Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Knife Review

[greenbeetle]

We bought the re-engineered version recently and reviewed it. We cut it open and, yes, it is full tang. Or at least encapsulated tang. See pictures here.

The pommel is not attached to the tang but was sturdy enough to drive nails and handle some light batoning for us. It's a nice, hefty blade and the firestarter works quite well. We were underwhelmed with the sheath, survival manual, alpine rescue signaling guide and whistle but overall it's alot of knife for under $50.

Anyone else own one?

 

[The Mayor]

They just got these in at the BX and i was thinking about getting one. One guy that was with me at the BX said Bear dosen't even carry this knife. However I liked the way it looked and liked the fire starter with it.

 

[cazador1022]

are they from Oregon or china?

 

[Mikewood]

I never got the hate on this knife. it's a $50.00 knife people and not'a $300.00 knife! What do you expect. A KA-Bar is a nice knife for the same money. It's also about a 70 year old design. That's cool if it fits your hand. If not you need an alternative. The BG is kind of corny but if it's got good steel that holds an edge and sharpens who cares? Your buying it to cut things with and not chop or monkey around with. I would rather have a nice $50.00 knife and a $25.0 hatchet or e-tool than make do with a $300 ugly huge honking knife that won't clean fish or skin small game.

 

[Mikewood]

How about a full review on the knife?
Thanks.

 

[M. Sage]

It's based on the LMF-II, which I own. That is a tough freaking knife. I've batoned so much seasoned oak (some of that I used a hammer to drive the blade) that I can hardly believe it's still alive. It would make a crappy fighting knife (heavy, not too sharp an edge) but what it does do is make a good, lightweight replacement for a hatchet.

The fact that it's got Bear Grylls' (poser!) name all over it turns me off, but it's going to be a very good knife for the money.

 

[Clockwork]

 

[suhsjake]

When it comes to survival knifes, I always recommend these.

ESEE Knives

 

[M. Sage]

When it comes to survival knifes, I always recommend these.

ESEE Knives

They look nice, but it scares me that I can't find a price. A lot of us go out into the wilds once or twice a year. It doesn't make a lot of sense to drop $200+ on a Randall when we can get a $50 knife that will serve our needs just as well.

 

[TheDan]

Wish they'd make it without the serrations. Looks like a good knife for the money.

 

[suhsjake]

True Sage, but those knifes were specifically made for a specific purpose, survival. They are pretty much indestructible.

 

[Buckles]

When it comes to survival knifes, I always recommend these.

ESEE Knives

X100000000

I own an Izula, 3, 4, 5, and a Junglas. By far the best knives I own.

and the most expensive one was $160, but its a 10" chopping with a kydex sheath.
ESEE is a lot of knife for the money.

 

[M. Sage]

True Sage, but those knifes were specifically made for a specific purpose, survival. They are pretty much indestructible.

After beating the crap out of it for a couple of years, my LMFII has been, too.

 

[M. Sage]

I was just talking to a friend of mine about this, he's got a Randall, I've got the Gerber. We were reminiscing about a backpacking trip we took a few years ago (first trip out for the Gerber) where we really did wind up in a survival situation. The Gerber got put to use clearing a campsite on a mountainside in New Mexico of small scrub and these little cactus that were really a pain in wherever they could wind up. The cactus were tough little buggers, and I had to hack them off at the base. Let's just say that there wasn't really "soil" up there, and it was all a bunch of broken up rock. By the time I was done, I was (more) tired and between that and the worries about being lost and low on water, my swings weren't the most accurate. Even when I did get a clean connect, about half the time, I'd blow right through the cactus and smash the blade into the rocks on the other side.

Do you want to do that with a $200 knife? Yes, it can do it. But even if it weren't a SHTF situation, I wouldn't have though twice about doing the same thing with my $50 blade. When it wears out, I'll give a little thank you to Gerber, toss it into the scrap bin at work and buy another one.

 

[LoneStarSoldier]

I was told by a SERE instructor that most of the things Bear Grylls tris in his show will pretty much get you killed. Or I may be thinking of Les Stroud who hosts Survivorman. I'm not sure...

 

[suhsjake]

Well, if you are looking for a cheap and indestructible knife, the Glock Model 78 is a good choice and under $45 shipped. They also make a Model 81 with Root Saw, but you will cut your hands on it as the hand guards aren't big enough and it isn't really practical in most cases.

YouTube - Glock 81 Field Knife Destruction Test Part 1

 

[M. Sage]

I was told by a SERE instructor that most of the things Bear Grylls tris in his show will pretty much get you killed. Or I may be thinking of Les Stroud who hosts Survivorman. I'm not sure...

Les Stroud shows good info that I'd be willing to use. Bear Grylls is an attention whore that shows you how to get killed. Doing what Bear does (drinking your own piss, for example) is stupid. Grylls typically stays nights in a hotel nearby and his "wilderness locations" are never more than ten minutes from flush toilets and cold drinks for him and his crew. Contrast that with Stroud who really does go to the ass-end of nowhere by himself, does all the camera work himself, etc.

Well, if you are looking for a cheap and indestructible knife, the Glock Model 78 is a good choice and under $45 shipped. They also make a Model 81 with Root Saw, but you will cut your hands on it as the hand guards aren't big enough and it isn't really practical in most cases.

YouTube - Glock 81 Field Knife Destruction Test Part 1

Eh. I had one. It would make a great bayonet with its slim profile and spring steel, but it's not a terribly good wilderness knife. It doesn't chop for shit and I wouldn't trust it to baton through stuff. There's not enough belly to the blade, and like I said; it's too light.

 

[TrailDust]

Bear Grylls is pure entertainment. I fully expect to read about him getting killed over something dumb, much like Steve Irwin....

 

[M. Sage]

True. Problem is, he frustrates me too much for me to find him entertaining. At least Steve was upfront about how stupid the things he did were...

 

[ryantx23]

I bought the BG knife last night at Academy for 49 bucks. It is a very well made knife and for the price, I am really happy with it. I also have a Gerber ASEK and while, it is a little more durable feeling then the BG knife, the BG knife feels almost as sturdy. I intend on buying a couple more for my bug out bags. Great knife for the money.

Also, a side not on Bear Grylls before his bashing gets out of hand. I would suggest you guys do some research on him before passing judgment. He is a former SAS paratrooper who is trained to the UK's version and SEAL / Delta and was a top tier operator. His show is not to survive out in the wilderness by himself like Les Stroud the Survivorman. It is merely to show you things that you can do to survive. I laugh at all the people saying that he's a ***** because he stays in a hotel at night with his film crew. Yes, he does do that. But people are missing the point. It's to show people things that they CAN do to survive, not that he is trying to show up Survivorman. Bear does some crazy shit, and a lot of it is for ratings. But I wouldn't discount what he's trying to show people. For myself, I'll keep an open mind and learn useful things where ever I can find them.

Bottom line is, Bear is the real deal and has the credentials to back it up.