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Survival knives have been around in one form or another since the dawn of man. From sharp rocks to man made steels and polymers knives have come a long way. The survival knives being manufactured today are without a doubt the best knives ever built in history, but are any of them being built by Gerber?

There are several knives produced by Gerber that fall into the survival category. I am going to focus on a few of the fixed blade knives currently available on the market. I will show you what’s out there, point out some things to watch out for, and give you some insight on how these knives have performed.

The first knife I’d like to tell you about is the brand new Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife. This knife was out of stock everywhere I could find it when it first hit the market so it is definitely a popular knife, but the press on it is mixed right now. It hasn’t been out long enough to get any real hard practical use (although it did come out right at deer season) and I think there are some out there that just don’t like Bear Grylls. Knocking his products seems to be in fashion at the moment.

I personally don’t have a problem with Bear. I know he’s not from the U.S. and he probably doesn’t care that the knife isn’t made here. However, I probably would have done a more thorough job of checking out the product that was going to carry my initials. No, I don’t own the knife, I did get the chance to check one out pretty well, and I have done some extensive research on this knife.

I guess the deal breaker for me was the review I read of the guy who was batoning a small limb and the plastic handle broke and the metal pommel went flying. That being said, I think it’s fine for someone who is hiking or bike riding and doesn’t want to carry a larger survival knife with them. Since this knife is “feature rich” I’m going to list them for you here, you can also pick up the Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife Here.

Knife Features:

* 1/2 Serrated High Carbon Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade – Ideal for edge retention and cutting rope
* Full Tang Blade Construction- For maximum durability
* Ergonomic Textured Rubber Grip – Maximizes comfort and reduces slippage
* Stainless Steel Pommel – At base of handle for hammering
* Emergency Whistle – Integrated into lanyard cord

Sheath Features:
* Fire Starter – Ferrocerium rod locks into sheath, striker notch incorporated into back of knife blade
* Nylon Sheath – Lightweight, military-grade, mildew resistant
* Land to air rescue instructions
* Diamond Sharpener – Integrated into sheath for on-the-go sharpening
* Priorities of Survival – Pocket guide outlining survival essentials

Tech Specs:
* Overall Length: 10-Inch
* Blade Length: 4.75-Inch
* Weight: 11.2-Ounce alone, 14.72-Ounce with sheath

If you would like a different option to the Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife, you could use a Gerber LMF II or a Gerber Prodigy and the whistle or signalling mirror A-Poc writes about.

Right now at the top of the food chain for a Gerber Survival Knife, in my opinion, is the Gerber LMF II. This knife has proven itself in battle and is gaining a reputation as being one of the toughest knives on the market today. This top rated survival knife comes in three different versions. The ASEK, the Survival, and the Infantry. The differences in these versions is strictly in color and accessories, the knife itself being the same in all three flavors. I’m going to break these down for you so you can see the differences. You can also read more about these in my blog post here.

The Gerber LMF II ASEK only comes in foliage green, it is infra red (IR) resistant and comes with a sheath, 2 leg straps, and a safety knife w/sheath.

The Gerber LMF II Survivalonly comes in camel brown. It is NOT infra red resistant and comes with the exact same accessories as the ASEK but in the camel brown color.

The Gerber LMF II Infantry comes in (IR) resistant Foliage Green, Camel Brown,and Black. This knife only comes with a sheath and one leg strap.

Next up is the Gerber Prodigy. This knife is like the little brother of the LMF II.  There’s lots of information out there about this knife so I’m just going to cut to the chase and tell you what I DON’T like about it.  This knife seems to be blade heavy, unlike the LMF II which is more balanced. I’m not a fan of the sheath on this knife, the LMF II sheath is MUCH better, but I do like the fact that it is MOLLE compatible.  I haven’t decided if I like the overmolded grip yet, it seems to have a thin coating of rubber over a hard plastic handle.  I haven’t had a problem with this yet (I don’t use this knife much) but I’ve had a knife like it and the handle eventually peeled on it.  Granted it was a cheap knife but for me it’s a potential problem on the Prodigy.

Now, with all that being said, this is still a great knife.  Most people want a light hiking knife that could get them out of any trouble they happen to stumble upon.  This knife is perfect in that application.  It is well made, it is a good solid fixed blade knife, and it also gets great reviews.

Gerber is a great company that makes excellent knives. I personally wish all of their knives were made here in the USA but global economics being what they are that’s just not possible. To be able to compete they need to be able to appeal to all economic classes of people.  Consumers who live outside the U.S. are only concerned with the quality of the knife they buy not where it’s made. That being said, several of Gerber’s knives ARE made right here in the good ole U.S. of A. which means they are keeping lots of people working. For the money I think Gerber knives are an excellent value. You can spend more on a knife, and if you’re a hard core survivalist you probably should, but for the average person building a bug out bag or getting a camping knife you can’t go wrong with a Gerber fixed blade.

Mil spec 550 paracord is the equivalent of duct tape when it comes to its durability and usefulness. You almost can’t have too much paracord. There are some things you need to know when purchasing it for your bug out bag, however.

550 paracord originally was used as parachute cord for paratroopers in WW2. It quickly caught on as a very useful tool in fixing all kinds of things (including the Hubble Space Telescope). It was originally just produced for the military but not long after WW2 it started being produced for civilians. But, as all things, some manufacturers go the cheaper route and try to capitalize on the same market, so be sure you are getting mil spec 550 paracord.

The 550 comes from its breaking strength. It takes a minimum of 550 pounds to break mil spec 550 paracord (designation MIL-C-5040H Type III). It is a cord made up of a nylon sheath wrapped around 7 strands of 2-ply yarns. It is mildew resistant and dries quickly when wet. The sheath itself is rated at a little over 300 pounds and each of the seven strands is rated at 35 pounds (actually, each strand is made up of a twisted pair of yarns rated at 17.5 pounds each). You can see how a length of paracord is multi-functional. You could cut off a length of paracord, pull out its inner strands and use them for anything from thread for repairs, to fishing line or trip wires, and still use the nylon sheath for whatever you would normally use paracord for as long as you take into account the lower breaking strength from the missing strands.

There are a lot of knock-offs out there, but the main thing you need to check is that the paracord you are getting is rated at 550 lbs with 7 inner strands. I have read about tests being done on these and the mil spec 550 paracord wins but usually has a breaking strength of over 650 lbs whereas the knock-offs tend to have a breaking strength more around 600 – 625 lbs. You can see that in either case, it is over the minimum 550 lbs so in my book, even the knock offs can be fine.

There are lots of cool and innovative ways to keep your paracord handy as well. One of the most common is by making a survival bracelet. It looks really cool, is easy to make, and allows you to have about 6 feet (depending on your wrist size) of paracord on you at all times. If you really want to have a lot of paracord on hand, you can make a paracord belt. Depending on your waist size you can get almost 100′ of paracord into a belt! You can also make keychains, zipper pulls, and lanyards. There is almost no end to what you can weave with paracord. I’ve even seen people make carry cases for their cell phones that attach to their belt. And in every case, there is a sizable amount of paracord that can be unwoven for use at any time. You should get some paracord for your bug out bag asap if you don’t already have some.

This stuff is awesome. If you are the type of person that always has to have a roll of duct tape handy, then you should have a bunch of paracord handy as well. As far as bug out bag use is concerned, I pack at least one color that blends in to the surroundings in case I need it to be a little camouflaged and one color that is easily seen like a neon orange. I learned this the hard way by tripping over my own lashings and practically clothes-lining myself in camp! The bright orange is a little easier to see!

A good signal mirror is just as much of a must to have in your bug out bag or disaster kit as a good whistle is. I am sure you are probably thinking, “Yeah, I am sure there is an old make-up compact or something around here that I can use for a signal mirror. Heck, my watch has the ability to annoy people on a sunny day, what do I need a signal mirror for?” Does a make-up compact float? Can your watch cast a reflection at night with a full moon or a street light? Are both of them unbreakable? In fact, can you even aim either one of them with any kind of accuracy?

That is where the Starflash signal mirror comes in.  This thing is small and lightweight.  It floats and is so easy to aim it is amazing.  You can aim the Starflash signal mirror with pinpoint accuracy because it has a hole in the center that you put up to your eye.  You then will see a little holographic image of the sun that you just place on the person or object that you want to signal and they will see it.  This mirror can be seen from over 100 miles away!  100 miles?!  I work about 50 miles from where I live and I can’t imagine being able to signal that far with a 2″ by 3″ mirror, much less twice that far!

Just check out this quick little video from the people that make it.   It is pretty convincing.

You can pick up a Starflash mirror at Amazon for about $10 and you should.  It is well worth it and will complement that Storm Whistle nicely!

A whistle can be the difference between life and death in a rescue situation.  If you are in a situation where you need to attract the attention of rescuers, you can’t guarantee they are going to hear your cries for help even in a quiet environment.  Now take into account the possibility that there may be a lot of noise in your surroundings like high winds, or the sound of crashing water, or maybe even explosions.  If you have been surviving for more than a few hours, you may not even have the energy to yell loud enough for help.

That is where a good whistle comes in.  It takes a lot less energy and just three short blasts on it (the recognized signal for distress) can attract the attention of rescuers a long way off.  In this respect, the best whistle on the market would have to be the NRS Storm Whistle.  You can get a NRS Storm Whistle at amazon for around $10. It has a special design that allows it to be up to 75% louder than most referee or police whistles.  It is used by such organizations as the Red Cross, police departments, Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and even dive rescue organizations because it has the ability to be heard underwater due to the fact that the sounding chamber will purge all water that is in it when it is blown.

If you are building your bug out bag, why not spend the ten or so dollars this whistle costs for the peace of mind that you didn’t just settle for any old whistle that in a crunch will fail you?  Plus, it is a nice bright orange, so if you were to drop it, you could easily find it.  But do yourself a favor when you get it, do one test blast…alone…and in the middle of nowhere with no one within miles.  Then put it in your bug out bag or disaster kit and live happy with just leaving it there until it is needed.  You don’t have to follow my advice, but your family knows where you sleep.  I’m just sayin’.