SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs 
The Gerber Octane Multi-Tool features a pair of pliers and a wire cutter, in addition to a partially serrated, full-sized stainless steel locking knife blade, a Phillips-head screwdriver, 2 standard screwdrivers, pry bar, plastic retail packaging opener, and a bottle opener. This is a great selection of tools and has already proved to be quite handy for me around the house and by the BBQ, never mind the great outdoors.
One of the features I like best about the Octane is the way in which the plier heads collapse into the body of the tool, making it easier to store in a backpack pocket.
If you look closely at this photo, you’ll see that there are a pair of black sliders on the sides of the grips. When you depress the aluminum buttons on them, they release the plier head so that it can slide down into the handle for easy storage. If you depress the buttons and slide them up, the plier head comes out and locks into position, where it can be used safely.
I also like the ease with which the smaller tools on the Octane can be opened. I keep my fingernails short to play the violin (didn’t know that, huh?), so opening blades that have knife-style fingernail indentations can be hard for me. This isn’t a problem on the Octane, which has little metal nubs on each tool that make it easier to extract from the grip. You can see these near the base of each screwdriver in the top photo above. I think it’s a great design feature, that makes this an easy tool to use for a variety of functions and environments. Weight 5.3 oz.
Disclosure: The author received a sample multi-tool for this review.
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It looks as good as my Leatherman Juice, which has yet to see trail time due to its weight. It only comes along for car trips and hotel stays since it has a corkscrew.
It is on my gear I wish I never bought list.
I carry a Juice CS4 and it is heavy but I demand scissors, wood saw, pliers and knife as a minimum and lightweight pocket tools that meet these requirements are scarce.
I have an old leatherman that had a scale (ruler) etched on the side. One of the early ones from years ago…
The design has good pliers but no scissors. The other tools are very tough to unlock in winter but fortunately I haven't needed any of those yet.
All I really want is a short blade, pliers and scissors that are a comparable size to the pliers.
If there was a design with the scisscors and the pliers both being actuated by the handles that would be perfect.
My winter gear repair is duct tape, various sizes of electrical tie wraps, the leatherman pliers, the leatherman awl, and the medical scissors in the 1st aid kit.