Gerber Suspension NXT Multitool Review

A Useful Workhorse With Real Limits

I am not gentle on multitools, and I don’t pretend they are something they’re not. A multitool is a compromise by design. It trades specialization for convenience. The question is not whether it can replace real tools. It can’t. The question is whether it earns its space in your pocket, bag, or truck.

The Gerber Suspension NXT sits right in the middle of that debate.

I’ve carried and used a lot of multitools over the years, including several from Gerber, Leatherman, and SOG. The Suspension NXT is Gerber’s modernized take on a spring-loaded, budget-friendly, full-size multitool. On paper, it offers a lot. In real use, it delivers in some areas and falls short in others.

First Impressions and Carry

Out of the box, the Suspension NXT feels lighter than it looks. It has some heft, but it is not brick heavy like older generation multitools. The spring loaded pliers immediately stand out. If you use pliers often, this matters more than people admit. Fatigue sets in fast with non spring tools, and Gerber got this part right.

Pocket carry is acceptable, but not ideal. The included pocket clip helps, but this is still a full size multitool. In jeans or work pants, it is manageable. In athletic shorts or lighter clothing, it becomes noticeable fast. Personally, I prefer carrying it in a pouch, backpack, or glove box rather than a front pocket.

Tool Layout and Ease of Use

All tools are externally accessible, which is a big win. You do not have to open the pliers to access the blade, drivers, or other implements. That alone puts it ahead of many budget multitools.

That said, most tools are still realistically two handed. You can open the pliers one handed with practice thanks to the spring action, but this is not a one-handed friendly multitool in the way modern folding knives are.

The locking system works, but it is not refined. Under clean, dry conditions, it is fine. Once dirt, moisture, or food residue enters the mechanism, the locks become noticeably stiff. This is not something you want to discover mid task.

The Blade Reality

The blade is sharp out of the box and the serrations do help with rope, hose, and fibrous material. For utilitarian cutting, it performs well.

For food prep, it does not.

The blade is short, awkward, and uncomfortable for sustained slicing. It will cut meat, vegetables, and bread if you absolutely need it to, but this is a last resort situation. The lock also becomes noticeably harder to disengage once wet or dirty, which makes repeated use frustrating.

This is not a culinary tool, and pretending it is does the multitool no favors.

Where the Suspension NXT Shines

This multitool makes sense when you stop judging it like a knife and start judging it like a toolbox.

The pliers are solid.
Wire stripping works extremely well.
Snipping zip ties, cutting wire, scraping, prying, and light leverage tasks are exactly where this tool earns its keep.
The screwdriver is genuinely useful and one of the better integrated drivers in this price range.

This is the kind of multitool that solves annoying problems quickly. Loose screws, stripped wire, stubborn packaging, bent metal, stuck fasteners. That is its world.

Durability and the Line You Should Not Cross

Here’s the uncomfortable truth.

The Suspension NXT is tougher than it feels, but it is not indestructible.

Under extreme misuse, specifically batoning and heavy impact tasks that no multitool should be used for, internal components can fail. Once that happens, the locking system can be compromised and the tool loses much of its usefulness.

This is not a design flaw so much as a reality check. A multitool is not an axe, not a pry bar, and not a baton. If you treat it like one, you will eventually break something.

Within reasonable use, the tool holds up well. Beyond that, you are on borrowed time.

Real World Verdict

The Gerber Suspension NXT is not perfect. It is not refined. It is not elegant. And it is definitely not a replacement for real tools.

But it is useful.

If you want a budget-friendly multitool with spring loaded pliers, a solid driver, and a wide range of everyday utility functions, this one delivers real value. It shines in work scenarios, roadside fixes, light construction tasks, and general problem solving.

If you expect it to perform like a dedicated knife, survive abuse meant for fixed blades, or replace proper tools, you will be disappointed.

Used correctly, the Suspension NXT earns its place.

Who This Multitool Is For

This is a good choice if you want:
A glove box multitool
A work bag backup tool
A camping or fishing utility multitool
A budget friendly pliers first EDC option

This is not the right tool if you want:
A food prep capable blade
A one handed, fidget friendly multitool
A heavy duty survival tool

Final Take

The Gerber Suspension NXT is a classic multitool in the modern sense. Practical, affordable, and imperfect.

It will not impress knife snobs.
It will not survive abuse meant for axes.
But when something breaks, loosens, bends, or needs fixing fast, it does exactly what a multitool is supposed to do.

And sometimes, that is more than enough.