GERBER GEAR 31-001134 Dime Micro Tool,One Size

My husband is a gadget guy. He loves his big power tools but he's always on the hunt for compact, useful tools that are easy to transport and store, so when he came across the Gerber Micro Dime, he had to have it.At 2 oz & just over 3” long when folded, he drops it into his pocket every morning along with his wallet and keys. He likes it so much he's now giving them as gifts to our kids and he gave me one to keep in my car. Recently I had to open a compartment in the cargo space of my SUV that was stuck shut. Since I was away from home and traveling alone, the Gerber Dime came to my rescue. Between the pliers and flathead screwdriver, I was able to get it open without too much frustration.This little tool is versatile, compact & an excellent price. I know I won’t be without it in my car and highly recommend it to everyone. It gives my husband peace of mind knowing I’ve got one (along with all my other emergency gear) which is priceless to him, and at a price point of under $28, it’s easy on the wallet.

I laugh at how many videos and opinions there are out there about EDC (Every Day Carry) gear out there. Guys emptying their pockets and explaining in depth what each item might be used for. This Gerber Dime, you will use EVERY day, unless of course you have on office job sitting at a computer all day. It's functionality is amazing. A pocket knife is extremely versatile and can be used in many ways. But one thing a good knife CANNOT do....is double as pliers. I cannot count how many times I've need pliers for something simple, and used the Dime to accomplish it. Nor can I count how many times someone around me need a plier function, and I toss it to them to use. The scissors are obviously an excellent addition to the tool there are times scissors are safer than just using a blade. I rarely use the knife blade, as anyone carrying a mini multi-tool will likely have a separate pocket knife that's bigger and easier to handle. Occasionally I have used the tweezers which is purely a bonus. Overall, I can honestly say the Gerber Dime is as important as my car keys. I would argue with a flashlight, knife, and the Dime, you're good to go in almost any scenario. If not, then bring a backpack and chest rig.

I really needed a small, very lightweight, multi-tool for EDC in an urban or work environment. Years ago, I purchased a cheap (no brand) version of this and the pliers snapped just below the plier jaw pivot on the first use. So I was leery of the usefulness of even name brand micro tools, and did a lot of online research and read a lot of reviews. I own 3 assorted full size and medium leather- man tools, but this is my first Gerber. I was impressed by the reviews on this particular tool. It also contained just what I actually needed or actually use daily.NOTE: I really didn't feel the need for the tiny scissors or the bottle opener, but they came with it and really didn't seem to affect the size or weight I was looking for. I truly love the design of the knife with the blunt tip. I have used the box opener on a stubborn plastic blister package and it worked very well. I haven't used the scissors yet but I expect the need will arise someday. I really do like the pliers though. The jaws are nice and precise. The splinter or tick remover was a nice bonus. So far I have used the tool at least once every day for something and it has not failed to do anything I wanted it to do. I hung a square knot lanyard off of the bottle opener so it doesn't get lost in my pocket.

I bought this because I currently own a Leatherman Squirt Ps4 and things like the file and blade feel fragile on it so I was looking for something sturdier. Here is how the Dime compares:Pliers - I like the spring loaded feature but don't really feel it is needed given the weight pliers of this size can handle. I feel like the Leatherman needle nose pliers have a finer grip but that could just be in my head.File - I love the file tool and this seriously let me down. The fine side is largely blocked by the keychain ring and the coarse side is very small as the file is added to a half sized screwdriver tool and both are not very abrasive (the coarse one might as well not even be there and the fine one is blocked so it is super annoying to use).Package opener - The squirt ps4 does not have one at all, and it is useful for opening packages (especially things right up against the box/envelope/plastic blister packages) however I would much rather have the leatherman full sized diamond file which can even put an alright edge on a knife in the field.Scissors - I have had leatherman scissors have plastic food bags (I work in a bakery so I open a lot of them and the full sized scissors are always missing) have the plastic go sideways on me between the blades and not cut. The gerber scissors do not get that problem but are not as sharp.Bottle opener - The typical leatherman foldout bottle opener works fine imo and the gerber one just stick out 24/7, adds a bit of clutter/weight, and largely just bugs me because it is always there, in the way.Tweezers - this is such a welcome addition that I frankly have no clue why leatherman does not include. That being said they are not very good but better than nothing. Considering they weigh nothing it is not a big deal to get an awesome keychain pair from countycomm.Blade - The gerber blade is slightly shorter than the letherman blade and it is hardly worth mentioning except they are already very small blades. The gerber blade definitely feels a good bit harder to break than the leatherman blade (the leatherman blade and file both have a lot of bend to them). The leatherman blade is far sharper than the gerber blade though.Screws - this is actually a huge deal and a major oversight on the part of leatherman in my opinion but the gerber tool can be taken apart and cleaned/have broken tools replaced or tightened and the leatherman can not.Finish - the finish on both will wear off and has what is in my opinion an awesome rugged look they develop. The leatherman does wear much less and the gerber even has a hotspot opening where it scrapes against itself. Not an issue at all either way to me.Overall: This is a very good multitool for the keychain size and ultimately I feel the leatherman squirt ps4 would be ideal if it were simply sturdier meanwhile the gerber dime has tools that are just not at the same quality level as leatherman or as user friendly in design but it seems like it will take more abuse. I feel this makes the squirt a better buy even if it is more expensive by a tad. ($6 more + the cost of tweezers). Depending on what you prioritize though the Geber may be a better buy for you.