Genius Multitool for the Campsite: Gerber Gear ‘Stake Out’ Review
Think the perfect multitool for the everyday camper doesn’t exist? Think again. Gerber Gear’s new Stake Out offers one ingenious tool for camping and many other great ones.
Gerber Gear boasts that its newest tool is designed to handle the tasks that every camper faces: from the tent to the campfire to the kitchen. The most important takeaway I had from reading about the tool (and then testing) was that Gerber wanted to balance weight, versatility, and packability. Most importantly, it adds an innovative tool: a stake puller.
In short: The Stake Out’s namesake tool is the stake puller (now that you know it exists, yes, you should want one). The small cane-shaped hook folds into the tool and flips out similar to a knife or scissor on a multitool.
We tested it on a recent overnight camping trip, and it’s awesome. In addition to the stake puller, this is a fully functional multitool for other instances around camp, with a knife, saw, scissor, file, and bottle opener.
Gerber Gear Stake Out Multitool Review
Pesky, stuck tent stakes got you down? Not anymore with the Stake Out. When it’s time to pack up, no one wants to spend time jamming their fingers into the dirt or hard ground, digging for a stake. And no one enjoys making their finger into a hook to yank one out.
Gerber’s stake puller function is impressive — especially if you’re trying to break down camp quickly or simply want to ease the process.
Gerber Stake Out Multitool Specs
- Contains: 11 tools
- Added features: Carabiner, textured grip
- Colors: Graphite, silver, bronze
- Lifetime warranty
- Weight: 3.3 oz.
- Price: $55
The Tools
- 2.2″ plain-edge blade
- Awl
- Saw
- Spring-loaded scissor
- Stake puller
- File
- Ferro rod striker
- Tweezers
- Ruler
- Bottle opener
- Carabiner
Using at Camp: Trying the Tools
On just one overnight tent camping trip, I used the knife blade, scissor, stake puller, and bottle opener (and almost wished I had needed the tweezers because they are such a cool and well-incorporated feature). I actually brought a few other multitools that I use most often with me to compare the feel, in hand, and their array of tools. The Stake Out was the first thing I reached for when I needed a knife, probably because of my curiosity about something new. But also I found that the blade deploys easily and really cuts well. It’s a good length for this size and weight tool.
The carabiner was probably the function I initially used the most — it can hook onto a flat pack strap, pocket loop, and webbing on a bag. The scissors are strong enough to cut through paper, thin cardboard (food packaging), plastic, and thread. And the tweezers are simply awesome. They are easy to reach and deploy, and an essential for camping.
That’s not to say this tool is perfect. I found the saw and awl blades very stiff and hard to deploy, and hope this gets better/easier with more use. I also didn’t use the ferro striker because I didn’t have a rod with me.
Using at Camp: Pulling Stakes
As for the stake puller, it does exactly what it should: for those thin, I-shaped stakes with lengths of paracords attached that usually get lost in the ground, simply hook the stake puller onto the cord and pull. I tried this on my lightweight backpacking tent stakes. It worked like a charm. To answer my colleagues’ initial questions when I mentioned the tool: Does it hook? Does it pull? Yes, and yes. Will your fingers feel ten times better after? Yes.
On my car camping tent, I tried the stake puller function on a variety of old steel hook stakes and newer hook stakes for good measure. I realize these stakes are fairly easy to pull out already as that’s what the hook is there for — but for stakes that are pounded into very, very hard or rocky ground you could use the stake puller (to save your fingers, and at the very least, for leverage and better grip) to pull out hook stakes as well.
But mainly, this stake puller function works to solve the problem of getting the worst and most difficult types of stakes out of the ground. Save your fingers, folks, and buy this tool.
Comparison: The Stake Out vs. Competitors
After using the tool and liking how it functions, I thought long and hard about the closest competitor. Well, Gerber hit a home run because there isn’t any other tool that has a stake puller tool tailored for tent camping.
For the next more unique features, the carabiner and tweezers, a similar buy would maybe be the Leatherman Style PS which is the only multitool I can think of that has tweezers incorporated. The Style PS ($35) also similarly has scissors, a file, a bottle opener, and a carabiner — but doesn’t have any sort of blade and is much smaller in length. Not to mention, no stake puller.
Conclusion
I think the tools Gerber picked to include on this ultimate camp tool are spot-on. It’s lacking any screwdrivers and obviously doesn’t have tools like pliers, wire cutters, or others you get with the classic Leatherman design.
But I appreciate Gerber going in a unique direction with this tool. The stake puller function is nice, but with the added carabiner and tweezers, it addresses two things I rarely see incorporated into multitools but I often need when hiking or backpacking.
In terms of weight, Gerber nailed it with something light enough to carry tent camping or backpacking, but sturdy enough in hand and durable enough to function day after day at camp. Given that it offers 11 tools for 55 bucks, I think it’s quite impressive. I certainly wouldn’t also need to carry my 3-inch EDC blade or my burly 8-ounce Leatherman.
Overall, I loved the functionality of the stake puller. The rest of the tools shine as well. I found everything I needed in this tool, and I think the target consumer — people who go tent camping — would too.
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