Howdy first post here but have been a lurker for a long time. This post literally drove me from my silent peaceful state.
First, anyone who goes into the woods whether it's a day hike, 2-3 day hike, canoe trip, or mountain biking excursion where you are in a remote area (no cell service) with nothing more than a small pocket knife is an idiot. These are the type of people who take everything for granted and throw caution to the wind. They are also the same type of people who rely heavily on rescue teams year after year when mother nature takes a dump on their little REI adventure.
The fact is that you may be able to get by with a pocket knife in ideal situations. Meaning that the weather is good, there are no injuries, the rest of your gear remains intact, and there are no animal attacks. However, you can never predict that every outing is going to run smoothly. All it takes is one incident and you are going to wish you had brought something more substantial.
What would happen if you were out somewhere and suddenly you were caught in a storm, or your canoe tipped and you needed to make a shelter and fire quickly to prevent hypothermia? This is a real threat and kills people every year. Do you think a pocket knife will be able to perform these tasks fast enough to save your life or a friends or a loved one? What about an animal attack? A small blade would just piss off a bear, cougar, wild boar, or dog.
Now most people think in these situations that it could never happen to them and they play the odds. However, most people who survive a traumatic experience in the woods thought the same thing. The reason for bringing a larger fixed bladed knife into the woods with you isn't necessarily because you need it for every task - it's because you need it for those critical tasks when your life depends on it.
Anytime I go into the woods for any reason, I carry a RD-6 Signature ( 18 oz. 3/8 blade), Esee-4, a Leatherman and a Laplander saw. I also carry a small sidearm that shoots 45 lc and .410 shells as I do live in Black Bear/Cougar area. Added to this is an extensive first aid/ trauma kit, fire steel, cordage, Army Poncho and a container to boil water. This kit goes with me everywhere every time - even if it's a day trip no exceptions!!! Anything else I pack is considered a "luxury item". The minumum I bring is 3 knives and I sometimes will bring a fourth if I'm with someone who does not have a large blade in case we get separated.
Second, it is simply irresponsible for a group leader to advocate this nonsense. Not only is he teaching kids not to be prepared but he is also putting their lives at risk. But hey if you want to be a sheep and walk through the woods where wolves feed - be my guest.
