Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife Review - Is this Knife Really a Cut Above?

April 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Celebrity endorsed product usually means one thing; a more expensive product that's inferior in quality. So, how does the new Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife stack up? After all, there no doubting that putting the Bear Grylls name on a range of survival products is part of Gerber's marketing toolkit and designed to get the products noticed.
Let's start with the basic features and, for this, we've looked at the fixed blade version. For starters, the Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife shares quite a bit of heritage with Gerber's big seller, the LMF Infantry II. Whilst this means that the Bear Grylls knife isn't a ground-breaking knife development, it's no bad thing - especially given the LMF virtues of a split plain/serrated edge and double lashing points.
For those not familiar with these concepts, let's explain. The twin lashing points in the knife's bolster permit conversion to a spear (think food, not defence!), whilst the lower, serrated part of the blade creates a sawing action that's great on rope. Given that the Bear Grylls Knife is billed as a survival tool, these are good features.
The Ultimate Knife also has a stainless steel pommel, much like 'proper' diving knives. Whilst we wouldn't want to try breaking rocks with it, it's certainly hefty enough to deal with tent pegs, cracking nuts and driving small stakes.
A final point about the knife itself is that the blade is a high carbon steel (easy sharpening) and the handle is a very secure-feeling shaped and non-slip rubber.
A more unusual inclusion is a lanyard that has a built-in whistle (you can never have too many whistles).
A final point of interest is the sheath. In fact, you suspect that Bear Grylls spent as much time specifying the sheath as the Ultimate Knife, given that's it's a veritable survival pack.
This tough-looking nylon piece not only includes land-to-sea rescue instructions and Grylls own Priorities of Survival; it includes a good quality ferrocerium fire rod that slots into the sheath for stability and is used with a notch in the back of the knife blade - a nice touch.
Overall, whilst only time will tell how the blade stands up to long-term use and abuse, first impressions are good and the Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife certainly looks like good value, given it's features.
For more on this knife and the other parts of Gerber's Bear Grylls range, visit http://www.aboveandbeyond.co.uk/.Gerber-Bear-Grylls-Bear-...

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Above & Beyond are the outdoors navigaton experts. Not only are we official Ordnance Survey Mapping and Data Centre agents, Above & Beyond is one of the UK's largest specialists in GPS units for walkers, cyclists, geocaching and orienteering. Find us at http://www.aboveandbeyond.co.uk