As we head into Spring, we can look forward to better weather, more outdoor adventures, and fresh gear to bring along for the ride. To tackle your campground tasks, Gerber whipped up their new Stake Out multi-tool. True to its name, this pocket-sized multi-tool features a specialized hook for pulling out tent stakes when it’s time to pack up and head out. A well-selected set of tools round out its functionality, making it an ideal camping companion to complement your outdoor carry.
Specs
11 tools
Outdoor and camping ready
Built-in carabiner
4.5″ length
The Stake Out shows some familiar design language to its more general purpose EDC brother, the Armbar. It’s closer in design to a regular folder or Swiss Army knife than your pliers-based butterfly style multi-tools. But given its use case as a specialized tool for camping and outdoor adventures, this makes sense. Compared to other tools in the outdoor space, the Stake Out might offer “just enough” functionality without weighing you down. It’s clear that for some campers and backpackers, optimizing for weight is paramount. The Stake Out isn’t without its competition in this space, but existing options like the Leatherman Signal may be more than some EDCers need for basic camping tasks like setting up, prepping food, and packing out.
What we like: Design-wise, this boasts an overall well-thought out toolset to nail its camp-focused specialization. I appreciate the tweezers being on the larger side and the hi-vis orange retrieval endcap makes this completely removable tool less likely to get lost. The scissors are blunted at the ends to prevent accidental poking, while the large awl can cover that functionality more deliberately. The namesake stake puller is a unique addition that lets it stand out from its peers, as few other tools offer a hook for this purpose and in this size (the Victorinox hooks are smaller overall). Even if you don’t use it for pulling out stakes, it can help lug around heavy grocery bags or something similar. Lastly, the carabiner clip is a sensible carry method for easy access in an outdoor adventure scenario. Lastly, the blade does lock up into the frame, which is a welcome feature.
What we don’t like: It’s always tricky to not only pack in a bunch of functions into a tool, but also make sure they’re implemented in a usable and practical way. One thing that stands out is the placement of the file on the outer edge of the tool. It seems too close to the other deployable tools and depending on the angle you’re filing, they may get in your way. Another minor complaint is the blade steel is probably not going to come close to any dedicated EDC folding knife, so it’s not likely to fully replace both your multi-tool and pocket knife if you’re trying to keep things super light on the trail. Finally, not all of the tools lock, which may be disappointing to some. But given the tool’s smaller size and the scope of tasks it’s meant to do, fully locking tools for every function might be a case of overengineering to the point of inconvenience anyway.
Overall, it seems to be another welcome option for those looking to build out a camping EDC without needing to commit to the bulk of several disparate dedicated tools. For the size, price, and functionality it promises, it seems like an easy decision.
