Always be ready for adventure

Presented in partnership with Gerber Gear.

I have a personal motto that loosely goes something like Always Be Prepared. I don’t mean that in a doomsday, build-an-underground-bunker way. Actually, more like always-keep-a-bathing suit, hiking shoes, or a backpack in the car. Or bring a hammock on a camping trip even though you live in the desert. There may be a hang opportunity! 

Maybe it should be more like Always Be Prepared for Adventure. That’s a bit more on-course. And that’s what led me to check out Gerber Gear’s 'More Than Ready' collection—a curated assortment of tools specific for a range of tasks but collectively covering any adventure life dishes out.

I got my hands on a few of these tools and wanted to share how I would personally use and recommend each one. As a professional photographer who travels the world for work, I capture images of hotels, resorts, adventure lifestyles, and outdoor products. I'm constantly on the move, always in new locations, and require tools that can keep up with me. 

When I'm not working, I'm usually camping in a tent, backpacking, or mountain biking. I'm also an avid fisherman and enjoy overlanding (lite) on my road trips. So, let's dive into these Gerber tools and find out which kit they're best suited for.

The Armbar Scout

The Armbar Scout is a compact, lightweight multi-tool that is great for pretty much anything.  Take it camping, add it to your road trip emergency kit, or just keep it handy as an everyday carry. The Armbar Scout has a 2.5" plain-edge blade with a frame lock, pry bar, bottle opener, hammer, spring-loaded scissors, can/package opener, and a saw.

The Armbar Scout is best used for car camping, backpacking, fishing, mountain biking, road tripping, and everyday carry.

The Stake Out

The Stake Out hosts all the small tools you need around the campsite packed into one place. The basics are all there: a 2.2” blade, scissors, a bottle opener, and a saw. What makes this tool super unique are the additional goodies: an awl, ruler, tweezers, file, Ferro rod striker, and a dedicated tent stake pull. Ever tried to pull a tent stake out of solid ground on a super chilly or wet morning? Not fun. With this little guy in your kit, never again! Use the tool to grip the stake, making it much easier to pull it out of the ground. I also love the integrated carabiner that makes it really easy to clip and go.

The Stake Out is best used for car camping.

The Zilch

The Zilch is meant to be forgotten. Well, until you need it. This lightweight folding knife has a slender design and easily slips into any pocket. It has a drop point blade, two deployment options, a lanyard hole, and a pocket clip. The grip's shape, size, and texture are sturdy and very comfortable making this knife a daily carry for me.

The Zilch is best used for everyday carry, car camping, backpacking, and fishing.

The Devour

The Devour is a slice of lightweight magic that solves many of the problems we didn’t even know we had when it comes to backcountry cooking and eating. At first glance, it just seems like a well-built, hyperlight eating utensil, but this tool has so many features. The Devour features a spoon and fork design to eat different types of food. The head has a long flat edge for scraping food, either for eating or cleaning. 

The shaft is long enough to comfortably eat out of a backpacking food bag without getting your hands gooey. The 6-in-one clip includes a kickstand design that keeps the eating side of the Devour off the ground/rock/log it's resting on. It also has a pry bar, two flat head edges, a can opener, a package opener, and a bottle opener. It weighs less than 1 oz with all of these awesome features!

The Zilch is best used for backpacking and car camping.

The Gerber Ultimate

The Gerber Ultimate is, well, as the name implies, the ultimate survival knife. It’s the real deal. The holy grail. The one that will save your life if it comes down to it. You can use it for protection, to chop wood, to start a fire, or whistle for help in an emergency. It’s designed to keep you safe, warm, and comfortable in the great outdoors. 

The Ultimate feels great in your hand. It's  well-balanced, doesn't weigh you down, and has an amazing grip. It features a half-serrated drop point blade, a textured rubber grip, and a steel hammer pommel with a fire striker. The included sheath has a fire striking edge, a sharpening stone, and an emergency whistle built in.

The Ultimate is best used for survival, backpacking, car camping, and hunting.

The Pack Hatchet

The Pack Hatchet is a compact axe with some super cool features. For starters, the feel of this is just spot on. It has an extremely comfortable grip with finger grooves etched into the handle for finer control, making it easy to handle. The balance is perfect thanks to its full tang design, and the blade sheath can be mounted on a pack or to a belt. It’s an awesome tool that is definitely a permanent resident in my car camping and overland kit.

The Pack Hatchet is best used for car camping, overlanding, hunting, and backpacking.

A bit about Gerber Gear 

Gerber Gear makes a range of cool products, from knives and multi-tools to axes and machetes, that are made with the needs of explorers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts in mind. Their dedication to quality sets them apart from the competition and is why they've been leading the industry since 1939. Each tool is made with precision and care from premium materials to ensure durability, dependability, and longevity. Their tools are versatile and built to last.

Learn how to choose a knife to address your camping and outdoor recreational needs in this interview with industrial design manager Seth Jaramus.