A good multitool earns its keep on the road, in the bush or around the house. The original Gerber Suspension was a benchmark with its open butterfly frame; the Suspension-NXT is Gerber’s slimmer update for everyday carry, with 15 tools, spring-loaded pliers and a pocket clip. Ours is the black one, and it cost us $73.
What’s in the box
A 15-in-1 multitool in black-finished stainless steel, 10.8 cm long closed and 196 g, with spring-loaded needlenose pliers, a 5.7 cm combination blade, scissors, four drivers and openers. All the tools open from the outside and lock, and a deep-carry pocket clip sits on the handle. There’s no pouch or sheath.
What we like
- 15 tools, slim at 196 g
- Spring-loaded needlenose pliers
- Outside tools all lock
- Deep-carry pocket clip
- Wire stripper and scissors
What we don’t
- No pouch or sheath
- Short 5.7 cm blade
- Pliers feel slightly loose
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Gerber |
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Colour | Black |
| Weight | 196 g |
| Blade length | 5.7 cm |
| Size | 10.8 cmclosed |
| Tools | 15 |
| Features | Deep-carry pocket clip |
The 15 tools
Every tool on the Suspension-NXT, in four groups. Hover over a tool, or tap it on a phone, to see what it’s for.
Pliers
The spring-loaded needlenose pliers are our favourite feature: the spring opens the jaws for you, which saves a lot of hand fatigue on repetitive jobs like gripping, bending or stripping wire. They open in the classic Suspension butterfly style. The mechanism feels slightly loose, though, compared with pricier tools.
Blade and drivers
The 5.7 cm combination blade is plain towards the tip and serrated near the handle: short, but enough for opening packs, cutting rope or prepping food. The three flat drivers and the cross driver cover most screws on camping gear, a bike or around the shed. Every outside tool locks solid and releases with a thumb press, so nothing folds onto your fingers when you push on the blade or the awl.
Carry and build
At 196 g it’s slimmer and lighter than the old Suspension and far more comfortable in a pocket, and the deep-carry clip keeps it there, discreet and secure. The open frame stops dirt building up, and the black finish has held up well, though it will show some wear with use. There’s no pouch or belt option, which some people will miss.
Vs other multitools
We’ve reviewed three other multitools that compete for the same pocket. The Roxon M2 is smaller and lighter with driver bits and scored highest, the Bosch 16-in-1 is a bigger, cheaper full-size tool, and the Gerber Dime is a keyring-size Gerber with spring pliers too. The Suspension-NXT is the slim full-size option with a pocket clip.
This one Suspension-NXT |  Bosch 16-in-1 |  Gerber Dime |  Roxon M2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carry | Pocket clip | Pouch | Keyring size | Clip and pouch |
| ToolsTools (functions) Victorinox counts for each model. | 15 | 16 | 12 | 14 |
| Weight | 196 g | 280 g | 68 g | 132 g |
| Price paid | $73 | $32 | $38 | $44 |
| Our score | 8.7 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 9.2 |
Conclusion: Gerber Suspension-NXT MultitoolConclusion
The Gerber Suspension-NXT is a good everyday multitool for anyone who wants a full set of tools without the bulk: 15 tools that open from the outside and lock, spring-loaded needlenose pliers, a wire stripper and a deep-carry clip, in a slim 196 g frame. There’s no pouch, the blade is only 5.7 cm and the pliers feel slightly loose, but at $73 it’s a dependable tool for the pocket or the glovebox.
A slim 15-in-1 multitool for everyday carry and weekend trips.
The pliers are spring-loaded and the tools lock and open from the outside. There's no sheath, but the pocket clip makes it easy to carry.
- Everyday carry
- Tradies & DIY
- Campers
Yes. Fifteen locking tools and spring-loaded pliers in a slim 196 g frame are strong for a mid-range multitool. There’s no pouch included and the blade is only 5.7 cm.
