Gerber has dabbled quite a bit in the box cutter or utility blade market for a while. Whether it's an EAB, the Edge, or maybe a Prybid series tool, we've all got one stashed somewhere. We all have them because they're great for beating on and they go places we don't want our pocket knives going. Gerber has listened to feedback from it's Prybid series and have added a much needed accessory, a pocket clip. This may feel like something that should have been added right from the get go but who knows why decisions get made the way they do.
The Gerber Prybid Utility has all the same features as the regular Prybid. No other additions other than a pocket clip and two new colors. Firstly, other than an EAB I've never messed with the Prybid series. I've got a few Gerber pry bars and it's nice to see Gerber has taken the two categories and merged them together. Being a newcomer to the Prybid family I thought it would be nice to check this thing out and see how it performs. Will it find a place in my everyday or just be for work/utility.
I like the overall dimensions of the tool, it's 4.25 inches long, 1.25 inches wide, and weighs 2.9 ounces. I like the texture of the plastic that sandwiches the core of the tool. The texture on the flats is not too aggressive and the ribs help keep a good grip on things. The notch that exposes a section of the blade is nice, I've used it to cut shrink wrap on pallets and plastic straps. It's a nice feature and it allows you to use the blade without needing to deploy it. Speaking of deployment, that's done with the lever in the middle of the Prybid. Simply push and slide the lever to expose the utility blade. The blade locks in the closed position and will lock again when the blade is in use. To change the blade you press in and push further forward to expose the whole blade and holder. I found issues removing the blade from it's holder and can't do so without aid. Normally you would use your thumb to push the locking lever over but this joker is insanely tight, good thing I've usually got a screwdriver on me. I do wish the blade had incremental stages at which it locks because sometimes you only need a small portion on the blade to perform certain tasks. Maybe Prybid 2.0 will have this feature.
The opposite end of the tool features a pry bar combined with nail puller and bottle opener. Pry bar is quite robust and can handle a great deal of stress. The edge are crisp and have a bite to when when getting under the object your working on. I have not used the nail puller or bottle opener but both give the impression that they're up to the talk. I rarely encounter times when I need to pop a cold one and I've yet to encounter a nail that needs pulling. I do like that Gerber has a history of making quality pry bars and they usually are angled compared to the competition. This angle helps produce leverage and make the job easier.
Now for the addition, the pocket clip. The clip is nice and wide and provides good retention to keep it in place. The Gerber Lockdown has a pocket clip to but it's slim compared to the Prybid. The robust clip is kind of overkill but I like it. It's deep carry and it's not going to snap or bend easily if it catches on something. The orientation of the clip makes pulling and accessing the blade very natural. I do think the crisp edges of the pry end can be a problem when trying to access you pocket contents. More than once I've caught the end with the top of my hand and it smarts. Don't know how they might remedy this but it's a small design oversight.
I'm impressed by the Prybid Utility and find it useful in my work and daily chores. I think the clip was a smart move by Gerber and it's more user friendly as a result. It's not a perfect tool but the evolution of the series shows the company is trying to build is the best pry utility hybrid out there. If you want more than your average box cutter and encounter things they might need to be pried then consider the Gerber Prybid Utility.
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