Recommendation? Best $100-ish fixed blade for bug out bag- GO!

bikerector said:
Hmm... or a smatchet.

I am a little curious though, are pirates that much of a threat in the forests? They are a maritime people after all. Don't see too many ships sailing across the treetops these days.
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No need to worry about the forest pirates, those are the ones just wandering around since they could not find their way back to the beach. They are just asking for directions. "Argh, seems we done lost our way, ye haven't seen a ship around these part have ye?"
 
I have to very enthusiastically 2nd the recommendation for a cold steel master hunter 3v. For the price and application, it’s hard to beat.
 
Inexpensive and works great. Add a SAK or Leatherman and you are gold.

Pretty cool what a hundred bucks will get you these days.

If I had more disposable income I’d buy a 3V custom from one of the many makers here on BF. Same blade profile but with a nicer handle.

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I think something we may have missed, or at least I didn't read it in here, is that you should make sure you try out the knife/knives and make sure it works for you, especially the handle, since personal preferences and anatomy will determine how well it works for you. No one wants blisters, even in a survival situation.
 
bikerector said:
I think something we may have missed, or at least I didn't read it in here, is that you should make sure you try out the knife/knives and make sure it works for you, especially the handle, since personal preferences and anatomy will determine how well it works for you. No one wants blisters, even in a survival situation.
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The best tool for the BOB is actually your brain, how you gain experience and skills to survive and even thrive, so practicing your skills with your equipment, testing that equipment, knowing their strengths and weaknesses is important.
 
cbach8tw said:
The best tool for the BOB is actually your brain, how you gain experience and skills to survive and even thrive, so practicing your skills with your equipment, testing that equipment, knowing their strengths and weaknesses is important.
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This is true if you have the interest. I think just knowing the kinds of things you can improvise with a knife in the wild is often enough as long as you have some dexterity. Obviously doing is better. As for the knife, the best one is the one you are most comfortable using whether it be a 3" fixed blade, a SAK, or 8" fixed blade. The saying that you can do with a large blade most of what you can do with a small one is correct if you're willing or have to. But I would rather just have a folder or two for the small stuff paired with a medium sized fixed blade.

I sincerely doubt that there are many people who would "thrive" in a survival situation unless they stay home and have an abundance of supplies already in place. Preparing for an event that never happens is expensive and I think wasteful of resources. Who wants to eat a bunch of rice (from that big bag or two you bought) for example that would last you a fairly long time? I much prefer quick rice but only eat it once in a blue moon. Having 100's of cans of beans or Chunky Soup would be wonderful if something happened, but you'd end up tossing most of them. The event never happens. People have been preparing for this for a long time.
 
You are right, thrive may not be the proper word. Maybe a better word is adapt; adapt to the circumstances you find yourselves in, and learn to survive that scenario. I have read that in a survival situation, if one gets down or fixated too much on why you got yourself into that position in the first place, feeing guilty or hopeless, one may lose the mental prowess one needs to overcome it. Keeping a positive mental attitude or determination to survive are important.
 
cbach8tw cbach8tw I think feeling hopeless would be entirely natural in a major survival event. It is what you do next that's important. One could say that many of the migrants trying to move to the US is in fact a survival situation for them and regional. I don't know the particulars of things in the various Central American countries generally, but the many people are trying to do something to survive and to them survive well. What knife one chooses or several knives is pretty low on the list of necessary things. I wonder how many (%) of the migrants trying to gain entry to the US are carrying knives?
 
I think the Cold Steel SRK or Master Hunter in 3V are hard to beat. The SRK would be my "bug out" knife because it could do a little bit of everything . I do like the feel of the master hunter a bit more though. For well under $100 moras are friggin hard to beat.
 
Ok so my reply of the Marine Raider was too much for the average survivalist here so i change my mind and will go with a Mora and a sak. My saw will also be a little wire i carry in an altoids can and then i will sip tea from my Starbucks cup that i bought as i escaped to the woods. Man I hope I am wearing a flannel shirt on that day because it may be chilly.
I have worked for the salvation army, i was a scout sniper for them, believe you me, there are land pirate's you just don't know it yet. And dont go near the ones that smoke, they are the worst.
Make sure your sak has twizers, may need to pluck the marshmallows out of your coffee and save them for later. Aint bugging out hell?
 
Scout sniper for the Salvation Army? Lol!

Give me the clothes and 15 year old movies, or the stuffed bear gets it!

That gave me a chuckle.
 
cbach8tw said:
You are right, thrive may not be the proper word. Maybe a better word is adapt; adapt to the circumstances you find yourselves in, and learn to survive that scenario. I have read that in a survival situation, if one gets down or fixated too much on why you got yourself into that position in the first place, feeing guilty or hopeless, one may lose the mental prowess one needs to overcome it. Keeping a positive mental attitude or determination to survive are important.
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"Most people lost in the wilds, they die of shame."

"A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow." (George S. Patton paraphrase)

Quotes from "The Edge"(1997) by Anthony Hopkins (as 'Charles Morse')
 
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