Gerber River Shorty

Reviewed 09/26/2017 by Noturus

-Price Paid: $25.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

Love this knife. it has a easy release plastic sheath. I have used it at work for opening boxes, cutting rope and as a screwdriver. I also take it with me on my fishing kayak for general purpose. Actually I have two now. The first was a black handle and the second with a bright green one which is much more visible if you happen to drop it.

Reviewed 01/17/2013 by Brandon

-Price Paid: $35.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

I could not believe the lack of quality when it came to such a knife from Gerber. I have many other fine Gerber blades, and generally love their commitment to a higher standard. However, this was not the case with the River Runner. I bought this as my dive knife, having lost a few in the past due to poor sheath designs, I was initially drawn to this knife because of the sheath. The sheath is a tension sheath, in which the blade clicks in and out of, it is very sturdy and one that I wish other companies would copy. The knife fits in either way also, which is a plus. The sharpness of the blade out of the box was not lacking, I did feel the need to give it a good once over on a stone. On my first dive with the shorty, I used it to pry some mollusks, kill an octopus that I caught, and even cut some fishing line I found wrapped around my leg at one point. It performed wonderfully! However when I got to the surface I noticed some rust on the blade by the hilt. Nothing a little steel wool/lemon juice couldn't take care of, but rust non the less. I rinsed it with fresh water, then proceeded to treat as mentioned above. The rust came off, but the next day when I awoke, I actually found the blade had rusted even more just sitting in the humid air. I was told it was stainless steel, what type I still don't know to this day, I have had other 440 type stainless steel fishing and diving knives in the past, but none have ever rusted like this rust bucket. I would go through the aforementioned process after every dive it seemed, and enough was enough in the end. I sold it. Still to this day I am not sure if I had a defective knife, or what, but I can say that I never saw it without rust after that first dive.

Reviewed 05/30/2011 by B Yond

-Price Paid: $25.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 1 year

Comments:

This knife is perfect for kayaking, canoeing, rafting, diving, boating, and just about all other watersports. Blunt tip prevents accidental damage to yourself, your companions, or your gear when in an unstable aquatic environment. Serrated blade is effective at cutting rope, fishing line, aquatic plants, fabric, and probably a bunch of other stuff. The sheath is sturdy, will not rot or mold, and easily attaches in a variety of positions to just about anything you'd need to attach it to. The grip is sure wet or dry with or without gloves, and raised finger stops allow the user to orientate the knife by feel so you don't have to take your eyes off the water.

Blunt tip also works well as a light duty pry bar (I wouldn't put excessive stress on it, but it can withstand some). Highly polished blade surface also works as a mirror in a pinch for signaling rescue craft and evaluating injuries to yourself in places you can't see.

Mine goes with me every time I go boating, kayaking, or fishing. It usually rides on my PFD or waders, depending on what I'm doing, and always in a position where I can get to it quickly if I need it.

I've had it a year, and performed absolutely no maintenance on it, despite heavy use and frequent exposure to both fresh and saltwater. Still looks and works as new.