Gerber or Leatherman?

Which one from experience is the better one plese?

victorinox.

Well I’ve only owned Leatherman tools, so can only speak for them. One is a little Juice C4 that has given sterling service for several years, and is very well made from high quality materials, and the other is a larger Super Tool that was discovered by a friend working on her allotment. It must have been there at least 3 years or more, buried in the dirt. Cleaned it l up, it’s fine, with very little surface corrosion on any of the parts. Remarkable really, and reason enough to buy Leatherman products in the future.

I vote Leatherman. 25 year warranty. I like that.

Gerber, seem better made in my experience. When i did break mine (operater error) it was fix under warrenty, no worries.

Not sure there is much difference. I own 2 leatherman’s and I have used my Dad’s Gerber and they are much of the same. All 3 have lasted over 5 years so far with moderate use and no issues.

Got a Gerber and it’s been good (so good I bought my dad one a few years ago)

Do really want a Ti Leatherman – don’t need one though

Gerber, much better than Leatherman. Standard issue kit for the military, which says something.

I’ve got a Leatherman Charge it is a very nice tool indeed, but the equivalent Gerber is about £40 cheaper and apparently just as good, if I was buying another one I’d probably look at Gerbers first

Standard issue for the military, trail of destruction? Who do you work for? I got given some ‘fall apart in your hands’ Leatherman looky likey job.

like the sprung pliers on the gerber. got an old leatherman which is going strong after 12 years.

Leatherman here, every Gerber I have owned have had burrs on the blades from new. Leathermans come as sharp as razors.

Having once had a ‘slight mishap’ with my Leatherman which resulted in me stabbing myself nicely through my thigh (not my proudest moment) i can confirm that Leathermans are indeed very sharp and well made. And also that NHS staff never move so fast as to get you in and out of A&E when they think you are a looney self harming weirdo…..

Having never stabbed myself with a Gerber, i couldn’t really comment on them.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/thoughts-from-the-outdoors/what-kit-for-afghanistan/7678.html

not me, but this bloke.

Have managed to break two Leatherman Juice Xe6 – the same part broke each time (one of the little spring things which keeps the blades in place) – sent it back to Leatherman and on both occasions a brand new replacement was sent out within a day or two. Excellent service, but rather annoying to get repeat breakages on (from their advert) the ” beefiest in the Juice line” of multitools.

Both much of a muchness. Though leathermans seem to have a better build quality I think. Not a huge difference though. I’ve got a gerber and it does the job just fine.

are you looking to buy one ? I’ve got one to sell, looks like new. (which I think Gerbers do after a couple of years).. Will take pics tonight if your intrested.

Depends what you want to do with it. I’ve had both over the years and both are very good – and I buy them in the USA for noext to nothing.

This splits people completely – some say Gerbers are weak, others (especially sailors) love them and hate Leathermans.

I think it’s model specific TBH – I have a Leatherman mini tool (or whatever it’s called) that completely unmarked after years of use and the blade is still razor sharp despite many abuses. Not many blades but that and a Lezyne 19 tool cover pretty much every MTB angle and weigh naff all too. I think it might last forever.

However I’ve asked for a Gerber Suspension to leave in the Landy for Chrimbo – well rated too.

Leatherman.

Not only a 25 year warranty, but if you send it to them and any of the tools have since been updated they will replace them.

I sent my Supertool back a few years ago and it was returned with new pliars & the broken tool replaced. It was also cleaned and lubed.

A friend found an old supertool that was pretty wrecked…sent it back and they sent him a brand new tool!

I only paid £25 new (inc staff discount) £1 a year…not too shabby.

Gerbers are not rubbish by any means, they just don’t have the quality feel of Leatherman.

I got a Gerber as the leatherman equivalent was twice and much – Don’t regret it 🙂

I have a leatherman original and it is a flawed design, you cannot put that much pressure on the pliers as the edges of the handle cuts into your hand. It may be ok if you have big gnarly farmers or rig workers plates. But for my hand cream treated, interior living, soft skinned jessy paws it’s not good.

I bought a victorinox multi tool for a friend and teh build quality was v impressive.

I’ve been looking at these a lot recently as I’m thinking about getting myself a new one and maybe getting my dad one for xmas. Of all the models I’ve tried out in various camping shops the gerbers have impressed me much more than the leathermans…or should that be leathermen?

For biking I’ve narrowed my choice down to the gerber crucial and the leatherman skeletool. Both seemed fairly even in terms of uses but the skeletool with it’s replaceable driver heads seemed more versatile for changing rotor bolts etc..but when comparing both side by side the gerber felt much more comfortable, and more usable. The skeletool just felt awful from an ergonomics pov, very awkward to use some of the features and the blade felt like cheap stainless. Also, the liner lock on the gerber felt better and it was nearly half the price.

If I was looking for a larger tool to leave in the truck I’d probably go for a leatherman (this sentence is full of wrong) as they feel more solid than the larger gerbers. However, the bigger gerbers have a superior locking mechanism and one handed access.

I’m sure it comes down to individual models, as I think both brands have good and bad points and pretty good warranties. Just do your homework before you go shopping as, in my experience the store staff knew less than nothing about them.

The reason I was asking as I’ve had a Leatherman Juice XE6 for about 4 years, Its just come back from another warranty job! Thats 4 times its been back now after bits keep breaking off. In the mean time I’ve bought a Gerber and quite like it, so was thinking about keeping one and getting rid of the other. Changed my mind now so will keep both!

I’ve got a Gerber Suspension, only had it six months but its been ace so far and seems well made, all blades sharp out of the box.

I have a leatherman, got my brother a gerber. The gerber is already wobbly about the pivot so the pliers don’t line up straight all the time; there’s a couple of mm play in them now.

Had my leatherman for nearly 6 years. been used all over the place for loads of different uses. absolutely love it.

it would, though, benefit from a spring in the pliers.

Had a Gerber and snapped the plastic bit stopping the knife from locking straight. This was whilst killing a sheep, so not sure it was for it’s intended use.

Then the pliers snapped whilst cutting fence wire to free an Irish wolfhound. Again beyond it’s designed purpose i guess.

Had a leathermans before, but i think i’ll try a Victorinox next.

Yeah, I also broke the corkscrew on my brother’s gerber removing the eyeball form a still live bear.

I’ve got a Leatherman Cruch (one with mole-grips) that i’ve had for about 8 years. Gets daily use at work, and it’s never had a problem. I just lubricate it once a year…

If you’re going to get one, i’d suggest getting a full-size one like a Wave or similar. They seem to last much better that the smaller ones, and stand up to more heavy-handed use.

Have a look here, an entire website devoted to multitools
Tool reviews

Gerber, much better than Leatherman. Standard issue kit for the military, which says something.

Yeah, they’re cheaper!
I was never issued either but had both. The gerber was slightly easier to use (one hand opening), but the leathermans always lasted longer. Leathermans are just better made, and most soldiers go out and buy one. I have a few gerber knives though and they’re great!

Victorninox for me. Incredibly well made and a plethora of tools on mine. Might be a tad heavier than similar Leatherman/Gerber models though.

I’ve got a Ti/Carbon leatherman skeletool. it’s really good and quite diverse if you get the little set of allen bits that go with. Although, i have just managed to take a chunk of material out of the cutting edge of the blade, so i need to get it sharpened.

Yeah, I also broke the corkscrew on my brother’s gerber removing the eyeball form a still live bear.

That’s nothing; I performed a vivisection on a fifty-nine foot Great White Shark, with the toothpick from a Swiss Army Knife.

In Uttoxeter.

That’s rubbish everyone knows that nothing bigger than 58.5 foot has rver been seen in Uttoxeter

I just got a lovely gerber for me b’day will keep it in me hocknball bag and away from the ‘tolla’

A mate bought me a Winchester jobbie a few years back. It has been excellent and I used it twice a week on the sea with no bother. No seizing of any wear on it at all. Cheapish too.