Gear Box: Bear Grylls Folding Sheath Knife By Gerber

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, and especially my gear reviews, then you probably already know that I'm a fan of Gerber Tools and Knives. I've reviewed several of their multitools and found them all to be excellent pieces of kit that are worthy of being in your pack, and I've even given a couple of their great products away. So, you know that I was eager to get my hands on one of their new knives in their Survival Series, endorsed by none other than Bear Grylls himself.

The fine folks at Gerber passed along one of their Folding Sheath Knives, which falls under the Survival Series banner. The knife bares the distinctive "BG" logo of the British television personality and adventurer and has his name scrawled across the blade, but the rest of it is all Gerber. From the moment I took it out of the package I as very impressed with not only how light it was, but also how comfortable to hold and sturdy it felt. The ergonomically designed rubber grip-handle feels perfect in the hand, and makes it easy to cut through just about anything.

This knife comes with a 3.6" high carbon stainless steel blade that is serrated on the lower half. When locked into place it feels secure and tight, but is easy to open when necessary. When the blade is closed, it slides nicely into the included sheath, and at a combined weight of just 5.3 oz, you barely know you're carrying the thing when you put it on your belt. (The knife alone weighs in at just 4.3 oz in case you're wondering.) A small, paper foldout "Priorities of Survival" pocket guide rounds out package.

In my tests of the Folding Sheath Knife, I found that it easily cut through just about anything I threw at it, including rope, plastic, and cloth. After repeated use, the blade remained quite sharp, doing a nice job of holding an edge.

With the new Bear Grylls Survival Series, Gerber has another line of great products on their hands. I predicted that these knives are going to be very popular amongst the outdoor crowd. With Christmas just a few weeks off at this point, this knife would make a great stocking stuffer for outdoor enthusiast on your list. Big thumbs up on this product. (MSRP: $42.50)