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Hiking/Camping knife
- Thread starter hkbladelawhk
- Start date
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 188
I havent gone since I got back to AZ from CT (like 3 years). In CT, my dad and I used to go all the time (I miss the damn woods, hiking that is). Haven't been camping in ages, just havent had any weekends free, and its too damn hot (80-110 degrees).
But yea, I just picked up the Gerber LMFII ASEK (haha, time to pay off credit cards).
So I'm gonna leave the Gerber in my car, and use my CS Recon for camping (along with one of my folders).
Thanks for all the input guys, maybe eventually I'll pick up a Mora.
One thing that many people not from the Southwest don't realize, the incredible variety of environments / eco zones that exist here. Hiking in Arizona could place you in high-elevation mountain forests, open scrub-grasslands, deep canyons, or flat sand plains.
I suggest you do a bit of reading and research before heading out. Every aspect of Arizona camping will be vastly different than what you encountered in the East. Environmental hazards, gear choice, weather conditions, wildlife and vegetation, navigation skills, campsite selection, privacy and security, etc.
One of the biggest areas of adaptation for you will be the differences in outdoor etiquite and no-trace procedures. Not scarring rocks with fires, not leaving a charcoal mess, protection of fragile desert plants, avoiding cryptogamic soil, not disturbing archaeological/historic resources, and how to deal with human waste.
The deserts are often a checkerboard of private and public lands. You'll need good land maps (like the BLM Surface Management Status maps) to avoid trespassing and to be aware of which agency's regulations apply. Forest Service, National Monument, BIA, state land, BLM, etc. each have their own rules and regulations for the lands they manage.
As far as choosing a knife, consider the factors above and what you'll actually need a knife for: Fishing. Hunting. Food prep. Picking slinters and scraping cactus needles. Cutting tarp guylines. Opening food packs.
You probably are not going to need to chop anything, unless you're staying in a commericial campground and buying firewood from a concession stand. Anid there is virtually nothing that's naturally ocurring in the mountains or desert that will require cutting.
More important that "which knife" is the question of "which camera."
Don't skimp on pictures!
Best Wishes,
-Bob
I suggest you do a bit of reading and research before heading out. Every aspect of Arizona camping will be vastly different than what you encountered in the East. Environmental hazards, gear choice, weather conditions, wildlife and vegetation, navigation skills, campsite selection, privacy and security, etc.
One of the biggest areas of adaptation for you will be the differences in outdoor etiquite and no-trace procedures. Not scarring rocks with fires, not leaving a charcoal mess, protection of fragile desert plants, avoiding cryptogamic soil, not disturbing archaeological/historic resources, and how to deal with human waste.
The deserts are often a checkerboard of private and public lands. You'll need good land maps (like the BLM Surface Management Status maps) to avoid trespassing and to be aware of which agency's regulations apply. Forest Service, National Monument, BIA, state land, BLM, etc. each have their own rules and regulations for the lands they manage.
As far as choosing a knife, consider the factors above and what you'll actually need a knife for: Fishing. Hunting. Food prep. Picking slinters and scraping cactus needles. Cutting tarp guylines. Opening food packs.
You probably are not going to need to chop anything, unless you're staying in a commericial campground and buying firewood from a concession stand. Anid there is virtually nothing that's naturally ocurring in the mountains or desert that will require cutting.
More important that "which knife" is the question of "which camera."
Don't skimp on pictures!Best Wishes,
-Bob
I do a lot of kayak camping and although I always carry a folder with me I usually reach for my fixed blade knife for most chores. Recently I've been carrying a Benchmade Outbounder with D2 steel and stabilized rosewood handles - it's a lightweight, handy little knife (3.9" blade) that has worked out very well for me. (picked it up on ebay for $68 bucks)
Oh yes, I forgot to recommend some knives:
An Opinel would be perfect, especially their fixed-blade paring knife if you could rig a sheath for it.
http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...inel&list=50&range=1&order=Default&SKU=OP1222
The Benchmade that Rick R posted is probably a bit of overkill, but so is lots of stuff that I carry outdoors. I don't see why it couldn't do everthing you need though, and it is a beautiful knife.
I like the Mora knives as well, and have bought several. My favorites are the wood-handled models with full-length tangs and leather sheaths. If buying one specifically for your camping trip, I'd go for the #137.
http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
Lots of small fixed blade knives are sold regularly in the For Sale by Maker section. Compared to the knives you listed, many customs are better suited for cutting, less expensive, and higher quality.
My own outdoor knife is an AG Russell Hunters Scalpel. It's no longer in production, but the larger Bird and Trout model would be an excellent choice too.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...s/a_g_russell_bird_trout_with_vg10_blade.html
And here's the Woodswalker, even though you probably won't be in the woods.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...woodswalker_in_leather_hip_pocket_sheath.html
Happy Shopping,
-Bob
An Opinel would be perfect, especially their fixed-blade paring knife if you could rig a sheath for it.
http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...inel&list=50&range=1&order=Default&SKU=OP1222
The Benchmade that Rick R posted is probably a bit of overkill, but so is lots of stuff that I carry outdoors. I don't see why it couldn't do everthing you need though, and it is a beautiful knife.
I like the Mora knives as well, and have bought several. My favorites are the wood-handled models with full-length tangs and leather sheaths. If buying one specifically for your camping trip, I'd go for the #137.
http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
Lots of small fixed blade knives are sold regularly in the For Sale by Maker section. Compared to the knives you listed, many customs are better suited for cutting, less expensive, and higher quality.
My own outdoor knife is an AG Russell Hunters Scalpel. It's no longer in production, but the larger Bird and Trout model would be an excellent choice too.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...s/a_g_russell_bird_trout_with_vg10_blade.html
And here's the Woodswalker, even though you probably won't be in the woods.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...woodswalker_in_leather_hip_pocket_sheath.html
Happy Shopping,
-Bob
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 188
yea, when we do manage to go, I'll try not to forget the camera...:-D
And don't be a sleepyhead in the morning when you should be up photographing the desert sunrise!
And not yet mentioned, a Swiss Army Knife will almost certainly be capable of cutting everything you need. And if you get a model with the scissors and tweezers, that will eliminate the need to carry those as seperate tools in your first aid kit. Less is more, ounces become pounds, and all that.
-Bob
Hey guys, if you like Moras, you really ought to take a look at some of the Marttiinis. Not quite as dirt cheap as Moras, but some of them look much nicer. For example, this one:
I have like five of these things. Over here, they're about 15 €, with sheath and all. Decent carbon steel, and very well made for the price.
I have like five of these things. Over here, they're about 15 €, with sheath and all. Decent carbon steel, and very well made for the price.
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 188
And don't be a sleepyhead in the morning when you should be up photographing the desert sunrise!
And not yet mentioned, a Swiss Army Knife will almost certainly be capable of cutting everything you need. And if you get a model with the scissors and tweezers, that will eliminate the need to carry those as seperate tools in your first aid kit. Less is more, ounces become pounds, and all that.
-Bob
Yea, I'm gonna just bring my SOG Powerlock instead (dont own an SAK). Then again, I need to send it in, the pliers stick...
Haha, I think I'm just gonna take one of our Cutco knives LOL
A bit off-topic, but if you don't have a SAK, make sure your first aid kit contains a pair of tweezers suitable for pulling very fine cactus needles and spinters. AG Russell sells some that are very nice, and the "Adventure" brand first aid kits have a nice set.
-Bob
- Joined
- May 4, 2007
- Messages
- 413
Here are the aforementioned AG Russell field tweezers, and Amazon has some good prices on Adventure Medical Kits.
It is great to have a med kit designed by a real outdoorsman in the medical profession, with large gauze rolls and trauma pads and three different types of tape, instead of some gimmick with a bunch of weirdly shaped band-aids. I EDC their largest Ultralight kit every day in my backpack, and it has been extremely useful. They also sell other configurations for pretty much any other purpose you can think of.
It is great to have a med kit designed by a real outdoorsman in the medical profession, with large gauze rolls and trauma pads and three different types of tape, instead of some gimmick with a bunch of weirdly shaped band-aids. I EDC their largest Ultralight kit every day in my backpack, and it has been extremely useful. They also sell other configurations for pretty much any other purpose you can think of.