Gerber Compact Sport MP400 Multitool

The Gerber Compact Sport MP400 is one of the company’s top selling multitools and having owned one for well over a decade, possibly 15-years, I can see why! There seem to be a million different multitools around these days, from all manner of companies throughout the world and it’s a highly competitive marketplace. When I was looking for a suitable item for myself, I didn’t want one that was too big and bulky but still wanted one with plenty of useful tools. I obviously settled on the MP400 and have never had cause to doubt my decision.

The tool is 4 3/8-inches long (5 5/8-inches when open), 1½-inches wide and ¾-inches thick, so it certainly is ‘compact’. It weighs just 6 ounces, so you won’t notice that you’ve got it on your belt in the supplied nylon sheath. My sheath was replaced by a leather French police magazine pouch many years ago but the original lasted for years. The Compact takes the form of two, bead-blast finished stainless steel U-shaped handles, pivoted at the front. The needle-nosed pliers are the main tool and are accessed by pressing in the locking catches that are found on both sides of the tool; once pressed, they are slid along the slots machined in both sides, where they lock into position in a cut-out. The pliers can then be used in the conventional way and the head has grooved sections for grip and an enlarged section for gripping larger items, there is also a wire cutter nearer the pivot point and works well. At the rear of the blades is a handy crimping tool. Once opened out, the 12 inner tools can be accessed; they are-

• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Wire stripper
• Fiskars scissors
• 1/2 fine blade and serrated
• Phillips screwdriver
• Small flat screwdriver
• Medium flat screwdriver
• Large flat screwdriver
• Bottle opener
• Can opener

All tools lock into place via Gerber’s Saf.T.Plus system; it’s a sprung-loaded locking piece that secures the tools in the open position; when you’ve finished with the tools, it is slid back and the tool folded away again. It’s a rock-solid system and I’ve never had cause for concern, even when over-working the tools! By simply squeezing the locking catches and flicking the wrist upwards, the tool opens one-handed to reveal the pliers, which is a real bonus in many situations. There have been days in the past where I’ve used the Gerber multiple times and it always seems to come to the rescue one way or another. I’ve obviously had to re-sharpen the part serrated blade a few times but that’s not unusual for a working tool such as this. I’ve really abused the tool over the years, using it as a makeshift hammer a few times and I really haven’t given it an easy life! I’ve actually chipped the end of the small flat screwdriver by doing something it wasn’t designed to do (chiseling fossils out of rock!) and I must see if I can get it repaired under Gerber’s excellent lifetime warranty; however, that aside, it’s never let me down and I can see it giving me many more years of faithful service.