REVIEW – Camp meals got a lot better for me once I stopped building dinner around damp buns, half-empty condiment bottles, and whatever hot dog survived the cooler. I would rather cook a steak or a simple protein over the fire, then eat it like a proper meal. That change cut down on the clutter I pack, but it also made one thing obvious: I needed prep gear that worked like kitchen gear without taking over the truck.
The Gerber ComplEAT 6-Piece Cutting Board Set is Gerber’s answer to that problem. For $110, the kit gives you two cutting boards, two knives, and nested storage trays in a setup that is tidy enough for camping and useful enough for home. The price is high for camp kitchen gear, yet the build quality and the extremely sharp knives make the set feel more serious than the usual plastic camp kit. I liked it enough that it replaced the Gerber Freescape Camp Kitchen Kit I had been using since 2016.
Why This Kit Made Sense
Space is always the boss when I am packing for a camping trip. I want gear that earns its spot, stays organized, and does more than one job. The ComplEAT set is billed as a compact outdoor meal prep kit, and the idea is simple: the cutting boards form the top of the system, the knives ride inside it, and the trays give the whole thing a clean place to live.
Inside the set are a storage tray, a removable inner tray, a 6-inch chef knife, a 3.25-inch paring knife, a bamboo cutting board, and a polypropylene cutting board. The two boards are dual-sided, with bamboo better suited to fruits and vegetables and the polypropylene board ready for meat duty.
In the Box
The packaging looks nicer than I expected for camp kitchen gear. It shows the bamboo cutting surface through a cutout and includes full-color photos and kit details around the box.
- Bamboo Cutting Board
- Polypropylene Cutting Board
- 6″ Chef Knife
- 3.25″ Paring Knife
- Removable Inner Tray
- Base Tray
- User Guide
Specs and Materials
- Bamboo Cutting Board
- Material: Bamboo
- Dimensions: 15.6″ x 9.6″
- Polypropylene Cutting Board
- Material: Polypropylene
- Dimensions: 14.3″ x 8.9″
- Color: Baltic Haze
- 6″ Chef Knife & 3.25″ Paring Knife
- Blade: 4116 German stainless steel
- Finish: Stonewash
- Handle: Glass-filled polypropylene knife handles
- Color: Baltic Haze
- Blade: Plain edge
- Grip: Textured Overmolded Rubber
- Removable Inner Tray & Base Tray
- Material: Polypropylene
- Color: Light & Dark Baltic Haze
- Weight: 4.25 lb
How the Boards and Trays Work
Gerber has always been good at making practical gear look intentional, and this set keeps that streak alive, even if the ComplEAT name still makes me roll my eyes a little. Closed up, it looks clean enough to leave on a kitchen shelf and sturdy enough to toss in with camping supplies.
The bamboo board has grooves around the perimeter, which give it a finished look and help catch juices before they run onto your table. It is a small detail, but it makes the board feel more like real kitchen equipment.
Both boards can be used on either side. The bamboo board also has a subtle Gerber logo etched into one side, which is tasteful instead of loud.
The bamboo board acts as the lid for the entire kit. Compression latches on the sides hold it down against the tray so the set packs as one unit.
The polypropylene cutting board is the one I would reach for when cutting meat, while the bamboo board is a better match for produce and general prep.
Rubber feet are placed on both sides of the polypropylene board, which helps keep it from skating around while you are cutting.
The polypropylene board has the same juice-channel idea as the bamboo board, and it nests below the bamboo board when the kit is packed.
The surface is lightly textured, and there is a small Gerber mark molded into the board.
Below the polypropylene board is the removable inner tray. This is where the knives ride, and it also gives the set a useful middle layer.
I really like the extra storage space in that inner tray. A few small utensils or prep odds and ends can live there, which is exactly the kind of thing that keeps a camp kitchen from turning into a gear explosion.
The knife storage is clearly marked with molded silhouettes, so each blade has an obvious home.
The knives drop into the slots easily. The blades sit in molded channels, and small tabs fit into the handle holes to help keep the knives in place.
That retention system works, though it creates my one small complaint about the handles: the holes cannot be used for lanyards while also being used by the storage tabs.
Under the removable tray is the deeper base tray. It is the foundation of the whole set and adds even more enclosed storage volume.
The Knives Are the Star
The boards and storage are good, but the blades are what made me pay attention. The set includes a 3.25″ paring knife and a 6″ Santoku-inspired chef knife.
I love the textured stonewash finish and the steep grinds on these knives. They arrived shockingly sharp. I own some pricey chef knives, and none of them came out of the box with edges this aggressive.
The paring knife has a long usable edge that tapers neatly to a point. I use it for paring, of course, but it also works well as an eating knife when dinner is ready.
The blades are made from 4116 German stainless steel, which gives them corrosion resistance and helps them keep those sharp plain edges.
The handles are glass-filled polypropylene with a heavy rubber overmold for grip.
Both knives share similar handle contours with stippling along the inner grip. The chef knife feels especially good in hand, and the rubber helps when your hands are wet or greasy.
Compared With My Older Gerber Kit
For context, I pulled out my worn Gerber Freescape Camp Kitchen Kit, the one I bought in 2016. It went camping with me several times, then the knives slowly migrated into my kitchen because I kept reaching for them. Their condition tells the story pretty clearly.
Set beside the Freescape pieces, the ComplEAT knives look more like kitchen knives. The older Freescape blades and handles lean more toward a bushcraft style.
The boards show the biggest leap. The Freescape board is just big enough to store the knives in a pull-out compartment. The ComplEAT boards are much larger, use nicer materials, and feel safer thanks to the bigger work surfaces and rubber feet.
Before the First Meal
The ComplEAT kit arrives assembled, so setup is minimal. Give everything a quick wash in warm, soapy water before using it the first time.
It is worth opening the layers and deciding whether you want to add any extra tools to the storage area before a trip.
With bamboo and wood cutting boards, I like to apply mineral oil before first use and then about once a month. That helps prevent drying and cracking.
The knives already show up extremely sharp, so they do not need much more than a wash before going to work.
Cooking With It
Using the ComplEAT set is where the whole package clicked for me. My favorite test meal is steak, and the chef knife cuts through it beautifully. The paring knife is right there for smaller tasks and table use. The bamboo board may be aimed mostly at fruits and vegetables, yet it handled steak well and the grooves caught the juices like they should. The board is also big enough that larger cuts of meat do not feel cramped.
Overall, the ComplEAT set has been a pleasure to use. It fits into my kitchen gear at home, and it is ready to come along when I head outdoors.
What I Like
- Incredibly sharp blades out of the box
- Extra storage inside tray
- Easy to keep clean & dishwasher safe
Tradeoffs
- A little bit too large to be considered compact
- Can’t use lanyard holes and secure knives with interior tabs
- Expensive
Bottom Line
Goofy name aside, I am sold on the Gerber ComplEAT 6-Piece Cutting Board Set. The design is tidy, the storage is genuinely useful, the boards are much better than the tiny camp boards I have used before, and the two knives are outstanding. My main complaint is size, since it stretches the meaning of compact. The upside is that the larger boards make real meal prep easier and the deeper trays give you more space to stash small gear. At $110, it is expensive for a camp kitchen accessory, but the value looks a lot better when a single quality chef knife can cost more than $200.
Price: $110.00
Product Link: Gerber
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Gerber.
Gerber did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
