Gerber has a new flagship multi-tool, the Dual-Force, and from the looks of it, this could be the brand’s best or worst multi-tool ever.
The Gerber Dual-Force multi-tool features slip-joint pliers, which is an interesting choice. Generally speaking, slip-joint pliers are very polarizing, as they are ubiquitous and commonly loathed.
Gerber says that the jaws on the Dual-Force multi-tool “operate like a real tool,” with a 2-position slip-lock design.
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This allows you to set the pliers to grasp narrower or wider parts and fasteners with a more comfortable grip.
Gerber says that this gives you “2X the grip force.”
Where does the 2X claim come from? Gerber says that when gripping a 3/4″ fastener with the Dual-Force pliers, the handspan is 47% narrower than competing tools, allowing for optimal gripping power and 2x the force.
Gerber says that the jaws are 2X stronger. Then, in their promo video (embedded below), they say the jaws are 3X stronger due to their layered construction.
The pliers also feature deep teeth for “unparalleled control.”
The Gerber Dual-Force is very pliers-centric, but that’s not all it offers.
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Gerber Dual-Force Tools & Functions
Officially, Gerber says that the Dual-Force multi-tool features 12 different tools and functions.
- Blunt nose pliers
- Small fastener pliers
- Large fastener pliers
- Slip joint pliers jaw
- Wire cutter
- Wire stripper
- 3.25″ plain edge knife blade
- 3.35″ center-drive screwdriver
- Saw
- Fine/coarse file
- Chisel edge
- Screwdriver bits with on-tool storage
- Phillips #1 & #2 screwdriver bits
- Medium slotted bit
- 8in/20cm ruler
So, you get the pliers, a knife, a saw, a screwdriver bit holder, on-board storage for 2 additional bits (3 total), and a file with chisel tip.
All of the main functions are outside-accessible and with a locking feature.
The Dual-Force also features Gerber’s Center-Drive-type center-axis bit screwdriver. This lets you rotate the handle in a similar fashion as a traditional screwdriver.
Gerber Dual-Force Specs
The Gerber Dual-Force appears to be a little longer than other brands’ standard multi-tools, with a closed length of 4.65″.
- 4.65″ closed length
- 0.84″ width
- Weighs 12 oz
Gerber does not provide the overall length.
The Gerber Dual-Force, model 30-001721, comes with a nylon sheath that can be belt-carried vertically or horizontally.
Pricing & Availability
Price: $110
The Dual-Force is not in stock at Gerber’s store, and it is not yet available at Gerber tool dealers.
Gerber’s store pricing tends to be a little higher than dealer pricing, and so we should expect to see slightly lower street pricing.
Discussion
Gerber says:
Leave the toolbox at home, because the Dual-Force’s revolutionary design offers proven and uncompromising performance when taken to task against the competition.
Gerber did it with the Center-Drive, and now we’re continuing to expand the horizons of what a multi-tool can do.
The slip-joint pliers design is what can make the Dual-Force the best or worst multi-tool, in my opinion. Slip-joint pliers are indeed proven – they’ve proven to be a source of frustration for nearly every tool user.
While it can be convenient for pliers to have two opening width settings, slip-joint pliers are usually too loose to hold their setting, or too stiff to adjust with ease.
Read more about slip-joint pliers:
Gerber also says:
For tough jobs, it’s often easier to head back to the toolbox for a proper set of pliers – until now. From predictable day-to-day tasks to the thrilling unknowns of the backcountry roads, the Dual-Force is the replacement for those old dedicated pliers of yours, and then some.
Can the Dual-Force replace your dedicated pliers?
Is it worth getting the Dual-Force, or would something like the Knipex Cobra XS complement a multi-tool with traditional combination long nose-style pliers?
I want to be impressed with Gerber has done here, but I just don’t know.
On the other hand, Gerber’s Center Drive screwdriver tool is a very useful design. That adds to the potential appeal of the Dual-Force, but it makes me optimistic that Gerber knows what they’re doing.
What do you think about the Dual-Force multi-tool? Is this as revolutionary of an EDC (everyday carry) multi-tool as Gerber makes it out to be?
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Brian
The last two Gerber multi-tools I purchased broke the same day I got them (one arrived broken – incomplete assembly might be better term). They were returned, and I don’t see myself ever purchasing a third. Low quality junk.
Sean
Well you’ve got garbage luck or you’re terrible with tools. I’ve owned several Gerber tools and have never had one fail. I hate using the term EDC when regarding anything other than a firearm but I keep the Gerber Center Drive on me all day and it’s lasted me a long time. I purchased it used from someone else who wore it everyday for a long time as well. Maybe you are buying knockoffs from Alibaba. Don’t do that.
Franklin
This is entirely made in China, not USA which along with being $110 for cheap Chinese steel is among multiple reasons I won’t buy this. For me, I work far too hard to spending this much of imported junk.
That Leatherman Crunch which was entirely made in the United States I’ve seen multiple reviews praising this. I’ll stick with proper American made tools; China or these other countries already dominate far too many industries that once had vibrant American made products. Frankly, there needs to be more American made products and much less anything else.
Darryl
I currently own several Leatherman, several Vic and Wenger tools, a couple of SOGs, and a Gerber Dime. I was never seriously tempted to buy another Gerber, but this one intrigues me. I think they are on the right track. I’ll be waiting on the reviews but I may end up getting one.
Dusty
Never again will I buy a Gerber multi tool. I’ve owned three that I use for travel. In case they get confiscated, stolen, left behind… whatever.
Each one has had broken blades, tools and hinges from seemingly simple tasks. Compared to the Leatherman I’ve been carrying for 20+ years that, aside from the file getting pretty worn, is still 100% functioning.
Joe H
The only Gerber multitool I ever bought I returned because it was defective. A lot of their steel in their tools was too soft. They have some stuff that’s made in the USA that might be decent but I’ve not been interested to pick up anymore Gerber products. I’ve never had issues using slip joint pliers but I don’t use cheap slip joints.
Raycr
Get a regular multi tool and a 5 inch knipex cobra in a double sheath likely for less money. The knipex won’t break.
Adam
Was a time I’d have bought this, as my old MP600s have been bombproof and I like the idea of wider jaws.
Sadly though, the last 20 years seems to have seen Gerber multis absolutely plummet in quality. Seen too many appalling QC failures to have any more trust in them. Their mini ‘vice’ ones broke on day one as incorrectly made, and assorted friends have similar complaints.
Once trust lost, it’s hard to regain it.
Also while Leatherman have some flaws, their lifetime guarantee is remarkable & easy to use. They stand by their product. Fiskars/Gerber can be a merry dance to pursue warranty issues with.
MT
“Can the Dual-Force replace your dedicated pliers?”
Of course not. And it’s not supposed to. Like all multi-tools, it’s the thing you hope is good enough to meet an immediate need when all your real tools are back home.
I’m intrigued enough by the design that I would have been willing to give it a shot, but Gerber’s reputation for quality is not great.
Stuart
That’s not what Gerber is claiming, or at least that’s what they seem to have had in mind for the design: “the Dual-Force is the replacement for those old dedicated pliers of yours, and then some.”
Gerber is a mixed bag. Some of their tools are focused on value, but their premium tools are better, at least from what I’ve seen.
Personally, I’m inclined to give this a try, although the slip joint mechanism really worries me.
MT
Well, there’s that. Even so, I would read that as the kind of of over-optimistic marketing speak that no one really takes seriously.
If the slip joint can hold up they might be more appropriate for general purpose “plying” than my current Leatherman. I might give them a go if I find a sale.
BigBob Brown
All advertisements hype up the items… that’s what they are paid to do. I’ve had a Gerber for 15+years and even under excessive stress it never failed me, that’s why it is in my survival bag. I have an original Leatherman Wave with the same statement. Jack of all trades, master of none… regardless of their claims 1) all things made today are designed with a life expectancy, and 2) multi tools though convenient, can’t consistently do the job of a quality unitasker…
MM
I’m one of those people who generally looks down upon Slipjoints. In my opinion they are very rarely the best tool for the job. But that is exactly why they may be a good idea for a multi-tool. Like MT wrote above the point of a multi tool isn’t to replace proper tools, it’s for emergency use when that’s all you have. And for that application the slip-joint idea has some merit since it has more capability than the generic pliers multi-tools usually have. Now whether or not these are durable enough to be worth a darn I have no idea.
Jared
I share that opinion. I consider slip-joint outmoded – everything they do, another style of plier does better. However, that’s a good point that perhaps when you don’t have a particular task in mind, there might be some extra utility.
Jerry
Might be for some people but I don’t think for me, although I really do like the idea of the bit driver and replaceable bits. So much better when you an just get another bit if you bugger up a tip compared to having to send off the whole tool.
As for the pliers, not for me. I use pliers a lot and carry a super Tool and a pair of Wilde angle jaw pliers as my EDC for doing repairs and maintenance. I have owned pliers with a strong slip joint, several pair actually, as well as some weak ones, and in almost every case the weak ones used a flush slip joint. IMO the flush mount joint just doesn’t have enough metal in it for a strong, long lasting joint.
Again, just personal preference, but give me a good set of needle nose pliers on my multi tool, and ill carry a $15 pair of angle nose pliers for the heavy duty use. I don’t want to risk ruining a.$100 tool over working it on a job a $15 tool can do better.
I do like how Gerber designed the pliers so they won’t pinch you if they slip, though.
Hon Cho
A multitool is, in my opinion, never the best tool for the job but if it’s the tool you’ve got, it’s the best tool then and there. My first multitool was a gerber back in 1994 and I still have it living in the glovebox of one of our cars. I eagerly bought a Centerdrive thinking it would be a good tool to carry while bicycle touring. It works fine, but it’s just a bit too heavy and awkward in use so I stuck with several separate tools (keeping a leatherman micra for the knife and scissors) in the bike tool bag and relegated the Centerdrive to an auxiliary role in the car truck toolbag.
I think a slipjoint plier might work well on a multitool since you never know what you’ll be attacking with the pliers. However, given how heavy the original Centerdrive is at over 10oz and this new tool is 12oz, I doubt I’m going to spring for one.
Sam Thorn
Slip joint are pretty much the worst pliers for nut/bolt removal. They will mar the bolt head and leave it worse off for whoever has to remove/tighten it next. Use some knipex or other flat jawed pliers, a 10-1 screwdriver/nutdriver, and a nice folding knife. Purpose built tools > Multitools
Jared
In the photos it looks like the jaws are smooth just before the tips – I sure hope that’s not true. Perhaps it is crosshatched (my preference) and I just can’t tell from the lighting.
Otherwise having pliers that end with a smooth section right before the tips would make them much less useful for precision work. Albeit I understand that “precision” does not appear to be Gerber’s aim here. That’s my other critique – I generally want multi-tool pliers to have needlenose tips – but I understand not all multitools are designed for the same purpose. Still, that “laminated” looking plier head just seems needlessly bulky to me.
Proof is in the pudding though I suppose. If those teeth are properly hardened, it still might end up being a good tool.
I do like Gerber’s center-drive screwdriver and the rest of the loadout seems appropriate.
With large multitools there comes a point where it stops being comfortable to carry – and this might be in that category for me. It still much be a handy glovebox tool – but if you’re not carrying the multitool, the advantages over just a small kit of regular tools starts to disappear.
Stacey Jones
I love Gerber multi-tools, much better than Leatherman which are way too heavy and pricey IMHO, but this one I am also on the fence with this one. I hate slip joint pliers, but everything else looks awesome on this! Given the high price tag, I’ll pass, if it was $40 I might give it a try. If they had copied the knipex, now that might be worth $110.
Nathan
I don’t see it personally. When I camped I never really wanted/needed heavy duty pliers. I needed occasionally needlenose style. SOmehting Leatherman got right years ago with the Wave.
centerdrive is something that keeps me looking at a gerber but honestly either due to age, experience, or the lack of care about what people think. I don’t deal with a multi-tool as the end all be all. I keep a tool kit in each car – If I was to camp today I’d cart by wave – which also lives in my Daily Driver. But I’d have also packed a tool kit of sorts withme or taken the one out of the car when I hiked to where I camped.
skfarmer
not a fan of gerber so i doubt it will be on my list but i am the only one who sees it?
that is one ugly looking tool…………
Jared
Gerber tends a bit towards “tacticool” in my opinion, which isn’t my taste. This “laminated” style also reminds me of robo pliers – for which I certainly have no affinity.
Tiny
Gerber quality is variable in my experience – if you buy from somewhere with a good returns policy then why not give it a go? Often carry a multitool if I think I might need a bit more than my SAK has to offer, but as noted here they are strictly for situations where going to fetch the right tool isn’t an option.
Anyone concerned about the ‘chisel tip file’? Allowing for the use which is most likely to be ’emergency bodge job’ to get something fixed without other tools, I don’t really want a sharp tip to the end of a file. YMMV.
ca
It’s a neat idea, although I think I would prefer the Leatherman Crunch pliers over this.
Rob H
I always have high hopes for Gerber multitools. I used to carry one on my belt everywhere I went. Someone gave me a Leatherman about 20 years ago and I’ve carried it or another model since. I remember getting the snot pinched out of my fingers with the way the Gerber closed flat. I am a huge fan of the one-handed deployment of a Gerber though.
Yadda
I like that Gerber is trying new things or in this case retintroducing something that hasn’t been done in a while. A little multi tool history for those interested. Schrade made a slip joint multi tool. The ST5 was a great tool. If you can find one they are worth buying. Sears sold them under the Craftsman brand too. Sheffield made a knockoff of the Schrade tool that wasn’t half bad, but the quality wasn’t the same as Schrade. So this isn’t new, but it is a new attempt at a slip-joint multi tool and is something differnt than your everyday Gerber and Leatherman and for that I am happy. Hopefully the price comes down a little bit.
Hon Cho
Schrade also made some multitools in conjunction with Vise Grip. I have a couple of the needle nose versions. It was a shame that Schrade went belly-up.
Koko The Talking Ape
Don’t love Gerber, REALLY don’t love slip-joint pliers. $110 will get you a small Knipex pliers-wrench and a decent bit-holding ratchet (or screwdriver, if you insist.) They need two pockets instead of one, but no mangled fasteners, broken crap steel, etc.
mattd
if the tips of the jaws had the “vamplier” or knipex twin grip style I would buy them immediately. I have a set of twingrips and being able to grip stuff from the front with them is way too nice of a feature.
John cook
My “Supertool300” is by my side every day. Anything extra, needed, comes out of the toolbox, It has met all jobs needed. A great tool for a trucker, or adventurous trekkers.
Scott K
I’ve been very happy with my Leatherman. If I felt like I needed a multitool with more substantial pliers, I’d likely go with the Crunch- especially at this price point.
Mike
I have tried Gerber but the quality sucked, eyojd sucked. Found out after it was chinesium, I won’t buy anything from them again. No issues with my 21 year old Leatherman
Mopar4wd
I like the concept. I had some gerber knives and multitools 20 years ago I rather liked. For a long time I have had Leatherman waves, but recently got a gerber armbar and dime. I rather like them. I like the center drive in particular.
As for slip joint pliers I keep them in my car and travel kits because if I have just one pair of pliers they are the quintessential do everything OK but nothing well tool. I have used them as prybars, wrenches, clamps, hammers, alignment tools, spring stretchers, drum brake adjusters, and more. They really are versatile, If I make a tool kit bigger I would add Vise Grips and Channel locks, but for one plier I’m going with a slip joint.
JoeM
Nope. Gerber used to have some German-Made Knives, and some US-Made Knives, which were once the very standard of outdoor knife use, and survivalism. Sadly… Gerber started reaching into Leatherman’s patents for inspiration (Not literal copies, ever. Just an overall “They think that’s useful? Wait ’till they get a load of our version!” kind of thing.) and they started, off the bat, with this industrial/weight reduced design, using less actual material for the tool than Leatherman does. What resulted from all that light weight tool steel was a whole lot of flexing and snapping of Gerber multi-tools.
At this point, they were probably making them in some of their US factories. But with all the returns, the pressure to produce something stronger became too much, and they sent their designs out to the knockoff factories to save the money they lost. They also never learned that their structural/mechanical/industrial weight reduction was what held them back, not the overall idea behind their tools.
So… Listen… There have been some Gerber Knives in the world, and from certain years, and certain designs, they’re still a top-notch purchase for anyone who is entering their child into Scouting for all the survivalist training and camping use. But their multi-tools? They can innovate until they find a way to have the tool read minds… it won’t increase Gerber’s quality rating enough to make the multi-tools worth it.
I’ll echo what a lot of others have said: Leatherman Crunch does this, and so much more. If not for the fact that they don’t have one in Black Oxide for reasons unknown to sanity… I would have a Crunch along side me daily. But a Gerber? Never. There’s a few more brands out there, trying great things. Some have a better blade than Leatherman, or others have awesome scales for the handles, unique tool arrangements and folding configurations… It’s hard to get excited over multi-tools these days. The core families from Leatherman are still at the top notch of the Multi-Tool industry, and it’s to the point where there’s a Shapeways, or some other maker market online, that will make you an identical blade, or other tool, for your Leatherman, any model, but in the exact tool steel you ask for. To the degree that you could simply grab the security Torx bit for your model, unscrew the nearest screw, then slip the old blade out, and replace it wholly with the one you bought online. You can even talk to the maker who does it, and check with them about the years they’ve had in experience making the parts, as well as whether they’re located in the USA or some preferred country. Yes, I’m saying, with the Maker Space movement, you very well could get a custom Austrian-Made Damascus Steel blade for your boring ol’ Leatherman Wave, if you really, really wanted to.
I’m sorry that Gerber let us all down in the Multi-Tool space. I wish they’d get their act together, and rethink their gimmicks, in favour of their Quality Control from the Epic days of their locking blade, and fixed blade, survival knives. But here we are… Another Gerber… Another one I don’t think is trustworthy of purchase.
Matt the Hoople
Does it really weigh 12 ounces?
Stuart
That’s what Gerber says.
Bob
Wow I had no idea the disdain for slip lock pliers! Seriously you guys hate them that much?
I’ve definitely had some cheap imported pliers that completely sucked. But I definitely have some craftsman, Stanley, Falcom that work ok.
Ideally I would have multiple size of pliers to fit the application. But I make do with what I have. I also don’t typically use any pliers to hold fasteners. I use the proper sized wrench or socket. And if that’s not going to work I would use a pair of my old Dewitt, NE made vise grips. Slip joint pliers would be my last choice for high torque/holding power. But sometimes you’re stuck in a spot where that’s all you can get in there or that’s all you have. Typically that’s worked out fine. OR my mind is suppressing those memories due to too much stress hahaha.
MM
Most of my experience with slip-joint pliers has been cheapos and they have been nothing but frustrating. They’re real good at rounding off hexes, they don’t grip round things particularly well, and the slip joint itself is often a source of frustration. Nearly any other tool is better.
There are two exceptions which come to mind.
First is a Snap-On model, sorry I don’t recall the number off the top of my head but if anyone is curious let me know and I will go find it. It is part of their “Talon Grip” line and has extremely aggressive serrations and like most Snap-On pliers the quality is very high, as is the price. While I feel these are quality, they’re also something of a specialty tool: I use them mainly for getting rubber hoses off of fittings, the sharp teeth really grab the hose instead of slipping. They’re also good for soft metal (brass, aluminum, etc.) parts that have already been rounded off or otherwise messed up. For me these are a problem solver. I rarely pick them up but when I need those deep biting teeth they do the job.
Second are the Knipex Twin Grips. These are great, but like the Snap-Ons above I don’t really see these as general-purpose do anything pliers, rather they have specific uses. I find myself using them for either of two applications: grasping things end-on, sort of like Vampliers, and for holding small parts while using a stationary belt sander, bench grinder, etc. I really like them for that task because they can hold parts “sideways” and head-on. They also hold flat parts securely. And furthermore, the pushbutton style adjustment is a lot less frustrating than a traditional slip joint.
TonyT
If you’ve used Vampliers, how do the Twin Grips compare? Eventually I’d like to get both, but think I’ll get the Twin Grips first, since they seem to be much more robust.
MM
The tips of the Twin Grips are very similar to the large Lineman’s style Vampliers. I think the choice of which is better comes down to the other features: the Twin Grips are adjustable and are good for general purpose grabbing of things, including round and hex shapes. The big Vampliers have a wire cutter. Personally I think the Twin Grips are more useful.
The smaller Vampliers have smaller geometry in the tips which make them better for removing small fasteners (say, under 1/4 inch diameter where you are gripping), but again they lack the general usefulness of the Twin Grips.
One thing that is worth mentioning is the Twin Grips have a little play in the hinge because they are adjustable, whereas the Vampliers have no play in their joints. I’d think the Vampliers are probably slightly better for the specific task of removing small screws with stripped heads but the Twin Grips are much more useful generally speaking.
TonyT
Thanks! Sounds like Twin Grip then small Vampliers would be a good combo.
MM
@TonyT
Agreed. I don’t own any Vampliers though I am familar with them. I would like to pick up one of the smaller pairs for precision work and also the needle-nose. But as for which I think I’d use the most of all these we’re talking about? No question that would be the Twin Grips.
Dave
I’ve had 2 Suspensions NXT’s. They’re both broken. The screws are stripped on the first one. The second isn’t much better. There is no customer service either. So I’ll be passing on this one.
NoahG
If it was made in USA like my beloved Center Drive I’d be more interested.
MikeM
Ive carried Gerber all my life. I bought a dual force the day they came available. Zero complaints. I bought a spare too, incase i misplace it. Only negative reviews ive seen is from people who carry leatherman. And thats like a Ford person reviewing a Chevy. Any multitool was never intended to replace normal pliers, scewdrivers, etc. They are for convenience! If your seeing your multitool starting to bend or twist, get something else! Over all i love the dual force, it has everything i need and i love the slip jaw pliers. Biggest complaint ive had about multitools is the jaws never opened wide enough. These fixed that issue. Only thing i would change is get rid of the file and put scissors, but thats my personal preference.
Paul
Very well said! If most of these critics actually tried the tool – I think they would have a positive experience with it. I enjoy using mine around the house for so many tasks. Re the absence of scissors, I also missed them so I bought a precision pair at a hardware store (4.5″ I believe) and they fit perfectly in the front pocket of the pouch. Highly recommended for quick access!
Paul
Guys, guys… give this tool a try! You won’t be disappointed. The slip-joint pliers work wonderfully and are so much more useful than those small pointy things you get on most multitools. Add in a host of other quality tools, including the center drive that holds REAL bits, and its a winner. I alternate between this and the Surge, but favour my Gerber for actual projects around the house.