The 26-year-old winger initiated Wellington's rally after an early Reds onslaught when he touched down after the first half siren, before adding a brace of tries in 12 second half minutes as the Hurricanes amassed 31 unanswered points after the break.
After racing to a 21-8 lead with three quick tries, the Reds' second-half capitulation dropped them out of the top four and left their postseason hopes out of their hands with one round remaining.
The Hurricanes, who appeared all but out of the running after a mid-season slump, notched a fourth win in a row to celebrate Rodney So'oialo's 100th match for the team and move into third place prior to the weekend's other fixtures.
"I think that 40 minutes we played in the second half really summed up what we talked about at half-time and how much (So'oialo) means to the team," Hurricanes skipper Andrew Hore said in a televised interview.
"To finish up like that at the end and still be trying right at the end probably sums up what Rod is as a player." Gear combined beautifully with Cory Jane early, receiving a lightning quick pass out of the ruck on the side-line then feeding his fellow winger for the Hurricanes' first try.
Jane then repaid the favor after the halftime siren, setting up Gear for his first after the Reds had scored three unanswered tries through flanker Scott Higginbotham, winger Rod Davies and outside center Will Chambers.
The Reds' last try, inspired by a brilliant dribbled kick by flyhalf Quade Cooper, proved the last of the team's highlights, as the Hurricanes' defensive pressure completely shut down their band of fleet-footed forward.
Flanker Andrew Shaw proved instrumental in the Reds' demise, lifting a player in a tackle to be sin binned immediately after the break.
The Hurricanes took full advantage with two converted tries in the 10 minutes their opponents were a player down, with Tamati Ellison crossing the line a few minutes after Gear's second.
Gear crossed for his third less than 10 minutes later, before reserve David Smith jogged over the line for the easiest of tries to extend the lead to 42-21 six minutes before time.
