For a measly $24.95 and CA tax (from Frys), the Gerber Essentials Kit comes with the Gerber Paraframe I (silver, half serrated/half plain), the Tempo keychain flashlight, and a sheath for everything to go in.
I like the Suspension multitool/scissors. It has got the same setup as the Clutch, but with scissors instead of pliers. I like the size of these multitools - they're small enough to do most jobs and easily fits into my purse without taking up too much space or adding too much weight.
The Tempo flashlight is pretty bright for something that runs on only 1 AAA battery. It actually didn't come with a jumpring at the end; I'd taken that off of my Maglite Solitaire. The Tempo has definitely taken the place of that damned Solitaire. I know there are better keychain flashlights out there, but this one's good enough. I don't really plan on getting anything "better" (or more expensive) so long as this one holds up. The body is 2.75". I wish they had the twist on/off mechanism at the head of the light rather than at the end - I have a feeling that it may turn on on its own from bumping into my keys and drain the battery without my knowledge.
The Paraframe I is nothing particularly special. I already do own the Paraframe Mini. The skeletal design makes it very lightweight - but may be prone to snagging onto items if you toss it in your bag or have other items in your pocket.. The framelock mechanism allows the entire knife to be very thin. When I'd first gotten it out of the package, it was VERY hard to get the blade out. I definitely will not be able to flick it open for quite some time. After watching an hour of House M.D. and mindlessly opening and closing it though, I can at least now open it with the thumbstub.
I hadn't yet played with the blade itself. But it seems alright. The mini's kinda sucks - I had used it to open the clamshell packaging of the Essentials Kit and had some trouble. On the other hand, my 10 year old Victorinox Classic (which resides on my keyring/carabiner) hasn't been sharpened since day one and can still glide through clamshell packaging like butter.
When I'd first gotten the Paraframe Mini, the clip was EXTREMELY tight. I couldn't even get a piece of paper under it let alone clip it on my pocket. It was even hard to lift it with my finger. So by all means, I had left it on my SAR Go-Bag untouched this past year as a backup knife. Yesterday though, my dad took a look at it and pried the clip up with a flathead. Now I can clip it onto my pants pocket with ease but it's still strong enough that I can go about my business without worrying that it'll unclip itself and get lost. Since the clip is now usable, I'm thinking of carrying the Mini around as my EDC knife since it's the perfect size for my use. I've yet to ever need a larger blade - heck, I've done pretty well with just the Victorinox Classic for some number of years now. :)
All in all, I'm pretty happy with it. We'll see how the blade holds up. I'm not quite sure if I'd use any of these as an EDC knife, but we'll see. :) Some people seem happy with it. I hope it lives up to what little expectations I have for it though; the Paraframe looks nice, is lightweight, and is of legal carrying limit in my state and county.
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