User Review: Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife

OK, I understand a good many people like this knife. Although I see some good qualities in it, the bad ones outweigh the good. First of all, I have a friend with one that wanted to put it through some tests. And by all means guys, if you're buying something to be used as a survival tool... please run it through the ringer before you every stake your life on it. As I said before, your knife is the most important tool you can have on you. If it breaks in the field when you need it the most... its too late.

I'll start with some of the perks I found with it. I really dig the quick survival instructions it comes with. Although it's not something containing much detail, anything is better than nothing for a person not knowing survival basics. And though the fire starter is cheaply made, once again something is better than nothing. The sheath is a good standard, a tough nylon material which is always nice. But, I don't care for the velcro retention strap for the knife itself. The lanyard whistle is another good idea, though i would lean more toward a true lanyard.

Now, for the knife itself. And point blank guys... it's cheap made. I'm not sure what type of grade steel it is, but it's not very good at all. One site I looked at says high carbon, the other says stainless, and another says both. So what is it?

And you never get the grade. It's marketed as a drop-point blade, but once again... it's not drop-point. It's clip point. There is a big difference there. Drop point is the strongest point blade you can find. A clip point blade just so happens to be the weakest. While doing some battoning on some green wrist size sapplings, and tapping the knife into a tree by hitting the pummel. The butt cap came off. So, its a faulse pummel and not a true full tang. After that happened, we tried to retrieve the knife from the tree only to brake the clip point off in doing so. So, I imagine its a lesser grade than 440 steel. But, then again it is a clip point.

Another feature that I find stupid on the knife itself is the half serration. A partial or half serrated knife is useless when it comes to survival blades. Other than rope it is good for nothing. And if your knife stays well sharpened... it will cut rope regardless. I go for a 20degree edge on my blade rather than the 23 most come as. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it makes a huge difference.

With that being said, I think this knife is pretty much a novelty blade with a famous guys name on it. Nothing more. Sad to say, but its true. I did have high hopes for it, because I find Bear a very entertaining TV guy. My kids love him. Though I wouldn't stake much on his actions from his show. It's TV, that's all. Overall, I wouldn't suggest this knife to anyone that plans on using it as a survival tool.

If you are a fan of the guy and that's one reason you're looking for a blade of his. Might I suggest the Bear Grylls Compact Fixed Blade. I bought one for my son, and it seems to be a far more reliable knife than the so called "Ultimate Survival Knife". It really is full tang, though still has a clip style point to it, and serrations as well.