Best Backpacking Knife Under $100

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Fastfwd

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Apr 5, 2007
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I don’t know anything about knives to be honest. I am here for your advice on what would be a great backpacking knife and I am new to backpacking as well so I can’t really define just what that will mean to me. Security would play a role to be honest even if it were only psychological. I have decided to spend as much as $100 on a knife, but I don’t necessarily need to spend that much.

I’ve been steered toward Benchmade as a brand by a local outdoor store salesman and I have to say that his arguments seemed sound. It was his personal choice. I’m most interested in a folder so that I might be able to carry it everyday, but I’m open to suggestions otherwise. Thanks.
 
spyderco paramilitary. You should be able to find one for under $120 or under $90 used. Good knife, good steel, IMO best lock on the market.
 
You want something light for backpacking. A mora knife would be good; others I like are Roselli carpenter's knife, a puukko (Helle makes some excellent ones -- see Ragweed Forge), Bark River Woodland, or a good sturdy lockback would probably do fine.
 
Your question is really about personal preferences. You'll get a hundred different answers if you ask a hundred different people.

More backpackers have carried Swiss Army Knives over the years than anything else. The Opinel has been a European hiking staple for over 100 years. A multi-tool could be quite useful for repairing a pack or stove. Someone on another forum just completed a 3,000 mile backpacking trip with a midsize custom fixed blade that suited them very well.

Myself, I carry an AG Russell Hunters Scalpel (not currently available). It weighs 0.8 oz., has a locking hard sheath, attaches securely with a lanyard, and costs $20.

Consider the things you'll actually need a knife for - shaving kindling, opening food packs, cutting moleskin, etc. Think about how much you want to spend. Consider the benefits of fixed-blade vs. a slipjoint, vs. a locking folder.

And most importantly, consider the type of backpacking/camping you're going to do. For serious backpacking, weight and size is critical and following a no-trace ethic you won't be chopping or sawing anything. Sleeping in a tent next to your car in a campground, you may want a small hatchet or axe for splitting firewood. Backcountry cabin living, I'd consider an axe and saw to be must-have items. Hunting/fishing, you'll need a tool suitable for those tasks.

Hope this helps.

Happy Shopping,
-Bob
 
stainless mora clipper and a victorinoxz swiss army knife together both will cost you under 50 dollars and will handle anything you can throuw at them, as a team they can't be beat
 
Fastfwd said:
I don’t know anything about knives to be honest. I am here for your advice on what would be a great backpacking knife and I am new to backpacking as well so I can’t really define just what that will mean to me. Security would play a role to be honest even if it were only psychological. I have decided to spend as much as $100 on a knife, but I don’t necessarily need to spend that much.

I’ve been steered toward Benchmade as a brand by a local outdoor store salesman and I have to say that his arguments seemed sound. It was his personal choice. I’m most interested in a folder so that I might be able to carry it everyday, but I’m open to suggestions otherwise. Thanks.
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Benchmade is certainly an excellent brand. Nothing wrong with something like a Griptilian.

I used to carry a Swiss Army knife on 3-4 day backpacking trips. Never found anything I needed done that it couldn't do. Not very intimidating for self defence, but how sure are you that that is an issue?
 
Backpacker magazine had the best things to say about the Benchmade Mini-Griptilian folder in their last gear review issue that they used daily for a few months while backpacking of course. For versatility, a swiss army knife or multi-tool are in order. If you want something more heavy duty, there are a ton of suitable and great fixed blades. As usual for me, Fallkniven F1 comes to mind. If you get the zytel sheath, the knife plus sheath weighs only about 6.8 oz together. Please let us know what would seem to fit your bill.
 
my question to you is.. what kind of environment do you hike/backpack?

i live in bc (one of the best places in the world to live :D) and i hike multiple environments.

when i'm hiking in the woods i like to take a fiskars 14" hatchet and a mora clipper total of those two cost me below 60 bux canadian.

lately i had a bit of money come my way so i carry a grohmann R4S (about 100 bux canadian) fixed blade with my fiskars hatchet and i must say that the grohmann is simply a stunning knife. many other members i know (normark and fonly :D) will support that the grohmann R4S is an awesome outdoors knife.

when i'm out hiking along the coast line i usually am carrying a small fiskars 6 inch retractable pruning saw (20 bux at my local crappy tires), plus an sog seal pup elite (used to carry the seal pup but recently upgrade by means of a gift).

regardless of environment i always take either my leatherman pulse or my swiss army one hand trekker just as an extra. never know when i'll need them

raylaconico mentioned about the endura. i own the spyderco endura 4 and its by far my favorite folder. i've batoned through chunks of drift wood with it to start fires and it works great. +1 for the endura

try searching around the wilderness forums for "psk" or "bob" or "go bag", a.k.a. emergency survival kits.

many people here have well thought out kits and would be a great asset for u to take a quick look.

some advice i can offer into backpacking and hiking would be is to try and find someone who has some experience and go with them and observe.

books such as the SAS survival manual and the US army field manual are places you can start gathering info.

if you have family (i.e. kids, wife) go camping with them, its a great way to work on your skills while enjoying time with the grunts :D

heres a link to a collection of army field manuals which might get you started

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/

other then that i think your set.

happy trails :D
cheers.

jca
 
Bob W said:
Your question is really about personal preferences. You'll get a hundred different answers if you ask a hundred different people.
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Yeah, what Bob said. :thumbup:

There has been all kinds of discussion/debate on the best knives or combination of knives for any given task/activity/situation. I always carry a Victorinox Swiss Tool. It's a bit heavy, but I've carried it pretty much every day for about the past 6 or 7 years, so I don't even notice it's there anymore unless I need it. In addition to that, when I'm in the woods I like to have about a 4 inch fixed blade on my belt and on a full day or longer hike I bring a kukri in my pack. I could do just about everything I usually need to do with just the Swiss Tool tho.
 
I done a few packbacking trips using only Mora #1. I dicided to buy one a few year back from all the talk about the Mora on here. I love that knife, it done all the cutting i needed and it still was sharp enough to slice my fingers too on the way back.

Sasha
 
I always carry a Victorinox Swiss Tool. It's a bit heavy...
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The best thing about the SAKs is they can eliminate the need to carry other additional tools. For example many SAKs have tweezers and scissors built in, eliminating the need to carry seperate tweezers or scissors in the first aid kit. That convenience might justify the extra weight, perhaps even lowering the total gear weight.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, a sharpener. Day hiking or quick overnight trips I wouldn't worry about it. But for an extended backpacking trip, don't forget to take a small stone or ceramic rod set for sharpening.

-Bob
 
jca21 said:
many other members i know (normark and fonly :D) will support that the grohmann R4S is an awesome outdoors knife.
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haha, your damn rite jca, If you can get your hands on a Grohmann #4, or heck even a #1 or #3 you'll be getting one fine knife.
But, I have to add, to can never have too many sak's, victorinox or wenger, one with a blade and saw, and you'll be good.
 
haha fonly i knew that you'd agree!

you can get a "do it yourself kit" pretty cheat for the #1 i believe.

although for all-round hiking purposes i'd suggest the R4 survival
 
hey, I got mine here in canada for 84 or 89 bucks, and that wasnt the kit. So im happy :D
 
You can pick up some nice khukuri under a $100.00, like this one

James_imgp0890.jpg


From various khukuri houses.
 
like this one...
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Your picture is still on your hard drive, so only you can see it. The rest of us only see a red "X". To show photos on the forum, you have to upload them to a photo hosting website like www.photobucket.com , and then place a link to the photo's location in your forum topic.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to carry a Khukri backpacking. I suppose some folks do though. Not only are they large and heavier than heck, they aren't very good at the things that backpackers need a knife for - opening food packs and picking splinters.

-Bob
 
Bob W said:
Your picture is still on your hard drive, so only you can see it. The rest of us only see a red "X". To show photos on the forum, you have to upload them to a photo hosting website like www.photobucket.com , and then place a link to the photo's location in your forum topic.

I can't imagine anyone wanting to carry a Khukri backpacking. I suppose some folks do though. Not only are they large and heavier than heck, they aren't very good at the things that backpackers need a knife for - opening food packs and picking splinters.

-Bob
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Mhm, Id say stick with a 5" belt knife, and or under. Anything needed larger than that, mabye a kuk or axe is in order.
 
If you want a folder Spyderco is my favorite with Bench Made probably second (though the buck 110 still has a place in my heart)

If you likw bench made, It would be hard to beat The Ritter Griptillian For a woods knife 115$ www.equippedtosurvive.org

Spyderco Manix Kicks copious amounts of ass, for around 100, Or you could afford an Endura and a Delica for a back up for that price.

You also should have a multi tool, Sak fireman, or leatherman wave are my two current woods companions and I recomend either.

Bark river and AG Russel have alot of very nice relativeley small fixed blades, If you want A little bit bigger, Ranger Has a great reputation, as does scrapyard Knives, and I love Kabar for the price.
 
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