After the third time I used it, I can say that it is worthy of its brand. Very lightweight and very well balanced. When you hold it normally by the handle, you can easily cut whole branches with great comfort. When you raise your hand higher and position the handle between your index and middle finger, you have excellent control (especially useful when clearing paths in the forest).

It sharpens easily and maintains its edge. Note that a light sharpening will go a long way before each use. As for the sawback... it's not just a sawback. It's a proper saw, and a very good one at that. It effortlessly cut a log with a diameter of about 20cm.

The only issue is that the silver part of the blade corrodes relatively easily. Of course, this applies to ALL knives due to the modern steels used. No big deal. Just take a gun maintenance oil (spray) and with a soft cloth, apply a layer after cleaning. The black part has no issues.

The sheath is better than average, but still, it's a piece of junk. It should have been plastic and I predict that its Velcro will break after 3-4 more uses. Come on, Gerber. I'll go to some leatherworkers (those who make shoes, belts, etc., I don't know what they're called) to make a custom sheath with a clip or button for safety. The machete deserves it.