Backpackers and Trekkers: What do you bring along?

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VorpelSword

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What Knife or other cutlery do you bring along when backpacking?

For a day hike in a national Park.

On an overnight or weekend outing.

Whan trekking for a week or more.
 
In the distant past:

In a minimalist period, I brought along a small, fixed blade bought in the kitchen goods section at the grocery store. "Old Hikorcy brand, I think. Little, light, good enough for the trip at hand. Inexpensive enough to be disp;osable.

At that time in my life, the inexpensive was a major factor. As a dedicated backpacker, Light Weight was also a major factor.

Any Appalachian Trail trekkers? Any Pacific Crest Trail Trekkers?

But what do you bring along now?
 
Usually a Griptillian or Bugout and a SAK. As soon as I get my CRK backpacker, that and a SAK.
 
For day hikes in national/provincial parks in the Rockies, bear spray, Ace bandage/first aid kit including QuikClot, fire starter (+BiC), TP, water/tea, Spyderco Mule, braided nylon cord (200 lb. test), caribiner, bug dope, clothing according to season, trail snacks/lunch, camera/binoculars. Haven't done much trekking in the last few years.
 
I haven't yet had the chance to do any "real" hiking anywhere in America, but I've visited the Carpathians, other local wood outside Brasov, but we would go hard, all day through our local trails. Using the beach and all, it totalled around 14 mile round trip. I intend to hike a whole lot more in the future, too.

We stuff the backpack with a gallon jug of water as the centerpiece, packing jackets, trail mix, power bars and stuff along with it. I'm the only one who carries a knife - sometimes my girl. One time a guy had a SOG multitool. Last time, it was the M4 Shaman, as I really feel like I can sample some sap with that.

It's the reason I started carrying a knife, actually - I was up there on the hill in the trail, as "up there" as you can be, when I find a noose, wrapped around a tree that is leaning over a small embankment (no bigger than say about a stool). First thought was that someone planted it there, wrapped it around the tree for inconspicuousness (in my mind) and intended to come back later, perhaps if things didn't go his way (His partner does end up going through with the divorce, he did lose the job, whatever may happen). I had just started carrying my little mall pakkawood, dagger-style spearpoint half-serrated flipper, and I took that out and started sawing away at the rope. I did not cut that rope, I tore it with jagged metal. That was not cool, I wouldn't ever wanna have that much trouble again. Imagine if someone were on the end of it.

I was looking for a better knife by the end of the week.

I sat there for a couple hours until the sun started getting down, hoping someone would come through, anyone solitary. Nobody did. I could have been wrong about why it was there. Could have been a hate symbol that someone saw and went - "Aw, disgusting, let me wrap this around this tree", could have been kids messing around. But that's a tall tree, and industrial rope, not that it is impossible a lil bugger has a father who has that, but either way - it didn't belong there. Left and took the thing with me in my backpack, just as, I don't know what, a reminder, a lesson? But my family found it morbid, thus I threw it away.
 
VorpelSword said:
What Knife or other cutlery do you bring along when backpacking?

For a day hike in a national Park.

On an overnight or weekend outing.

Whan trekking for a week or more.
Click to expand...

Usually just a SAK and/or a Gerber multitool because I just carry freeze dried food when backpacking. For a day hike, no knife is really needed but I'd probably carry an SAK anyway.

Carrying a water purifier (plus water tablets) and a JetBoil w/an extra fuel can is more important - weight-wise -- than carrying a BIG A$$ knife when backbacking.

I also carry a wire saw and waterproof matches in case I need to gather/burn some wood. That usually isn't necessary but the additional wt of that stuff is minimal.
 
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I always have my Victorinox Classic on my keys, and then I bring a full size SAK like a Tinker (2 oz) or a Farmer (3 oz). If I want a fixed blade, I'll bring my Mora 2/0 (2 oz).

TBH I don't ever need more than the Classic, but it feels weird not having a full sized knife on hand. Over the years, I've realized that carrying excess weight just makes the trip less enjoyable, so I have gradually pared down my loadout. I'm a big believer in having gear that can serve multiple purposes.
 
It really depends on the park and its policies around wood usage/camp fires.

On a day hike, I'm generally just going to have something like a Morakniv Bushcraft or White River M1 Pro Backpacker, depending on how civilized things are, with a Benchmade Bugout or Opinel #8 for light and slicey blades.

Overnight/Weekend: I'll switch up fixed blades to something more substantial, like a Benchmade Leuku, Terava Jaakaripuukko 110, Grohmann No4 Survival, or Joker Montañero; along with a thin slicey folder. Depending on the plan I might also carry a foresters axe and Bigboy Silky Saw. My last weekend camping trip there were no wood fires allowed where I was, so I just had the Bugout and M1 Pro Backpacker.

For longer hikes, I'll take a higher quality fixed blade, like my Lion Steel M5, Benchmade Sibert Bushcrafter, or Barkriver Bravo 1; along with a thin slicey folder, a tiny fixed blade (White River M1 Pro Backpacker or MKM Maniago Mikro 1), and ensure that at least someone in the group carries a decent multi-tool to repair kit along the way. If I'm hiking for a week I'd add the Pocketboy Silky Saw or BigBoy, depending on the plan, but if I'm hiking to a fixed camp for an extended stay, things will get more substantial tool wise. If I'm on a week long hike through a park where you can't harvest wood, the kit load, including knives will be pretty minimal, down to a tiny fixed blade and light slicey folder.
 
It depends on where I’m going far more than what I’m doing.

Regardless of single day/multi day, & location, the knife is almost always a Spyderco Native 5 Salt. It’s light weight, compact, robust, impervious to the elements, and if it gets lost or dorked up, it’s not the end of the world.

If I’m local, I’ll have a can of Bear Spray or a Springfield XDM-E 10mm.

If I’m headed somewhere that allows campfires, I’ll bring a Silky Gomboy. That thing is worth it’s weight in gold.

I don’t carry a fixed blade or a hatchet or anything. The N5LW & Silky do everything I need.

I posted this in the in the EDC thread a few days ago. It’s my standard base kit. Glacier NP.

 
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All good stuff and interesting to read.

Regarding multi tools;

My around town EDC is a Leatherman Wave.

But out of curiosity, has anyone used other functions of a multi-tool besides the blades or the saw?

What is the weight comparison between a Gerber or Leatherman tool and an SAK?
 
VorpelSword said:
All good stuff and interesting to read.

Regarding multi tools;

My around town EDC is a Leatherman Wave.

But out of curiosity, has anyone used other functions of a multi-tool besides the blades or the saw?
Click to expand...

Yes. See above.

VorpelSword said:
What is the weight comparison between a Gerber or Leatherman tool and an SAK?
Click to expand...

Gerber is heavier than a LM but is stronger & has better tools IMO.
 
Sidehill Gouger said:
I'm an old infantryman. You can't take too many pair of socks. When we were backpacking (my wife and I) I usually carried a pair of socks for everyday on the trail.
Click to expand...

I agree!

Also, one thing I forgot in my post above:
A Garmin InReach Mini goes with me anywhere I may be lacking cell service, whether I’m hiking, biking, Nordic skiing, or driving.
 
For a folder it’s usually tha Manix 2 lightweight.
Fixed blade, either a Spyderco Sprig or RAT RC6, depends on what I’ll be doing.
 
Not a lot of "bushcrafting" when hiking so I just bring something small and saw for the twig stove if open fire is not banned.
 
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