River knife: fixed or folding blade? Inside or outside the PFD?

I will start by giving you the answer (my personal opinion): folding blade, inside the VFI.

Disclaimer : The opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not represent those of anyone else.

Here's why:

The Clean Principle

Clean Line Principle ➡️ Clean Principle

This principle initially referred to ropes (Clean Line Principle), but now applies to all our river equipment (Clean Principle).

Objective of the principle: to raise awareness among paddlers to identify and eliminate the risks of entanglement/trapping on their equipment, particularly on their PFD.

Several stories of accidents and near misses could have been avoided by using the Clean Principle.

Before

Rope + moving water = bad mix.

A rope can create serious, even fatal, jams.

Notably :

• Knot at the end of the rope

• Loop on a rope (rope bag) large enough to pass a hand or other element of the river (branch, rock).

In short, reduce or eliminate elements related to the use of a rope in a river that could increase the chances of getting stuck with branches or rocks.

NOW

Any element that is prone to getting stuck/entangled represents a serious, even fatal, danger.

The pros and cons of all equipment must be weighed to ensure that it is absolutely necessary and that the benefit outweighs the risk.

Notably:

• Carabiner (with vs. without locking system). One of the biggest risks of jamming.

• Poorly adjusted equipment

• Flip line, guide sling. At the waist vs. inside the PFD. A fatal accident occurred due to a sling worn at the waist.

• A towline (tow line, cow tail, tow tether) that is too long poses a significant risk. Avoid excessively long towlines; ALWAYS attach them to two detachable points (as opposed to fixed points, e.g., a PFD strap).

• VFI (straps and other equipment)

• Knife

• Perimeter rope

• Leash (paddle, SUP)

• ETC.

Regularly review your equipment to identify and correct any elements that pose a risk of jamming.

• Well-fitted VFI

• Reduce the loops on rope bags. Eliminate knots.

• Take a whitewater rescue course

• Raise awareness among those around you

• ETC.

The river knife

Different knives for different scenarios.

Utility knife vs. rescue knife

Utility knife: Versatile use, such as food preparation. A little bit good at everything, but excellent at nothing.

Rescue knife: Specific use such as cutting rope, clothing, or other equipment (straps, PFDs) quickly and reliably. Survival (personal or that of another victim) could depend on it.

Fixed blade vs. folding blade

Folding blade:

• More compact

• Requires an additional step to deploy

• Generally less sturdy

• More difficult to clean

  
  

Fixed blade:

• Less compact

• Perhaps deployed in a single step

• Generally stronger (a single piece of metal)

• Easier to clean

Other considerations

• Rounded tip to avoid injuring a person on whom equipment is being cut

  (clothing or other) or to avoid puncturing an inflatable boat.

• Straight or serrated blade (or a mix of both). Serrated blades generally cut strings better.

• One cutting side and one non-cutting side to avoid injuring a person on whom equipment (clothing or other) is being cut.

• Brightly colored handle to make it easier to find if you drop it in the water

• Oil the blade to prevent corrosion

• Sharpen the blade if necessary

• Stainless steel (slow down corrosion)

• Titanium: for use in salt water (reduces corrosion and maintenance).

• Quality retention system

• A good grip for better control with wet and cold hands.

Scenario examples

• Someone tangled in a rope

• Someone stuck between a raft and a rock (cutting the raft)

• Someone caught by a strap of their PFD

• Someone in cardiac arrest (open their clothes to perform CPR)

Does this happen often?

Fortunately, not very often. That said, several accidents (66) recorded in the American Whitewater database since 1972 are related to equipment entanglements. A knife could have been a solution. Of the 66 cases, 38 are related to entanglement with a rope or perimeter line.

The American Whitewater Foundation has a database containing more than 1600 deaths and incidents since 1972. A similar project is underway in Quebec, but no public data is available.

Personal conclusion

In my opinion, a river knife isn't designed for buttering toast and slicing sausage. Its primary purpose is to be as effective as possible in a rescue situation.

Main objective: to cut ropes (or other material)

Observation:

• Having tested the majority of river knives available on the market, I have found that in most cases, folding blade knives cut much better than fixed blade knives.

• Fixed-blade knives attached to a PFD tend to snag on just about anything, especially when getting back into a boat. Whether it's on top, on the shoulder strap, or between layers, I know very few river guides who can say they've never lost a river knife with this setup.

Also, I don't understand the trend of putting a knife on the shoulder strap of the PFI.

The arguments put forward:

• Being able to deploy the knife with one hand

• To be able to use the knife equally well with the right hand and the left hand

• Reduce the risk of snagging (vs. placing on top of the PFD)

However, no manufacturer includes a fastening system in that location. When weighing the risks against the benefits, I can't find any compelling arguments to justify having a knife so close to my face that I could potentially hang from.

The main argument of fixed-blade knife proponents remains the ability to deploy the knife in a single step, and with one hand.

However, in studying accidents on the American Whitewater River, I found no concrete examples demonstrating a situation where a folding knife inside a PFD worsened a situation or vice versa. If you have an example, please send it to me!

Furthermore, newer PFD models now include a dedicated pocket for the folding knife, allowing access without opening the entire pocket. Specialized folding rescue knives often feature a thumb hole for one-handed opening, even with gloves. This design is becoming increasingly popular (particularly with Spyderco, where it's a signature feature). Some companies, like Palm, also add a bite tab as an additional option for one-handed opening.

The knife can therefore be accessed with one hand, and generally ambidextrously. A bit more technical, but still very realistic with a little practice.

A rescue knife is usually sharp on one side and not the other. With a fixed-blade knife, you have to remember the knife's orientation, otherwise you risk trying to cut with the blunt side (I've seen this with symmetrical knives like the NRS Co-Pilot). With a folding knife, you can't go wrong.

The only remaining argument is that deploying a folding blade requires an extra step (opening the blade).

One more step versus a knife optimized for rescue and reducing the risk of snagging; I choose the second option. The risks don't outweigh the benefits.

Conclusion

Following the Clean Principle, the main use of the river knife and the analysis of river accidents, I am in favor of a folding blade knife, carried inside the PFD.

Sources

Rafting Magazine . "Keep it Clean! – Evolution of the Clean Principle." Published January 8, 2019. Available at: https://www.raftingmag.com/rafting-magazine/keep-it-clean

American Whitewater . "Accident Database." Available at: https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Accident/view/

Things To Luc At . "River Rescue Knives." Published July 5, 2022. Available at: https://thingstolucat.com/2022/07/05/river-rescue-knives/

Alex