Like perhaps a lot of people, I oscillate between two types of camping: car camping, which allows me to bring along all the creature comforts and gear that I'd like, pretty much regardless of the weight, and backpacking/bikepacking, which requires me to count ounces and get creative with what I bring along. Both are enjoyable, but I've found the challenge of lightweight camping — and what to bring along — more stimulating for my problem-solving skills.
So when I came across Gerber's Camp Setup Kit a few months back, I was intrigued: For $100, I could get a small hatchet, multi-tool and fire starter that were all small enough to carry in my pack or bike bags. The Camp Setup Kit struck a chord with me; it was affordable, easy to pack and above all, useful. When I got it, I assumed the hatchet would be my favorite piece — but I was wrong. My favorite item was something else entirely.
The Gerber Camp Setup Kit: What We Think
When I used Gerber's Camp Setup Kit for the first time, I was surprised to find that it wasn't the hatchet, or even the multi-tool that was my favorite component — it was the Fire Starter. The ferro rod was easy to use, effective at generating a spark and so conveniently sized, I forgot I had it in my pocket. Overall, the Camp Setup Kit is as useful as it promises — with some caveats. The ergonomics of the Pack Hatchet take some getting used to, and the steel chipped after a few uses. The Stake-Out Camp multi-tool is useful, but I have other multi-tools I already own and prefer. Overall, it's a great lightweight kit, but if I had to do it over again, I would probably just get the Fire Starter on its own.
The Pack Hatchet: Handy to a Point
There's a lot to like about this pint-sized hatchet, and a few key drawbacks. At 20.6 ounces, the Pack Hatchet is easy to stow away in a backpack and forget about. I appreciate the exaggerated finger grooves — they allowed me to choke up on the handle when I was chipping away at kindling, and also provided a nice, sturdy grip for true chopping. The ergonomics of the blade threw me off, at first: the hatchet didn't want to bite into the wood in the center of the axe head, and instead, would end up with the heel caught in the wood I was trying to split. (The corner of the bit where the cutting edge begins is the toe, the corner where it ends is the heel.)
The Pack Hatchet held its edge decently, but after a few rounds of heavy chopping, it did start to show a few chips. Gerber notes on its site that the Pack Hatchet is made with "stainless steel construction", but doesn't get into specifics about the steel itself; I'm sure the hatchet would respond to a sharpening just fine, but if you've already got a small hatchet you're using, I wouldn't spring for the kit. More on that below.
The Stake Out Multi-Tool: More Than You Need
The Stake Out multi tool features 11 tools designed for setting up and breaking down camp, and all of the minor tasks in between. I appreciated details like the stake puller and integrated tweezers — campsite splinters are the worst — and found that overall, the Stake Out was pretty darn useful to have around. The carabiner allows for hands-free carry, and at 3.32 ounces, it's the perfect size for lightweight adventures.
While I appreciated the Stake Out's versatility, there were aspects I don't love. The stake puller is a nifty little tool, but it's hard to pull out and engage — you actually have to lift it away from the tool to get it around the screw, and I was worried I'd snap it off as I yanked on it. The plain edge blade with frame lock is great for whittling and small jobs, the tweezers and the bottle opener are obviously useful, but I didn't find myself using the ruler, file or saw all that often. While it's oftentimes the case that you'll need a tool as soon as you don't have it with you, and it's better to have a multi-tool than not, I found myself using my pocket knife more than my Stake Out.
The Fire Starter: Surprisingly Great
I anticipated the eye-catching multi-tool or hatchet to win my affection, but it was the humble Fire Starter that blew me away. Why, you ask? It's light, easy to pack and fun to use. You can fix it to your backpack or a keychain, and its storage container is rated at IPX4 water-resistance. The attached emergency whistle, which gets up to 100 decibels, is great to have on-hand and attached to the tool — I wouldn't normally remember to bring one, so I found the integration to be particularly useful. The ferro rod and striker are easy to use, and I liked the black coating on the rod itself; it's easy to see how much I've used it before.
Both the multi-tool and the hatchet had pros and cons, but I couldn't find anything I didn't like about the Fire Starter — like I mentioned above, I already have comparable tools to the hatchet and multi-tool, but the Fire Starter is unique and useful enough to make me want to buy it on its own. If you're looking for a small, complete kit for camp setups and don't already have a hatchet or multi-tool then I'd recommend buying the complete Camp Setup Kit, but otherwise, I'd stick with the Fire Starter. At 20 bucks, it has a value way beyond its price tag.
