Seal Team

[Martin Jacobsen]

I follow the show Seal Team, which will have its final season in August.  I’ve noted something odd.

When the show has shown multitools, they’ve always been Gerbers.  That makes sense, because as far as I know, Gerber is the brand the US military issues. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen an LMF II in the show before, too.

But in at least two episodes, one of the characters has sarcastically summed up a potential response to a difficult situation by saying “Have you got that in your Leatherman?” It would fit with that character to be sarcastic, but it seems odd to me that he’d refer to a brand they don’t collectively use. 

[Farmer X]

As far as I know, Gerber is the brand the US military issues.

I can only speak of my experience, but I was never issued a multi. I paid for them out of my own pocket, and carried both Gerber and Leatherman tools during my enlistment. Gerbers were particularly popular back then.

That said, NSNs were assigned to tools from both companies.  And I'm reasonably sure the spec-war community would be familiar with both names.

[Martin Jacobsen]

I served before there were Multitools.  It’s my understanding that not many MOSs get one.  And I’m sure that a SEAL would know both brands.  I’m less sure a show would include both.  With the Gerbers being shown, I thought that they may have been provided or something.  Maybe Leatherman has reached SAK status and can function as a generic term. 

[styx]

could be just one of those things where they refer to any pliers based multitool as a Leatherman