Both styles have their place, but all climbing knives earn their salt in self-rescue scenarios. To make sure each could serve to clear away tat or cut loose an injured climber, we used all four to chop up a variety of connectors from webbing to dyneema to cord.

Although it has the longest blade of any knife in our test, the plastic handle is shorter than the Spatha’s and has no texture for grip. It’s still more versatile than the emergency knives, but it’s not reassuring during all-around use. The only real downside to the NIAD is the price. It’s by far the most expensive climbing knife in our test. This bladed product is not for sale to people under the age of 18. You may be required to provide proof of your age before we can send you this product. See details. By nature of its size, the NIAD isn’t nearly as effective for all-around use, but it can manage in a pinch. Notch in the blade helps you open it with bare hands while the textured wheel allows you to open it with gloves on.Any customer information held on our computers complies with the rules and laws contained within the Data Protection Act 2018. Although designed mainly for slicing through ropes, tat and cordage, the Petzl Spatha will make light work of salami and those hard alpine cheeses! If you want an emergency knife but balk at the price of the NIAD, the Piranha is a worthy replacement. All four knives have clip-in points and/or lanyard attachment points. The Spatha and Rope Tooth can be opened while clipped to a carabiner, but the Piranha and NIAD cannot. Size, Weight, & Intended Use Most remarkable was the sheer cutting power: the Spatha sliced through most varieties of webbing in just one or two strokes.

The ultralight NIAD and Piranha exist for a reason: many climbers only need to carry a knife to trim old webbing or in case of self-rescue. Especially for alpinists, it’s prudent to have a simple knife that takes up as little space and weight as possible. If your needs are similar, look to the NIAD or the Piranha. Two ways to open the blade: with the notch in the blade if bare handed, or with the textured wheel when wearing gloves. Two of the knives (the Petzl Spatha and Edelrid Rope Tooth) are larger and more usable, with handles that function as sheaths. placed after 3pm on a Friday or at a weekend or on a Bank Holiday will be processed on the next working dayFor emergency knives, the choice comes down to price. The NIAD is significantly more expensive, but offers slightly better performance in a more usable design. The Piranha isn’t quite as user-friendly, but it’s a decent performer at a wallet-friendly price. How We Tested The Rope Tooth’s unpredictable ways made for a slightly dangerous test.

So aside from sensible design/ergonomics and good build quality, the blade alloy is worthy of consideration. It's surprising how fast some knives will go blunt, some you can cut one rope, go to cut the next and feel the difference in sharpness. Half straight/half serrated blade is nearly 3 inches long, making it useful for more scenarios than many of the shorter knives on this list. The other three knives all cut through a standard 18mm sling in under ten seconds. The Rope Tooth took more than a minute and a half. The serrated blade seemed both dull and prone to snags, and it required far more energy to cut through even thin material.

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We destroyed a heap of webbing and cord to find out which climbing knife will cut when you need it most. The results were clear: The Petzl Spatha outclassed the competition in almost every way. Lighter than many of the knife options on this list, yet comes with nine different tools–including screwdrivers, scissors, knife blade, and pliers. Surrounding the clip-in point is a textured plastic wheel that allows for easy manipulation with climbing gloves, removing the worry of slicing open a mitt. If you don’t need to trim every gram, consider the Petzl Spatha. The penalties are slim, adding less than an ounce of weight and a couple inches of size. In exchange, you get the very best performance in a design that works just as well as a camp knife. The NIAD and Piranha are probably smaller than your car key. Budget Please note that inflatables such as sleeping mats are not considered as faulty if they become punctured during use and are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty in this event.