The best rescue knives to keep you prepared for life’s unexpected curveballs

Few knives serve EMS, SAR, and other rescue professionals like the Spyderco Assist. This purpose-built rescue knife starts things off with a 3.69-inch VG-10 sheepsfoot blade sporting an 80% serrated edge that is ideal for cutting through seatbelts, rope, and thick clothing.

As with all Spyderco knives, this knife includes the trademark thumb hole, yet it also includes a removable “Cobra Hood” as well for super easy opening even with gloves and for preventing hand slippage during use. The tip of the blade is completely blunted to prevent accidental injuries to a victim in an emergency situation. The knife includes a hesitation notch which, when combined with the handle’s finger grooves, makes it a breeze to “scissor cut” rope and cordage.

The FRN handle provides a solid grip while eliminating excess weight, and the tough wire clip is reversible, making this Spyderco fully ambidextrous. The Assist also includes a retractable carbide glass breaker, a secure back lock, and a built-in survival whistle.

No blade is perfect, and the Assist proves that with its high price tag and a blade length that’s a bit too long for legal civilian carry in some jurisdictions. Also, the retractable glass breaker relies on consistent pressure to stay deployed which adds one more thing to keep in mind during a rescue operation.

It was a close call, but the Kershaw Funxion EMT beat out its brother, the Kershaw Barricade, for the top spot on our list. This three-inch blade covers all the basics with a couple extras worth your money.

The Funxion EMT’s blade is a unique mashup of the clip point and sheepsfoot blade patterns and employs a partially serrated blade. Made with affordable 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, the blade sports a dark finish and is engineered and constructed to provide excellent edge retention and a high resistance to wear. The thumb stud and flipper on the blade make for quick one-handed deployment, while the liner lock keeps the blade secure while adrenaline is coursing through your veins.

This Kershaw’s carabiner clip, cord cutter, screwdriver tip, hex head, and carbide-tipped glass breaker add plenty of versatility to exceed an EMT’s baseline needs. The glass-filled nylon grip scales with the K-Texture pattern provide a solid purchase on the knife, and the pocket clip is perfect for keeping your blade right where you want it. The Funxion EMT’s budget-friendly price tag makes it an excellent budget rescue knife for both EDC and professional use.

Of course, this knife does have its shortcomings. The blade employs a sharpened tip which demands extra caution when used close to or against a patient’s body. Also, while 8Cr13MoV is far from a cheap steel, nicer knives use steels that do a better job of resisting corrosion and dulling.

The best rescue knife on today’s market has got to be the Benchmade Triage 916SBK. This blade is ideal for use on land or at sea thanks to its versatile design, heavy-duty materials, high-quality build, and detail-focused fit and finish.

The 916SBK comes with a 3.4-inch, partially serrated blade that features a locking, blunt tip design and is made with corrosion-resistant N680 stainless steel. In addition to being highly rust-resistant, N680 can also be honed to take a very sharp edge, eliminating distractions and concerns in high-stress situations. The tough G10 grip scales are textured for a solid grip and come in both safety orange and black.

The Triage 916SBK is fully ambidextrous and easy to deploy with a single hand thanks to the thumb studs and four-position, deep-carry pocket clip. Of course, it includes critical features, including a carbide-tipped glass breaker and a 440C belt and strap cutter.

The only major hang-ups with the Triage 916SBK are its price tag, which is a bit of a doozy for most, and the exposed glass breaker which can be a real pain. Also, civilians will want to check their local knife laws, as this knife’s blade is a little lengthy.

If you prefer the flexibility of a multi-tool in your rescue knife, then take a close look at the Victorinox Rescue Tool; this multitool clearly was designed and built with the professional rescuer in mind.

The Rescue Tool comes with a long, drop point blade with serrations running from the tip down about two thirds of the blade. It also features a seat belt-cutting blade, a shatterproof glass disc saw (think windshields), a window breaker, two screwdriver tips (Phillips and flat head), a wire stripper, a reamer/punch, and, of course, a toothpick and tweezers. For ease of access, it comes with a nylon sheath, a lanyard ring, and an actual lanyard (who does that anymore?!).

While genuine Swiss Army Knives may not be the most cost-friendly option on the market, it’s hard to go wrong with the Rescue Tool. Yes, it is a little hefty at 5.9 ounces, and it is disappointing that only the main blade is set up for one-handed opening. Still, you will be hard-pressed to find a multitool that can assist professional rescuers better than this Victorinox.

Few knives successfully bridge the gap between EDC, tactical, and rescue applications, but the CRKT M16-14ZLEK does it with style. A natural evolution of the original CRKT M16, this blade will likely become a new favorite in the tactical rescue community.

The partially serrated, tanto blade measures 3.84 inches long and is made with AUS-8 stainless steel sporting a black titanium nitride finish. Like others in the M16-14Z line, it comes with both a thumb stud and a blade flipper for easy single-handed deployments, but unlike the others (with the exception of its bright orange twin, the CRKT M16-14ZER), the flipper incorporates a belt cutter into its design.

The solidly built M16-14ZLEK and its high-viz twin also come with a liner lock, lock safety, tungsten carbide window breaker, and a stiff four-position pocket clip. The glass-reinforced nylon grip scales and CRKT lifetime warranty round out this excellent (if slightly expensive) tactical rescue knife.

The 14ZLEK does have a few drawbacks with its 6.2-ounce heft leading off, but the included rescue tools also contribute here as well. Carrying the knife in a tip-up position keeps the sharp window breaker exposed to the elements and potential contact with your hand. Also, some may find the large flipper/strap cutter to be more obtrusive than they prefer.

If you spend your time on or near the sea, the Spyderco Atlantic Salt (SpyderEdge) is the rescue knife for you. Its blade consists of high-end LC200N steel, an extremely corrosion-resistant (arguably rustproof!), martensitic steel enriched with nitrogen and capable of withstanding some of the world’s harshest environments.

The 3.68-inch sheepsfoot blade is fully serrated and features Spyderco’s famous thumb hole design for fast deployment with a single hand. The combination is ideal for slicing through ropes and other maritime materials, making it the perfect EDC knife for sailors and waterborne first responders.

The two-position pocket clip allows for ambidextrous tip-up carry for whichever location best suits your needs. Once the blade deploys, the back lock and fiberglass-reinforced nylon grip scales provide security and safety for your fingers, even when the swells underfoot throw you for a loop.

As with a few other knives on this list, the Atlantic Salt’s blade length may not jive with knife laws in certain jurisdictions. Also, LC200N steel may be one of the toughest in the world, but edge retention and price aren’t its strengths. While it is a bit on the expensive side, the Atlantic Salt does live up to Spyderco’s reputation for quality.

Whitewater rafting and other river travel can be quite an adventure, but should your downstream excursion ever turn sour, you’ll be glad you invested in the versatile NRS Pilot Knife. This blade is perfect for use on soft-bottom rafts and in rough waters thanks to its blunted tip (which doubles as a screwdriver head).

The blade consists of 420HC stainless steel with straight edges along the tip-half of the blade (one sharpened, one blunted) and serrations along the lower half of the sharpened side and a smooth resting place for your thumb on the opposing side. While the tip is indeed blunt, it is sharp enough to penetrate soft-bottomed rafts with enough force should an emergency occur.

The Pilot Knife comes with a rope-cutting hook, rubberized TPR handle (available in multiple colors), glass breaker, and bottle opener. The low-profile glass-reinforced nylon sheath attaches securely and out of the way on your PFD lash tab. Though the Pilot Knife may not be the absolute cheapest offering on the market, it’s still quite affordable, but even if it weren’t, you can’t put a price tag on safety.

While the Pilot Knife is affordable, it comes at the cost of lower-quality materials. 420HC is a tough, affordable steel, but it comes with the downside of generally not retaining an edge particularly well. The knife’s design also has the drawback of preventing most of the rescue tools from being used with the knife still in its sheath, a potential safety hazard in some situations.

Looking for a lightweight rescue-oriented multitool? Then look no further than the Leatherman Skeletool RX. This top-tier offering from Leatherman provides everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Using the original Skeletool design, this multitool includes seven critical tools, including many traditional Leatherman staples: standard pliers, needle nose pliers, traditional wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, and two double-sided, removable tool bits (mostly screwdriver bits). What makes the RX unique is its 2.6-inch locking, 154CM serrated blade and a carbide-tipped glass breaker on one of the included bits. The blade includes a Spyderco-like finger hole for one-handed opening, and the glass breaker/screwdriver bit is nicely shielded by dual body flanges.

The Skeletool RX also includes a pocket clip, a carabiner that doubles as a bottle opener, and an optional black nylon sheath for versatility of carry options. Of course, at only five ounces, this multitool would be just at home resting at the bottom of your pocket as anywhere else.

As with any Leatherman, the RX isn’t the cheapest multitool on the block, but then again, quality trumps price. Also, the blade is a bit short compared to others on this list, but this has the added benefit of being legal to carry in most locales.

While most rescue knives are geared toward work in a civilized setting, the Ka-Bar Becker Tac Tool breaks the mold in more ways than one.

Constructed with tough 1095 Cro-Van steel, this fixed-blade knife measures a whopping 12.5 inches long with a massive seven-inch blade and a glass-reinforced nylon handle. The Becker Tac Tool features a combination edge with plenty of serrations toward the handle, and the blade sports an odd yet functional shape, thanks to its aborted tanto styling. The spine of the blade features a handy cord and wire cutter for both rescue and camp-related tasks, and the blade’s odd shape combined with its durable carbon steel composition makes for the perfect pry (or smash) tool in a variety of settings.

This hefty, American-made Ka-Bar weighs in at 1.3 pounds, signaling its ability to absorb tons of abuse time and time again. The Becker Tac Tool comes with a hard plastic sheath with plenty of lash points and MOLLE attachment points.

The Becker Tac Tool’s brutish build obviously relegate it to a secondary tool destined to far somewhere between your primary knife and the Jaws of Life. This blade is quite heavy at 1.3 pounds (!), and its price tag is equally hefty.