The Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife is an extremely popular survival knife that can be used for a wide variety of applications, such as emergency scenarios, hunting, camping, fishing, bushcraft, or everyday applications like spreading peanut butter on bread, if you so desire.

A highly versatile tool with a very comfortable grip; the Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife also has a built-in serrated edge, which is perfect for cutting branches and rope.

Before we get into the finer details of this Gerber knife I want to briefly touch upon the history of Gerber.

Gerber Legendary Blades was founded in 1939 and is currently headquartered in Tigard, Oregon. Pete Gerber established the company out of fortuitous circumstances. His family owned an advertising company that he worked for. One year during the holidays he took it upon himself to mail out handmade kitchen knives to clients, which became very popular with one in particular: Abercrombie & Fitch.

It turns out they loved those knives so much that they ordered more for their 1939 catalog — that same year Gerber Legendary Blades was officially born. Sometimes a moment of serendipity can change your life, for the Gerber family they can thank Abercrombie & Fitch.

In 1987 Fiskars company of Finland purchased Gerber in 1987. You’ll notice a lot of similarities between the two brands; primarily the fact that both divisions design and manufacture high quality products. We recently did a full feature on Fiskars splitting and chopping axes to show our love for them. Today, Gerber is a sub-division of Fiskars Brands Inc.

If you’re American you’ll be happy to know that all Gerber products are designed and engineered in Portland, Oregon. Gerber has a passionate following for their world-renowned knives and tools; which are extremely popular with survivalists, hunters, tradespeople and soldiers. Their recent partnership with Bear Grylls in the creation of his own line of survival gear (available on Amazon) has only strengthened the Gerber brand and has solidified their reputation among outdoor enthusiasts.

In recent years Gerber has been expanding their product line with products such as the Gerber Infinity Ultra Task LED Flashlight, and the Gorge Folding Shovel. As their website states, their products are intended to do one of the following: “save time, save the day, or save a life” — all very valuable goals for an ever-changing world.

Now let’s get to the star of the show…

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Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife

The Gerber LMF II Infantry knife is one of the best military-grade survival knives you can buy for the money. Originally designed by Jeff Freeman to handle a multitude of scenarios for US troops, the Gerber LMF II Infantry knife has been unleashed to the general public and it delivers on what it promises — an extremely durable, tough, comfortable and adaptable survival/utility knife.

A slick looking fixed-blade knife with a drop point blade; which provides additional support and strength over other blade types. The LMF II will  cut almost anything you throw at it and still retain the blade edge. After heavy usage you’ll find no evidence of chipping or rolling – a sure sign of quality.

At 10-inches long (4.84″ blade) it may be a little too large for everyday usage but if you’re out in the wild or in a survival situation this is an excellent choice to have strapped on you or to have in your Bug Out Bag.

The Gerber LMF II Infantry knife is a little on the heavy side at 11.67 oz (.73 lbs) but this also means that the chance of breakage is quite low. Made in the USA and used by American soldiers should give you a clue that this knife was built to last.

The Endless Functionality of the Gerber LMF II

It has a serrated edge which will prove useful if you have the need to cut rope, branches or a seat-belt.

An important factor with any knife is the quality of the handle and Gerber seems to have nailed it on that front as well. Made with glass-filled nylon with TPV, the handle is nicely textured to provide a solid grip, even in wet conditions – and also to prevent blistering. Equally important, the handle prevents electric shock in case you cut a live wire, thanks to the separation between the tang and butt cap. This separation also reduces the vibration when hammering.

It’s impressive at how many features Gerber has packed into this knife. Oh, did I mention that you can also use the Gerber LMF II Infantry knife as a spear by affixing it to a branch or stick via the holes specifically designed for that purpose. Yup, perfect for spear fishing or hunting if you find yourself in a real survival situation.

And if you’re wondering about a sheath for the Gerber LMF II don’t worry. It comes with a low-profile sheath with a built-in sharpener.

Also Comes in Green | Gerber LMF II

In addition to all of these features, you’ll notice the tip of the handle (pommel) comes to a point; making this extremely useful as an impact attack weapon or to break glass if you need a quick escape or to gain entry in the case of an emergency. As I stated at the beginning of this article, the Gerber LMF II Infantry knife does it all. This can be easily categorized as the best survival knife for the money — well under $100. Let me know if you can find a better survival knife at that price.

The Fantastic Coyote Brown LMF II

The Gerber LMF II Infantry knife provides you with an abundance of functionality and features for a wide range of situations and conditions. Designed with a sturdy blade that will endure whatever you throw at it and all for under $100. It delivers high-quality on every front. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a hunter, or a soldier, this knife will meet your demands on any front. If it’s good enough for the US army my bet is that it’s more than good enough for you.

It comes in 3 colors. Purchase them on Amazon:

1. Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife: Black (22-41629)
2. Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife: Green (22-01626)
3. Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife: Coyote Brown (22-41463)

Features (Gerber LMF II Infantry knife):

• Durable & versatile.
• Designed with grooves & holes so you can use as a spear.
• Compatible with MOLLE.
• Comes with: 2 Leg Straps & a streamlined sheath with built-in sharpener.

Additional Details:

• Gerber Model: 22-01626
• Overall Length: 10.59″
• Blade Length: 4.84″
• Weight: 24.28 oz. (w/ Sheath)
• Weight: 11.67 oz. (w/o Sheath)
• Blade Style: Drop Point
• Blade Material: 420HC Stainless
• Blade Type: Serrated
• Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon with TPV over-mold
• Sheath Material: Ballistic nylon with fire retardant coating

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One Last Thing…

If you don’t want to spend too much money on a survival knife then I’ll leave you with a good alternative to the Gerber LMF II Infantry knife — the Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Survival Knife. Overall a solid survival knife — not as good as the Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife — but it’s still good for almost 1/2 the price.