REVIEW – We’re looking at a piece of history today! It is said that the Gerber LST pocketknife changed the EDC knife game back in the early 1980s. Fast-forward to 2025, and we’re looking at the latest edition of this lightweight workhorse. I’ve got this knife’s standard and mini versions for evaluation, just in case you need a little more pocket space. To the review!
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $26.99 for the standard LST, $15.99 for the Mini
Where to buy: Visit the Gerber Gear web site!
What is it?
It’s a super light weight & compact pocketknife that is available in two sizes.
Tech specs
440a Stainless Steel
Glass-filled nylon handle
Lockback design
LST model is 6.3″ total length (opened) & 1.3 ounces
LST Mini model is 4.5″ total length (opened) & 0.5 ounces
Design and features
The Gerber LST series has been around for over 40 years with the “LST” standing for “Light, Smooth, and Tough.” That spirit is embodied in the latest iteration of these blades which leverage modern materials & geometry to produce versatile, affordable little blades.
You’ll see most of the same design elements carried over from the LST to the Mini-LST, including a glass-filled nylon handle with that geometric pattern that designed to improve grip and handling. These blades are absurdly light, weighing in at 1.3 ounces and 0.5 ounces respectively!
There are a couple of differences between the two sizes. The LST includes a sturdy clip that can be removed by removing those screws at the base.
The Mini LST includes a little lanyard with your kit, but no clip. The bigger model does have a lanyard hole if you want to add your own.
The two blades also have slightly different blade shapes. The LST uses a modern, slightly modified clip-point shape (the point is softened, and the belly is rounded). The Mini uses a modified wharncliffe blade shape (straight, pointy end, no belly).
The blades use 440A stainless steel, which is known for being an economical option for knives. It resists corrosion well, but tends to need more frequent sharpening. These suckers did come razor sharp out of the package.
Each knife has that cutout along the spine to give you something to grab on to when you open the knife.
When opening the blades, you’ll hear a click when you open them to the 90 degree position. Anything less than that and an internal spring will cause them to close.
When pulled to the fully opened position you’ll hear a snap as the lockback mechanism locks into place.
Pressing on that ridged bit near the bottom of the handle then releases the blade so that you can fold it again.
The construction quality is consistent in the two knives I am testing. It’s what I would expect at a budget friendly price point: clean, functional, and solid.
Things are generally well-aligned and tight, with no big quality issues in the construction that I can see.
There are some minor finishing details that you’ll see on close inspection. The steel isn’t finely polished, and you may find some little plastic burrs at the seams of the nylon molds. None if it interferes with the mechanics of operation, however.
Despite these blades’ ridiculously light weight, their overall build feels tough. There’s no wiggle in the blade housing, the lockback is rock solid, and opening/closing is tight and smooth.
Performance
When I pulled the Gerber LST knives out of their packages, I had my doubts. They seemed almost too light and flimsy. I honestly expected that they would fall apart after a few weeks of use.
I was incorrect. These blades have been reliable throughout the first month, showing no signs of failure. The lockback, opening mechanism, and stability of the blades have stayed consistent and smooth despite hundreds of uses.
The handle design is slim but efficient. A little bit of texture and contouring goes a long way here for secure handling.
The blade is slim and precise, ideal for light-duty slicing and cutting. The drop-point on the bigger model makes stabby work difficult (like puncturing fabric), but you’ll murder fishing line, cardboard, twine, light rope, and similar such things.
Portability is excellent with both of these blades. They are so slim and lightweight you can stash them in any available pocket and barley notice them.
The removable clip is plenty sturdy as well. I have it clipped to my hoodie pocket here while I am out and about, It’s perfect for clipping into a jeans pocket or a bag slot.
The LST Mini surprised me with its performance. It seems like a gimmick at its tiny size, but it perfectly replicates all the hardware and build elements of its bigger brother to perform equally well.
You’ll start to see some compromises in what you can do with that little blade, but the performance is good enough to warrant some time in my EDC. It dissappears into my pocket or bag. The blade is plenty sharp and sturdy enough for cutting smallish things. This is a great package opener.
If there is one issue I have had with either blade, it is with the opening mechanism. There’s a strong spring that keeps the knife closed until you pull the blade to past the 90 degree mark as shown below. Then it clicks in place, and you can pull it all the way open to engage the lockback.
If you don’t get it to that 90 degree point and it slips, the blade springs back close… and you may get yourself a lil’ memento for trying to open it one handed.
Lesson learned on that one. Just use both hands to open and close the knife and you’ll be fine. This may be something to consider if you’re getting a knife like this for your kids, though. It is definitely not a casual fidget flipper.
Other than that I have no complaints. These two blades have been sharp, smooth, tough & very serviceable so far!
Final thoughts
After testing a few more advanced pocket knives lately, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Gerber LST blades during my brief time with them. Are they super fancy? No… but they are great EDC options for light duty operations at a great price. They’re very portable, easy to sharpen, and feel very durable & consistent with regular use. You also won’t cry if you lose one since you can pick up a replacement (or backups in several different colors!) on the cheap.
What I like about Gerber LST series knives
- Deceptively sturdy
- Absurdly lightweight and stowable
- Consistent performance
- Easy to sharpen
What needs to be improved?
- Not good for one-handed opening
- Watch your digits when closing the blade!
Price: $26.99 for the standard LST, $15.99 for the Mini
Where to buy: Visit the Gerber Gear web site!
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.
Check out these other knife reviews!
- Gerber MiniSada 3.13″ folding knife review – a budget blade under $50
- Benchmade Adira knife review – Sitting on the dock of the bay in Magnacut, baby!
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