Gerber Shard Review
Well, this review has some age on it at this point, and we’ve looked at some fantastic gear since then. For a more up-to-date take, check out the Best Survival Prybars & Wrecking Bars.
I’ve been using Gerber Shards as a keychain prybar multitool for over 10 years now, and share my thoughts on it below. Although it’s a simple and lightweight tool, it fits an EDC loadout perfectly and has proven to be hard to beat. There isn’t much to a Shard, but it has proven to be useful over the years I’ve been using it.
Because it’s simply a hunk of metal, I also like to add versatility to it by accessorizing it with paracord and duct tape. This makes it easier to hold (slightly improving the ergonomics, but also lets me have a bit of paracord and duct tape handy for everyday use.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»
Gerber Shard Technical Info
Here is how the Gerber Shard measures up, according to the manufacturer:
- Material: Hardened Stainless Steel
- Coating: Black Titanium Nitride
- Length: 2.75″
- Weight: 0.3 oz
- Functionality: small flat head, large flat head, Phillips driver, pry bar, wire stripper, lanyard hole, and bottle opener
- TSA Approved: able to take on flights
I’ve weighed and measured the Shard for comparison to other multitools and prybars, and can confirm the measurements provided by Gerber. I used a measuring board for the length and a small kitchen scale for the weight.
The stainless steel makes it tough and rust-proof, even though I haven’t had much wear and tear on the black titanium nitride coating over the years.
What they got right on the Gerber Shard
I have been using the Gerber Shard for several years now, as part of my EDC. This little hunk of metal is extremely useful and saves my blade plenty of tough work with the prybar. The prybar and flatheads are great for ripping through packing tape, prying nails, and conveniently dealing with screws.
The prybar is the tool I find myself using the most, even if it is just to leverage through some packaging tape in place of a utility knife. It’s not sharp, but it’s pointy enough to scrape wood, cut tape, and do plenty of other common tasks.
I do not use the bottle opener as often, but it works great when I do use it. The lanyard hole makes the Gerber Shard easy to tote around on a keychain, which is where I keep mine. The Phillips head driver works great also, if you are lucky enough to have a Phillips screw the same size and easily accessible.
What they got wrong on the Gerber Shard
The one piece of functionality that is not the greatest on the Gerber Shard is the wire stripper. It may work if you have no other tools, but a knife or actual wire stripper with a blade works much, much better- especially in wires with thicker gauges.
It is hard to come up with other shortfalls, since the little one-piece multi-tool is great with the functionality it provides. The ergonomics of it could be considered a pitfall, but at its size and weight, that may be too much to ask of it. It has better ergonomics than other EDC pry bars I’ve tried, including the Mighty Bar.
At the low price, it’s tough to come up with legitimate complaints or areas where this tiny tool could be improved. With other simple keychain prybars costing $20, I’m just pleased with the performance compared to the cost.
My experience with the Gerber Shard
I bought the Gerber Shard on Amazon several years ago when I decided to quit carrying my Leatherman multi-tool every day. I replaced the multi-tool with the Shard and a small Swiss Army knife, and have not regretted the change to my EDC kit, since I was trying to go lighter and less obtrusive. As a key chain, I have used the Gerber Shard to open packages, handle countless flat and Phillips screws, pry nails, and open beers.
It has performed great, and is a great one-piece multi-tool for the price. I did add 550 cord and some duct tape to it for additional functionality, and of course, because it gave it a sweet tactical lumberjack look. I didn’t mind the bright color on the 550 cord since it is attached to my keys, and I am usually trying to find them rather than hoping they will blend in. I ended up with about 7″ of cord and 6″ of duct tape on it- enough for small uses.
Seven inches of paracord isn’t much, but when you consider that most paracord has at least 7 inner strands inside the woven jacket, that adds up to about 49 inches of cordage.
The way that the center of the tool is tapered helps the tape and cord stay put, and keeps them from sticking out and snagging when it goes in and out of your pockets.
Once the paracord is wrapped around the Shard, I tuck the last strand under the wrap so it doesn’t come loose. Melting the end of the paracord can also help it not unravel over time. I use the paracord and tape as a handle and only unwrap it if I really need to use the cordage or tape, but having those on hand has helped me out more than a few times.
The Verdict
The Gerber Shard is an Everyday Carry home run. It is nearly indestructible and well worth its price tag in usefulness. When paired with another multi-tool or blade, it can be the completing piece of your EDC kit. We give it away often in our giveaways and highly recommend it here at TruePrepper, and we all thoroughly enjoy ours.
Where to buy the Gerber Shard
The Gerber Shard is available in a lot of different stores, but Amazon tends to have the lowest prices. This makes it easy to pick up regardless of where you live, and if you get the Shard at another store, it makes it easy to price compare.
When you find it for less than $5, it’s on sale and worth picking up. That’s typically lower than the 30-day price and a good opportunity to strike.
Accessories for the Gerber Shard
There aren’t any accessories specifically made for the Gerber Shard, but I used these to modify mine to make it even more versatile:
You can get creative with the Shard since it is so simple, and there are plenty of keychain accessories that can also add more functional versatility to your EDC.
The Final Word
EDC prybars have experienced a resurgence over the past decade, due to the marketing of even simpler bars like The Mighty Bar. But, for a fraction of the price, I still think the Gerber Shard is the best one to buy. I have one on a keychain myself, have gifted Shards to family members, and have even included them in our TruePrepper giveaways.
It’s inexpensive, durable, has some great versatility, and can be made even more versatile with only a few extra supplies.
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
Prepping Your Way
No judgement and no imperatives. Prepare the way you want to with the trusted source millions of modern preppers have relied on.Our newsletter fires out every Monday where you can expect:
- Practical prepping guides and tips
- Thorough survival gear reviews
- Noticeably absent spam and popups
- < 0.4% of people unsubscribe
Visitor Rating: 9.5/10
Visitor Rating: 10/10
Visitor Rating: 10/10
Visitor Rating: 10/10
Visitor Rating: 2.5/10
Shard is a useless piece of crap in my opinion, the dumpster is what happened to mine! Have fun injuring your hand using yours!