Gerber Stakeout Spark multi-tool review - A multi-tool with a built-in Ferro rod!

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REVIEW – I’ve always enjoyed using a good multi-tool. My biggest issue with them is the propensity I have for losing them, but that’s another story. The Gerber Stakeout Spark is one of Gerber’s latest models and is designed for use while you’re out enjoying nature. It comes with a built-in ferro rod for starting fires and a stake puller for when you’re packing up camp. Read on to see how it holds up to use!

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $72.99
Where to buy: Gerber and Amazon

What is it?

The Gerber Stakeout Spark is a multi-tool designed for camping and outdoors use.

What’s included?

Gerber Stakeout Spark Multitool
- Features:
  - Needlenose Pliers
  - Standard Pliers
  - Wire Cutter
  - Tent Stake Puller
  - Bottle Opener
  - Plain Edge Blade
  - Ferro Rod
  - Ruler
  - Saw / Ferro Rod Strike
  - Awl
  - Carabiner Carry

Tech specs

Length: 6.3 in
Weight: 5.4 oz
Not much detail on tech specs immediately available. Not sure what type of steel was used for the blades.

Design and features

The Gerber Stake Out multitool is a slim tool that is designed a little different than most I’ve used before. It has a solid construction with a well-machined finished on the metal parts.

The biggest difference for me from most other multi-tools is that it doesn’t have any screwdriver tools or other fold out tools besides the two blades. It has a main knife blade, a saw with a partial striking blade on one side, pliers, built-in carabiner, a stake puller, and a small ferro rod that detaches. To me, the two most interesting parts of this tool are the ferro rod and the stake puller. I’ve never seen a multi-tool with either of those two tools built in before.

The Gerber Stakeout Spark has a pocket clip built onto the side that can be removed if you don’t like it, but it really works well for me functionally.

Performance

The tool that I use the most is the main knife. It has a straight blade with no curve that comes to a fine point at the tip. One-handed deployment is pretty easy with the thumb cutout. Putting the blade away one-handed, though, is a different story. The locking mechanism is inset a little too far back to easily close it one-handed. It’s doable, but could use some improvement in my opinion.

The blade of the primary knife is very sharp and is built to take some abuse with one exception. The weakest point of the knife is the tip and in light use I ended up with a small bend at the very tip.

The pliers aren’t quite needle-nose, but they are on the thinner side and have worked well for whatever I’ve used them for so far. No gripes here.

The Gerber Stakeout Spark’s saw blade is an interesting little blade combo. The back of the saw has a short, flat blade primarily intended for striking the ferro rod. The saw itself, while small, is sharp and was able to cut into hard wood fairly easily. The blade uses the same locking mechanism and I have a similar grip as with the knife. Closing the blade is kind of difficult with where they’ve inset it up against the body of the multi-tool and the pocket clip makes it more difficult to access.

The stake puller is kind of an odd addition to a multi-tool. It actually works really well for pulling stakes as long as you’re using a stake that has a loop or hook it fits with. I actually found another marketing audience that they should cater to with this tool. I found that the wheel puller for Heelys has a very similar hook and design as you can see below.

The ferro rod on this tool works well to make a nice spark. It seats very firmly in its holder, so it takes a bit of effort to pull out. Since it’s not something I use frequently, that’s probably for the better. The little handle of the ferro rod is kinda small, so it would be nice if there were a longer handle or better way to hold it while trying to start a fire.

Final thoughts

I like the size and quality of the Gerber Stakeout Spark multi-tool. It’s definitely designed for camping and use outdoors and would be a great addition to your camping kit. I would prefer a different style blade on the main knife, but that’s more of a personal preference than anything. The quality appears great and should be able to withstand quite a bit of abuse. For general use out and about the house, I prefer a multi-tool with additional tool options, but for use outdoors and while camping, I definitely would recommend this tool.

What I like about the Gerber Stake Out

Great quality build and fit of components
Cutting tools are extremely sharp and hold their edges well
Looks great and fits well in the hand

What needs to be improved?

Improve placement of the knife locks to make them easier to close one-handed
Different choice of blade. The fine tip is very sharp and also bent a bit with use

Price: $72.99
Where to buy: Gerber and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Gerber. Gerber did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.