Gerber Neat Freak
A critical piece of kayak fishing safety equipment is something that you can use to cut yourself free from tangles in an emergency. I used to carry a serrated saw type knife on my vest but wanted something that could also cut bait and trim line tags. So I added a Gerber Neat Freak scissors I got at the Fred Hall Show that is designed to cleanly snip braided line. Since the Neat Freak is tethered to my vest, I’d be able to cut myself out of tangles also.
I liked the construction of the Neat Freak so much, I checked Gerber’s other products online. They had a bunch of well made knives and fully loaded multi-tools I didn’t need, but then I came across a very basic multi-tool, the Crucial. It had a half serrated knife that could be opened easily with one hand, flat and phillips screwdrivers for tightening mounts on the yak, and needle nose pliers. Best of all it was made out of stainless steel so it wouldn’t rust in my vest pocket. Everything I needed to carry and nothing I didn’t, in a very compact package. I guess that’s why they named it the Crucial.
There’s a raised edge on the knife blade that allows you to flick open the blade with one hand. Very handy if you’re holding onto an overturned kayak with your other hand, and your legs are wrapped in fishing line.
Amazon Prime is currently selling the Crucial for $25 to $35 depending on the color.
Looks interesting. I carry a pair of stubby screwdrivers and a dive knife in my sling, but this looks like it could replace all three. I’ve got a Leatherman, which is pretty cool, but it’s got way too many tools i’ll never use and i don’t like its ergonomics. This one looks a little comfier in the hand. Wonder how it’ll hold up in the salt. I notice the website does not say what kind of SS it is.
Hey Jason,
The screwdriver heads are thin so I’m really careful not to strip the screws I’m tightening, or bend the heads but for light duty both the flat and phillips heads did the job. I have an old, heavy duty Leatherman I keep in the car and it’s sturdier but much harder to pull out the tools than the Crucial is. Try look for videos on how the Crucial opens up, etc.
I’ve taken the Crucial out in my life vest 3 or 4 times now and the only corrosion I’ve found was in the teeth of the needle nose pliers. There was rubbish stuck in there that corroded/discolored.
thanks,
scott
I might give it a shot. Was thinking it’d be a good gift idea, too. It’s almost that time of year.