Advice for a knife to take on hikes?

These people are only half right. You CAN kill a mountain lion or a coyote with just a knife, as people have for thousands of years. However, you will find that most folders are nowhere near enough of a match for those aforementioned beasts. I recommend you carry a small folding knife for utilitarian tasks and a large, sheathed fixed blade on your belt for self defense against animals. I am assuming you can't/won't use a gun, which is what most hunters would recommend against carnivorous predators.
 
recruit17 said:
Don't get a folder, get a Fallkniven A1 or S1 or F1 or anything by Fallkniven
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^^^ This ^^^

Any of these will do you a great job, depending on what size you prefer. The F1 and S1 are both great all purpose knives. I have four F1s and two S1s in a variety of handle styles and would be happy heading off into the woods with any of them. Pair them with a good SAK - I like the Huntsman/Fieldmaster for hiking/camping because of the saw blade - and you are good to go.

As for wildlife, yeah good eyes and good shoes.
 
Check the discount stores for a US-made Buck 110 'Folding Hunter' - usually <$40 at discount stores. It's a lockback style - more secure than the slipjoints, like most SAKs. I've hiked/camped many times with one - it's an American icon type of knife and fully serviceable for everything from some larger whittling to making camp furniture. On the fixed blade side, the US-made Buck 119 'Special' is a super useful camping knife. Les Stroud, Discovery Channel's 'Survivorman', used one in several episodes. Expect to spend a few dollars more on it at a discount store. Both come with belt sheaths.

Stainz
 
izula 2 and if you don't have a walking stick, find a nice solid piece to make one with a point to use as protection. you could also create a walking stick with a spear at the end by maybe attaching a fixed blade to the end of it.
 
I prefer carrying a Swiss Army knife for my hiking adventures. You can go on the victorinox website and find the tool finder tool, where you can select the tools you would want on the knife and it will show you a match to something they make. Good luck getting your knife out fast enough if a mountain lion is stalking you. Coyotes won't usually go after a human alone, so you may want to grow a few more arms as well. I guess what I'm saying is, defense on a hike should be left to a firearm, using a knife in your head is a lot easier than using it in real life at the time in the situation. But my vote is for a Swiss Army knife, you'll be very prepared.
 
HwangJino said:
Fixed blade and folder suits me fine. Smaller fixed is my GFs.

20130926_132605_zpsfc0a8df3.jpg
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Curious: what's the knife on the far right here?
 
jc57 said:
Victorinox Cadet. Best anti-mountain-lion knife there is. Ever since I bought mine, I have not once been attacked by a mountain lion.

Plus it will cut through anything you may need whilst on a hike.
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Ha ha ha nice
 
For a good hiking knife on the smaller, lighter side, I'd pick an ESEE Izula, 3, or 4. For something a bit bigger try the Becker line. Both companies manufacture excellent knives (although I tend to prefer the sheaths on the Beckers). Be aware, these are all fixed blades, which are IMO much better suited to a hiking environment (FAR stronger, easier to clean and maintain, often more comfortable for prolonged use, etc.) But if you really want a folder, it's hard to go wrong with a classic Buck 110. I also like the KaBar MULE.

As for the mountain lions, coyotes, etc... Just get yourself a good .45. You'll have less problems that way. (But still, it's happened:
http://igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2002/cougar_attack_vancouver.html) How in the dickens he managed to open that knife while GETTING ATTACKED BY A COUGAR is beyond me, but hey, kudos to him, and just another small reason to carry a knife. Again, I contend that a fixed blade would likely be much easier to get into action in the insanely rare case of a cougar attack...
 
Small & light weight = Fallkniven WM1

Folder for hikes = SAK Alox Farmer or Pioneer are both very capable, but they're non-locking, the Wenger Ranger 55 has a locking blade with some useful tools. If you need/want just a locking knife; Spyderco PM2 or Benchmade Mini Grip are both very good, for less money the RAT1 is exceptional value for money.

Not sure from your post if you are thinking day hikes or multi day hiking where you'll also be camping.
 
cards94 said:
izula 2 and if you don't have a walking stick, find a nice solid piece to make one with a point to use as protection. you could also create a walking stick with a spear at the end by maybe attaching a fixed blade to the end of it.
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That's an interesting strategy. If the your knife is attached to a spear, how do you use the knife the 99.99999999% of the time that you are not fending off cougars while hiking?
 
I prefer to carry a fixed balde but for your requirements I'd also recommend the Military. It's light, thin, has a long blade and has a nice and slicey geometry. You're not going to hack through trees but for backpacking where you're carrying shelter etc, it'll do just fine.
 
dogstar said:
Welcome to BladeForums.

A lot of folks swear by Swiss Army Knives.

A lot of folks swear by Opinels.

A lot of folks swear by Moras (not foldable).

These are inexpensive but high quality knives you can start with, and will serve you well. Stick around here long enough, I'm sure you'll be spending hundreds of dollars on the ultimate grail knife, whatever it may be for you. But good 'ol SAK, Opi, and Mora will be there for you when you come calling.
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Very solid information.:thumbup:

Jim
 
I carry an ESEE 3 mil with me when I am out hiking, and I always have my Spyderco Caly 3.5 in my pocket. I could just leave the ESEE at home as I rarely ever use it but I would rather have a fixed blade and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
I would suggest two knives; a Ka-Bar Becker BK-16 (or 17) [4" Fixed blade] and a Victorinox Swiss Army knife such as the Rutsack or a thinner one like the Adventurer. I really like the 111mm size. There are lots of choices. The little saw on the Rutsack can come in handy in the woods if and certainly the tweezers will eventually be used to remove a splinter or something.

I have a number of the ones that have been mentioned. An inexpensive knife that is fairly nice is the Kabar Dozier hunter model. Pretty inexpensive <$25 and not a bad one handed folder.
 
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adc5 said:
Curious: what's the knife on the far right here?
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Both fixed blades are by a custom maker here by the name of mario (MLL). I LOVE this knife. My friends who come over try to buy it off me many many times.

perfect weight, and after my custom polish it whittles and hacks like a beast. 1/4" thick
 
I would take my Esee Izula, a great small fixed blade! My Doug Ritter RSK (Ritter Survival Knife) folder from Benchmade and my leatherman multitool.
 
I think your SAK and the ESEE 3 would be fine for any situation. Or any of the small hunters on the exchange wold also be great, a lot of good choices lately, maybe a little higher. Give them a look under fixed blades.
 
Any of the normal size (nothing like the 748) Mora designs would be ideal size for any light bush crafting you would need to do (make a walking stick or whatnot). For animal defense a knife is a dumb option. All predatory animals have their own knives, and they are attached to their paws. You would be better served with a starter pistol, air horn, stun gun, or pepper (bear) spray. Animals aren't scared by knives like people are, they are scared off by loud noises, so any of those I listed would be infinitely more defense.

If an animal wants to kill you, you are pretty well screwed. Best I can say is stab it in the neck repeatedly and hope it gives up. Just remember to never run away, because it triggers predatory instincts. If you want to leave slowly back away facing the animal.
 
Another vote for the ESEE Izula II and SAK combo.

izula04.jpg


As for lions and tigers and bears, I fights 'em with my bare-hands, I tells ya! :D

-Brett
 
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