The title says it all.

I'm looking to pick up a dedicated "rescue" knife for use in my gear as a volunteer EMT.

Which would you choose and why?

I can't figure out what kind of steel is used in the Rescue. The Triage is N680 steel.

If you need an O2 wrench or toolkit with your knife, pick the Rescue. Rick Hinderer is a no-fooling genius with knives, and while I don't own any Gerbers I would not hesitate to buy something with his name on it.

I do have some Benchmades (RitterGrip and RitterMiniGrip), and they're the best folders I have for one-handed blade deployment. You won't often catch me without one of them on me.

For myself, not needing an O2 wrench and being the curator of a collection of multitools (and so not wanting toolkits with folding knives), I would pick the Triage.

The Gerber Hinderer Rescue blade is 440A Stainless.

My choice in this area and what now resides in the console of my truck is a Spyderco Assist -- VG-10 blade steel.

Looked at both and am requesting info from my brother (a Fire Lt.) and my brother from another mother (former Fire Lt.).

However, the nearly $100 price difference is telling. Ouch!

Thanks for alerting me to the existence though, as I'm an aspiring EMT.

Finn

I would go with the Benchmade. Benchmade's quality is as good as ever, while Gerber's has been on a slow decline.

I carry a SpyderCo Assist.

Light, strong, bright orange handle. It has a 'blunt' tip so as to not poke anyone. Serrated part is v.sharp .....

The thumb 'rest' is useful when you're cutting through something while wearing work gloves.

While I have to admit that I have the Gerber, I would suggest the Benchmade. (Yeah I know)

I can speak from experience having had to use a Benchmade rescue hook that they are amazing and they do exactly what they say they can. I have a tendency to love the Benchmade product but I bought the Gerber on a whim. The Benchmade seems more "real world" as it has a wider mouth (or appears to) than the Gerber.

If you are wearing gloves the Gerber does take the cake.

All in all when the chips are down, I would go with the Benchmade if you can afford it. If not the Gerber is not a shabby choice.

As for the Spyderco, well normally they are AWSOME and with the dedicated hidden window punch that is also pretty cool

Still I would go to the Benchmade if those are your two choices.

Hello,

Well, I heard from the Texan. He has the Gerber and keeps his in his truck.
I admit to incline towards that also. The Benchmade is undeniable quslity though.

Finn

I really like the Triage as my EDC. I'm not a first responder, and I have not handled the other knives mentioned, which I'm sure are quite good. I use mine all the time for typical things like cutting boxes or cord and quartering apples. For the latter the blade length is good, and the semi-blunt tip is not as scary to coworkers. The long belly makes for good slicing and the tip is beefy enough to pry with in an emergency. Yet the tip is pointed enough to probably make a fire drill divot easily enough. The glass-breaker and seatbelt-cutter round things out without compromising the primary function as a knife. The G10 scales are grippy, a bit too much for me at first, but pocket wear and burnishing with my thumbnail have made it just right. I'm a big fan of the Axis-Lock mechanism. I had been looking for something larger after carrying a Mini-Griptilian, which is a fine knife, but I wanted something I could hold with all fingers yet was thin enough to pocket comfortably. It is substantial in construction. The reviews on YouTube are worth watching.

Steve

In the six years I was an EMT I never needed a knife. Whatever I needed cut I could cut with my EMT shears. As a volunteer FF I have needed a knife just once in 22 years. It doesn't really matter what blade you have. Purchase the best one you can afford to loose on a chaotic scene and not have a heart attack when you do loose it. I do recommend a sheeps foot blade though.

In contrast, I've used a knife a few times (9 years in EMS). But honestly, whatever knife you want. I was using some CRKT Swat or something cheap.

I have the Hinderer - BIG knife. Too big IMO. I also have the Smith and wesson 1st response (440c steel), used the window punch once or twice. But really, for the money, you might as well buy a knife that you'll actually use. Something that you can carry off duty. The blade shapes on both aren't really good for cutting most things.

So I wound up purchasing the Gerber Hinderer Rescue Knife. While the Benchmade did seem to be of higher quality, the Gerber is certainly good enough, and was substantially less expensive (I was able to purchase it for just under $40 using some credit I had around). Also, the oxygen cylendar wrench built in has already come in handy, so I think I made a good choice!

Initial impressions: The knife is tough. Locks up well, without any movement. Big thumbstud make it very easy to open. Seatbelt/clothing cutter went through a seatbelt like a hot knife through butter last weekend at an extrication drill. I also like the blunt tip on the main blade - I'd be much less hessitant to use this around skin than a knife with a sharp, pointy tip.

So far, I'd say it's good for what I purchased it for. I'll post a follow-up as I use it more.