Helle Wabakimi Review from US Ambassador, AnthonyAwaken

Read Time: 5 Min.

A few weeks ago, Helle Knives and Les Stroud (Survivorman) announced the brand new Helle Wabakimi! Not only am I super stoked for this new knife, but I’m thrilled to announce, here on the Adventure Blog, that I am an official US Ambassador for Helle Knives of Norway! I could not be more excited to represent such a fantastic brand that I’ve loved for many years!

With that said, I have had a few months with the new Wabakimi and I’ve really been enjoying it. And I can’t wait to share my thoughts about it in this Helle Wabakimi Review!

Helle Wabakimi Feel

The Helle Wabakimi is short & stout. It has a generous palm swell that fills your hand perfectly. It’s incredibly comfortable for extended periods of use, such as carving spoons, preparing tinder for fires, and so on. I honestly have yet to grip this knife in an uncomfortable way…It molds perfectly to the contours of my hand.

As for my earlier comment about the Wabakimi being short & stout: I love the size of this knife. The 3.3″ Blade is all I need when I’m in the outdoors. And given it’s shorter blade length, it allows it to be a lot more controllable during carving sessions.

Les Stroud Survivorman Knife

If you’re like me, from the outside looking in, you get a bit hesitant when it comes to “TV-Star Survival Knives”. So, how does the Wabakimi stack up? Is it a gimmick? Or is it legit?

First off, I have a heap of respect for Les Stroud. He pioneered the ‘Survival’ TV Genre. He is the original “Outdoors Vlogger” (lol). And Les clearly knows as much about designing knives as he does survival, which is saying a lot.

Mr. Stroud had a lot of input on the Wabakimi and the partnership between him and Helle is a perfect fit, in my opinion. So, yes, this knife is absolutely legit and it is the furthest thing from being just another brightly-colored gimmick.

Helle Wabakimi Performance

I’ve used the Helle Wabakimi for a lot of different tasks: General utility, food prep and camp/bushcraft related chores. And it really shines in the outdoors. I love this knife for wood-working especially. It can carve with the best of them and like all Helle Knives, it holds its edge for a very long while.

Helle Wabakimi Quality

Helle is notorious for excellent, handmade quality knives. After all, these knives are still made in a small facility in Norway, with a dedicated group of individuals who turn these out by hand. Not a lot of companies can say that. (Watch the Factory Tour here)

As for the Wabakimi: This knife is fantastic in terms of its quality. The Curly Birch handle is as gorgeous as it is comfortable. The Triple-Laminated Steel is strong and holds a fantastic edge over extended use. And the sheath is everything I’ve come to love about Helle’s finishing touches.

Who would love it?

Anyone who loves the outdoors, bushcraft, camping or heirloom quality knives will love the Helle Wabakimi. This is a highly usable knife that is capable of withstanding plenty of hard work and remaining comfortable through it all.

If you’re pondering where it fits within a Bushcraft Kit, I will say that I have confidently walked out with this knife as my primary belt knife and will do it again.

Helle Knives Wabakimi (10 out of a 10)

At this point, you all know I’m an Ambassador for Helle Knives…So it may sound bias when I give one of their knives a great review. But, realize this, I am an Ambassador for Helle because I first loved the brand and purchased their knives with my own hard-earned money (it was my goal to buy a Helle Knife to pass down to each of my kids one day).

With that said, I would never recommend anything here without truly believing in it. And Helle is a company that I’m still quite frankly blown away and honored that I get to represent.

Helle has plenty of fantastic knives, the Wabakimi being one of them. So, if this knife fits your style and needs, I would recommend it with 2 thumbs up!

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