Gil Hibben is one of the main names in the knife-throwing industry. While there are other companies, such as Smith & Wesson and Cold Steel, that offer both cheap and higher-end knives, Gil Hibben is one of the few brands that almost exclusively focuses on high-end knives that are built with knife-throwing competitions in mind.
Gil Hibben is perhaps the only brand that does not make bad knives. Well, at least not that often. The good thing about going with Gil Hibben is that no matter which knife you choose, you will be able to get at least some value out of it. However, there are some models that are much better than others, either in terms of outright performance or in terms of value for money.
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- Overall best: Gil Hibben Tanto Thrower (see our full review here).
- Easiest to learn: Gil Hibben Original Thrower.
- Cheapest: Gil Hibben Gen. 2 (see the full review here).
- Intermediate/Expert Choice: Gil Hibben Competition (see the full review here).
Are Gil Hibben Knives Good?
In the world of knife throwers, Gil Hibben knives are considered to be some of the best. While you may think that they may be overrated, that is not true in this case. Gil Hibben truly does make some of the best knives in the world.
This does not mean that Gil Hibben is the de-facto best knife brand in the world. There are other brands that are equally good. Even some models by manufacturers that usually make cheaper knives are often on par with Gil Hibben knives. However, if you are looking for consistency, then Gil Hibben is the best option at your disposal.
Gil Hibben is also my personal favorite throwing knife brand. I love the mix of quality materials with excellent stainless steel construction. I am not much of a throwing knife competition guy, but I always use knives by Gil Hibben when I do go to a competition. While my job requires me to test knives of various types and by various different companies, I almost always revert to Gil Hibben when I just want to practice.
Overall, if you are wondering whether Gil Hibben is a good knife brand, then the answer is yes. Any of the four knives (and most of the other models by the company) will be a good purchase for a knife-throwing enthusiast or even someone who wants to learn the art of knife-throwing. However, do keep in mind that these knives are usually expensive. Unless you plan to get good use out of them, the investment may not be worth it.
Lastly, many of the knives come with a leather sheath. While the sheath feels extremely premium, it is often not of good quality. If you want a good sheath to complement your knives, then take a look at our list of the best throwing knife holsters. So, knowing this, let’s take a look at what the best Gil Hibben throwing knife is.
Best Gil Hibben Throwing Knives Overview
- Overall best: Gil Hibben Tanto Thrower (see our full review here).
- Easiest to learn: Gil Hibben Original Thrower.
- Cheapest: Gil Hibben Gen. 2 (see the full review here).
- Intermediate/Expert Choice: Gil Hibben Competition (see the full review here).
Gil Hibben Throwing Knife Choices
Overall Best: Gil Hibben Tanto Thrower
It was very difficult to pick between the Gil Hibben Tanto and Competition. Both of them are great knives. However, I picked the Tanto as it is slightly cheaper and it has a more orthodox shape. From all the knives that I have used from the brand, I would say the Tanto is a great choice for those that want an extremely well-rounded knife.
If you are interested in the Gil Hibben Tanto, take a look at our full review here.
A great thing about the Tanto is that it has a trigger grip with a really sharp edge. This means that you can use it both as a throwing knife and as a makeshift pocket knife. That said, the knife is clearly meant for throwing, and it shows instantly.
The model is extremely durable, and I have never had a Tanto break on me. On top of that, it works flawlessly for all styles and should be great for all people regardless of their hand size. However, do remember that this is not a great knife for kids due to its sharp edge. Also, there have been a few reports of the knife rusting.
Easy to Learn: Gil Hibben Original Thrower
It is quite obvious that Gil Hibben knives are designed for professional knife throwers. As such, most of them have a learning curve. However, if you are looking for an easier-to-learn knife from Gil Hibben, then the Original Thrower is a great choice for you.
The first thing to note here is that it is slightly smaller than other models by the brand at an 8-inch overall length. Just like most of the other knives in the lineup, it has a really sharp edge that also allows it to be used as a makeshift pocket knife. However, just like the Tanto, this does make the Original a safety hazard. To be honest, if you are looking to buy a throwing knife for your kids, I would recommend that you avoid Gil Hibben.
The knife comes with a genuine leather sheath and is a very basic knife that will do everything you want it to. Due to its sharp edge, sticking it into even a hard target won’t be a problem, despite its small size.
Lastly, it is one of the cheaper options on this list, so it won’t demand as much of an investment on your end if you want to introduce yourself to the brand. Still, the next model on our list is even cheaper.
Cheapest: Gil Hibben Gen. 2
While there are other knives by Gil Hibben that are slightly cheaper, the Gen. 2 is still one of the cheapest options on the market currently. That said, I have found it to be miles better than the other cheap Gil Hibben knives. Let’s be honest. When you buy Gil Hibben, you are buying it for the quality and the premium throwing experience. The cheaper knives fail to provide that, and I would advise that you don’t go for anything cheaper than the Gen. 2.
As for the knife itself, I found it to perform reasonably well. Despite being a small knife at an 8-inch overall length, I found it to be extremely durable. In fact, I think this may be the strongest knife that I have used of this size. It showed no marks or anything that signaled wear and tear, even after extended use.
Take a look at our full review of the Gil Hibben Gen. 2 if you want to try the brand out, without the higher price tag.
While the knife does offer Gil Hibben quality at a cheaper price, the one thing to note is that the knife fails to look like an expensive model from a premium brand. Also, it is not a perfectly balanced knife, as it tilts slightly toward the blade. This is a problem with a few models of Gil Hibben (even the expensive ones). The good news is that you quickly get used to it. However, if you switch between different throwing knives a lot, you may have trouble being accurate with the Gen.2.
Expert Choice: Gil Hibben Competition
If you are looking for a great knife that compromises on absolutely nothing, then the Gil Hibben Competition is the one for you. It is only slightly more expensive than the Tanto, but there is a discernable increase in performance.
Take a look at our full review of the Gil Hibben Competition.
The first thing you notice is that the knife’s shape is almost symmetrical. The handle looks like the blade, too, albeit without the edge. On top of that, there are a number of holes through the center of the body, both for having a lanyard pass through it and for reducing the weight (the knife is quite hefty).
The knife makes use of 420 steel, which is steel of the highest quality. As such, there is almost no chance of the knife breaking, at least if you only throw it in a proper manner. Just like most of the other models on this list, the edge is extremely sharp, but that does not take away from the fact that this knife can be used in any way you want.
The only thing to be aware of before you purchase the knife is that it is extremely large at an overall length of around 12 inches. However, this is a knife made for both the toughest conditions and tournaments of the highest caliber. As long as you can account for the knife being slightly imbalanced, you will have no problem being amazing with it.
Competition Throwing Knives Buying Guide
As most people that are looking to purchase a Gil Hibben knife are looking to take part in competitions, we thought we would go ahead and make a guide on how to select the right competition knife for you.
Remember that for the most part, competition throwing knives are simply meant to be really high-end throwing knives. As such, you should not compromise when trying to purchase such a knife.
Size and Weight
Remember that the competitions that you are trying to take part in may have certain requirements when it comes to size and weight. However, for the most part, you should be aiming to get a knife of a size that is right for you.
Personally, I find that I am more comfortable with smaller knives. As such, I usually end up using knives of around 8-10 inches. As for the weight, once again, go with something that makes you comfortable. Having a knife that is of a heavier weight may allow you to be more accurate, but you may have a harder time throwing it at longer distances.
Lighter knives, on the other hand, can be great for longer distances (especially if you are not someone of great strength), but they are often not as stable when traveling through the air.
Quality and Durability
I am sure there is no need for me to say this, but you should always go for the highest quality when picking a knife for competitions.
As for durability, you do not actually need a knife to be that durable for the competition. As long as it can survive the competition, you should be fine. However, due to the higher quality materials used, almost all of the throwing knives designed for competition are very durable too. This is great, as that means you can use these knives for practicing as much as you want.
All of the knives on this list are extremely durable, and you can’t go wrong with them. However, both the Tanto and the Competition make use of 420 steel, making them a cut above the rest in terms of quality.
Style and Shape
Throwing knives are often designed with slightly different shapes, and that is to make them more aerodynamic. Companies and their associated brands are always testing new shapes to see how they perform when thrown. The best example of this is the Competition, which is almost completely identical on both the handle and the blade side.
If you are going for a competition throwing knife, I would suggest that you stick to the major brands. This is even more true if you are an intermediate thrower just getting into throwing competitions. You may have trouble making sense of all the odd shapes and sizes, so going with something that is tried and tested is a good idea.
If possible, you should try to test a knife before you buy it to see how it handles. 30-60 minutes with a knife is enough to see if it sits well with your style of throwing. However, if that is not possible, I would recommend that you go with the Gil Hibben Competition. Of all the competition knives that I have used, I have found them to be the most well-rounded. The best thing is that while it is expensive, it does not break the bank like some of the other knives in the competition category.
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