For at least a few years now, Gerber has been growing a collection of knives and multitools aimed specifically at campers. Now it corrals several of those handy camp tools into the Around Camp Kit. The new-for-2023 package makes it a little easier to stock your camp kitchen or picnic basket, bringing together a pair of handy multitools and a mini-cleaver. It won't pitch the tent for you, but it'll help with the equally important tasks of popping the first beer or wine and cooking dinner.
The Around Camp Kit is based around two of the camp-friendly multitools Gerber has introduced over the past few years. The Armbar Cork is the figurative and literal twist on the Armbar series, mixing a vino-accompanying waiter's corkscrew with lever arm and foil cutter into a slim, eight-tool handle that also includes a one-handed 2.5-in blade with frame lock, spring-loaded scissors, pry bar, hammer edge, can/package opener, and bottle opener. The compact tool is readily pocketable for use beyond camp.
We're a little surprised that Gerber didn't go with the more camp-specific Stake Out multitool for this particular kit, but a corkscrew is one of those gadgets that's easy to forget when packing and devastating to find missing on a camping trip. We're sure the Armbar Cork will be very much appreciated.
The other multitool in the Around Camp Kit is also food-and-beverage specific. The ComplEAT includes four individual tools that stack together in one slim package. The fork and spoon are self-explanatory, while the dual-edge spatula features both serrated and smooth silicone edges. The spatula also teams with either the fork or spoon to create a pair of tongs for flipping meat or pulling food off the grill. And the final tool like a basic bottle/can opener, but it also includes a vegetable peeler and package opener.
To round out the kit and give campers more cutting and chopping power than can be garnered from a pocket knife, Gerber adds in the Tri-Tip mini cleaver. The dual-bladed cleaver combines a beveled leading edge for scraping duties with a fine-edge main blade for cutting tasks. The machined aluminum handle is textured for improved grip.
We like that Gerber's kit is simple and compact enough for various types of activities, from basic car camping, to overlanding, to lightweight camping styles like backpacking and canoe camping. One miss for us is the lack of a carry case to really tie the three tools together into a single grab-and-go kit. But the $100 price tag saves buyers $27 of the retail price of buying the three tools individually, so that's probably enough of a reason for many campers to add it to their gear closets. We're certainly considering putting it on our Father's Day wish list.
Source: Gerber
