Help me pick a tough fixed blade to keep in the truck

I was thinking something like the Ontario SP52, thing looks like it would be awesome for what you are talking about doing. Around 15" total length with a blade over 9" 5160 High Carbon Steel with tough black epoxy coating, 1/4" thick. Think they are priced around the 70 $ mark.
 
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I carry an old Camillus-made Becker BK9 in the tool box of my truck. I bought several of them years ago just after they were first introduced and were selling relatively cheap and I put one each in of the vehicles and one in the out building with the lawn and garden equipment. Very handy big knives. They take a lot of abuse and neglect and keep on tickin'.

The Ka-Bar version currently available costs more but appears to be the same quality. Otherwise, a decent quality machete would work okay and cost a good deal less.
 
I think a CRKT Razel would be a good choice, (I have a ringed Razel and it's a great knife/chisel/light duty pry bar/chopper). The price is low enough for leaving it in the truck and it's tough as nails and a good chopper so probably great for those coconuts!
 
If you want something cheap, I picked up a Camillus Carnivore, the SHORT one and I'm impressed with it. I looked at all the bad reviews it got but saw they were all for the longer ones and they all snapped with hard use/abuse. I decided the shorter one wouldn't be as prone to this and I was right, I've beat the crap out of it and it's no worse for the wear. Well a couple nicks in the blade from catching it on nails and concrete but nothing a good sharpening won't cure.
 
Spearpoint panga/machete.
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Maybe something from the larger side of the ontario spec plus line? I have an sp48 that chops amazingly well, and is REALLY tough. IIRC, it's also under 80 bucks, as are most of the other similar options in that lineup.
 
You don't need a great knife to do what you want to do. That parang I mentioned is made somewhere down in your neck of the woods. We use those, here, to chop open fresh coconuts (not peeled ones), green or fully ripe. Differentially sharpened blades allow you to scrape the coconut, too, if you don't have a scraper. The parang works on crabs and anything that needs cracking. too. In a pinch it will work to make steaks of a large fish, like tenggiri.
 
All these suggestions are great. I just started carrying a Cold Steel machete in the vehicle. Go for one of the thicker, 2.8/3 mm ones, though, not the thinner 2 mm Latin series. The extra mm really makes a difference, I'm told. Mine is heavy duty, doesn't flex, and does a good job at chopping, splitting, and giving a sense of security if I run into wolves and badgers. (That last bit a snarky reference to another thread--I don't run into wolves or badgers and wouldn't kill one if I did.)

CS is the hype machine of the century, but the machetes are durable and inexpensive, great value for the price. Sharpen up easily, though the 1050 dings easily on rocks or nails. Should you aim wrong and hit one, a file like that found on most multitools takes quick care of it and puts mine back to nearly shaving sharp. In fact, a Leatherman or SOG Paratool (my multitool) secured to a machete sheath would be an outstanding package. Add a ferro rod and some paracord and there's not much more you need.

Zieg
 
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I was very pleasantly surprised at how utilitarian my TOPS 0.170 machete is. It is very light, not too long, has a very comfortable micarta handle, and comes with a very well thought out nylon sheath.
 
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