Review: Benchmade Water Knives

What's a water knife, you ask? It's a bladed companion for all your waterborne excursions, be it a day in the driftboat, a week-long summer raft trip, or an autumn overnight in the canoe. Designed to handle extreme conditions, Benchmade's Water Collection boasts marine-grade construction with corrosion-resistant blades and tacky handles that hold tight to your palm even when soaking wet. Six options are available, from compact folders to slender fillet knives to burly fixed-blades. We tried out two: the Undercurrent and the Mini Adira.

As with the rest of the collection, both knives come in a cool greyish-blue color, reminiscent of the sea. The fixed-blade Undercurrent ($250) is the workhorse, big and burly and ready to tackle any task. A serrated section on the 4.3-inch blade saws and cuts rope, while a double-thumbstopper—there's jimping on both the handle and the spine—keeps the knife secure when things get slippery. The plastic sheath locks the blade tight, with a handy quick-release for quick retrieval.

Smaller, lighter, and more nimble is the Mini Adira ($230) a compact folder to keep in your pocket all day, every day. With all the same attributes to fight the elements, the Mini Adira is designed for dexterity: quick access and precise cuts. The double-sided thumb catch enables ambidextrous opening, should your dominant hand be preoccupied. Both pocket clip and paracord lanyard make deployment fast and easy. And the same double-jimping, combined with a solid, corrosion-resistant locking mechanism, make for safe handling in all conditions.

In sum, these are two excellent knives built to perform, both on and off the water. Check 'em out, along with the rest of the Water Collection, at benchmade.com.