Gerber Streamlined Its Most Iconic Keychain Multi-Tool … But Is It Actually Better?

The stripped-down Shard DT offers fewer functions than its predecessor. Then again, numbers aren’t everything.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published April 16, 2025

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Updated April 16, 2025

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In the rock world, it’s always tough to follow up a smash hit first album.

Yes, you generally have more resources but also more pressure and more people to please, which leads to a slicker sound with better production values but less of the raw energy that made the first record so charming.

gerber shard dt full — The Shard DT focuses on three key functions: bottle opener, package opener and Phillips head screwdriver.

I’m reminded of this sophomore slump-ish predicament while beholding Gerber’s new Shard DT, the brand’s follow-up to the funky, chunky and beloved Shard.

In the past, Gear Patrol editors have saluted this unique doohickey for usurping a knife as an essential everyday tool.

With less than half as many advertised functions, is its sleek sequel superior — or destined to be the multi-tool equivalent of The Darkness’s One Way Ticket to Hell … And Back? Let’s examine.

Function fallacy

For the record, the original Shard (now $7) claims seven functions: pry bar, small and large flathead screwdrivers, cross (aka Phillips head) driver, wire stripper, lanyard hole and bottle opener.

In reality, “lanyard hole” is kinda b.s. (it’s just something to attach the Shard to a keychain), but Gerber doesn’t mention that it can totally open packages, too, leaving the overall function number the same.

The $10 Shard DT, by contrast, promises just three: cross driver, package opener and bottle opener.

gerber shard dt package opener — Like just about anything with a thin but sturdy edge, the DT can cut through package tape without trouble.

On the surface, then, it seems like you are paying a bit more for something that maybe looks a bit cooler but actually does much less. What’s the appeal?

Before rushing to judgment, it’s worth noting that in his ode to the Shard, former GP editor Eric Limer pointed out that from an everyday use standpoint, the Shard really leans on just three functions: the bottle opener, the Phillips head screwdriver and the package opener.

Perhaps Gerber’s designers read Limer’s story because they streamlined the Shard DT to focus on … those exact three.

gerber shard dt varieties — Green mountains, red leafy camo and a silver fish are just three of the DT’s nine total aesthetic treatments.

Measuring 2.5 inches and weighing just an ounce, the Shard DT should sit quite nicely on your keychain and ride smoothly in your pocket.

Yes, it lacks the protruding edges that give the Shard its personality, but that also leaves it less likely to give your pants an odd bulge or even poke a hole in them.

I personally believe I’d miss the flathead driver capability; the wire stripper, not so much.

gerber shard dt screwdriver — As with many keychain multi-tools, the cross driver may struggle with bigger screws but should suffice in a pinch.

I’m also pretty sure that with a bit of practice and patience, you could realistically open a can of paint with the Shard DT.

One last point in its favor? It comes in a wide variety of colors and styles (many of which appear on this page), enabling it to take on a personality all its own.

Sophomore slump be damned.