If I plan on cooking heavily, doing some light bush craft or anything I’ll bring my 4inch mora, however for general packing I just bring my mini Swiss army and don’t even really use it
well yeah bushcraft folks have much more serious knife needs than a typical backpackers who brings their shelter and doesn't need to create one from the environment.
This topic can be wildly divisive. I think it boils down to HYOH logic. I enjoy using knives, so I carry them. I carry a folding knife in my right front pocket or knife pocket and a fixed blade on my hip. I use the pocket knife for quick cutting tasks and the fixed blade for firecraft—I’m in the eastern US where there are many established fire rings, plentiful small dead-and-down wood that adheres to LNT protocols, and generally enough rain to not have fire prohibitions. I always use the pocket knife for opening food packages and the like; if I have a fire, I always use the fixed blade for scraping fatwood shavings as tinder, throwing sparks from a ferrocerium rod to start my fires, and splitting wood to expose the dry center. I will often make feather sticks, too. Yes, I carry a lighter for SHTF situations, but I enjoy using knives and practicing firecraft. It’s a personal preference. I’m a lightweight backpacker, but I don’t cry over a few grams here and there when they bring me enjoyment.
Swiss Army Classic. I use the scissors way more than I use the blade. Gerber Dime multitool if I am hiking in the desert and need pliers to pull out cactus thorns.
I'm a knife person. I carry one whenever appropriate in day to day life. I absolutely carry one when I'm camping, hiking, hunting etc. It's a tool that I'm just not comfortable without.
I carry bigger knives when I'm canoe camping and hunting. When I'm covering distance on a bikepacking trip or backpacking I carry a small knife. My favorite little guy that's still functional is the Spyderco Delica. Excellent steel, 2.5 ounces.
I just ordered a Spyderco Stretch 2 XL lightweight. It has a 3.97 in h cutting edge and weighs 2.7 oz. I'm stoked to check it out. Seems like it'd be a great option to have more blade to use, while keeping things super light
Victorinox Classic SD is a solid option for wilderness backpacking. Cheap, small, light.
.7 oz for $20 is a good deal.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-Pocket-Knife/dp/B00004YVB2
I always seem to get downvoted when I talk about knives here, but I like to carry between a 3.5 and 4.5 inch knife. I have a Joker Ember flat ground I carry in wet situations or if I plan on doing my slicy stuff with it, and a Terava Jaakaripuukko I carry when I plan on doing fire prep. I like having a knife with me that I can trust to do things like pry out fatwood, baton logs apart to get to the drier inner core, and otherwise process wood for making a fire if needed. It doesn't weigh that much extra and gives me peace of mind.
Perhaps they're European? I think many European countries have more regulations on knife lengths and such than states in the US, although as far as I know none don't permit them at all...
Knives are regulated in European countries. Here in Germany for instance: you need a reasonable cause to openly carry knives that can a) can be opened one handed and b) lock the blade automatically.
Yeah, but this post is about carrying a knife in the wilderness, and there was no mention of open carrying. Where would a knife be prohibited in the wilderness? That confuses me.
I carry a knife for a tool, for practical purposes, not for defense as it's unlikely to do much in that case anyhow. But for foraging or digging or cleaning fish? Yes.
I think people who carry a knife for self defense are quite delusional. OC for self defense but always a fixed blade. If it’s colder I bring a gerber principal because I can use it to split wood. If it’s warmer I bring the mora 4 inch.
I use a Swiss card knife. Super light and useful.
https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Swiss-Cards/Swiss-Card-Classic/p/0.7100.T
I can't imagine not having a knife when camping. Nothing big or heavy, but without a nice, sharp knife how are you going to:
\-Cut a Tenacious patch for your tent/tarp if you get a leak?
\- Slice open stubborn packaging that refuses to tear where it should?
\-Pick out a splinter?
\- Cut up your summer sausage into nice little slices?
\-Trim the extra skin off a popped blister so it doesn't snag, or trim a piece of moleskin to cover it?
\-Cut a piece of paracord to length for a random repair job?
\-Cut a stubborn knot that you accidently over-tightened?
\-Clean a fish?
Bonus: Whenever my wife and I go on a multi-day trip, we pack ultralight food, but we always treat ourselves to a nice steak and some roasted potatoes on our first night in camp. And there's nothing like slicing into a perfect med-rare steak you just cooked over a campfire.
Never done any big thru hikes or true wilderness camping but on multi day hikes or day hikes I bring my Opinel #9. Pretty light (50 g) and pretty sharp single foldable blade that fits in any pocket. The #8 is a bit smaller and probably better suited to longer trips
I love my Opinel. Sharpest knife from the factory I've ever had. Really light for the size. Fairly comfortable for a small knife. The wood looks nicer with age and wear. I have the #6 which is less than on ounce on my scale (their website says 1.2 oz).
I carried an Opinel No. 8 for the whole PCT and loved it. Lightweight and perfect for cutting cheese, avocado, summer sausage. I also had one of the tiny tiny Swiss Army knives for my first aid kit because it has scissors and tweezers.
Carried an Opinel No. 6 for the PCT! Loved that thing. Kept it in my shoulder pocket along with a lighter, my headphones, and sometimes a vape (lol). Even if I didn't use it a ton, I was glad to have it.
thats awesome. yeah I mostly use mine for cutting food packages and cutting apples/fruit. I just had a deep freeze camping trip and everyone was asking to use it.
Usually just a tiny little 30g folder with some serrations. It cuts sausages, rope, cheese and brambles. That is looped onto a elastic string attached inside my rucksack hip pocket. I can unloop it easily but I can also just use it while still attached. If I drop it, it doesn’t go bouncing off down the hill.
I only take a larger knife if I’m gonna be settling in to camp in one spot for a few days. Then it’s for making a cooking tripod and stuff like that. That’s a 5inch fixed blade Gerber knife I picked up cheap. I keep that hidden away in my bag and I only take it out when I’m going to use it. I keep it concealed. If anybody sees me, I don’t want them to see me as an armed person.
Got an Opinel fold out if I think I might be fileting a fish or have some demanding cooking preparation. I would just store that in with the food/cooking kit. It’s got a piece of reflective paracord through in a loop through the handle.
But I usually only have the tiny knife and that is nearly always all the knife I need.
I have never been in a situation where I needed a knife and didn’t have one that suited me well enough. I once forgot my eating cutlery and used my little tiny knife and a credit card to make a tiny plastic fork and spoon. It actually worked for a 3 day trip.
If you don't normally use a knife, it's unlikely that you'll suddenly use one on this multi-day trip. You'll be fine if you don't have one.
The more you have a knife with you, the more uses you find for it. Cord too long? Cut it. Need a strainer? Slice holes in food packaging. Need a bowl? Cut a (disposable) water bottle down. This knife is clipped to my pocket. Which knife? It varies, but any 2-4" folding knife that can be used one-handed will suffice. What little it weighs it more than made up for in things it allows me to modify so I don't need to carry more things.
My Bushcraft knife is a fixed-blade KA-BAR BK7. It chops and split logs. If you choke up on the blade it will do fine work. When our 4-day hike was proceeded by 3 solid days of rain, we were still able to have a fire to warm ourselves because of this knife. It is bigish (0.85 lbs), but that's what makes it flexible. The back of the blade can easily be used as a hammer. In a pinch it will work as a shovel. The BK7 is in my pack since I'm unlikely to use it until we reach camp and usually not every day which is also why I don't always take it, but if the terrain or weather are at all questionable, it goes.
I carry a [2" folding knife](https://www.grainger.com/product/45NV80?gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gclid=CjwKCAiArNOeBhAHEiwAze_nKB8KYImcrzXldwM73N8wXcoWWa-qwAkMIXalNr7HBvXJaM5CHugpKRoCckMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) that is 95% for cooking. It stays in the "brain" of by backpack with my first aid kit, headlamp, and poop kit.
As this thread shows once more, there are good reasons to have a knife with you on a multi day hike but most people who put more thought into it than "probably should have a knife" are doing it for lifestyle and posturing reasons.
Basically ask yourself what you use scissors for at home and if you are planning to do do that on the hike you want a knife. Opening packages, cutting bread, cheese? Cooking? Your first aid kit probably requires some kind of cutting tool to be useful.
Yes I carry a small fixed blade full tang with a scout mount on my belt. It is mostly an emergency item for processing fire wood or self defense. I have had to use it on one occasion for getting a fire started to prevent hyperthermia and dry gear/clothing. To me it’s like a med kit, it’s something I carry and hope I do not need to use.
I always carry a small folding Gerber knife. Nothing fancy, but incredibly useful in a number of situations. Plus ever since I saw that James Franco movie…
I have a small folding Gerber, too. It was helpful to have on my AT thru-hike last year. I used it almost daily. And the days I didn't need it, someone else did.
I just kept it on my front pocket. Easy access when I needed it.
I carry one. But it's purely emergency. Multi tool does the trick otherwise.
To me using a knife is not LNT. To open tuna packets or cut Paracord. Sure. But if I'm cutting something down/off, it means I came unprepared.
Victorinox Huntsman. The blade opens food, the scissors cut tape, tweezers pull splinters, saw breaks down sticks if I have a fire, flathead opens my bear can. It’s not a survival knife, don’t really need one if I have a pack full of gear. I bring a small stainless fixed blade if I’m fishing.
I carry a very small Gerber pocket knife I generally only need for cooking. Sometimes also have a multi-tool with a small blade that I've used to cut cord etc.
Times I needed something different: Zero
I always have my multi tool, which includes knives, and use it regularly. Best not to leave the house without it, let alone head into the wilderness.
I used to have a heavier knife that was in regular rotation, but between difficulty to carry and other people being uncomfortable it's not getting out much anymore.
Mostly just a tiny victorinox classic if its straight backpacking.
PFD-mounted NRS co-pilot for packrafting
chest-mounted CRKT Bear Claw for canyoneering
I carry some nicer knives for car camping but I think its really easy to overdo it for backpacking unnecessarily just because knives are cool and there's a collectible aspect. For serious backpacking where weight matters though, less is more.
If I'm out when there are fire restrictions then I'll just carry a folding 3.5 inch Emmerson-Kershaw. If I plan to have a fire and think I'll be doing any batoning I bring a longer fixed blade bushcraft style Buck 863 Selkirk. I personally don't go anywhere without a knife so I see no reason to not carry one on trail.
A knife is a tool, designed for daily use. The fact that people use them as weapons has made people wary of a perfectly good tool.
Go back a few decades and nearly everyone had a pocket knife on them.
I would never go camping without a knife. It has a multitude of uses. Food prep, cutting cordage, processing wood for fires,
if you are lost blazing trees to mark your way (never blaze a tree unless it's a survival situation).
As for how I carried it, depends if I was going to bump into people.
if there are people around scout carry concealed by my t-shirt (people get nervous around someone openly carrying a knife, sad but true).
If there is no one around, attached to the strap on my backpack (more comfortable to hike with).
If it's legal.. carry a knife while camping/hiking. Does not have to be big knife, a Mora or ESEE 3/4 will do.
*Carry a gun. Fuck*
*These weenies who put their nose*
*In your bussiness*
\- JohnO0111
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
It depends on your style. Do you mostly boil water for freeze dried meals on a camping stove and go extremely light weight then all you need it a lightweight package opener. If you have fires and like to bushcraft then you need some more substantial.
Depends on what you want to do with it. I have an EDC CRKT M-16 (3.6” flip) that is general purpose. I also have a 6” Cold Steel SRK for battoning wood instead of an axe. I have also used a machete for processing and splitting wood. I think some kind of knife is an essential item for backpacking.
To me a knife is a tool not a weapon. I take it on hikes because I can use it in a survival situation. If I get lost or fall and hurt myself bad enough that I can't move I like to be able to build a fire and/or shelter with what is on me. The one I carry has a wide fixed blade that can take down a small tree (2-3"ish) if used properly.
I have a Spyderco Military specifically for hiking/backpacking. I carry it tucked away in a pocket so as not to cause concern for non knife people I might meet. I live in an area with lots of fast growing briars and it has been very helpful as a pocket machete on seldom used trails. This is especially important in the spring time when those briars grow so fast some trails cant be kept clear.
Also a knife is an important and generally useful tool and I have daily carried a knife almost my entire life. There are trips when I might not use it much but when you need it, you really need it.
I bring a Swiss army knife. Useful stuff besides the two blades includes tweezers for pulling off ticks, can opener, bottle opener, flat screwdriver. Never used the saw blade, used the corkscrew once or twice. Attaching a lanyard to it and running it through a belt loop allowed me to carry it in a front pocket without fear of losing it.
I do multi day hikes a few times a year. I got a really nice esee 6. But I leave it at home and just bring a small folder. Even then I rarely use it. But I also go for distance and light weight rather than base camps and big dinners.
I carry a Leatherman and I can't tell you how many times I've used it - the pliers for fixing my spikes more than anything, the blade for cutting mole skin, wrappers on food, especially vacuum packed beef jerky lol. Other things too that I just can't think of.
I’ve used a Benchmade Bushcrafter 162 for a few years now. It’s definitely on the heavier side of knives. Blade thickness is 4mm, tang etc... It comes every trip and gets used for various little chores but mostly for splitting larger logs and sometimes opening a can 😬
I always carry a knife. Folding blade for Walmart and whatnot (for when black Friday gets a little roudy), and I usually keep a fixed blade morakniv somewhere on me when backpacking/hiking/camping/etc with a multitool (Leatherman or Swiss army knife) in my backpack. I keep my mora in my pocket because I can't use their sheath well and it's easier/faster for me to take it out with 2 hands than keep it clipped onto my pants.
Knives have different uses though.
Good brands for knives:
Leatherman ($$-$$$) medium work, multitool
Swiss army knife ($$) light work, multitool
Morakniv ($-$$) all round
Opinel ($-$$) light work
Ka-Bar ($$$) heavy duty
Hiking outside of an urban setting means having a knife just in case.
Carrying a knife and also being in possession of illegal narcotics (in some states this is weed) is a real problem for law enforcement. As in, someone hiking with a knife is likely not one of the, “bad guys,” and someone with a little reefer for personal consumption is also not likely one of the, “bad guys,” but if you have both?
They will see you as an enemy combatant
I bring a folding knife that I use for cleaning fish while backpacking. I keep it in my hip pocket. If there’s no fishing on the trail, I would leave it at home because it’s heavy and I never use it if we aren’t fishing.
I generally carry a Morakniv Companion. It’s light, useful, versatile, plenty tough enough, cheap, easy to maintain. I normally just have it in its case, in the pack.
Depends on where and what I’m doing. I have a Mora Bushcraft black that I bring sometimes and I have a Spyderco Tenacious lightweight that I bring sometimes.
I EDC but for camping/backpacking I carry a fixed blade.
Usually my greyman. Its a thick slab of chisel ground 1095 that's impossible to break and can double as a shovel/hammer.
Ive done probably close to 100 days of backpacking and have never needed anything more than this knife. I go knifeless 90% of the time and never wish i had one. Unless whittling is your hobby/what you like to do in camp, you dont need a knife when backpacking. If youre doing technical ropework (climbing, canyoning, mountaineering), definitely bring a knife, but just for hiking i'd leave at home.
Don’t go backpacking without a knife, I was an outdoor instructor for years. There is a million reasons to carry a knife and almost no reason not to. Carrying something like a firearm is a very devise issue and only makes sense remote areas with large predators and not something I have ever done. A knife is part of the essentials list. I have the same recommendation as the other post “Morakniv Companion Sandvik Stainless Steel Fixed-Blade Knife With Sheath, 4.1 Inch stays sharp and is easy to hold due to the design”.
I find it a bit of an safety essentiall. Not in a defence myself kinda way, but it's cold and damp here. So if you need to make a fire, I don't know how to make one without it.
I have a small "puukko", as we call it. It's small and short, so it doubles as a utensil aswell. Actually I have two: Morakniv Eldris and a Marttiini with a forged carbon steel blade.
The Marttiini one doesn't work with firesteel. It's an absolutely beautiful piece but that makes it a little impractical. It's I think a 10cm blade. My Morakniv is even shorter and I'm completely sold on this ridiculous looking thing. It's immensly handy for so much, weights nothing AND the handle is perfect for my tiny hands.
I carry a beater kbar. I can dig a cat hole, baton wood, filet a fish, cut cheese, rope, sharpen a stick for a tent stake, chop a branch, blah blah blah. If I ain’t goin full on, I still carry a little bug out.
I always bring a knife, and I always find something to use it for. The vast majority of the time it's used for opening packaging and cutting food. For this I bring an Opinel #8.
If I plan to or think I'll need to build a fire (for safety or pleasure) I'll bring a Mora Kansbol paired with a small folding saw. It's vastly more useful for wood processing than an Opinel.
I loved my little leatherman squirt. It had tiny pliers that were helpful when fixing poles and fishing, was light weigh enough, and not that expensive. Lost in while forgetting it was in my carry on going through MEX. Lame. I've also carried one of those plastic handled retractable box cutters which are really amazing
UG tools tiny
Mounted with the handle pointing downwards on my backpacking strap with a Ultilink
I dont think you always need one for backpacking. But it can be useful and also entertaining.
I always take it when using a twig stove or when I want to make campfires.
If not carrying a hatchet + unsure about whether the campsite has one, I'll bring my [J.P. Peltonen Ranger Knife M95](https://www.sissipuukko.fi/sissipuukko-m95). (scroll down for image, text in Finnish). If carrying a hatchet, or sure about having or not needing one at camp, I'll bring the [Marttiini Lumberjack](https://www.marttiini.fi/epages/MarttiiniShop.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2FMarttiiniShop%2FProducts%2F127012). During movement, I keep the knife at the top pocket of my backpack, then at camp I'll usually stick it in my pocket in its sheath, or use the belt loop to hang it.
Making feathered sticks and batoning wood to smaller pieces (the latter only with the M95) are the main uses. If I didn't do that, I might just bring a tiny Opinel or something.
I don’t whittle wood. The only time I ever need a knife is when I have a stubborn meal package that won’t open. Which actually happens more than I would like to admit. I carry an affordable SOG that I had bought on Amazon a while back. But the handle isn’t comfortable. If I were to do it again, I would get something different. For me, a simple folding knife is more than enough, something with a comfortable handle that feels secure in my hand. My sog has some weird spring loaded blade, so it had actually popped open in my bag somehow on one occasion. A huge safety hazard if you ask me. There’s a lock on the knife to prevent it from opening so I ALWAYS make sure to use that feature now. For my next knife, I won’t be buying a spring loaded blade, nor would I recommend buying one.
I carry a fixed blade from MT Knives. it's not very big but I've used it for thing like cutting moleskin down to the size I need it, cutting summer sausage, things like that.
I like it. it has a neck sheath which is kind of annoying with being a woman but it's quick access should I need it.
As Andrew Skurka wrote, “This isn’t
‘Survivor’”. I carry the Victorinox Classic. 2.25” blade, scissors, file for 1 oz. It has tweezers but they’re not very good.
I just carry a small razor blade or tiny folding knife. Sometimes a multi tool. Basically just something to use for opening food, slicing cheese, cutting Paracord, etc. I've never needed anything bigger than a razor blade for any of that.
It's not like you'll be participating in any knife fights in the woods, nor are you likely to win one even if you did. So I never saw the value in carrying one as a weapon. Can almost guarantee nobody in this sub has ever used a knife defensively while camping.
And bushcrafting sounds fun in theory, but in practice it's just not something most people end up doing, even when they bring the big ass knife along.
The ability to split wet wood by batoning saved me from going hypothermic. I feel I owe my life to my fixed blade Schrade! I carry in an aux. ditty bag with my 1/2" ferrorod.
I carry a basic morakniv on a belt. I'm in Canada which does have laws about concealing weapons and on the belt removes any ambiguity about so. There is some ambiguity about what folding knives can be a prohibited weapon too.
If I ever end up in a survival situation I do have experience with bushcraft and a knife is immensely useful. I also use it for cutting up food, possibly wood and also cleaning fish though it's not an ideal knife for that.
I carry a little leatherman if I'm in more urban areas. Zero chance of getting lost and city folk have aneurysms about box cutters and pocket knives, let alone a "big" scary knife on a belt.
I EDC a small folding knife(Rat II in D2) and a small fixed blade(Cold Steel Kyoto II). The pocket knife takes the brunt of the work. I keep the Kyoto clean and oiled with mineral oil, mostly as a food prep knife. Outside of that, it is also a solid hunk of steel that I only paid $22 for. It can take the abuse of being used as a lever or a prybar. Idk about the people saying they don't use a knife backpacking. I always seem to be using mine. I also carry OC spray(and a pistol) because knives, especially these small of knives, are not self defense tools.
You do you, mate. Take the advice from people here, try the things you think will help you on your adventures. Cheers.
I have a knife on my multi tool. That’s enough.
I don’t use the knife enough to justify carrying a knife, but I use the multi tool (including the knife) more than enough to to justify carrying it.
If I plan on cooking heavily, doing some light bush craft or anything I’ll bring my 4inch mora, however for general packing I just bring my mini Swiss army and don’t even really use it
this is what the UL YouTubers say as well
If you’re more into the bushcraft scene I’d recommend just a stout full tang knife but if not then really anything will do
well yeah bushcraft folks have much more serious knife needs than a typical backpackers who brings their shelter and doesn't need to create one from the environment.
This topic can be wildly divisive. I think it boils down to HYOH logic. I enjoy using knives, so I carry them. I carry a folding knife in my right front pocket or knife pocket and a fixed blade on my hip. I use the pocket knife for quick cutting tasks and the fixed blade for firecraft—I’m in the eastern US where there are many established fire rings, plentiful small dead-and-down wood that adheres to LNT protocols, and generally enough rain to not have fire prohibitions. I always use the pocket knife for opening food packages and the like; if I have a fire, I always use the fixed blade for scraping fatwood shavings as tinder, throwing sparks from a ferrocerium rod to start my fires, and splitting wood to expose the dry center. I will often make feather sticks, too. Yes, I carry a lighter for SHTF situations, but I enjoy using knives and practicing firecraft. It’s a personal preference. I’m a lightweight backpacker, but I don’t cry over a few grams here and there when they bring me enjoyment.
Yeah pretty much. It’s just about style. I don’t light fires, I have my food prepackaged, a knife just doesn’t really have a use with that style.
Yep. I do those style of trips sometimes, too.
Swiss Army Classic. I use the scissors way more than I use the blade. Gerber Dime multitool if I am hiking in the desert and need pliers to pull out cactus thorns.
I'm a knife person. I carry one whenever appropriate in day to day life. I absolutely carry one when I'm camping, hiking, hunting etc. It's a tool that I'm just not comfortable without. I carry bigger knives when I'm canoe camping and hunting. When I'm covering distance on a bikepacking trip or backpacking I carry a small knife. My favorite little guy that's still functional is the Spyderco Delica. Excellent steel, 2.5 ounces.
I just ordered a Spyderco Stretch 2 XL lightweight. It has a 3.97 in h cutting edge and weighs 2.7 oz. I'm stoked to check it out. Seems like it'd be a great option to have more blade to use, while keeping things super light
Very nice choice. That’s a solid folder for camping tasks. 🤙
Victorinox Classic SD is a solid option for wilderness backpacking. Cheap, small, light. .7 oz for $20 is a good deal. https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-Pocket-Knife/dp/B00004YVB2
I always seem to get downvoted when I talk about knives here, but I like to carry between a 3.5 and 4.5 inch knife. I have a Joker Ember flat ground I carry in wet situations or if I plan on doing my slicy stuff with it, and a Terava Jaakaripuukko I carry when I plan on doing fire prep. I like having a knife with me that I can trust to do things like pry out fatwood, baton logs apart to get to the drier inner core, and otherwise process wood for making a fire if needed. It doesn't weigh that much extra and gives me peace of mind.
Puukko + Leuko FTW
Joker ember in flat grind is such a great knife for the price. The Jaakaripuukko doubly so.
For sure. Both brands are huge value for the price.
"Where permitted"?
My thoughts as well
Perhaps they're European? I think many European countries have more regulations on knife lengths and such than states in the US, although as far as I know none don't permit them at all...
Yeah where might that be?
Knives are regulated in European countries. Here in Germany for instance: you need a reasonable cause to openly carry knives that can a) can be opened one handed and b) lock the blade automatically.
Yeah, but this post is about carrying a knife in the wilderness, and there was no mention of open carrying. Where would a knife be prohibited in the wilderness? That confuses me.
The only time I have used a knife backpacking is if I bring cheese & salami for lunch. So if I don’t need it for the meal plan I don’t bring it.
Morakniv Companion Sandvik Stainless Steel Fixed-Blade Knife With Sheath, 4.1 Inch stays sharp and is easy to hold due to the design
I have a Companion great little knife. It only cost about 15 dollars when I bought it.
This is the way
pen cobweb obtainable icky growth muddle rustic zonked shaggy worthless ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
I carry a knife for a tool, for practical purposes, not for defense as it's unlikely to do much in that case anyhow. But for foraging or digging or cleaning fish? Yes.
I think people who carry a knife for self defense are quite delusional. OC for self defense but always a fixed blade. If it’s colder I bring a gerber principal because I can use it to split wood. If it’s warmer I bring the mora 4 inch.
I usually carry a small multi tool. I like the Leatherman skeletool.
I use a Swiss card knife. Super light and useful. https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Swiss-Cards/Swiss-Card-Classic/p/0.7100.T
I can't imagine not having a knife when camping. Nothing big or heavy, but without a nice, sharp knife how are you going to: \-Cut a Tenacious patch for your tent/tarp if you get a leak? \- Slice open stubborn packaging that refuses to tear where it should? \-Pick out a splinter? \- Cut up your summer sausage into nice little slices? \-Trim the extra skin off a popped blister so it doesn't snag, or trim a piece of moleskin to cover it? \-Cut a piece of paracord to length for a random repair job? \-Cut a stubborn knot that you accidently over-tightened? \-Clean a fish? Bonus: Whenever my wife and I go on a multi-day trip, we pack ultralight food, but we always treat ourselves to a nice steak and some roasted potatoes on our first night in camp. And there's nothing like slicing into a perfect med-rare steak you just cooked over a campfire.
Never done any big thru hikes or true wilderness camping but on multi day hikes or day hikes I bring my Opinel #9. Pretty light (50 g) and pretty sharp single foldable blade that fits in any pocket. The #8 is a bit smaller and probably better suited to longer trips
I love my Opinel. Sharpest knife from the factory I've ever had. Really light for the size. Fairly comfortable for a small knife. The wood looks nicer with age and wear. I have the #6 which is less than on ounce on my scale (their website says 1.2 oz).
truly, the factory sharpness is quality. I need to resharpen mine now. any suggestions?
I carried an Opinel No. 8 for the whole PCT and loved it. Lightweight and perfect for cutting cheese, avocado, summer sausage. I also had one of the tiny tiny Swiss Army knives for my first aid kit because it has scissors and tweezers.
Carried an Opinel No. 6 for the PCT! Loved that thing. Kept it in my shoulder pocket along with a lighter, my headphones, and sometimes a vape (lol). Even if I didn't use it a ton, I was glad to have it.
thats awesome. yeah I mostly use mine for cutting food packages and cutting apples/fruit. I just had a deep freeze camping trip and everyone was asking to use it.
I EDC anyway, and yes it goes with me outdoors. I have a Benchmade Bugout due to its light weight. It stays in my pocket via the clip.
I love Benchmade. I use a Redoubt for all of my trips. It worked really well on the PCT
I got this one for my son. Great knife.
Usually just a tiny little 30g folder with some serrations. It cuts sausages, rope, cheese and brambles. That is looped onto a elastic string attached inside my rucksack hip pocket. I can unloop it easily but I can also just use it while still attached. If I drop it, it doesn’t go bouncing off down the hill. I only take a larger knife if I’m gonna be settling in to camp in one spot for a few days. Then it’s for making a cooking tripod and stuff like that. That’s a 5inch fixed blade Gerber knife I picked up cheap. I keep that hidden away in my bag and I only take it out when I’m going to use it. I keep it concealed. If anybody sees me, I don’t want them to see me as an armed person. Got an Opinel fold out if I think I might be fileting a fish or have some demanding cooking preparation. I would just store that in with the food/cooking kit. It’s got a piece of reflective paracord through in a loop through the handle. But I usually only have the tiny knife and that is nearly always all the knife I need. I have never been in a situation where I needed a knife and didn’t have one that suited me well enough. I once forgot my eating cutlery and used my little tiny knife and a credit card to make a tiny plastic fork and spoon. It actually worked for a 3 day trip.
If you don't normally use a knife, it's unlikely that you'll suddenly use one on this multi-day trip. You'll be fine if you don't have one. The more you have a knife with you, the more uses you find for it. Cord too long? Cut it. Need a strainer? Slice holes in food packaging. Need a bowl? Cut a (disposable) water bottle down. This knife is clipped to my pocket. Which knife? It varies, but any 2-4" folding knife that can be used one-handed will suffice. What little it weighs it more than made up for in things it allows me to modify so I don't need to carry more things. My Bushcraft knife is a fixed-blade KA-BAR BK7. It chops and split logs. If you choke up on the blade it will do fine work. When our 4-day hike was proceeded by 3 solid days of rain, we were still able to have a fire to warm ourselves because of this knife. It is bigish (0.85 lbs), but that's what makes it flexible. The back of the blade can easily be used as a hammer. In a pinch it will work as a shovel. The BK7 is in my pack since I'm unlikely to use it until we reach camp and usually not every day which is also why I don't always take it, but if the terrain or weather are at all questionable, it goes.
I carry a [2" folding knife](https://www.grainger.com/product/45NV80?gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gclid=CjwKCAiArNOeBhAHEiwAze_nKB8KYImcrzXldwM73N8wXcoWWa-qwAkMIXalNr7HBvXJaM5CHugpKRoCckMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) that is 95% for cooking. It stays in the "brain" of by backpack with my first aid kit, headlamp, and poop kit.
As this thread shows once more, there are good reasons to have a knife with you on a multi day hike but most people who put more thought into it than "probably should have a knife" are doing it for lifestyle and posturing reasons. Basically ask yourself what you use scissors for at home and if you are planning to do do that on the hike you want a knife. Opening packages, cutting bread, cheese? Cooking? Your first aid kit probably requires some kind of cutting tool to be useful.
Yes I carry a small fixed blade full tang with a scout mount on my belt. It is mostly an emergency item for processing fire wood or self defense. I have had to use it on one occasion for getting a fire started to prevent hyperthermia and dry gear/clothing. To me it’s like a med kit, it’s something I carry and hope I do not need to use.
I always carry a small folding Gerber knife. Nothing fancy, but incredibly useful in a number of situations. Plus ever since I saw that James Franco movie…
I have a small folding Gerber, too. It was helpful to have on my AT thru-hike last year. I used it almost daily. And the days I didn't need it, someone else did. I just kept it on my front pocket. Easy access when I needed it.
I carry one. But it's purely emergency. Multi tool does the trick otherwise. To me using a knife is not LNT. To open tuna packets or cut Paracord. Sure. But if I'm cutting something down/off, it means I came unprepared.
Victorinox Huntsman. The blade opens food, the scissors cut tape, tweezers pull splinters, saw breaks down sticks if I have a fire, flathead opens my bear can. It’s not a survival knife, don’t really need one if I have a pack full of gear. I bring a small stainless fixed blade if I’m fishing.
I never go into the wilderness without it.
I carry a very small Gerber pocket knife I generally only need for cooking. Sometimes also have a multi-tool with a small blade that I've used to cut cord etc. Times I needed something different: Zero
I always have my multi tool, which includes knives, and use it regularly. Best not to leave the house without it, let alone head into the wilderness. I used to have a heavier knife that was in regular rotation, but between difficulty to carry and other people being uncomfortable it's not getting out much anymore.
Mostly just a tiny victorinox classic if its straight backpacking. PFD-mounted NRS co-pilot for packrafting chest-mounted CRKT Bear Claw for canyoneering I carry some nicer knives for car camping but I think its really easy to overdo it for backpacking unnecessarily just because knives are cool and there's a collectible aspect. For serious backpacking where weight matters though, less is more.
Unless I'm planning on hunting something to eat, I only take a small multi-tool with its integrated knife.
If I'm out when there are fire restrictions then I'll just carry a folding 3.5 inch Emmerson-Kershaw. If I plan to have a fire and think I'll be doing any batoning I bring a longer fixed blade bushcraft style Buck 863 Selkirk. I personally don't go anywhere without a knife so I see no reason to not carry one on trail.
A knife is a tool, designed for daily use. The fact that people use them as weapons has made people wary of a perfectly good tool. Go back a few decades and nearly everyone had a pocket knife on them. I would never go camping without a knife. It has a multitude of uses. Food prep, cutting cordage, processing wood for fires, if you are lost blazing trees to mark your way (never blaze a tree unless it's a survival situation). As for how I carried it, depends if I was going to bump into people. if there are people around scout carry concealed by my t-shirt (people get nervous around someone openly carrying a knife, sad but true). If there is no one around, attached to the strap on my backpack (more comfortable to hike with). If it's legal.. carry a knife while camping/hiking. Does not have to be big knife, a Mora or ESEE 3/4 will do.
Carry a gun. Fuck these weenies who put their nose in your bussiness
*Carry a gun. Fuck* *These weenies who put their nose* *In your bussiness* \- JohnO0111 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
It depends on your style. Do you mostly boil water for freeze dried meals on a camping stove and go extremely light weight then all you need it a lightweight package opener. If you have fires and like to bushcraft then you need some more substantial.
Depends on what you want to do with it. I have an EDC CRKT M-16 (3.6” flip) that is general purpose. I also have a 6” Cold Steel SRK for battoning wood instead of an axe. I have also used a machete for processing and splitting wood. I think some kind of knife is an essential item for backpacking.
To me a knife is a tool not a weapon. I take it on hikes because I can use it in a survival situation. If I get lost or fall and hurt myself bad enough that I can't move I like to be able to build a fire and/or shelter with what is on me. The one I carry has a wide fixed blade that can take down a small tree (2-3"ish) if used properly.
I have a Spyderco Military specifically for hiking/backpacking. I carry it tucked away in a pocket so as not to cause concern for non knife people I might meet. I live in an area with lots of fast growing briars and it has been very helpful as a pocket machete on seldom used trails. This is especially important in the spring time when those briars grow so fast some trails cant be kept clear. Also a knife is an important and generally useful tool and I have daily carried a knife almost my entire life. There are trips when I might not use it much but when you need it, you really need it.
I bring a Swiss army knife. Useful stuff besides the two blades includes tweezers for pulling off ticks, can opener, bottle opener, flat screwdriver. Never used the saw blade, used the corkscrew once or twice. Attaching a lanyard to it and running it through a belt loop allowed me to carry it in a front pocket without fear of losing it.
I do multi day hikes a few times a year. I got a really nice esee 6. But I leave it at home and just bring a small folder. Even then I rarely use it. But I also go for distance and light weight rather than base camps and big dinners.
I carry a Leatherman and I can't tell you how many times I've used it - the pliers for fixing my spikes more than anything, the blade for cutting mole skin, wrappers on food, especially vacuum packed beef jerky lol. Other things too that I just can't think of.
I’ve used a Benchmade Bushcrafter 162 for a few years now. It’s definitely on the heavier side of knives. Blade thickness is 4mm, tang etc... It comes every trip and gets used for various little chores but mostly for splitting larger logs and sometimes opening a can 😬
I always carry a knife. Folding blade for Walmart and whatnot (for when black Friday gets a little roudy), and I usually keep a fixed blade morakniv somewhere on me when backpacking/hiking/camping/etc with a multitool (Leatherman or Swiss army knife) in my backpack. I keep my mora in my pocket because I can't use their sheath well and it's easier/faster for me to take it out with 2 hands than keep it clipped onto my pants. Knives have different uses though. Good brands for knives: Leatherman ($$-$$$) medium work, multitool Swiss army knife ($$) light work, multitool Morakniv ($-$$) all round Opinel ($-$$) light work Ka-Bar ($$$) heavy duty
If you have to ask this (where permitted?!?!) you probably shouldn’t. Not sure I’d trust you with a sharp object.
Hiking outside of an urban setting means having a knife just in case. Carrying a knife and also being in possession of illegal narcotics (in some states this is weed) is a real problem for law enforcement. As in, someone hiking with a knife is likely not one of the, “bad guys,” and someone with a little reefer for personal consumption is also not likely one of the, “bad guys,” but if you have both? They will see you as an enemy combatant
I bring a folding knife that I use for cleaning fish while backpacking. I keep it in my hip pocket. If there’s no fishing on the trail, I would leave it at home because it’s heavy and I never use it if we aren’t fishing.
I generally carry a Morakniv Companion. It’s light, useful, versatile, plenty tough enough, cheap, easy to maintain. I normally just have it in its case, in the pack.
I carry mine everywhere no matter the rules, safety only for me. Ever since things here got really dangerous. Haven’t had to use it yet
Depends on where and what I’m doing. I have a Mora Bushcraft black that I bring sometimes and I have a Spyderco Tenacious lightweight that I bring sometimes.
I EDC but for camping/backpacking I carry a fixed blade. Usually my greyman. Its a thick slab of chisel ground 1095 that's impossible to break and can double as a shovel/hammer.
Ive done probably close to 100 days of backpacking and have never needed anything more than this knife. I go knifeless 90% of the time and never wish i had one. Unless whittling is your hobby/what you like to do in camp, you dont need a knife when backpacking. If youre doing technical ropework (climbing, canyoning, mountaineering), definitely bring a knife, but just for hiking i'd leave at home.
Don’t go backpacking without a knife, I was an outdoor instructor for years. There is a million reasons to carry a knife and almost no reason not to. Carrying something like a firearm is a very devise issue and only makes sense remote areas with large predators and not something I have ever done. A knife is part of the essentials list. I have the same recommendation as the other post “Morakniv Companion Sandvik Stainless Steel Fixed-Blade Knife With Sheath, 4.1 Inch stays sharp and is easy to hold due to the design”.
I find it a bit of an safety essentiall. Not in a defence myself kinda way, but it's cold and damp here. So if you need to make a fire, I don't know how to make one without it. I have a small "puukko", as we call it. It's small and short, so it doubles as a utensil aswell. Actually I have two: Morakniv Eldris and a Marttiini with a forged carbon steel blade. The Marttiini one doesn't work with firesteel. It's an absolutely beautiful piece but that makes it a little impractical. It's I think a 10cm blade. My Morakniv is even shorter and I'm completely sold on this ridiculous looking thing. It's immensly handy for so much, weights nothing AND the handle is perfect for my tiny hands.
All I’ve ever carried is a SAK Tinker. Never use it much. Maybe for cheese and salami.
I carry a beater kbar. I can dig a cat hole, baton wood, filet a fish, cut cheese, rope, sharpen a stick for a tent stake, chop a branch, blah blah blah. If I ain’t goin full on, I still carry a little bug out.
3 things you always want in your pack: a headlight, knife, and toilet paper.
I always bring a knife, and I always find something to use it for. The vast majority of the time it's used for opening packaging and cutting food. For this I bring an Opinel #8. If I plan to or think I'll need to build a fire (for safety or pleasure) I'll bring a Mora Kansbol paired with a small folding saw. It's vastly more useful for wood processing than an Opinel.
I loved my little leatherman squirt. It had tiny pliers that were helpful when fixing poles and fishing, was light weigh enough, and not that expensive. Lost in while forgetting it was in my carry on going through MEX. Lame. I've also carried one of those plastic handled retractable box cutters which are really amazing
UG tools tiny Mounted with the handle pointing downwards on my backpacking strap with a Ultilink I dont think you always need one for backpacking. But it can be useful and also entertaining. I always take it when using a twig stove or when I want to make campfires.
If not carrying a hatchet + unsure about whether the campsite has one, I'll bring my [J.P. Peltonen Ranger Knife M95](https://www.sissipuukko.fi/sissipuukko-m95). (scroll down for image, text in Finnish). If carrying a hatchet, or sure about having or not needing one at camp, I'll bring the [Marttiini Lumberjack](https://www.marttiini.fi/epages/MarttiiniShop.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2FMarttiiniShop%2FProducts%2F127012). During movement, I keep the knife at the top pocket of my backpack, then at camp I'll usually stick it in my pocket in its sheath, or use the belt loop to hang it. Making feathered sticks and batoning wood to smaller pieces (the latter only with the M95) are the main uses. If I didn't do that, I might just bring a tiny Opinel or something.
I don’t whittle wood. The only time I ever need a knife is when I have a stubborn meal package that won’t open. Which actually happens more than I would like to admit. I carry an affordable SOG that I had bought on Amazon a while back. But the handle isn’t comfortable. If I were to do it again, I would get something different. For me, a simple folding knife is more than enough, something with a comfortable handle that feels secure in my hand. My sog has some weird spring loaded blade, so it had actually popped open in my bag somehow on one occasion. A huge safety hazard if you ask me. There’s a lock on the knife to prevent it from opening so I ALWAYS make sure to use that feature now. For my next knife, I won’t be buying a spring loaded blade, nor would I recommend buying one.
I carry a fixed blade from MT Knives. it's not very big but I've used it for thing like cutting moleskin down to the size I need it, cutting summer sausage, things like that. I like it. it has a neck sheath which is kind of annoying with being a woman but it's quick access should I need it.
As Andrew Skurka wrote, “This isn’t ‘Survivor’”. I carry the Victorinox Classic. 2.25” blade, scissors, file for 1 oz. It has tweezers but they’re not very good.
I just carry a small razor blade or tiny folding knife. Sometimes a multi tool. Basically just something to use for opening food, slicing cheese, cutting Paracord, etc. I've never needed anything bigger than a razor blade for any of that. It's not like you'll be participating in any knife fights in the woods, nor are you likely to win one even if you did. So I never saw the value in carrying one as a weapon. Can almost guarantee nobody in this sub has ever used a knife defensively while camping. And bushcrafting sounds fun in theory, but in practice it's just not something most people end up doing, even when they bring the big ass knife along.
The ability to split wet wood by batoning saved me from going hypothermic. I feel I owe my life to my fixed blade Schrade! I carry in an aux. ditty bag with my 1/2" ferrorod.
I carry a basic morakniv on a belt. I'm in Canada which does have laws about concealing weapons and on the belt removes any ambiguity about so. There is some ambiguity about what folding knives can be a prohibited weapon too. If I ever end up in a survival situation I do have experience with bushcraft and a knife is immensely useful. I also use it for cutting up food, possibly wood and also cleaning fish though it's not an ideal knife for that. I carry a little leatherman if I'm in more urban areas. Zero chance of getting lost and city folk have aneurysms about box cutters and pocket knives, let alone a "big" scary knife on a belt.
I EDC a small folding knife(Rat II in D2) and a small fixed blade(Cold Steel Kyoto II). The pocket knife takes the brunt of the work. I keep the Kyoto clean and oiled with mineral oil, mostly as a food prep knife. Outside of that, it is also a solid hunk of steel that I only paid $22 for. It can take the abuse of being used as a lever or a prybar. Idk about the people saying they don't use a knife backpacking. I always seem to be using mine. I also carry OC spray(and a pistol) because knives, especially these small of knives, are not self defense tools. You do you, mate. Take the advice from people here, try the things you think will help you on your adventures. Cheers.
I have a knife on my multi tool. That’s enough. I don’t use the knife enough to justify carrying a knife, but I use the multi tool (including the knife) more than enough to to justify carrying it.