Having a reliable knife is crucial for a safe spearfishing trip. A proper spearfishing knife can save your life if you get tangled in rope or kelp. Hence, you should carefully choose one that you can fully rely on whenever you need it underwater.
In this article, we will present you with a list of the best spearfishing knives that will make your diving trip a carefree experience. After the list, you will find a useful guide where you can learn about all the features that are preferable on a spearfishing or diving knife.
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Best Spearfishing Knives
- TUSA FK-940 X-Pert II Titanium Dive Knife
- Best Titanium Spearfishing Knives
- Promate Scuba Dive Snorkel Titanium Knife
- Atomic Aquatics Titanium Ti6 Scuba Diving Knife
- Best Stainless Steel Spearfishing Knives
- TUSA FK-910/920 X-Pert II Dive Knife
- Promate Scuba Diving Snorkeling Sharp Tip Stainless Steel Knife
- What to Look For When Choosing The Best Spearfishing Knife
- Conclusion
Best Spearfishing Knives
Our recommendation
TUSA FK-940 X-Pert II Titanium Dive Knife
This is the best overall spearfishing knife that will be suited for most people. It has all the necessary features and ticks all the boxes.
The blade is titanium which is preferable for diving since it’s very light, strong, and rust-free. The length of the blade is 4 ½ inches which is on the longer side but not too long to make it not practical for spearfishing.
The spine or the back of the blade is serrated and the edge on the other side is straight. This makes a great combination as it will help you cut anything that comes your way. The serrated edge is great for thicker materials and the straight edge is suited for cutting things like kelp or seaweed.
The handle is made very cleverly. It has a counterweight that will provide you with much better control. It looks very sleek too, available in metallic silver and metallic dark red color.
You also get a nice sheath along with a buckle and strap. The sheath has a single button lock release mechanism and will securely hold your knife in place. Because of this, you don’t have to look at the knife when you draw it or insert it back into the sheath.
This knife is very reasonably priced for all the features you get. In fact, we believe that this is the best titanium spearfishing knife in its price range. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Best Titanium Spearfishing Knives
Promate Scuba Dive Snorkel Titanium Knife
This Promate knife is great if you want to grab a titanium spearfishing knife but don’t want to spend a fortune. It’s the only budget titanium diving knife that is actually sturdy and durable.
The handle feels very secure and has rubber grips with raised bumps. This will help you get a better grip and feel while working with the knife.
The blade is superb for the price. It’s 4 ⅜ inches long and is made of durable rust-free titanium. It’s serrated and has a line cutter on one side while it has a straight edge on the other side. This helps with cutting anything that comes in your way either thick or thin. You can also choose between the sharp or blunt tip of the blade depending on your preference.
The only thing we don’t like is the sheath. It’s simply not on the same level of quality as the knife. It’s made of cheap plastic that is not pliable enough. It is still usable, it’s just that it doesn’t hold the same standard of quality as the knife and we believe that should be pointed out.
This is to be expected at this price range and is not a deal-breaker at all. The most important thing here is the knife which is top-notch for its price range. It’s without a doubt the best budget titanium spearfishing knife on the market.
Atomic Aquatics Titanium Ti6 Scuba Diving Knife
Want to get a quality spearfishing knife that will last years? Go for an Atomic Aquatics knife.
Seriously, these guys produce some top-notch knives that you can rely on. And this Titanium Ti6 is no exception. It’s perfectly suited for scuba diving or spearfishing.
Firstly, the blade is in our opinion of perfect length. 4 inches is just about right, not too long or short. The cutting edge has a beautiful curve that makes the blade stand out. It is incredibly sharp for a titanium blade and is very sturdy. The quality titanium that was used makes rusting impossible.
The handle is made of plastic which was a bit of a surprise considering the higher price point of the knife. We expected to see rubber, but when we actually held the knife the grip was perfect. The finger slots make this knife grip securely in your hand. We were pleasantly surprised by this handle and learned that a plastic handle can be as good as a rubber one if made properly.
The sheat is pretty impressive. It’s very lightweight and holds the knife securely. The straps are 17 inches long and are of high quality.
This is a knife you get if you appreciate reliability and first-rate products. Sure it’s a bit pricey, but the pure quality you get will give you peace of mind knowing your knife won’t let you down when you need it.
Best Stainless Steel Spearfishing Knives
TUSA FK-910/920 X-Pert II Dive Knife
This is another great TUSA knife on our list. This time we will look at the stainless steel model.
While titanium is considered the best material for spearfishing knives this stainless steel blade is no joke either. It’s called 420 stainless steel and it has a very high rust resistance. This stainless steel has increased strength and hardness when compared to standard stainless steel.
The blade is 4 ½ inches in length. It’s very sharp and will cut anything you put it up to. It has a combination of a serrated and a straight edge which is always preferable in diving knives. The blade is available in both blunt and pointed options.
The sheath has a single button lock release and looks very sturdy. The knife is very secure in this sheath. The buckle and strap are very easy to adjust.
We love TUSA handles and this one for sure did not disappoint. Great, high-grade grip with counterweight. You feel that you are in control when you hold it. It’s very well made.
While it is made of stainless steel, this knife won’t disappoint you. If you take care of the blade it will last just as much like titanium. Everything about this knife is high quality so we can proudly say that it is one of the best spearfishing knives on the market.
Promate Scuba Diving Snorkeling Sharp Tip Stainless Steel Knife
Spearfishing knives are one of those items you shouldn’t cheap out on. But if you’re short on cash there is hope as this Promate budget spearfishing knife is of very high quality considering its low price.
The blade is great for this price range. The stainless steel used is pretty reasonable and will last a long time with proper care. The blade length is 5 inches which might be a bit longer than some people prefer but is still not too large to affect functionality.
The handle is very well made, and while the grip is plastic it is a high-grade one. We like the stainless steel hammer that is placed on the bottom of the handle. It is very practical for communicating underwater.
The sheat you get with this spearfishing knife is decent and will get the job done. The locking mechanism holds the knife in-place well.
If you’re short on cash this is the best budget spearfishing knife you can get. It has all the features you want in a reliable diving knife at a reduced price.
What to Look For When Choosing The Best Spearfishing Knife
In the following section of the article, we will lay out some guidelines on what you should pay attention to when you shop online for your next spearfishing knife.
Why Do I Need A Spearfishing Knife
Let’s start with the most obvious question, why would you carry a spearfishing knife in the first place?
Well, first and foremost it can save your life. And that’s not an exaggeration either. There have been a number of cases where divers got tangled in the ropes or vegetation underwater. If you don’t have a good, solid knife in those situations you most likely won’t have enough time to break free.
Next, you can use your diving knife to kill your fish instantaneously and humanely which is something we feel every spearfisher should do.
Other useful things you can do with a spearfishing knife include communicating underwater with a but of the knife, cutting the fishing line, or opening shellfish.
If you go diving without a reliable knife you are risking your or/and your partner’s life. That’s the bottom line, and if you plan to go spearfishing, get a proper knife and save yourself a lot of trouble.
What Blade Is The Best For A Spearfishing Knife
The blade is probably the most important part of a spearfishing knife. It’s the part of a knife that does all the cutting and therefore should be chosen wisely.
Length Of The Blade
The length of the blade is very important and more so in diving/spearfishing. The blade should ideally be around 4 inches long. If you go closer to 5 inches the blade will feel too bulky and will not be usable in a tight space.
The blade shouldn’t be too short either. Anything below 3 inches in length won’t have enough length and size to cut thicker materials.
If you are just starting spearfishing, going for a shorter blade might be beneficial if you’re not comfortable handling the longer ones.
Serrated or Straight Edge
Should you go for a serrated blade, straight edge, or a combination of both? We would advise going for a combo of a serrated and straight edge blade as this will give you the versatility. You will be able to cut anything that comes your way either thick or thin.
Tip
The tip of a spearfishing knife can be either pointed or blunt. Both have their advantages but for spearfishing specifically, we would recommend a pointed tip.
The sharp tip will help you with spearing fish and that will obviously be beneficial for spearfishing.
If you are not comfortable with a pointed tip or if you’re scared that you will cut yourself because of it, you can go for a blunt tip until you gain some experience.
Fixed or Folded Blade
What’s better for spearfishing, a fixed or folded blade? We would advise you to go for a fixed blade as it is more practical than a folded blade when you are underwater.
A folded blade will be much harder to open underwater and that’s a problem when there is an emergency and you need your knife swiftly.
On the other hand, a fixed blade knife will be available for use immediately whenever you need it. That is crucial for a potentially urgent situation and that makes a fixed blade a clear winner.
What Handle Is The Best For A Spearfishing Knife
The handle is definitely something to pay attention to when choosing a spearfishing knife. Most of the best spearfishing knives will have rubber handles with defined finger slots for better grip.
There are some very well made plastic handles as well as mentioned in the Atomic Aquatics model we reviewed above. Plastic is mostly used on lower-end diving knives and will therefore have a lot of bad reviews. That isn’t always necessarily true, but most of the time rubber is preferable to plastic when it comes to handles.
The feature found in top-notch spearfishing knife handles is a counterweight. A counterweight will provide a much better overall balance to the knife and will improve the handling. If you find a suitable model, definitely go for a handle with a counterweight, you won’t be disappointed.
What Kind Of Sheath Is The Best For A Spearfishing Knife
A solid sheath for your spearfishing knife is something worth investing in. A good sheath will make your knife immediately available for use, and that is very important in urgent situations.
Pay attention to the size of the sheath. You don’t want anything bulky as it might get tangled in the rope, and that’s not something you want. Look for a sheat that is just the right size for your knife.
Look for a solid locking mechanism that is sturdy. Low-quality locking mechanisms don’t secure the knife well in the sheath. This leads to the knife slipping out of the sheat. Very dangerous and not something you want to happen underwater.
What Is The Best Material For A Spearfishing Knife
The material most commonly used in the best spearfishing knives is titanium. It’s perfect for spearfishing and diving. It is rust-free, light, and strong.
Stainless steel is the next best thing and it still a solid choice for spearfishing. It’s a bit more prone to rust than a titanium knife and requires more maintenance. One of the advantages of stainless steel blades is that they are easier to sharpen than titanium ones. Stainless steel is more common in knife production, it’s also used for many other utensils such as spatulas.
Both of these are good options if they are of high quality. There are of course some cheap models for both materials that can rust quickly, so look out for these and only buy knives from reputable brands.
Should I Get A Spearfishing Knife With a Line Cutter?
Linne cutter is a useful little feature that comes with a lot of spearfishing and diving knives these days. It can be used to cut rope and fishing strings more easily. It’s usually located on the spine and is closer to the handle. Most of the time it’s just under the serrated edge.
Definitely look for this feature when buying a diving knife as it will make things a lot easier when you go spearfishing.
Conclusion
A spearfishing knife is a fundamental part of any spearfisher’s equipment. Because it is so important it should be chosen wisely.
We reviewed only the best spearfishing knives, so any of the models we reviewed will be suitable for a safe spearfishing trip.
Now that you’ve read our thorough guide and spearfishing knife reviews, we’re sure you can find the right model for yourself.
