CRKT Bear Claw Outdoor Rescue Fixed Blade Knife with Sheath, Orange, 2511ER

Recently lost the Bear Claw that had been my river knife for years so I’m back for another. Can’t say enough about how great of a knife it’s been. The blunt tip is an absolute must around rafts and IKs. With simple maintenance the blade remained sharp for years of quick cuts through ropes, webbing, & thick fabric. The grip, especially with the hole, works really well for my petite hands, even in slippery/wet conditions. It is an incredible value for the price! However, I also recently started to make the switch from wearing my knife on the outside of my pfd to inside a pocket (personal experienced based decision…see missing knife;). I’ve found a way to make it work for now but the only way this knife could be even better is if it also came in a foldable version.

Great rescue knife for ur car in emergency

I work as an EMT in a big city. I keep trauma shears on me but realized that I always keep them on my strong side and if that hand was ever injured or preoccupied (controlling bleeding) I wouldn’t have a way to grab my shears. After looking around I found this knife and it fits the bill. I carry on my weak side on my belt. Small and very lightweight. The retention in the sheath is rock solid. And if it ever gets a lil loose you can adjust the screw out a touch and it will hold better. The VEFF serrations are the very best serrations on the planet. They cut through anything fibrous (clothes, seatbelts, airbags, etc) like it’s paper. One drawback I noticed and messaged the company about is the knife is designed to be used with downward cutting motion. If needed to be used to cut clothing from someone the grip would have to be reversed and while possible is a lil awkward. Asked company if they could make version with cutting edge flipped and facing top of knife. We will see if that happens. Until then it’s a great back up for a great price.

I have been a fan of CRKT for decades. I am retired (from 30 years as an EMT) and now work on a ferry / whale-watch boat. Having a capable knife is just part of the job. I do most of the rope work on the boat. Splicing lines, etc. There is no ideal blade to carry. Like so many other tools, having the right tool for the job is important. Cutting 1" to 2" lines is a common occurrence for me. Luckily, it has never been a life saving need. YET. Quickly cutting a 1 1/2" line requires the right knife. I bought this knife with this in-mind. While I like the knife, it is a little to small for the larger lines. I would highly recommend it if you are on a smaller vessel that uses smaller line. Maybe 3/4" and smaller. While it will (and does) cut the larger lines, it is not a fast I prefer. I keep the CRKT Bear Claw hanging on my backpack but if I need to cut a larger line, I resort to a full sized fixed (serrated) blade which is inside my backpack to expedite the cut. My everyday carry knife is a large folder with a blade that is half serrated and half non-serrated. It is my all-round duty knife. SO, the short version.... The Bear Claw is a great knife but a little small on the "big boat".

Easy to pull from sheath when needed. Blade is designed to quickly cut through rope, straps, vines, etc. Clips to my life preserved vest.

5 Stars for the Knife — The Sheath Needs Improvement I’m a retired commercial whitewater river guide, and for more than 20 years I carried a Gerber knife attached to my life jacket. Recently, I purchased two Bear Claw knives—one for me and one for my son—after reading several reviews about how quickly they cut through rope. The reviews were right! I tested mine several times, and it is one of the best knives I’ve used for cutting rope. Shortly after purchasing them, my son and I took them on a 5-day rafting trip. We attached our Bear Claws to the lash tabs on our life jackets. On the first day, the oar bumped my life jacket, causing the sheath to unclip from the lash tab and fall into the bottom of the boat. Fortunately, I saw it and was able to secure it in the reserve pocket of my life jacket. I warned my son to be careful with his sheath because it appeared that it could easily release from the lash tab. He added a zip tie through the sheath and lash tab to make sure his stayed attached. That worked—the sheath stayed securely in place—but unfortunately, on day four of our five-day trip, the knife itself fell out of the sheath and is now somewhere at the bottom of the river. The knife gets 5 stars from me. It is an excellent rope-cutting tool and performed exactly as advertised. The sheath, however, needs improvement. I would not consider it reliable for rafting or other situations where losing your knife could be a serious problem unless you add a zip tie and a leash. The knife did come with a leash, but I initially avoided using it because I’ve found that leashes can get snagged on oars and other equipment. In hindsight, I should have used it. Overall, I really like the Bear Claw knife. I would absolutely buy another one—the next time, I’ll just make sure the sheath is secured with a zip tie and that the knife is attached to a leash.

I have been needing another knife for work as the sheathe for my TDI has become a little too loose for retaining the knife. This one was a little more expensive but after wearing it for work tonight I am very satisfied with my purchase. It fits right on my belt and I barely remember it's there until I check for it.

Greatest rafting knife there is. My only issue is that I couldn’t ship it to NY … but then again, NY doesn’t let you have any fun. Attaches to life jacket securely. Blunt tip for safety. Searated blade for ripping through whatever you need. I’d buy it again. I mean, I did. It’s my second for my second jacket.