Minimalist Multi-Tool
October 5, 2009, 9:43 am / Categories: Hiking, Miscellaneous, Technology, Camping
As the lightest butterfly-opening multi-tool in Gerber’s line, the Crucial is built for the outdoorsperson who wants basic features and nothing more. The Crucial, which came to shops in July, weighs just 5 ounces and includes a pliers/wire-cutter, a blade, and little else.
Its straight and serrated locking blade easily opens using one hand and your thumb. There’s a flat-head and Phillips screw driver. The tool includes a carabiner clip that doubles as a bottle opener.
Attach the tool to the exterior of a pack or a belt loop with the clip. Or, the Crucial also has a belt clip. Eliminating one or the other could save more weight. But on my scale the tool was true to Gerber’s spec at 5 ounces.
The Crucial comes in a stainless steel/black look or stainless steel/green. It is currently available for $59. www.gerbergear.com
—Ryan Dionne
Hey Daniel. I can’t speak to this first hand because I’ve never tested the Skeletool. However, from what I can tell the Skeletool has a couple more screwdriver bits and is at least $20 more (street price).
They both weigh the same and have many of the same features though. The specs say that the Crucial is slightly shorter than the Skeletool when closed.
Hopefully someone else here has handled them both and can better answer your question.
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How does this compare to the Leatherman Skeletool?