Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

So I ordered a Columbia River Knife and it came in yesterday. Probably never need it given my typical floating destinations, but I felt it was well worth 25 bucks for the "ya never knows". I really like it, but yesterday I got out my PFD (Stohlquist Trekker) with the intention of attaching the sheath and disovered the only lash tab is on the back left shoulder. I attached it there and actually found it very easy and comfortable to access. I even held my forearm tight against my chest in hopes of replicating the constricted movement potentially caused by a pin and had no trouble reaching it. I was just wondering if anyone saw a problem with this arrangement.

Rescue knife location on PFD's has always been sketchy in my opinion.

Especially a problem if you have to crawl over a raft tube.

The best solution is a folder inside the front pocket and nothing up front to snag.

However, that will take away from the fast get to your knife option.

It is a personal decision on rescue knife location.

If someone could come up with a better solution than what we see now, it would be a very good thing.

PFD's with lash tabs on the back of the shoulder are designed for touring. The lash tab is there for a strobe light to be mounted on it.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___74240#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See bullet #4.

Which CRKT did you get? Clancrawford uses the Neckolas model.

P.S. now you have an excuse to buy another PFD with lash tab on front.

I went with the Neckolas as well. Seems like a great little knife for the money. It's extremely unlikely that I'll ever paddle in more than class II, so I think the Trekker will be fine for my weekend trips. I hope to start taking raft trips in bigger water at some point, but I've got A LOT of learning to do before then.

I have not been fond of knives on lash tabs since my SWR course. The knife gets in the way of the rope. It made me think about what would happen if that rope were in the river and got hung up. Like Okie, I use a folding knife in a pocket now. Bad stuff can happen on class I and II. Current is a powerful thing.

One can buy extra Lash Tabs online. Take your PFD and the Lash Tabs to a shoe cobbler and have them sew it to the location of your desire. The boot repair shop on Golf Link Road, Hot Springs is one that I have used for this (can't remember their name).
Tim

I try to keep a knife handy even on swamp floats, not just "WW".

I've lost count of the number of times it has been handy to cut some abandoned/discarded fishing lines - having seen a dying great blue hanging from a fishing hook in a tree, more than one turtle with less than four feet, and a goose lose a leg over the course of several weeks due to a tangle of monofilament line (couldn't catch the goose to free it), discarded fishing lines are one of the things I always try to pick up.

So nobody has to feel "funny" about wanting to carry a river knife even for "easy" water - they are handy tools, and good for far more than just jumping in the nar to save a life by cutting a tangled rope!

I've also gone over to folders in the pocket, over a fixed blade mounted on the jacket. I've just seen too many empty scabbards, and don't care to leave a SS blade lying on the bottom waiting for an unsuspecting foot later in the summer... Yes, there may be a few situations where the fixed blade would be better, but there are always trade-offs with these types of choices.