The Center-Drive is available in several configurations. MOLLE and Berry-Compliant sheaths are also available. Here’s a breakdown of the MSRPs (retail prices may be lower): The pry bar is alright for its size but for a tool marketed at the construction trades you’d think they would have upped the strength a bit. The nail puller actually worked better than we expected. Most multi tool nail pullers are good enough for staples but don’t pull nails very well. Not so with the Center Drive. It was able to get underneath a standard nail and lever it up no problem. The tools it has though are well designed, sturdily built, and do exactly what they’re supposed to. The centerline screwdriver in particular is an excellent innovation on Gerber’s part. The sole exception to this is the carbide wire cutters. Gerber doesn’t seem to have figured out exactly how to get these to work without being overly brittle.

Arguably the most important piece of the Center Drive, the outside access bit driver on this tool is much longer and larger than on similar multi tools. It extends fully 3.2 in from the body of the Center Drive and has a curving shape to it that allows the bit to sit right on the axis of the tools body. Many people report that carrying the Center drive on your belt is asking for trouble. It’s one of the largest multi tools we’ve yet reviewed and it takes up a lot of real estate on your belt. We think the Gerber sheaths do a pretty good job all in all. You’re going to have to make compromises no matter how you choose to carry a multi tool of this size.When you compare what Gerber is doing with the tools included in the Center-Drive, you begin to wonder how you ever used anything else. You’re provided with two bits standard and it also has a neat little holder that attaches between the two handles. This lets you carry two standard ¼ inch screwdriver bits wherever you go. We love that Gerber went with the industry standard sizing instead of a proprietary bit size. It makes the Center Drive much more usable as a replacement screwdriver since you can use all the bits you already have on hand. What’s the much-hyped Center Drive bit driver like to use? For a multi-tool bit driver, it’s one of the best I’ve used. There are a few reasons for that. Because the bits themselves are full “3D” hex bits that you would see in a dedicated hex bit driver, I have more faith in being able to put a lot of torque into them. Also, the length of the driver’s arm and it’s center alignment does make it comfortable and natural in the hand. Finally, the bit holder is magnetized so the bits won’t drop out if you are up some scaffolding and you point the driver towards the ground. It’s a nice touch.

The Gerber Center Drive is a made in the USA multi tool built with a purpose. Unlike most of its competitors that advertise their ability to do just about anything, the Center Drive is focused on building tasks. It’s a heavy duty tool, coming in at 4.7 in long closed and weighing a hefty 9.6 oz. This isn’t a generalist tool that you’d bring with you on a camping trip.All in all the Center Drive was a tool built for a specific audience that definitely meets the needs of that audience. Most of the features on it provide daily value and time savings for contractors and others in the building trades.

As far as decoration goes, this is a nice looking tool. Gerber does a good job making their MT’s look a little more exciting than some competitor’s. I love a Leatherman SuperTool 300 but even I’ll admit it’s a drastically bland looking thing, and the fractal triangle pattern on the handle here is very neat, along with “GERBER- made is USA” etched on both sides of the handles. So if pliers, knife, and bit driver are the sort of tools you see yourself using most in your multi-tool, then this is probably the right multi-tool for you. This tool is definitely a bit beefier than the other tools on the list, and also focuses heavily on the military functions of the tools. We know that a lot of you guys are shooters and this is the perfect multitool to ensure that you never have issues when you’re shooting. For the past 6 years, I have carried around a number of different multitools and used them for every purpose under the sun. I personally carry around a Gerber Center Drive whenever I leave the house. It’s super useful, has a bunch of tools, and feels awesome in the hand.The 3 outside accessible tools on the Center Drive are what this multi-tool is all about. It’s these 3 tools that Gerber claims is where their innovation in multi-tools is. The main tool of most multi-tools are the pliers and in this case, the pliers are one-hand opening pliers. The pliers have a flat gripping section and a nut and bolt gripping section. The wire cutters are of the replaceable variety and have a notch for wire stripping. Having said all that, and knowing that Gerber could have done better with some of the details of the Center Drive, I still think they have done a good job here. The outside accessible main tools on the Center Drive are well designed and appear well made. The pliers work well and the blade is a good size and sharp enough. And, the long handled hex bit holder feature tool is the best version of this tool on any multi-tool. Don’t forget to buy the hex bit kit to make the most of the bit holder function. It’s a hefty, hard use tool that can stand up to heavy duty demands. If you’re someone who frequently needs a toolbox on your belt the Center Drive should get some serious consideration.

In keeping with the rest of the tools on the Center Drive Gerber decided to go big with the knife blade. Made of 420HC stainless steel, the main blade on the Center Drive is a 3.25 in long straight blade that opens externally. This is a serious blade. It comes sharp from the factory and is large enough to replace your current folding knife without issue. The rest of the tools on the Center Drive are all contained in the interior of the handles. The bottle opener, pry bar, and nail puller are all made up of a single piece. The bottle opener works well in that it opens bottles.

With the Center Drive Gerber tried to shake up the heavy duty multi tool market. From everything we’ve seen so far, they succeeded. The Center Drive is an odd looking tool there’s no getting around that. It also includes fewer tools than you would expect on a tool its size. There was a lot of fanfare on the release of Gerber’s Center Drive multi-tool. Gerber themselves made a big deal about it being a revolutionary new type of multi-tool with one-handed opening and it’s long-handled hex bit driver. And so did the multi-tool enthusiast’s community who were keen to see whether Gerber could move the multi-tool design and functional game along. Could they build a great multi-tool that would convert some of us Multi-Tool MacGyvers away from our favorite Leatherman’s and Victorinox’s and some SOG fans as well?