Calling all Spydie users. What's my next backpacking folder?

Not what I would pic, for backpacking personally, but my Manix 2 has no issues processing food that would be brought backpacking. I use it to cut all sorts of food and never had an issue. It's not like you're going to be cutting melons.
 
Get the Endura with vg10. Very stainless, good size, easy to sharpen, and light as well as in your price range. I carried an Endura for years and never thought about ergonomic deficiency until I came across the pm2. The pm2 had the best ergonomics on the market. Still does.
If you consider the Manix2 with g10 and s30v, get the pm2. The pm2 and the endura weigh about the same. S30v is much better steel than vg 10. Does 1/2 inch of blade length matter that much with camp food preparation? You ll like the pm2 better when you get home.:)
 
SWCCy said:
Of course, I love my Delica to be sure. And it is very effective as a backpacking knife and is usually my EDC of choice. I'm just looking to expand my Spyderco collection a bit and am interested in carrying a larger folder, yet is still fairly lightweight, for backpacking and as my EDC.

If I indugle myself on the trail I will carry a small block of parmesan and some smoked sausage of some sort. It's generally here I find the Delica to be a bit lacking. Ultimately this purchase is more of a want versus a need. The Delica certainly works but I'm looking at experimenting with a new folder.

To the few that recommended a fixed blade, thank you for the suggestions. To keep this thread on topic I won't go into detail about my backpacking kit but there is an Izula in there that I use frequently.

The Manix 2 in S110v is probably what I'll be adding to my collection next. Again thanks for the input guys!
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Fair enough, the manix looks like a winner on paper I don't think you can go wrong there.
 
I used to do a lot of backpacking and I carried a relatively small knife. I would get by just fine with the Delica. Now that I have a lot of knives including the S110V Manix 2 LW, I might carry it. I think the Endura would be a good choice- light, simple and inexpensive but with plenty of blade length.

I see a lot of bigger and heavier knives recommended. Weight is a concern for all equipment so I would personally choose the lightest knife that would do the job, and the biggest job required for most backpacking would be opening a package and cutting some string. Food prep? Backpackers carry all of their gear and aren't normally field dressing elk. If you are cutting down trees to build a shelter then that isn't really what we mean by modern backpacking, for that you need a pack mule and an axe.
 
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For any cutting of Pork Chops or Steak or Veggies or Lunch Meat ect.- ect. I would seriously think about the Endura as I have always had one in my pack & it worked 100% for me through the years to where it was the only folder I took the last couple of times out.! Plain & simple ~~ it does the "Job".!
 
Never seen this guy before. Funny. Thanks for link.
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Brian Regan . . . yah he's pretty clean in his language too. I like some foul mouth when it really works but I get tired of comedians over using it.
 
Thepeacent,

is hard to beat an XL folder or small sheathed FB with thin stock
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:thumbup:

But . . .

You know . . . that photo of the ham and the extra mother Ti Lite . . . no handles . . . square nuts on the screws . . .

That kind of creeps me out.

Were you just messing with me when you first posted it or do you EDC that rig ?

:) :eek: :) :eek: :)
 
It's not like you're going to be cutting melons.
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Ha, ha, ha,

A friend of mine who is a Doctor of computer science by day . . .
on the trail he is known as Bwana . . .
well once on a week long fourteener tour, two days in . . . on top of a fourteen thousand foot peak . . . he busses out with a full size water mellon and commences to slice it up and hand it out to everybody.
 
The Manix 2 in S110v is probably what I'll be adding to my collection next. Again thanks for the input guys!
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I can't help but feel I have failed you some how . . .

If nothing else . . . . and speaking of melons . . . if the six inch Hold Out on the left is not in the cards you could always add, to the must have Manix, a mellon knife . . . you know for all those times you can't help but take a water mellon or two.

Weighs nothing . . . is all of ten or twelve dollars . . . a mellon tester knife.

PS: reprofile the edge to a much more narrow angle; works miracles.

 
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bdmicarta said:
I used to do a lot of backpacking and I carried a relatively small knife. I would get by just fine with the Delica. Now that I have a lot of knives including the S110V Manix 2 LW, I might carry it. I think the Endura would be a good choice- light, simple and inexpensive but with plenty of blade length.

I see a lot of bigger and heavier knives recommended. Weight is a concern for all equipment so I would personally choose the lightest knife that would do the job, and the biggest job required for most backpacking would be opening a package and cutting some string. Food prep? Backpackers carry all of their gear and aren't normally field dressing elk. If you are cutting down trees to build a shelter then that isn't really what we mean by modern backpacking, for that you need a pack mule and an axe.
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Couldn't agree more, I personally can't justify a 5/6 oz folder for backoacking. Suffice to say when out on a trail I could probably get away with the scissors on my Leatherman Style PS if I really needed to. Because, as you've said, there's a difference between backpacking and bushcrafting.

At any rate, I enjoy carrying a folder and would like to try carrying something a bit larger than my Delica. To paraphrase Jeff Randall, knife buying is inherently a want over a need. An $10 Opinel would be well suited for backpacking but then again I just enjoy trying out knew knives.
 
As a recent Spyderco converted fan I started with a few of their USA made models and have been very happy. For that reason, I would go with the Manix. As posted earlier, you might even consider the longer blade in the Military for food prep.

The CPM 110V Military should be coming out soon and I think that steel would be great for backpacking and food prep. In my limited experience it holds an edge for a very long time and I carry a 110V Native LW in drenched jogging shorts multiple days per week and I have never seen a spec of rust. Of course I do wipe it down after exercise.
Best of luck in your search.
 
If you not going to be cooking a meal while on the move, get a fixed and folder. Fixed blades are so useful out in the woods, no folder compares, I ALWAYS have one in my backpack, and a folder in the pocket for quick cutting. Esecially if you are gonna get messy with it! Good news, fixed blades are cheaper!
Oh and the Manix 2 is great, s30v is great in between steel for ease of sharpening, edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
 
If you're committed to packing the Izula, then I would recommend viewing your folder as a fun luxury item and the get the Spyderconyou like best just because.

Personally, I only carry a fixed blade on trips where I plan on making a fire and that is rare.

My requirements for a backpacking folder are blade length in the 3 3/4" to 4" range, enough belly to spread peanut butter and of course low weight. I prefer convex or flat grind over hollow.

Beyond this, I don't the particular model matters that much. Get what you like.
 
Wowbagger said:
I can't help but feel I have failed you some how . . .

If nothing else . . . . and speaking of melons . . . if the six inch Hold Out on the left is not in the cards you could always add, to the must have Manix, a mellon knife . . . you know for all those times you can't help but take a water mellon or two.

Weighs nothing . . . is all of ten or twelve dollars . . . a mellon tester knife.

PS: reprofile the edge to a much more narrow angle; works miracles.

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Some of us do in fact cut watermelons when we backback. Different people from around the world in this forum, no surprise traditions vary from place to place...

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And no, Wowbagger, I don't EDC that frankenlite, I carry one of these two instead. The Franken it's the aluminum one, much heavier.

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The mutant only sees kitchen action and woodworking at home :thumbup:

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My stepdaughter uses the Manix 2 lw with the 110 steel. It's a great knife. It's really lightweight but also seems extremely tough. I don't have an endura but I do have a Delica and the Manix blade is thicker from what I remember, so it might not be as slicey as the Endura. We use the Manix for food prep and eating and it works great. Half the time she uses it as her steak knife, she also has a buck 102 that she uses for food. I would highly recommend the Manix 2 110, great knife. My personal choice would always be the full size Military, it's probably my favorite Spyderco.
 
I've been a backpacker for more than 20 years, and have moved away from folders in the backcountry. I used to carry a Classic SAK, Ladybug or Delica. These days, I carry a Leatherman Micra (the scissors are great for foot care tape) and a lightweight fixed blade (BRK Mini Bushcrafter, Ultralight Bushcrafter, or Mini Aurora). My Mini Bushcrafter + homemade sheath weighs less than a Delica...

I have used the Endura for food prep, and don't like it. Especially when cutting cheese, it seems to cut in arcs rather than straight... The best folder for food prep I have used is the Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2, which is close to your price range, but a little heavy for backpacking...I also use my GB2 for EDC, so you might want to consider this one... I have several Manix, but I just don't like the blade shape, and they don't get used... Once you get up into the 4+ ounce range (PM2/Millie), a folder no longer makes sense for the backcountry, IMO... The Spyderco flat grind is OK for food prep but far inferior to Bark River's "scandi-vex" edge when working with wood.

Before you consider writing off a fixed blade (for backpacking, at least...), consider the reasons a knife is necessary at all when backpacking...
1) Opening food packages
2) Hunting / fishing
3) Food prep
4) Fire prep
5) Self defense
6) Emergency survival (something bad happens...)

I would argue that in all cases except #1, a small fixed blade is a better choice. Here is a table of some fixed blade knives I own and considered for EDC / backpacking use. Most are bushcraft knives, and there are some on this list that are in your price range. It's hard to beat the Moras for cheap backpacking knives... Not sure how helpful it is, but you may find it interesting. The second list ranks the knives by a length/weight ratio I find useful in pinpointing the longer, lighter blades.

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:p If OP wants to carry melons in a hiking backpack, then weight must not be an issue, in which case I suggest bringing along a 9" Gyuto plus a couple of paring knives and a cutting board.
 
Park Swan said:
:p If OP wants to carry melons in a hiking backpack, then weight must not be an issue, in which case I suggest bringing along a 9" Gyuto plus a couple of paring knives and a cutting board.
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No kidding.


Spyderco Dragonfly is all you need for most backpacking trips, and even then you probably won't use it a lot. Everything else is unnecessary weight.
 
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