There are loads of river knives out there in a wide selection of style and cost.
For a tool that gets used seldom why would you decide to purchase something over say $100? It being sharp isn’t a sufficient answer as you can sharpen any knife.
It’s hard to sharpen a serrated edge
First of all - If you’re buying a new serrated river knife it should be sharp out of the box.
People tend to fine-tune their equipment choices with time and experience.
There is also alot of difference when people are starting the sport vs renewing 1-2 items per year - on the expense part - people gravitade to better quality and are ready for more expense.
For example , I’ve got an Sweet Protection Rocker helmet, by the same standard someone would say that it’s insanse to buy that helment when you can get a good helmet for half the price. Because it fits me well and can take a hell of a beating.
Btw, have an Gerber E-Z in all of my PFDs (3), costs around 50$.
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The Gerber E-Z is the best knife and should be what most river users get.
I would spend $300 on a river knife only if I knew I was going to be using it all the time. If I was cutting rope/webbing or slashing through other things I would want to best knife. It’s just hard to spend that money that sits in your PFD and gets used so infrequently.
Knives are a tricky topic, and if asking someone if a Stihl or Husky saw is better does not trigger your audience, trying poking them with folding vs fixed blade will get things pretty rowdy quick. Good serrated makes short work of rope and webbing, and you really want to be able to cut in one pass. I think the spyderco salt folders are the sharpest and least likely to rust, but also cut an impressive hole in your pocket. The Byrds (also spyderco, but budget line) are scary sharp, they do not have the same level of fit and finish, does not open as smoothly but will slice through cordage 95% as good as the premium ones. The CRKT bearclaw is an impressive fixed blade, but it can also auto deploy and it is a bit scary to have a super sharp, loose knife. I have seen folks rig some 3 mil through the hole in the base of the knife with a cord lock, and the cord lock gets donated to the river gods in the event of an emergency deployment. I have also seen some creative keepers rigged with hair ties too.
A long time ago I was considering buying a motorcycle, and went to the motorcycle shop to get a helmet for the rider safety course. I had my hand on a cheaper helmet, and the salesman asked me what my brain was worth. I left with a very expensive helmet, used it 3 times and then decided I did not want a motorcycle that bad… The same can be said for knives, there is an ample supply of garbage knives that are not sharp enough, and will not work in a panic situation, and those are bad news, BUT you also do not have to spend 300 dollars to get one that is sharp enough. I think the EZ-out, the BearClaw and Byrd Rescue 2 will be super good enough (shout out to superfast Matt)
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I have a $300 river knife on both of my PFDs, I bought them specifically for three reasons:
- I want gear I can count on, I’ve tried loads of knives that are not reliable and I value having something reliable, since the rivers I work on all use rope/webbing in various ways.
- The knife I use is specifically designed for river guides, by a river guide. It’s purpose built to be used in and hold up to the river environment. It’s retention system is one of the best, and I can store it where I want without any worry of losing it accidentally.
- Lifetime warranty is hands down the best part, I can use this knife without thinking about the price point because if it breaks or has a defect it’s covered and replaced. I can also send it in for sharpening and repair if needed. Plus, with a smaller company that has strong roots in the community, the support is second to none!
I carry the Walker Knife Co. Tripper and Guardian, they’re amazing knives hand made in the USA by a river guide.
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How many times / often do you use your knife in a rescue situation?
I understand wanting a high quality knife you can always count on. That’s why I like to have nice kitchen knives that I use daily.