Outdoors

Gerber Doubledown bulks the folding knife up to machete grade

Gerber Doubledown bulks the folding knife up to machete grade
The new Gerber Doubledown combines a large blade and butterfly-style folding handle
The new Gerber Doubledown combines a large blade and butterfly-style folding handle
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The new Gerber Doubledown combines a large blade and butterfly-style folding handle
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The new Gerber Doubledown combines a large blade and butterfly-style folding handle
All-black Gerber Doubledown
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All-black Gerber Doubledown
Gerber says the Doubledown folds down to half its 15.1-in full length
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Gerber says the Doubledown folds down to half its 15.1-in full length
The Doubledown stores in a MOLLE-compatible sheath
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The Doubledown stores in a MOLLE-compatible sheath
MOLLE compatibility provides for easier attachment
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MOLLE compatibility provides for easier attachment
The Gerber Doubledown costs $120 or $130, depending upon color
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The Gerber Doubledown costs $120 or $130, depending upon color
Folding the Doubledown out into a knife
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Folding the Doubledown out into a knife
The Doubledown has a 6.75-in blade
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The Doubledown has a 6.75-in blade
Gerber plans to launch the Doubledown in August
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Gerber plans to launch the Doubledown in August
Gerber Doubledown
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Gerber Doubledown
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The brush-clearing power of a machete packed down into handheld flashlight size, the new Gerber Doubledown is a different style of folding knife. The butterfly-style tool works as a hatchet, machete or knife before folding down to half-size and packing away neatly into its split handle. It gets the job done while traveling much easier than a full-length fixed-blade machete.

With its background in folding knives of various sizes, multi-tools and full-blown machetes, Gerber brings just the right skill set to the table in creating its latest knife. The Doubledown packs a pliers multi-tool-style dual-piece handle that folds around its blade for clean, safe packing. The knife then packs away in a MOLLE-compatible sheath. During opening, the two sides of the handle rotate a full 180 degrees to lock down and provide an ergonomic grip.

Gerber Doubledown
Gerber Doubledown

We weren't sure whether to roll with Gerber in classifying the Doubledown as a folding machete or call it more of a butterfly knife/balisong. While not as large as the average machete, its 6.75-in (17.1-cm) high-carbon steel blade is longer and wider than the typical butterfly blade. And the Doubledown's 15-in (38-cm) total length falls close to Gerber's 14.3-in (36-cm) Versafix, which it calls a fixed blade/machete hybrid. So "folding machete hybrid" sounds about right for the Doubledown.

The "hybrid" part is particularly accurate because Gerber has designed the Doubledown for three main tasks: cutting, chopping and batoning. The QuadLock system offers three individual locked positions for a secure blade and safe operation.

We'd still prefer a full-length fixed-blade machete hanging off our pack if the task ahead involved muscling through dense jungle or mangrove, but the Doubledown looks like a nice multipurpose hybrid for lighter brush clearing and easier storage. It weighs 18 oz (510 g).

Gerber announced the Doubledown at the SHOT Show earlier this year and plans to build it at its Portland facility. The initial June launch has been pushed back to August, prices to start at $120.

Source: Gerber

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3 comments
3 comments
paul314
less than 7" for the blade just isn't a machete. It's barely a long kitchen knife.
mediabeing
Sure would have liked to see the thing folded out, in hand. Oh well.
zr2s10
Yeah, I wouldn't call this a machete either. My guess is they had to keep it under 7" for some legal reason regarding folding knives. Guess I'll have to make my own....