This Multi-Tool Is in All My Emergency Go Bags and It’s on Sale Today for Black Friday

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, about a mile away from the fault that experts say is probably the region’s most dangerous. It’s hard to forget I live so close, with small shakers every few days. “Did you feel that?” must be one of the phrases I’ve uttered most frequently in my lifetime. I know I probably won’t get much of a warning before a big quake, but I can still prepare for it, which makes living close to the fault doable. 

My family and I are getting ready: We have an emergency plan, keep our car fueled up and know how to shut off our gas. But maybe the most important things we have are our go bags, also called bug-out bags. 

One necessary item I’ve included in all our go bags is a multi-tool, specifically this multi-tool by Gerber that comes with pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire cutters, a knife and more. You can drop a lot of money on a multi-tool — and some are worth it — but because both price and weight were important to me, I chose the Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini Multi-Tool. 

In addition to having bug-out bags at the ready, we keep an extensive earthquake kit in a big toy chest. With the big kit, weight isn’t really an issue and we can store enough food and water and whatever else we need to make it through a few days or even weeks. But in a go bag, each item has to be portable and essential, because weight adds up quickly.

The Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini weighs just a few ounces, fits into the palm of the hand when folded up, and maybe best of all, is on sale this Black Friday for $20, which is about 30% off what I paid for it.