Pocket knives, in terms of aesthetics, have something very much in common with fishing lures. Most lures are designed to catch more fishermen than fish, and they do just that.

Pocket knives are the same way. Sleek modern karambits, pocket cleavers and clip-point folders with button and bar locks catch users merely on looks. In some cases, the looks are merited by functionality. In others, not so much.

On that note, let’s look at a unique small Gerber knife that rejects that entire paradigm, and which has a downright ugly appearance - but which, as you will see, offers a great deal of hidden value.

It’s the Prybrid X. Here’s what it offers.

About the Prybrid X

The Prybrid X is a larger cousin to the baseline model Gerber Prybrid (more on that below). It is a tool frame that contains a blade, with a pry bar on one end. It is 4” long, less than an inch in width (.875” to be exact) and it weighs less than 2 ounces - just 1.7 ounces, all in. The handle of the thing is wrapped with 550 paracord in an attractive OD green.

That’s about all there is to the Prybrid X, but there is an incredible amount of value tied up in the design.

The Utility and Value of a Pry Bar

Obviously, this thing has a blade along with other tools that offer a lot of value, which we will probe momentarily, but the most obvious feature of the design is the incorporated pry bar.

Now, the EDC crew has been going a bit off the rails the past few years. Many people have adopted the practice of carrying a pry bar as a separate piece of their EDC kit, in addition to, of course, a knife.

This is a benefit but a problem arises, because it adds expense and it also adds weight and volume to the whole EDC lineup.

Worse, some manufacturers have started price gouging, creating what are basically small, forged pieces of tool steel or aluminum and charging $40 or more for them. As much as we are inclined to sympathize, it is patently absurd.

And not that there isn’t a lot of value to carrying a pry bar. There is. It’s just that the expense is not justified.

Pry bars have a billion and one uses. They can be used to open bottles, open paint cans, and so much more. The flat side can be laid down on a surface and used in conjunction with an object of greater mass as a striking tool. The truth is pry bars have nearly as much utility as a knife itself.

On the other end here, you won’t want to use your knife to fill the office of a pry bar. The point of a knife lacks the structural integrity to do so, and while the spines of some knives might be robust enough to serve double-duty as a prying tool, using a folding utility knife in that fashion will put an immense amount of strain on the lock.

Which is precisely the reason the Prybrid X offers such incredible value. The pry bar baked into the design is separate from the knife blade, freeing you to use each for the tasks to which they are best suited.

And, of course, this small Gerber knife is not price gouging anyone. It costs less than $30.

Minimalism, Perfected

With the Prybrid X, as useful as the integrated pry bar is, there are several other functions that are also included and which also add value. Among these are a wire stripper, a nail puller, a bottle opener, and two flathead screwdrivers. The paracord wrap can also be removed and put to use in a pinch.

Another cool thing about the Prybrid X is that, not only does it have a blade, but it accepts a standard #11 utility blade, which is easily replaceable (and affordably replaceable, too). This means you’ll never have to worry about sharpening.

All in all, this is a small Gerber knife that offers a lot of functions, and even if it didn’t, the design that includes a pry bar and a blade is well worth it and more than doubles the utility of each individual tool. 

Not Small Enough for You? Check Out This Other Small Gerber Knife

If this small Gerber knife is just a bit too big for you, worry not. It is actually a larger iteration of a smaller Gerber knife that offers effectively the same utility. If you liked the Prybrid X but want something a bit smaller but still fundamentally similar, just take a look at the Prybrid, which we also sell.

And, as always, if you have any questions or are looking for a knife or tool that you don’t see listed on our website, get in touch with us and we will see if we can find it for you.