Shaving the excess and relying only on what’s actually useful, the Eldris from Morakniv dumps convention and sheds all the excess with a short blade, grippy handle, and handy accessories.
The going trend in the outdoor industry is pretty much to produce the largest, most exaggerated blades possible and package them as “survival” blades. The problem with that, however, is that gigantic blades in reality don’t make a lot of sense for most situations. Unless you plan to slay dragons or fight off a zombie horde, all you really need is a sharp edge, durable tip, and a stable grip. The Eldris takes this realization and runs with it. The 2 mm thick stainless steel blade barely sticks out longer than my thumb at just 59mm, and almost the entire knife is dedicated to control and stability, via the grippy handle. The handle is made from two different polymers, and clicks nicely into the included sheath with minimal effort. There is an optional accessory clip, paracord and striker too, rounding the blade into a survival kit of sorts. The blade weighs only 2.8 ounces, comes in a variety of colors, and retails for about $25 for the blade itself. The kit can be found for about $35 and includes the paracord, striker and clip.
As far as using the blade, the Eldris is actually quite the experience. The round, textured handle and relatively stubby blade turned out to work fantastically together. Having the shorter blade greatly increases the precision and stability of the cut when using it, especially in situations where a bit of force is used. Even better, if a slip does happen, the shorter length makes it far less likely to result in an injury. The dual polymer handle has two components, the smoother, slicker core, and the grippy, rubber like outer wrap. This allows the blade to move and shift into various positions while working, without having it slip. The culmination of these features rusults in the most control I’ve ever felt from a blade. Tasks that would normally feel a bit dangerous, like cutting through rope or working close to the hand while whittling down wood, were filled with much more confidence. The short stature of the blade also made it feel strong, so twisting the blade and using it to pry felt much sturdier.
The accessory kit is handy and adds a lot of functionality to the blade, such as fire starting and adding carrying options, but I did have some mild complaints with it. The paracord allows it to be wore around the neck or tied to a pack, which is handy if you want it close to you at all times, but it isn’t terribly comfortable to do so. The rope just doesn’t’ feel good against the neck, and really feels like an afterthough. While the strap that lays over the handle adds a little extra assurance against the blade falling out while on the move, I don’t honestly thank that it needs it. The blade clicks into the handle quite well, and always stayed in place in my tests .Using this strap really only adds another step to accessing the blade. The striker works great though, throwing nice hot sparks off the back of the blade when used, easily starting a fire if you have the proper kindling and experience. The striker itself doesn’t have a handle, which is a shame considering how ergonomic the knife is, but it works well enough without it assuming it’s not damp or wet. I do wish the kit allowed the blade to be carried off a belt, but the knife is small enough to slip into basically any pocket, so it’s not much of an issue. I usually just kept it in a water bottle pocket instead.
At $25 for the blade, or $35 for the kit, the Eldris is an excellent value, and really comes through where other blades do not. It’s not big, it’s not bulky, and it’s light enough that it can be carried on any outing, without worrying about trying to shed the extra 2.8 ounces. It’s solid, sturdy, and constructed from 12c27 steel, which holds up great in prolonged use in wet, soggy conditions. As someone who is searching for something light, safe, and reliable, the Morakniv Eldris and an excellent option and something I’ll be carrying with me on every trip. I’ll probably skip the accessory kit though.
For more information on Morakniv and their wide range of gear, check out their website, morakniv
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I want to extend a huge thanks to MoraKniv for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help. Our full disclosure can be found here.
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