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Field Report: Imlay Canyon Gear
Canyon Knife
Date: July 6, 2005
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
E-mail address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
Last
year I finally acted on a long time
interest in backpacking, starting out slowly by day hiking, researching
backpacking products
and
techniques, purchasing gear, and doing a few
overnight trips, including one solo. So far this year I’ve taken
several
overnight trips, and am looking forward to some longer trips before the
end of
fall. I hike and backpack mainly in the
hills and valleys of West Virginia, and use a hammock sleeping system.
For a two-day
trip my typical pack weighs 22-30 lb (10-14 kg), and I am working on
lightening that a
bit. |
Product Information
-
 Manufacturer: Imlay Canyon
Gear
Year of manufacture: 2005
Date of Delivery: May 2, 2005
Manufacturer Website: www.ImlayGear.com
MSRP: $19.95 US
Features:
Made of 440-C surgical stainless steel
Serrated blade which locks open
Bottle opener
Clips to a carabiner
Will not open when clipped to a locking carabiner
Opens & closes with one hand
Physical description:
Advertised Weight: 0.7 oz (20 g)
Delivered Weight: 0.7 oz (20 g)
Advertised blade length: 1-1/8 in (29 mm)
Measured blade length: 1-1/16 in (27 mm)
Measured blade height: 3/4 in (19 mm)
Advertised overall length opened: 3-3/8 in (86 mm)
Measured overall length opened: 3-3/8 in (86 mm)
Measured overall length closed: 2-3/8 in (60 mm)
Measured overall height: 1 in (25 mm)
The Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Knife consists of a blade and handle
joined with a rivet-like fastener. A C-shaped guide and a
small metal protrusion keeps
the blade on track as it opens and closes, and an additional protrusion
on the opposite side of the knife allows one handed opening and closing
of the blade.
A circular opening allows the knife to fit on a carabiner. The
knife is designed so the blade locks in place when open. Pressing
in the bottom section of the
handle allows the blade to pass over the handle and close. The
bottom of the handle is formed so that
it can be used as a bottle opener. The knife blade is only
covered on one side when
closed. For a more detailed description of the knife see my Initial
Report.
 Field Information:
So far the Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon knife has traveled with me on
West Virginia trails in both the mountainous eastern region and hilly
western region. Elevations have ranged from approximately 700 ft
(200 m) to 2400 ft (750 m) and temperatures from 40 F (4 C) to 90 F (32
C). The knife has traveled with me pretty much everywhere I go,
as I keep it on my key ring. It has also traveled on two
overnight backpacking trips and numerous day hikes. For
backpacking trips I've found it easy to carry on a small carabiner
attached to my shoulder strap along with a small bottle of hand
sanitizer and sunscreen, and for day hikes I mainly keep it in my
pocket attached to a mini carabiner with my car and house keys.
Field Use:
So far I've found the Canyon knife extremely versatile.
Backpacking and hiking use has been limited to cutting a couple of food
packages open, some cheese, moleskin, and nylon cord, as I've found I
don't need a knife much while backpacking or hiking. The knife
excels at cutting packaging, providing a smooth even cut, and easily
cut the nylon cord. It did an okay job on moleskin, but I've
found the scissors on my multi-tool easier for this task. The
cheese ended up making the knife very messy, since it got into the
C-shaped groove in the handle which proved hard to clean out.
Otherwise, the knife has remained clean, with no discoloration of the
blade or handle, and no grime lodging in the crevasses or joints.
 The knife has really been most useful at camp
and in everyday situations, where I use a knife more. I've cut
heavy plastic ties, bits of string, cord, rope, loose threads, all
sorts of packaging, tape, plastic, and even foil pie pans. I
really like the size, shape, and weight of the knife. Even though
it
is extremely light, it feels balanced and substantial when I use
it.
It's small and light enough that it doesn't weigh my key chain down,
making it convenient to take along without worrying about losing it.
It's been a lot of fun to pull the knife quickly out of my pocket when
needed, while others are thinking about finding a pair of scissors or
trying to remember where they left their bulky pocket knife. It's
created a stir of interest just about every time I've used it in front
of someone else due to its tiny size, unique design, and sharp blade.
I've found I can easily open and close the knife with one hand, even
while attached to the mini-carabiner which also holds a small led
flashlight and my keys. I almost hate to admit it, but I have
even opened it with one hand while driving - still attached to my keys
in the ignition - and used it to slice open a package of candy or
nuts. The knife continues to open and close smoothly and easily
and has remained sharp on the inner edge. One of my initial
worries, that the exposed knife edge would cut me even when it was
closed has proved unfounded. A couple of times the knife
accidentally opened as I pulled it out of my pocket or purse, but even
then I didn't cut myself on the edge. Thankfully it seems to take
some pressure before the sharp edge bites in, saving me from a few
nicks or worse.
Test Plan:
As I continue to carry
the Canyon knife, I'll be observing the following:
- Durability – has the blade chipped or broken or have there
been any other problems?
- Ease of Use – Does opening, closing, and using
the knife (even one handed) remain easy?
- Blade - Does it remain sharp? Can I
find out if it can be sharpened if necessary and how
to best do so?
- Cleaning – Does the knife continue to be
grime-free in the crevasses? Does it discolor?
- Carrying - Do I still find it best carried on my key
chain? Do I still like it on my shoulder strap while backpacking?
- Utility – Do I find more uses for it while backpacking?
What sort of chores has it been inadequate for, if any?
In addition to every day use, during July I plan to take the Imlay
Canyon Gear Canyon Knife along on a two-night trip to Otter Creek
Wilderness, rafting for three days with the Girl Scouts on the New
River, and on a weekend canoeing class I will be assisting with near
Elizabeth, WV. August and September will bring more camp use and
a couple of weekend backpacking trips at yet to be determined locations.
Likes:
Super light weight
Balance and heft
Easy to use one handed
Easy to carry and use on mini carabiner
Sharp
Little Irritants:
Wish use and care instructions
were provided
Messy to use with some foods
Thanks
to Imlay Canyon Gear and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to
test this cool little knife.
Read more reviews of Imlay Canyon Gear gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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