Gerber 08239 MP800 Legend Multitool

Let me first say that Gerber has made many great innovations with this tool. The rotateable/replaceable inserts for the wire cutters is a great idea, along with the replaceable jigsaw blade and the spring-loaded pliars. Having said that, I'll organize my review into two categories - Major Mistakes and Niggles.

Major Mistakes - The pliars don't open wide enough. The very tips of the needle-nose pliars don't even make it an inch apart---15/16ths to be exact. To get into the teeth of the pliars, you need to be 5/8ths inch or smaller! Compare these numbers with the Leatherman Super Tool's 1 3/4" opening at the tips and a full inch-plus at the teeth. I feel that the small opening of the Gerber pliars will disappoint many people - you simply won't be able to grab a lot of stuff you'd expect to be able to. Personally, if I can't take off a shower-head or fawcet aerator with it, that's much of the usefulness of the pliars gone right there. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when (seemingly) this could have easily been engineered differently.

Some tools are difficult to open. The phillips screwdriver recesses too far in the tool when you close it fully, making the nail catch impossible to get at. Luckily, the tip of my pinky finger is small enough to get in there and pull it out by the tip. But I know plenty of guys for whom this would be impossible to open. Ditto for the file/large flatblade...it has a thumb-nail catch...but when you close it fully it gets completely recessed behind the other flat-blade screwdrivers! And I mean totally! If your hands are greasy or sweaty (which is a lot on the job) you're not getting it out without taking all the other stuff out first. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when this is so easily fixed - there's loads of room there for a nice accessable nail catch.

Niggles - The rubber grips are stickers and one came out on the second day of use. Why put them at all? Why not just cast the knurled surface into the handles? The finish of the tool is nowhere near the finish of a leatherman. Casting marks are evident on the handles, the thumb-studs are inserted and then impacted from the other side to hold them in place (which may be a very strong and lasting (time will tell) and cost-effective way to assemble but is ugly and cheap-looking. The jigsaw blade is held in place by a small metal clip that doesn't look like it will withstand much abuse (time will tell with this too).

It's a shame I couldn't give this tool a better review. It's got a lot of stuff going for it...light weight, innovation, and a great locking system that's easy to use. I really wanted to like it but the pliars thing is so major...I'm going to need to replace it eventually just for that 'cause it doesn't pay to carry the thing around if I can't grab stuff with it. Make me one with the fit and finish of a Leatherman and fix the other simple stuff and you've got it.

Cons: Sadly, these outweigh the pros. The pliers are the biggest disappointment. The jaws have a much smaller opening then the Gerber Multi-Plier I previously owned. Several common pliers chores I used my old Gerber for are not doable or awkward with the Legend. The handle is not comfortable when using the pliers. I have relatively large hands, but the handles' gap is too wide for a comfy grip. Their angle is such that my hand tends to slip toward the front when I'm gripping them. The tool locks, which work great for locking the assorted tools in place, are very uncomfortable when exerting pressure on the handles. After having the original Gerber Multi-Plier for a number of years, I really miss the one-handed opening of the pliers.

Perhaps the best summation of the Legend is that I threw it in a drawer several weeks ago and went back to my old Gerber Multi-Plier (even with its bad wire cutters).

1. The Swiss Tool RS (Rescue and Survival)
2. This one - the Gerber Legend 800
3. The Gerber Pro Scout - stays on the boat.

Of the first two (Swiss Tool and Gerber Legend), the Legend is probably a better design but not nearly as well executed as the Swiss Tool. The Swiss Tool is a thing of beauty, its build like a watch. The blades are much higher quality - same as you find on a swiss army knife. The Legend is a better design - the one handed opening would be huge on the swiss tool but the Legend's execution is just not to the same level as the swiss tool. I'm getting a tiny wear mark on the scissors from the way they store in the tool plus the locks can be painful if you have to use the knife and really bear down.

I like this tool (Legend) for around the house projects. I especially like the one handed opening of the knife and scissors. Doesn't seem like much, but when you have what you need to cut in one hand, and you get your tool out with the other - it is incredibly useful.

Pros:
+ One handed opening.
+ strong, strong, strong pliers.
+ Great wire cutters. Excellent that they allow replacing the cutting edge. In my experience, this is where most multitools die when the edges get pitted and nicked.
+ good blade set of screwdrivers - 3 slotted, one phillips.
+ don't need to open tool to open blades.
+ Blades all lock in place.
+ nice scissors
+ spring loaded pliers - again very nice when you use them.

Cons
- pliers don't open wide enough,
- Case just doesn't cut it. Its cheap and I am constantly hooking the cover on things since it protrudes. Plan on finding another (not an easy task). This is a major beef.
- I don't like serrated blades for most uses. They are hard to sharpen - so you don't and they get dull. This one has a blade that is half straight edge, half serrated - neither fish nor fowl. This and the case are my major issues with this tool.
- no ruler (?!)
- saw seems like a good idea, but i would hate to cut anything of substance with it.
- Its a large tool, so it can be a bit of a handful.

The fit and finish of the swiss tool is superior as is the blade combination and quality. The swiss tool is heavier and longer. However it doesn't have one hand opening. Between these two, I have everything I need.