Gerber E-Z Out Rescue Knife

How It’s Useful During RaftingWhen you’re out on the water, you need a knife that can handle emergencies, and this one fits the bill. I’ve used it a few times for minor fixes, like cutting tangled rope or trimming loose straps on my gear. The serrated blade makes quick work of tough materials, and the blunt tip ensures I won’t accidentally puncture my inflatable raft.One time, during a rafting trip, a friend’s life jacket strap got stuck, and this knife was the perfect tool to cut it free without risking injury. Its compact size and lightweight design mean I can clip it to my PFD (personal flotation device) without it getting in the way.Key Features for River UseSerrated Blade: The blade is sharp and rugged, making it perfect for cutting rope, webbing, or even fishing line when you’re out on the river.Blunt Tip: The rounded tip is great for safety, especially in situations where you’re working near inflatable rafts or close to others.Grippy Handle: The rubberized handle provides excellent grip, even when your hands are wet. This was especially helpful during one trip when it started raining, and everything I touched was slippery.One-Handed Opening: The thumbhole lets you open the blade with one hand, which is useful when you’re balancing in a raft or dealing with a situation where you only have one hand free.What I LikedWater-Resistant Design: The stainless steel blade holds up well in wet conditions, and I haven’t noticed any rust even after repeated exposure to water.Lightweight and Portable: At just over 2 ounces, it’s easy to carry without weighing you down. It clips securely to my life jacket and stays out of the way until I need it.Rescue-Ready: The blunt tip and serrated edge are clearly designed with safety and emergencies in mind.What Could Be BetterBlade Deployment Could Be Smoother: While the one-handed opening is functional, it’s not the smoothest, especially if your hands are wet or cold.No Extra Tools: A glass breaker or dedicated seatbelt cutter would have made this knife even more versatile for emergencies.Specialized Use: The serrated blade is great for rafting, but it’s not as useful for general-purpose tasks like food prep or carving.Why It’s Great for RaftersIf you’re into river rafting or other water activities, the Gerber E-Z Out Rescue Knife is an excellent tool to have on hand. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and specifically designed for safety and utility in emergencies. Whether you’re cutting tangled ropes, freeing stuck straps, or just need a reliable knife on the water, this one won’t let you down.

I have had this knife several times, as I keep losing it. It is nice and compact and fits into a pocket on my PFD easily. I just need to remember to zip up the pocket. In theory it attaches to outside attachment point on my PFD (Kokatat MsFit), but in practice I find it hard to get it on and harder to get it off. Plenty sharp, and blunt end is good for safety. It seems a bit expensive to me, but I like it. When I do a lot of saltwater kayaking it gets brown oxidation marks on the blade, even if I rinse in fresh water at end of day.

This is NOT a utility knife. I bought it for EMERGENCY use when sailing. If you get tangled in a line or trapped under a sail in a capsize or a fouled line endangering the vessel or the crew it may need to be cleared quickly. A sharp serrated blade is the tool for the job. The blunt tip should keep you from getting stabbed (although it might be a little hard to get a start on a sail) . Locking blade, full serration, reasonably robust but light weight, compact but enough blade to do the job at a modest price. Should be OK.It has a belt clip but don't count on that keeping the EMERGENCY KNIFE where it belongs if you wind up in the drink tangled up in lines. The knife lacks a place attach a lanyard to keep the knife attached to your body when desperately needed. A serious flaw BUT I don't see any problem drilling a small, say 3/16" hole in the grip for a lanyard which you attach to your PFD or clothing NOT around your neck. The lanyard needs to be long enough to permit full reach. I find I usually have to add a knife pocket to my clothes to accommodate the knife and all that line.If I can't rig the lanyard I'll revise this review.

Great price, great product, perfect for my personal floatation device (PFD). There is even a small hole on the handle where I attached a tether so I don't lose it. Luckily I have not had to use it while kayaking yet but it looks very sharp so be careful. The greatest feature for me is that it attaches easily to my PFD being small but it doesn't have a sharp point when deployed.

Does what its meant to do. Clip is good. Super sharp for cutting ropes, oranges or whatever you want really.

Works fine for my need for a river knife. Like the hi vis color. Easy to open with one hand. No rust when used in fresh water.

I got this to wear on my PFD while whitewater kayaking. I've been an avid kayaker for 15 years and although I always carried a river knife, fortunately I've only used mine for cutting food, I hope to never need to use it for it's intended purpose.The Gerber seems to be pretty sturdy, the blade is sharp and it's easy to open and close. I like the bright yellow color, it will match the stain on the front of my shorts if I ever need to use it in an emergency situation ;< )

Great rescue knife no point to injure yourself and fully meets the offshore requirements for sailboat racing.I keep one in each set of foul weather gear and in each PFD. Whatever I am wearing I have the required knife