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Gerber Streamlined an Iconic Military Survival Knife for Civilian Camping

The Oregon knifemaker makes a strong case for civilians to join the StrongArm camp.

person holding making kindling with a knifeGerber

By Jack Seemer

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Released in 2014, the US-made Gerber StrongArm has become something of modern classic in the knife community.

The StrongArm is Gerber’s best-selling fixed-blade design, and it carries a full tang, 420HC steel blade and rubberized diamond-texture grip — made all the more attractive by the knife’s approachable $80 price tag (which has dropped as low as $40 throughout the last decade).

Now, with the redesigned StrongArm Camp, Gerber makes the case that the StrongArm isn’t just a great survival knife for military personnel but a solid all-around civilian blade that’s optimized for camping and everyday tasks in the outdoors.

Gerber StrongArm Camp

Gerber

Gerber StrongArm Camp

Specs

Blade Length 4.10 inches
Blade Material 420HC
Overall Weight 4.8 ounces

The first thing fans of the original StrongArm will notice on the Camp version is the knife’s redesigned handle.

Here, the guard has been streamlined, opening up new grip positions when “making more kindling for the fire or bigger jobs like cutting paracord,” Gerber says.

The first thing fans of the original StrongArm will notice on the Camp version is the knife’s redesigned handle.

The Portland, OR-based company also reduced the weight over 30 percent from 7.2 ounce to 4.8 ounces, partly by thinning the blade from .187 to .117 inches and shortening the blade to 4.10 inches (the blade on the original StrongArm measures 4.875 inches).

That said, many of the hallmarks found on the original StrongArm are on the Camp version, too — full tang construction, rubberized diamond-texture grip, 420HC blade. It also comes with sheath and lanyard hole for multiple carry options.

Bottom line

Owners of an original Gerber StrongArm may struggle to justify spending $90 (the price of the StrongArm Camp) on variation of a design already deemed a classic — especially considering the Camp is still equipped with a 420HC blade.

However, Gerber is clearly casting a wider net with the new version, and it’s hard not to see even more outdoor enthusiasts joining the StrongArm family.