right.

The whole opening of the pliers to get to the tools doesn't bother me that much since the pliers are so easy and fast to deploy and in the case of the MP600 the handles are still parallel unlike the comparable Leathermans, and I hate the angle that the Leatherman handles are when you use the pliers, every time I try to grab a large bolt or something with a Leatherman I can't get a good grip on it because the handles are way too far apart. The "fit and finish" of tools from Gerber may not be on the same page as Leatherman, but that doesn't really affect the performance of the tool in anyway.

Edit: I reread your post and saw that you liked the outside blades on the Flik, with just a little practice every single tool on the Freehand/Flik can be opened with one hand, even the little stubby ones, you pull the lock release down and the little tools pop up enough to easily access them with a thumbnail.

[Chako]

You would be wrong. 

[DaveK]

Yep its an MP 700.   I suppose if all else fails....I can always sell it to Chako.  Word on the street is, he'll buy anything...

I need a 700. Got any pics?   

[Fisting_Chili]

Yep its an MP 700.   I suppose if all else fails....I can always sell it to Chako.  Word on the street is, he'll buy anything...

I need a 700. Got any pics?   

I popped it up on ebay already.  I gave up on trying to clean it....lol!  I just don't know how. 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290419915814&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

[valvestem125]

IMO you can't go wrong with a Freehand, MP 600, Diesel or Flik, I'd say go to wherever is close that sells MT's and get your hands on some of them. Avoid from the Suspension, Ripstop, etc. like the plague.

IMO for the money they cost, the Gerber Suspension etc., are pretty good multi-tools.

[TxSxB]

IMO you can't go wrong with a Freehand, MP 600, Diesel or Flik, I'd say go to wherever is close that sells MT's and get your hands on some of them. Avoid from the Suspension, Ripstop, etc. like the plague.

IMO for the money they cost, the Gerber Suspension etc., are pretty good multi-tools.

Thats true but it probably wont be on par with the Leatherman that he's carrying now.

[sawman]

I'm starting to get tempted to expand my horizon's in multi tools.  I do feel like a multi tool snob towards Gerbers, though.  They just strike me as cheap crap.  A friend of mine has the Terminator 3 one and I can't stand how much work it is to get the knife out to use it. Slide this open this slide back close it up...and the tinny feel...ugh!

Anyways, I am debating the Flik due to outside blades, and it seems a little better from the reviews.  So what (in your wisdom) is a gerber that wont burn me?  I have a charge ALX and my expectations are high. I have 0 Gerber experience of my own, but I do scoff when I see a tradesman pull one out at work, I just pat my leatherman and walk off.

I'm also looking to get a swisstool spirit x to expand that way too..

I don't know where you got your poor impression of Gerber tools but they make some very good products such as the Diesel, MP series, EAB (Exchange A Blade) and many more. I encourage you to try some of them - I think you'll discover they're super tools. As for the Spirit, that is one of the finest MT ever made - please let us know how you like it!

[freethink]

Never had any problems with MP models

[Mercury]

Do they still pinch like they used to?

[valvestem125]

IMO you can't go wrong with a Freehand, MP 600, Diesel or Flik, I'd say go to wherever is close that sells MT's and get your hands on some of them. Avoid from the Suspension, Ripstop, etc. like the plague.

IMO for the money they cost, the Gerber Suspension etc., are pretty good multi-tools.

Thats true but it probably wont be on par with the Leatherman that he's carrying now.

Yes that's true, if you put up a Gerber Suspension "against" a Leatherman Wave etc.

The Gerber Suspension is a tool aimed a specific user for an affordable price.  It can not be expected to hold up to it's bigger brothers, Gerber or any other brand.  That's why tools have different prices.  Basically you get what you pay for in this area.

[Mercury]

IMO you can't go wrong with a Freehand, MP 600, Diesel or Flik, I'd say go to wherever is close that sells MT's and get your hands on some of them. Avoid from the Suspension, Ripstop, etc. like the plague.

IMO for the money they cost, the Gerber Suspension etc., are pretty good multi-tools.

Thats true but it probably wont be on par with the Leatherman that he's carrying now.

Yes that's true, if you put up a Gerber Suspension "against" a Leatherman Wave etc.

The Gerber Suspension is a tool aimed a specific user for an affordable price.  It can not be expected to hold up to it's bigger brothers, Gerber or any other brand.  That's why tools have different prices.  Basically you get what you pay for in this area.

Enter my new CHARGE ALX.  Love it.  I would carry my Vic cybertool 34 over a Suspension any day.  I just have no faith in the cheaper gerbers at all.