Gerber Silver Trident vs Chris Reeves Green Beret

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kendo06

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May 15, 2004
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Hi, I'm looking for a sturdy camping/outdoor knife. Anyone know much about either of these? Is the Gerber any good? It's a lot less expensive ($176 vs $300 for the Chris Reeves). Is it that less good?
Thanks
 
The CRK Green Beret is an excellant knife. Is it that much better? I think so. However, do you need that much knife? Why are you looking at those two specifically?

There are value priced models from Becker Knife and Tool and Swamp Rat that may serve your needs at a much lower pricepoint.

At a similar pricepoint, you may want to consider Busse Combat or one of the custom knifemakers. $300 gets you into the entry level custom knife market.
 
Thanks,
those are good suggestions. I just wanted a quality knife and don't mind spending a lttle more, although $300 is really too much for me and the Gerber at about $180 more practical.
Any model in particular you would recommend from Becker or Busse?
Thanks
 
Hey what about the RAT-7? these are even less expensive than the gerber yet work very well.

IMO the gerber has always been too expensive for what you get.
 
Neither the CRK GB, or the Gerber Trident is a good choice for a camping/outdoor knife, IMO.
I tried out the GB as part of a passaround here on the forums. If I were still in the military, I'd consider it, but as a camp knife...no thanks.
I'd much rather have the Becker BK7, or RAT-7 in that size/style knife, or a Busse NO or SH, or Swamprat Camp Tramp for something heavier that will chop better. All have tougher steel than the CRK or Gerber, all have flat grinds that perform much better in wood, and all (even the BK7) have much better tips for use with a baton.
I don't know what you use a knife for in the woods, but I use a knife in that size range for general camp use, light chopping, limbing, splitting, but mainly carry as a "just in case" tool for when I'm away from camp.
Also find hacking away at stuff with a knife a lot of fun, for some reason :D
I use a BK7 because my Busse Basic 9 is too big to carry on my person, and I sold my NO, not caring for the E handles.
So far I've gotten to spend zero time in the woods this year, so it hasn't been a priority, but whenever I "get around to it", I'll get a Camp Tramp, since it is much more suited to the kind of use I actually put the knife through.
It's several pages back, but I wrote some comments on the CRK GB passaround knife toward the end of this thread that might give you an idea where I'm coming from.
 
Owen, thanks for the link I missed that the first time around, I have been looking for such a comparison for some time, nice work. Do you know if Reeve changed his serration pattern, the last time I used it (quite a few years ago), it was very fluid.

Back to the origional question, for solid camp knives of medium size :

1) Mora 2000 for light cutting, and baton work, very light and a highly efficient cutting blade.

2) Becker CU/7 when you want more chopping power and greater blade strength.

3) Swamp Rat Camp Tramp when you want even more of the same.

-Cliff
 
Thanks again, I'll have to look into these others. I hadn't ever considered them. Nice to have the input!
 
Cliff, the serrations are different. On the Green Beret, they're pretty much just vertical grooves cut into the blade behind the edge, and they're flat, not curved or pointed. "Pointless" is a good word for them, IMO.
Kind of like this... --i_i--i_i--i_i--
Here's a pic on 1sks pic that's pretty clear, though small.
 
Owen any comments on the comfort/security issues with the raised tang through the handle?

-Cliff
 
The grip on the GB is pretty comfortable. I used it while chopping some limbs that varied from 1" to 3" in diameter. I did find that it lent itself very well to a fencing style grip (thumb and index finger on the side). As far a performance goes it was almost equal to the results I've had with the Raven. The only caveat I've found with the GB is the tip - it could use a little more width. Oh and the sheath is a blackhawk and I hate blackhawk gear.
 
In general I have found BlackHawk to be solid and functional, what don't you like about the sheaths. Thanks for info on the grip.

-Cliff
 
1 a buddy of mine got jammed up on on some of their gear
2. the woodland pattern they make doesn't match issue gear and they not only know it, they won't change it.
3. I've had their sheaths come apartin the field - liners cracked/split
4. they have gear made in vietnam

My experiences/feelings twards blackhawk aside, the GB is a decent knife. The grip is comfortable and secure. It chops and slices well, and it is thick enough for moderate prying.


For info on the trident I would suggest a search for the review by Greg Walker.
 
I can see the liner issue readily, as it is some type of hard plastic. Does anyone know what exactly the composition of "TalonFlex"? With the sheaths coming apart, was it an issue with the stiching? They could certainly use reinforcement, ideally it should be side stiched every inch or so to prevent unraveling.

-Cliff
 
On mine the plastic insert broke. My Raven got hung up on a strap in my hummer and the liner cracked. It took about 3mos. of wear before he stitching began to show signs of wear.
 
Cliff, I really liked the handles. No comfort issues, and very secure, though I cannot claim to have used the knife extensively, with all the use coming in pretty much one day. As I recall, the handles were just a bit large for me, which is no surprise, as I have relatively small hands (size medium glove has a little extra room at the fingertips).
The only disappointment was how the palm swell interfered with comfort when choking back to chop-which I think is necessary to get any work of that kind done with the neutral balance. That knife's not really made to be a chopper, so I guess it's more an observation than a complaint.
I really don't have much to add to what little I wrote in the passaround thread, as my time with the knife was so limited.
 
I've had a Silver Trident for about 2 months now and really like it. It has serrations on the top edge similar to the Green Berets and more conventional serrations (spyderco type) on the bottom. The grip is very comfortable and has a nice texture. It is alot firmer than kraton. My knife came very sharp with very clean grind lines and an excellent fit and finish. The guard is a very tough feeling plastic that I feel would be very hard to break. It also has an indentation that snaps into the sheath to help hold it in place. I would also like to have a Green Beret though as they are very cool. :)

John
 
I bought a green beret - 5.5" - as an outdoor knife and ended up reselling it. If you actually backpack, it's way too heavy. I replaced it by a Fallkniven F1, which I think is the best non-custom hiking / camping knife ever.
 
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