Good knife for backpacking?

I am not a big fan of Mora knives, but if you are very price or weight conscious, they are easy to buy, commonly available now, and certainly they do cut well. As Nord said, if you are really backpacking, what are you going to actually use your knife for? Food prep most likely as well as cutting a few tent stakes, pot holders and so forth. We're not talking large diameter material here.

The big knives are usually recommended when you sleep under tarps, build your own shelter of some sort, or want to "play survival". A Mora is all your really need and in fact, a SAK is probably all you really need. Still like the BK-16/BK-17 if you are thinking fixed blade as an alternative to a Mora.

Some people spend big money for steak knives or cooking knives. I buy a lot of Victorinox kitchen knives. They are more cheaply made than most of the Mora's I have seen but they work really well. It is mostly personal preference and your willingness to spend larger amounts of money on a kitchen knife, not out of need for the most part.
 
I would suggest a stainless knife that is light and utilitarian and in 4" range.

Like Fallkniven F 1 (top)

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or Bark River Gunny 9this one is in 3v but they do come in various stainless steels)

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The OP is getting some good advice here so lets stay on topic for him.

I like the history of the Ka-Bar but it wouldn't be my choice for a multi day backpacking trip, it is too heavy and just not ideal for the task. If the OP is backpacking, he will need to use a blade to prep food for meals, cut rope or para cord, make a fuzz stick for a fire, and possibly craft some tent pegs. I would go for a solid fixed blade such as the mora and a utility folder or SAK. I like carrying a BK -11 and a Ka-bar folder on me when I am camping and don't generally find that I am under equipped.
 
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BK7 GEC #54 Kershaw 16760 DLC

Any one of these will do the jod it all depends on how much blade you need? I take the Kershaw and the Becker on most backpacking trips.
 
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ignatius said:
If the OP is backpacking, he will need to use a blade to prep food for meals, cut rope or para cord, make a fuzz stick for a fire, and possibly craft some tent pegs. I would go for a solid fixed blade such as the mora and a utility folder or SAK.
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A backpacker can often get by with only a SAK or a leatherman type multitool but I agree that it is a good idea to bring a light and handy fixed blade like a Mora and a SAK or a multitool. Fixed blades are better than folders for food preparation for hygienic reasons, especially if there is any likelihood of cutting raw fish or meat. Fluids, slime, grease, general goo and dirt will get into small and hard to clean places on a folder and that can be a recipe for food poisoning or worse, especially in hot climates and seasons. In a worst case scenario a whole group of hikers can become ill if one person prepared a meal for everyone. Hygiene in food preparation is also a reason for choosing stainless steel and knife where there is no obvious gap between the blade and the grip that allows fluids and dirt to enter. This is common on many older types of knives, like the classic kabar or a classic wood handle Mora. A stainless blade and a plastic/rubber grip is easy to keep clean, minimizing the risk of illness and disease.

A reasonbly sized (i.e. not too big and heavy) model of SAK or multitool will have can and bottle opener, knife blade, awl, maybe a pair of scissors (which is something that can be very useful), tweezers (which I have used a lot for removing wood ticks, splinters and such) and a few other tools maybe.
 
Many have talked about the Mora Companion (or basically a Mora with a little thicker blade stock than usual). May just have to pick one up. Figure I can always use it in the kitchen. I have the Mora Scout Classic knife and it is not my first choice for hiking, but it is very light and it is certainly sharp.

The SAK is probably the preferred knife to carry backpacking and probably a relatively thin one if you pocket carry it. The tweezers is very useful in the woods and makes taking splinters out quick versus trying to use the friction of the blade to drag them out.

I'm more of a day hike person now and as a result, often carry a heavier fixed blade simply because I like to in that situation. But honestly, I use the SAK a lot more even when I have the fixed blade on my belt. It is a bias I have and I am trying to get over it. :D
 
Just gotta say, there is a big difference between a good bushcraft/survival knife and a good backpacking knife. When you are backpacking, you already have a pretty expansive survival kit on your back--tent, sleeping bag, rain gear, food, stove, etc. Big knives are fun for sure, and good for survival--I love them and have several. If someone wants to carry a big knife like the a BK7 or a USMC Ka-Bar while backpacking, that is up to them--but it's for fun, not function. Honestly, even the BK16 is bigger than necessary for backpacking. If things go well, all you really need is a pocket knife. If you get lost and loose your gear (pretty hard to do), then having a small fixed blade is nice to have.

I can see why knife guys would recommend a lot of knife (we love knives), but as someone who backpacks 500 miles/year, I have to say that it's just plain bad advice. People spend hundreds on ultra-light gear to shave ounces off their packs, and leaving a big knife at home is about the easiest way to shed unnecessary weight. The way I see it, I'm burning close to 6,000 calories a day backpacking, and if I only bring the bare essentials (one extra pair of socks, one extra pair of underwear, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, filter, map, etc.) my pack is still between 30-40lbs. I would gladly forego a big knife for an extra meal. People in the military do carry 60lb+ packs, but they condition for it endlessly, and it still sucks. Unless you regularly run 20 miles a day with a pack on, and want to hike until your toenails fall off on your fun weekend of backpacking, then you really should cut weight wherever you can. If you aren't going to need something, it gets left behind.

I vote Swiss Army Knife, BK11/BK14/BK24, or Mora. And just one knife, not two (don't loose it, simple enough). I would also only recommend stainless over carbon steel for someone who backpacks near the coast or in very humid areas. I really feel like the $32 BK11 and BK14 (carbon steel) are the perfect fixed blades for backpacking on a budget.
 
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Holag said:
Just gotta say, there is a big difference between a good bushcraft/survival knife and a good backpacking knife. When you are backpacking, you already have a pretty expansive survival kit on your back--tent, sleeping bag, rain gear, food, stove, etc. Big knives are fun for sure, and good for survival--I love them and have several. If someone wants to carry a big knife like the a BK7 or a USMC Ka-Bar while backpacking, that is up to them--but it's for fun, not function. Honestly, even the BK16 is bigger than necessary for backpacking. If things go well, all you really need is a pocket knife. If you get lost and loose your gear (pretty hard to do), then having a small fixed blade is nice to have.

I can see why knife guys would recommend a lot of knife (we love knives), but as someone who backpacks 500 miles/year, I have to say that it's just plain bad advice. People spend hundreds on ultra-light gear to shave ounces off their packs, and leaving a big knife at home is about the easiest way to shed unnecessary weight. The way I see it, I'm burning close to 6,000 calories a day backpacking, and if I only bring the bare essentials (one extra pair of socks, one extra pair of underwear, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, filter, map, etc.) my pack is still between 30-40lbs. I would gladly forego a big knife for an extra meal. People in the military do carry 60lb+ packs, but they condition for it endlessly, and it still sucks. Unless you regularly run 20 miles a day with a pack on, and want to hike until your toenails fall off on your fun weekend of backpacking, then you really should cut weight wherever you can. If you aren't going to need something, it gets left behind.

I vote Swiss Army Knife, BK11/BK14/BK24, or Mora. And just one knife, not two (don't loose it, simple enough). I would also only recommend stainless over carbon steel for someone who backpacks near the coast or in very humid areas. I really feel like the $32 BK11 and BK14 (carbon steel) are the perfect fixed blades for backpacking on a budget.
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Thank you for a good post. I basicallly agree. I would say that you can not possibly get a better knife for your money (or even for quite a bit more money) than a stainles blade plastic/rubber grip Mora for general backpacking though. I still think it might be sensible to bring something like a stainless Mora for food preparation and whatever camp chores you might do and a light SAK or multitool for other tasks like can opener, scissor, tweezer, etc. Even if you hike very lightweight a Mora and small SAK won't weigh you down noticeably.

When it comes to survival gear there are a few things I would rather bring than any knife of any kind, if I had to choose. Waterproof clothing or shelter of some kind and a sleeping bag or a warm jacket to prevent hypothermia (depending on the local climate obviously) is probably a hundred times more useful for real survival (i.e. avoiding death), most of the time, than any edged tool.
 
How about we completely clarify, OP. What exactly will you be using it for? I think we can find you a great blade for those tasks that will suit you well for a backpacking trip.

If you are not weight-concious I would go with a real rugged thick, heavy fixed blade in high carbon stainless (high carbon but some nickel and stuff to resist rust) steel.
 
Holag said:
Just gotta say, there is a big difference between a good bushcraft/survival knife and a good backpacking knife. When you are backpacking, you already have a pretty expansive survival kit on your back--tent, sleeping bag, rain gear, food, stove, etc. Big knives are fun for sure, and good for survival--I love them and have several. If someone wants to carry a big knife like the a BK7 or a USMC Ka-Bar while backpacking, that is up to them--but it's for fun, not function. Honestly, even the BK16 is bigger than necessary for backpacking. If things go well, all you really need is a pocket knife. If you get lost and loose your gear (pretty hard to do), then having a small fixed blade is nice to have.

I can see why knife guys would recommend a lot of knife (we love knives), but as someone who backpacks 500 miles/year, I have to say that it's just plain bad advice. People spend hundreds on ultra-light gear to shave ounces off their packs, and leaving a big knife at home is about the easiest way to shed unnecessary weight. The way I see it, I'm burning close to 6,000 calories a day backpacking, and if I only bring the bare essentials (one extra pair of socks, one extra pair of underwear, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, filter, map, etc.) my pack is still between 30-40lbs. I would gladly forego a big knife for an extra meal. People in the military do carry 60lb+ packs, but they condition for it endlessly, and it still sucks. Unless you regularly run 20 miles a day with a pack on, and want to hike until your toenails fall off on your fun weekend of backpacking, then you really should cut weight wherever you can. If you aren't going to need something, it gets left behind.

I vote Swiss Army Knife, BK11/BK14/BK24, or Mora. And just one knife, not two (don't loose it, simple enough). I would also only recommend stainless over carbon steel for someone who backpacks near the coast or in very humid areas. I really feel like the $32 BK11 and BK14 (carbon steel) are the perfect fixed blades for backpacking on a budget.
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Nord said:
Thank you for a good post. I basicallly agree. I would say that you can not possibly get a better knife for your money (or even for quite a bit more money) than a stainles blade plastic/rubber grip Mora for general backpacking though. I still think it might be sensible to bring something like a stainless Mora for food preparation and whatever camp chores you might do and a light SAK or multitool for other tasks like can opener, scissor, tweezer, etc. Even if you hike very lightweight a Mora and small SAK won't weigh you down noticeably.

When it comes to survival gear there are a few things I would rather bring than any knife of any kind, if I had to choose. Waterproof clothing or shelter of some kind and a sleeping bag or a warm jacket to prevent hypothermia (depending on the local climate obviously) is probably a hundred times more useful for real survival (i.e. avoiding death), most of the time, than any edged tool.
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+1 on both of these. I hike/backpack/camp a lot and its all about having something that is functional, lightweight, and doesn't take up too much space in your pack. I know some AT Thru Hikers who would balk at carrying anything bigger than a Gerber LST folder, which blade is under 2" and weigh only .6oz. While the LST is a decent ultra light knife, its only good for opening packages, cutting up small pits of food, and digging out splinters. You are screwed if you need to any wood working with it, or use it in for self defense. On the flip side I see these guy with these giant, heavy survival knives. Granted I have a BK-7 and Ontario Rtak-2 but that is more for the backyard and car camping. I see these youtubers hiking with them, but they usually hike a mile or two and camp for the night, while I'm hiking 10 to 20 miles in one day.

For me personally I enjoy having a good knife or knives when I go hiking. I have a few Mora's, and I always carry the Light My Fire version when I'm day hiking, or as a backup knife on extended hikes. I also have a Cold Steel Pendleton hunter, and mini hunter, a SOG Seal Pup Elite, and I plan on getting a Ka-Bar BK-24. I also have a few folding options like The cold steel Recon 1, and a Victoronox One Hannded Trekker. My perfect backpacking would be a fixed blade knife, stainless, full tang, less than a 5" blade, and weigh less than a pound (sheath included) , and match that up with a multi tool and I'm all set.
 
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