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Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Knife - Initial Report
May 9, 2005
Thomas Vickers
37 years old
Male
5 ft 11 in tall (1.8 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area
Tester Background:
I grew up in
the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested
woods behind the house. My style has evolved
and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking
gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am
more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the
lightest load possible
Manufacturer Information:
Manufacturer: Imlay Canyon Gear
Website: http://www.imlaygear.com
Material: 440-C Surgical Stainless Steel
Blade length: 1 1/8 in (35 mm)
Open length: 3 3/8 in (86 mm)
Weight: 0.7 oz (20g)
Blade Type: Serrated
Cantilever lock for the open position
Firm Indent lock for the closed position
MSRP: $ 19.95 US
Information from Tester:
Blade length: 1 in (25 mm)
Closed length: 2 3/8 in (60 mm)
Open Length: 3 3/8 in (86 mm)
Weight: 0.7 oz (20 g)
Predictions:
One thing that I am very stuck in my ways about is the knife I use while on the trail. I
have not only carried the same type of knife, but I have carried the exact same knife for
the last decade.
I may not have sharpened it in nearly 3 years, but I still use the exact same knife.
When I went to the Imlay website to preview the Canyon Knife I almost started
laughing. Everything I needed to know was there on the site, size, price, and weight, but
there was no way this tiny little thing was going to be able to replace my knife. It
looked decent sized in the photo, but the specifications told me it was TINY. In my
opinion this was a toy, not a serious piece of gear, so of course I applied for this test
anyway.
Arrival:
When the Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Knife finally arrived in the mail I was ready to be
disgruntled. After tearing it out of the shipping package and taking it off of the hang
card it was attached to, I started to change my mind about this knife. First off, it
was bigger than I expected. Thinking back to the picture on the Imlay website I
realized that despite my interpretation of the measurement, I realized that the picture
was more telling than the measurements.
Now don't get me wrong here. The Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Knife is smaller than my
normal knife (I think the blade alone is bigger than this knife), but it was larger than I
had expected. In fact, after reading the hang tag and looking at the knife, I
was slowly developing a new respect for what I might be able to do with this little
number.
Description:
I have thought long and hard on how to describe the Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Knife.
Let's start with the basics. It is a small, locking blade knife with a serrated
cutting edge. On the back side of the blade is the word TRANGO. The blade is
attached to a bare metal handle that I would describe as "skeletal." There
is no grip or other material on the handle and the end of the handle opposite the blade
has a large circle cut out of it. It is this end of the handle that has an odd shape
on the underside (kind of a lip) that can be used to open bottles according to Imlay
Canyon Gear. According to the hang tag, this knife should be hung from a carabiner
so it won't get lost and because it cannot be accidentally opened while attached to the
carabiner. It also claims that the knife can be opened and closed with one hand.
All of these claims will be checked out during the testing of this knife.
TEST PLAN:
I want to toss in a little note here on my plan. My first pre-arrival
impression of this knife was that it was a joke. When I got my hands on the Canyon Knife
and started evaluating just what I use a knife for while on the trail, I realized that
this piece of gear just might bring about an epiphany for me. If this knife can do all my
knife duties then I have no need for the huge blade I currently carry. It might not
seem such a breakthrough for some, but realizing that smaller and lighter doesn't
necessarily bring about a loss of functionality is huge for me.
Testing Location:
· This knife will be tested in South East and Central Texas. This means
temperatures between 40 F and 95 F (7 C to 35 C) as well as varied levels of
precipitation. This will range from rain all the way to dense fog and everything in
between.
· It will also be tested in Inyo National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park.
This includes altitudes from 9,000 to 13,000 feet (2700 to 4000 meters) and
temperatures between 35 F and 75 F (2 C and 24 C).
· The terrain will range from flat to mountainous.
Testing Activities:
· Day hikes and weekend trips
· Long Hiking trips (5+ days)
· Geocaching
Test Strategy:
1. How user friendly is this knife? Is it easy to use one handed? Does it require
two hands to open?
2. How small is it? Is it easy to clip to my pack? Is it too easy to lose? How well does
it stay attached?
3. Can I cut cheese with it? (This is my main trail task).
4. Does it hold an edge well or does it need frequent sharpening?
5. Do I feel that this is enough knife for long trips?
6. How flimsy is the construction? Will this knife hold up to constant use and abuse?
7. Can I really open a bottle with it?
8. Will I feel secure with this being my only knife while on the
trail?
Read more reviews of Imlay Canyon Gear gear
Read more gear reviews by Thomas Vickers
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