Best for camping/hiking

Silas

Silas

Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
2,628
Hello all,
I have decided to order a HI kukhri and just wanted to hear your opinions first. I really like the Ang Khola's but I can't decide what length to get. I'll be mostly using it for camping and hiking. Do you think the 15" is all I need?
Thanks , Silas
 
Welcome! A 15" should be more than enough, maybe even more than you need for hiking. You may want to give something a bit lighter, like the Pen knife, a closer look. Or just save yourself some time and buy them all. ;) :p
 
My opinion would be 15" AK or BAS. Heavy enough for chopping wood if you need to build a shelter but not horribly heavy. I generally carry a 15" AK around 21 oz. I find that the 12" stuff doesn't chop branches as well as a 15".

I've seen 16.5" 21 oz WW2's around too.

After awhile you don't notice it much though. :)
 
My favorite khuk ju jour is the Village 12 inch AK for the role you describe. Less weight, more filling. Unless you decide to bivouac in the wilderness, you will be splitting small stuff, and with a baton, the 12 is just fine. Pen is the right size, as well, just more blade surface to drag in cuts.

YMMV. Most folks like bigger blades.
 
Kismet said:
YMMV. Most folks like bigger blades.
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Yep.:D ;) Personally I like the 17"-18" BGRS, Baby Ganga Ram Special.
It's on the lighter side as well and an ample blade for about any task you will need it for and then some!:D :cool: :D

And welcome to the Cantina, or Psycho Ward whichever the case may be today.;)
 
I think the Penknife is an ideal camping tool, when paired with a smaller blade and/or a SAK. It's small enough to cary around without a pack mule, it's straight enough with a broad point for small digging chores (read: latrine duty), it cuts wood very well, it slices, it dices, it even passed my "use it in the kitchen for a week" test, sort-of. The only thing I have against it is that it's not a khukuri ;) but if it was, it would be a very nice one.
A 12" knife is considered "small" in this particular cantina. Petite, even. Dainty by some. To most of the rest of the world it's a big honkin' call-the-cops blade.

Did you notice the 50 Lb. bag of salt by the door?
 
for hiking, there isn't a thing my 12" Ang Khola can't do. mine didn't even come sharp, but it can still chop anything i need during a hike. sharpened up nicely it can probly do any slicing and skinning that would come up too.

i have a 15" BAS on the way, so i'll decide if there's any benefits over the 12" AK. i doubt there will be anything that wins over my 12" AK for hiking, but maybe with camping involved i'd be more likely to take a bigger khukri.
 
When you toss out all those that are obviously wrong for the job (30 inch AK, 8 inch Bilton, etc.) it all boils down to a matter of personal preference.
 
I've never owned a WW2, but probably for regular camping I'm with Yvsa the lighter 17" Ganga Ram. I have one and I use it probably more than about anything else.

For backpacking or something where weight it an issue the Pen Knife rocks! Also If you can make a lighter sheath for a Ganga it's really not too bad to carry.
 
Bill Martino said:
When you toss out all those that are obviously wrong for the job (30 inch AK, 8 inch Bilton, etc.) it all boils down to a matter of personal preference.
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:) Depends on my mood and the job at hand. I keep several in my truck, garage, etc. Snake killer, wood chopper, wood splitter etc. Some times a nice hefty one to work out my frustrations. :D
12" AK works real well for scraping loose paint off my corral poles made from landscaping timbers. I used them as rails for my front and rear decks also. Never should have painted them, but the AK's curve does a nice job of removing the peeling paint.

Haven't had a khukuri I didn't like. They all have their purpose or find their rightful owner.

Haven't given one away yet that displeased the recipient.
 
Of smaller khuks, 14" BDC certainly should be mentioned. It's a great knife, very light and compact by HI standards (important for camping), very versatile, and feels great in hand. Someone here said that it chops like bigger cousines; I wouldn't know that for fact yet, but wouldn't be surprised either - the design seems very well suited to deliver lots of power for the size.
 
I really like the 16.5" WWII as a general purpose camping and hiking kuk. If I'm backpacking, or just hiking, I favor the lighter 17" Sirupati. And as others have stated, the Pen knife is a very capable camp and hunting knife. I generally prefer the 18" length, at around 1.5 lbs. Heavier if I'm doing heavy duty chopping -- lighter if I'm carrying it all day. The 18" Chitlangi is also a good choice, and since I have an 18" Gelbu Special en route, I expect it too will soon rank high on my list. My Ganga Ram and Chiruwa AK get the nod for heavier chores around the cabin. The hard choice is deciding which to leave at home. They all want to come along.
 
I'd go with a 14" BDC if one pops up in the UBBBs. Light, with good belly for chopping. Heck, even a 12"AK or 10" BDC can do the job, if you're only cutting branches for firewood and tent pegs.
I have an 18" WW2 and it is my workhorse khukuri, but I don't like lugging a heavy blade on a hike unless I need to. :)
 
Hello and welcome, Silas:)

I think it depends on what kind of hiking/camping you do. If you're just going for a short 2-5 mile hike on the trails of well kept campground, then i find that a bilton or a JKM paired with a hefty SAK is more than enough. If you're taking a much longer hike where weight is an issue but you need more blade, then i would look at the pen knife. Very utilitarian blade with a generally larger handle than that of a 12" AK. The pen knife kind of reminds me of what a love child between a 12" AK and 12" siru would come out looking like;) If you're looking for a great knife to leave at camp, then i'd side with the 16.5 or 18" WWII model. Great workhorses all around. The beauty of it is that you can't make a bad choice with an HI product. Take comfort in the fact that even if you buy a pen knife and a bad turn of events puts you in a situation whrere an 18" Ak would be handier, that you'll have a stout little knife that will serve you without failure and get you home safe.

Jake
 
My favorite knife for camping is a paring knife with a three inch blade. It's just right for opening frozen dinners before I pop them into the microwave in my camper.
 
samoand said:
14" BDC certainly should be mentioned... Someone here said that it chops like bigger cousins...
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That would be me. ;) And I'll definitely stand by what I said. Heckuva khukuri and good-lookin' to boot....


Incidentally, I never take a knife camping....I usually take at least six...!!! :eek:


My typical multi-overnight camping list:

YCS - for large chopping, delimbing
14" BDC - for "break-down" fire prep, blocking, draw knife...
Pen Knife - kindling, food prep
Moose Knife (sm. bowie) - belt carry, trail knife, game prep
Puukko - wood carving, detailing, food prep
SAK - everything else ;)

People I camp with understand my fascination with knives, and don't mind me leaving them on the table...out in the open, etc...so, it's not like I have to keep digging in a bag for the right one.

If you're a true minimalist, do like Ben and get a paring knife - very versatile.

I rarely pack in farther than a quarter-mile anymore (got 3 small boys)....so weight/bulk isn't a problem.

When I go hunting: SAK on the belt, Moose on the belt and Pen Knife (or BDC) in the tent.

Eventually I want to get a rig like Danny's Khuk-tracker for camping. That would be ideal for me - just don't have exactly what I want worked out in my head yet....

Which reminds me....how come nobody has mentioned the AK Bowie?
 
Pen/Dan,

You need a good size pack just for that huge SAK you had at the Khonvention! That thing even had the kitchen sink blade! ;)
 
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