Customer Reviews

Gerber 08239 MP800 Legend Multitool

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a building superintendent, I wear a multi-tool every day on my belt, and use it often. I was really looking foward to getting the Gerber because it offered two main features that I wanted - a one-handed opening blade, and tools that all lock open. With all the multi-tools being manufactured today, it's amazing how few offer these two crucial (for me) features in a single tool. The Gerber Legend is the only tool I'm aware of that has both a one handed opening blade and tools that all lock open. If anyone reading this knows of another tool that has both these features, please let me know.

Let me first say that Gerber has made many great innovations with this tool. The rotateable/replaceable inserts for the wire cutters is a great idea, along with the replaceable jigsaw blade and the spring-loaded pliars. Having said that, I'll organize my review into two categories - Major Mistakes and Niggles.

Major Mistakes - The pliars don't open wide enough. The very tips of the needle-nose pliars don't even make it an inch apart---15/16ths to be exact. To get into the teeth of the pliars, you need to be 5/8ths inch or smaller! Compare these numbers with the Leatherman Super Tool's 1 3/4" opening at the tips and a full inch-plus at the teeth. I feel that the small opening of the Gerber pliars will disappoint many people - you simply won't be able to grab a lot of stuff you'd expect to be able to. Personally, if I can't take off a shower-head or fawcet aerator with it, that's much of the usefulness of the pliars gone right there. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when (seemingly) this could have easily been engineered differently.

Some tools are difficult to open. The phillips screwdriver recesses too far in the tool when you close it fully, making the nail catch impossible to get at. Luckily, the tip of my pinky finger is small enough to get in there and pull it out by the tip. But I know plenty of guys for whom this would be impossible to open. Ditto for the file/large flatblade...it has a thumb-nail catch...but when you close it fully it gets completely recessed behind the other flat-blade screwdrivers! And I mean totally! If your hands are greasy or sweaty (which is a lot on the job) you're not getting it out without taking all the other stuff out first. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when this is so easily fixed - there's loads of room there for a nice accessable nail catch.

Niggles - The rubber grips are stickers and one came out on the second day of use. Why put them at all? Why not just cast the knurled surface into the handles? The finish of the tool is nowhere near the finish of a leatherman. Casting marks are evident on the handles, the thumb-studs are inserted and then impacted from the other side to hold them in place (which may be a very strong and lasting (time will tell) and cost-effective way to assemble but is ugly and cheap-looking. The jigsaw blade is held in place by a small metal clip that doesn't look like it will withstand much abuse (time will tell with this too).

It's a shame I couldn't give this tool a better review. It's got a lot of stuff going for it...light weight, innovation, and a great locking system that's easy to use. I really wanted to like it but the pliars thing is so major...I'm going to need to replace it eventually just for that 'cause it doesn't pay to carry the thing around if I can't grab stuff with it. Make me one with the fit and finish of a Leatherman and fix the other simple stuff and you've got it.

Pros: The wire cutters are tough! What's more, they're replaceable. This was the major reason I purchased these pliers. My old Gerber Multi-Plier wire cutters had received so many nicks in that it was no longer doing the job. With the Legend, I'm able to rotate the blades three times and, when the time comes, simply replace them. The replaceable hack saw blade is a nifty feature. It's easily replaced and can accept a variety of saw blades.

Cons: Sadly, these outweigh the pros. The pliers are the biggest disappointment. The jaws have a much smaller opening then the Gerber Multi-Plier I previously owned. Several common pliers chores I used my old Gerber for are not doable or awkward with the Legend. The handle is not comfortable when using the pliers. I have relatively large hands, but the handles' gap is too wide for a comfy grip. Their angle is such that my hand tends to slip toward the front when I'm gripping them. The tool locks, which work great for locking the assorted tools in place, are very uncomfortable when exerting pressure on the handles. After having the original Gerber Multi-Plier for a number of years, I really miss the one-handed opening of the pliers.

Perhaps the best summation of the Legend is that I threw it in a drawer several weeks ago and went back to my old Gerber Multi-Plier (even with its bad wire cutters).

I have three multitools - and I think I need them all since none of them do everything. In order of preference:

1. The Swiss Tool RS (Rescue and Survival)
2. This one - the Gerber Legend 800
3. The Gerber Pro Scout - stays on the boat.

Of the first two (Swiss Tool and Gerber Legend), the Legend is probably a better design but not nearly as well executed as the Swiss Tool. The Swiss Tool is a thing of beauty, its build like a watch. The blades are much higher quality - same as you find on a swiss army knife. The Legend is a better design - the one handed opening would be huge on the swiss tool but the Legend's execution is just not to the same level as the swiss tool. I'm getting a tiny wear mark on the scissors from the way they store in the tool plus the locks can be painful if you have to use the knife and really bear down.

I like this tool (Legend) for around the house projects. I especially like the one handed opening of the knife and scissors. Doesn't seem like much, but when you have what you need to cut in one hand, and you get your tool out with the other - it is incredibly useful.

Pros:
+ One handed opening.
+ strong, strong, strong pliers.
+ Great wire cutters. Excellent that they allow replacing the cutting edge. In my experience, this is where most multitools die when the edges get pitted and nicked.
+ good blade set of screwdrivers - 3 slotted, one phillips.
+ don't need to open tool to open blades.
+ Blades all lock in place.
+ nice scissors
+ spring loaded pliers - again very nice when you use them.

Cons
- pliers don't open wide enough,
- Case just doesn't cut it. Its cheap and I am constantly hooking the cover on things since it protrudes. Plan on finding another (not an easy task). This is a major beef.
- I don't like serrated blades for most uses. They are hard to sharpen - so you don't and they get dull. This one has a blade that is half straight edge, half serrated - neither fish nor fowl. This and the case are my major issues with this tool.
- no ruler (?!)
- saw seems like a good idea, but i would hate to cut anything of substance with it.
- Its a large tool, so it can be a bit of a handful.

The fit and finish of the swiss tool is superior as is the blade combination and quality. The swiss tool is heavier and longer. However it doesn't have one hand opening. Between these two, I have everything I need.

Boy, I've had a love-hate relationship with my Gerber Legend 800! When I got the Gerber it was by far the best multitool I had ever used. It blew away my 80s vintage SOGs, Leathermen, swiss army knives and such. I'had the Gerber from 2002 to 2005 and used it intensively most of that time. If I hadn't lost it I would be using it still. The two tools I've used since (Leatherman Charge Ti and Victorinox SwissTool Spirit) are far better designed and show the Gerbers problems. Even so - there are still things about it that nothing else matches and I sometimes find myself wishing I had the big Gerber in those situations that favor it:

Hots:
Best pliers for detail work in the multi-tool world. As far as I know this is the only springloaded pliers on a multitool anywhere. They are beefy - no sideways wiggle here - and because they open themselves you use them with your whole hand (no back gripping on the inside with the pinky finger to open them like you have to do with every other pliers). This unique aspect makes them much more comfortable and useable for a multitude of tasks. I respect the spotlight review that complained about these not opening up enough for common plumbing - maybe so - but for detail work they have no equal. The wirecutter blade inserts are great too and make you wonder why everyone doesn't do this. Not only are the replaceable wirecutter blades good for inspiring confidence that if you ruin the edge with some hard wire you have recourse - the carbide blades actually do a really job of cutting hard wire - better than any other multitool.

Also - all the tools lock securely - no pinching - and the tools don't open up accidentally by themselves either. The lock mechanism is smooth and easy to employ.

Finally - I really like the one hand opening knife and scissors. As far as I know this is the only one hand opening scissors in the business - and since the scissors is such a commonly used tool this is a great and commonly used feature. One hand opening blade is so essential that once you've had it it's hard to go back.

What's less than hot:
The scissors spring is stiff to operate and there's no thumbpad. Your thumb just bears down on the edge of the scissors - and it hurts in extended use. The spring mechanism is a bent wire - a bit crude. The scissors are nice and sharp - but considering that Gerbers is Fiskars I was expecting better.

The knife is a nice clip point but it's half straight and half serrated. The principle competition (Leatherman's Charge) has both a smooth clip point and a separate serrated - so this feels like a halfway effort. In use, however, it's fine.

The "Remgrit" saw is useless except for tile. Forget using it on wood - it has grit - not teeth. The saving grace is that the saw is designed to take jigsaw blades - which at first glance seems brilliant. In practice it turns out that there isn't really a true standard for jigsaw blade socket designs and many don't fit here. The other issue is that jigsaws are power tools and this is a hand saw. I never did find a jigsaw blade that was even close in functionality to the saws on Victorinox or Leatherman's offerings. I actually ended up drilling holes in bosch jigsaw blades to make them fit the Gerber, because I felt they came closest - but were much more fragile.

The phillips head screwdriver is the adapter for the bit kit. It's a pretty stubby driver and doesn't fit into too many recessed places. The bit kit takes standard bits - a big plus. However the bit holder doesn't mate securely with the phillips head and tends to slip - or drop bits - in use. Also the bit kig comes with a case that's too small to hold the Legend (it's meant for a smaller model). Since no one makes a case that holds both the legend and the bit kit - the kit often gets left behind. BTW - the bit kit rusts up pretty badly too.

The file is OK - but isn't as sharp as the one on the Leatherman or Victorinox. The Leatherman Charge's file has a soft diamond side for nails as well - a nice touch.

The tools are poorly laid out. The thumb catches on the little flathead, phillips head, and file are all completely impossible to use because they are hidden behind other tools. This is just sloppy engineering. The tools open beautifully by themselves - something that older multitools had real problems with - but you end up having to open adjacent tools anyway - just be able to reach the ones you need.

The grippy side panels are rubber adhesive stickers that come off. This didn't bother me much - but it was a silly decision.

The locking mechanism digs into your palms in certain grips.

The handles are made of aluminum which is supposed to make them light. However, to make them strong Gerber had to make the handles big and thick. This makes the tool very large in the hand. For big handed guys like me this is great - but there are no weight savings here. I have to question the engineering choice of using Aluminum handles since I have come to appreciate the slim elegance of Victorinox's Swisstool Spirit (that uses sleek mirror finished stainless handles) and the Leatherman Charge Ti (which uses sleek and rugged titanium handles).

Finally - and fatally for me - the case is nylon with velcro which doesn't last and has some stitching durability issues. That's how I ended up losing mine. one day it just came off my belt - the beltloop stiching gave way. I didn't notice it until I got home, sadly.

I know I just gave a long list of gripes but when I add it up in my head in the end I have to say that Gerber is one of the best multitools out there. It's rough and tough and covers almost all the bases and while it has a few rough edges it also has a few standout points. However, given the cost and knowing what I know now I'd probably buy either the Victorinox Spirit or Leatherman Charge Ti (or Wave) first - but not by a wide margin. If you use a pliers for detail work with regularity - this might be the one for you warts and all.

I have owned a Gerber Multitool for quite a while now. I have always preferred the to the Leatherman but that is just my personal opinion.

This Gerber has replaceable wire cutting inserts to ensure a longer life and better cuts. The older Gerber's would only cut wires for a short time before they became damaged. The Gerber Legend is designed for the handyman who has to do a little bit of everything. I admit it is a more expensive then some of the other models but for what I use it for I think it was worth the investment. I give this one 5 stars.

I often work in difficult spots that can be described as cramped and inaccessible, and often at an elevated position. This multi-tool has made the difference for me because of the quality of the tool components and the fact that you can open this tool with one hand.

I have used it to cut and strip wires, open enclosures, adjust potentiometers, terminate wires, crimp butt connectors, hammer, pry, tighten nominal pipe thread fittings, file plastic shavings for clearance, adjust switches and tighten up casings. I have even used it as an electrical jumper to simulate a low DC voltage discrete input (not recommended for safety issues). These things I did with one hand, hanging from a shaky ladder and under a lot of pressure from the client and the competition.

As an added comment to this review, just today I broke the knife blade and the rubber-like grips have started to come off.

The blade, thats my fault and I only present it to you as a warning - it is not meant to pry with.

The handles are Gerber's fault and I think they should be revmoved from the next model.

Like most of the other reviewers here, I too looked at several options before buying the Legend. The design is a bit fussier than the wave but you can tell a lot more design went into it. It feels on the heavy side and also a bit larger than the competition but when you hold one and feel how solidly everything clicks into place you know the extra money is getting you a lot of tool.
I agree that the pliers could open wider so I machined mine to make it so. The difference it makes just by removing a small bit of steel makes the whole thing 100% perfect. My pliers opens wider altogether but more importantly it now opens to a usable width without my hand being at full stretch, meaning I can grip more powerfully. It's just a shame Gerber didn't think of the same mod.
Buy one - you won't be disappointed.

I bought this for my boyfriend and promptly returned it. I was getting it for him to replace his lost 600. The things that we did not like about this tool were:
1) cheesy black grippy things that looked like they were going to come off if wet, and
2) you can't do the cool thing where you hold the multitool, flick your wrist, and the pliers extend with a satisfying little snap!
It's also a bit larger than the 600, so unless you have big pockets or don't care about size, you might want to go for the more compact 600.

Very rugged multi, with the right add-ons.
I've used one of these for some time, and as a professional firefighter, it has seen extremely brutal use and survived with no damage.
It certainly lives up to it's reputation as a solidly built, long lasting multi. The small bits are stored neatly into the nylon belt pouch provided, and the blades keep a keen edge.
I don't go out on fire calls without it!

As a building superintendent, I wear a multi-tool every day on my belt, and use it often. I was really looking foward to getting the Gerber because it offered two main features that I wanted - a one-handed opening blade, and tools that all lock open. With all the multi-tools being manufactured today, it's amazing how few offer these two crucial (for me) features in a single tool. The Gerber Legend is the only tool I'm aware of that has both a one handed opening blade and tools that all lock open. If anyone reading this knows of another tool that has both these features, please let me know.

Let me first say that Gerber has made many great innovations with this tool. The rotateable/replaceable inserts for the wire cutters is a great idea, along with the replaceable jigsaw blade and the spring-loaded pliars. Having said that, I'll organize my review into two categories - Major Mistakes and Niggles.

Major Mistakes - The pliars don't open wide enough. The very tips of the needle-nose pliars don't even make it an inch apart---15/16ths to be exact. To get into the teeth of the pliars, you need to be 5/8ths inch or smaller! Compare these numbers with the Leatherman Super Tool's 1 3/4" opening at the tips and a full inch-plus at the teeth. I feel that the small opening of the Gerber pliars will disappoint many people - you simply won't be able to grab a lot of stuff you'd expect to be able to. Personally, if I can't take off a shower-head or fawcet aerator with it, that's much of the usefulness of the pliars gone right there. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when (seemingly) this could have easily been engineered differently.

Some tools are difficult to open. The phillips screwdriver recesses too far in the tool when you close it fully, making the nail catch impossible to get at. Luckily, the tip of my pinky finger is small enough to get in there and pull it out. But I know plenty of guys for whom this would be impossible to open. Ditto for the file/large flatblade...it has a thumb-nail catch...but when you close it fully it gets completely recessed behind the other flat-blade screwdrivers! And I mean totally! If your hands are greasy or sweaty (which is a lot on the job) you're not getting it out without taking all the other stuff out first. Major, major mistake on Gerber's part, especially when this is so easily fixed - there's loads of room there for a nice accessable nail catch.

Niggles - The rubber grips are stickers and one came out on the second day of use. Why put them at all? Why not just cast the knurled surface into the handles? The finish of the tool is nowhere near the finish of a leatherman. Casting marks are evident on the handles, the thumb-studs are inserted and then impacted from the other side to hold them in place (which may be a very strong and lasting (time will tell) and cost-effective way to assemble but is ugly and cheap-looking. The jigsaw blade is held in place by a small metal clip that doesn't look like it will withstand much abuse (time will tell with this too).

It's a shame I couldn't give this tool a better review. It's got a lot of stuff going for it...light weight, innovation, and a great locking system that's easy to use. I really wanted to like it but the pliars thing is so major...I'm going to need to replace it eventually just for that 'cause it doesn't pay to carry the thing around if I can't grab stuff with it. Make me one with the fit and finish of a Leatherman and fix the other simple stuff and you've got it.