How much knife for hiking

Smithhammer said:
On a recent 3-day self-supported backpacking trip in the Tetons, this is what I had with me for tools. Very light and served all my needs. I can't really imagine what I would have needed to do that I couldn't have done with these two tools, and this was in some of the more remote backcountry in the lower 48.
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I'm not dissing on larger knives at all - I own many of them, and I've certainly been known to carry more knife than I need a lot of the time. But on a backcountry trip like this, that involved close to 5,000' of vertical climbing and a 40-mile route, I was focused on keeping my pack as light as possible. I was carrying shelter and a stove (there was a backcountry fire ban, as is pretty common these days in many parts of the West), so I really had no need to have a larger tool with me to make shelter or a fire. I had no need to carve anything, no real need at all for a larger blade.

I love knives, but if I take the emotional attachment out of it, and evaluate my knife selection for a trip like this from the same objective criteria I used to evaluate my food choices, shelter choice, etc. I just couldn't come up with any good reason to justify the additional weight. And I can't really think of any emergency situation, even on a trip like this, in which a larger knife would have changed the circumstances.

As always, YMMV, and I am by no means telling anyone else what they should do. Just outlining my rationale for a real backpacking trip in tough, remote country, as an example.

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Looks awesome! Jealous you were there
 
It is going to depend on the sort of hiking though. I mean if you do big distances over multiple days you will tend to have the sort of camp that really doesn't need much knife.

I don't have the energy to build anything after a long treck. So the set up is tent(no knife) and cooking something freeze dried(almost no knife)

And that is fine unless something goes wrong. Which for those times I have needed a stick pretty much. Which I can use the saw on a SAK to make.(walking stick, stretcher, dog belting device, maybe a digging stick)

Knife doesn't really get scuffed up. Even a fixed knife wouldn't really suffer.

Now if I am camping off my motorbike or Ute. Different story. I am generally super fresh at the end of the day. I carry a big knife and can happily mow down trees. And build big structures. That knife would get scuffed up. The more relaxed the camping trip. The more wear on the knife.

Now if the argument is carry a fixed blade as insurance in case you need to do survivaling. I think you would have to be pretty bad at camping to scuff that knife up. Because it would mean you failed a lot of times.

I mean what happened? You lost your tent or something?
 
Location and context can also make a big difference, and this is where sweeping, generalized statements about "how much knife you need" fall short.

Hiking in the desert? Well, there's often very little wood to begin with, so not much need for a big 'wood processing' knife. And usually, even if there is wood, it's already dry AF and a little tinder is never hard to find, so getting a fire going without any knife at all is usualy pretty easy. For desert hiking, there's hardly any need for a blade over 3," if that.

On many public lands in the Western U.S. there are also fire bans Spring through Fall these days - so again, no need for a 'wood processing knife.'

In addition, on many public lands, it's illegal to just start hacking down live trees and building things. Not to mention it can also leave lasting impact. Why not just be prepared, bring a lightweight shelter and leave no trace?

Just like any other tool, a knife is context dependent, and not everyone lives and travels in the same context in the backcountry. The Sonoran desert is very different than Michigan's UP which is very different than the swamps of Florida, to state the obvious. As a result, not everyone has the same requirements in a knife.
 
vinprom said:
Out of boredom, I've scrolled the posts to see well-worn knives taken for hiking. From the fixed blades, only the Buck 119 in post #219 show marks of use. The traditional slip joints in posts #223 and #229 look used as well, but they are pictured right next to seemingly new fixed blades. Actual knives taken during last hike are lost? Or, the knives were never used? Seemingly the fixed blades with leather sheaths were wrapped in a towel and carried in the backpack all the time? Enigma.
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Never a good look to be the new guy telling everyone else they don't use their knives. Many of us have been here a while, with hundreds if not thousands of pics posted all over the forum. Did you take a look at all those? I know you look at picture threads, you've posted in them (without posting pictures of your own :rolleyes: ).

I'm sorry you found the pictures in this thread unacceptable. Let's atone.

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Knives&Lint said:
Ehh, idunno...I always find it amusing when people cast aspersions about use (or lack thereof) of knives from pictures. Materials, finish, care, lighting, angles, etc. all play a role; and it's not uncommon to see a knife show different amounts of wear from one pic to the next.
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Exactly. Me personally? I keep my stuff pretty clean.
 
vinprom said:
Out of boredom, I've scrolled the posts to see well-worn knives taken for hiking. From the fixed blades, only the Buck 119 in post #219 show marks of use. The traditional slip joints in posts #223 and #229 look used as well, but they are pictured right next to seemingly new fixed blades. Actual knives taken during last hike are lost? Or, the knives were never used? Seemingly the fixed blades with leather sheaths were wrapped in a towel and carried in the backpack all the time? Enigma.
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🤣

You are on BF. Most of us have many more knives than they can ever wear out. And some knives are used more than others.

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A work Manix 2 (4V):

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You can also clean a knife. After an in-house SPA:

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And there is nothing wrong with that.

- How much do you actually use a knife during a day hike ?
- Will you ask your wife to take a video for BF when you use it ?
 
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craytab said:
Never a good look to be the new guy telling everyone else they don't use their knives. Many of us have been here a while, with hundreds if not thousands of pics posted all over the forum. Did you take a look at all those? I know you look at picture threads, you've posted in them (without posting pictures of your own :rolleyes: ).
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I do not think I did tell anything to anybody, just asked genuine questions, for features in limited number of pictures in one specific tread. Curiosity, nothing else. Also, I have some pictures of my own posted in two treads in the traditionals forum.

Please accept my apology if my post was perceived insulting or arrogant!
 
campandtravel said:
ESEE Izula.
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Great choice- I have one of each with the TKC scales
campandtravel said:
This might be the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said.
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This is the most hyperbolic statement I've ever read.

I disagree that knives are pry tools. Some knives are built to withstand that, or perhaps happen to withstand that, but pry tools are pry tools and knives are knives.
 
vinprom said:
I do not think I did tell anything to anybody, just asked genuine questions, for features in limited number of pictures in one specific tread. Curiosity, nothing else. Also, I have some pictures of my own posted in two treads in the traditionals forum.

Please accept my apology if my post was perceived insulting or arrogant!
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You did indeed imply that folks did not use their knives when you said you went looking for used knives but could only find a few. No other way to interpret that.

Insulting, a bit. Arrogant? Not really, especially coming from someone who only carries a tiny peanut and a pocket full of nuts 😁

Since you are new, and clearly not a native English speaker, I thought you should know that sort of commentary will ruffle feathers around here, and isn't actually a correct perception. No worries, apology accepted.

Also, the word is "threads" :cool::thumbsup:😁
 
craytab said:
You did indeed imply that folks did not use their knives when you said you went looking for used knives but could only find a few. No other way to interpret that.

Insulting, a bit. Arrogant? Not really, especially coming from someone who only carries a tiny peanut and a pocket full of nuts 😁

Since you are new, and clearly not a native English speaker, I thought you should know that sort of commentary will ruffle feathers around here, and isn't actually a correct perception. No worries, apology accepted.

Also, the word is "threads" :cool::thumbsup:😁
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Good that you accepted my apologies. Anyway, seemingly you are deliberately humiliating me: new, lack of knives, grammar mistakes, not posting pictures. Not nice.
 
campandtravel said:
Then it's way too heavy for field use. It would be fine for a day hiker or weekend warrior camper type but when you're out there for real, 4oz is a lot to carry. Even for the OP question about hiking, it seems overkill. But excellent for a weekend camping trip!
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Uh , what ? 4 oz heavy ?

Over the years growing up on a farm and ranch we were used to packing around necessary tools to fix fence and other chores all day long. A fencing tool is kinda like a multi tool and the ones that we used weighs around 14 oz. Then with a half pound spool of wire and a half pound staples and insulators plus our stockman knives and a shovel we managed well. If we needed anything bigger we trekked back to the pickup to get it. It was hard work but it didn’t hurt us any.

At work I sometimes carry around a gear edc bag at aprox 3 lbs with my 7.5 oz leatherman wave, 4.5 oz edc knife, 5 oz hazlo flashlight and a 12 oz mulitgas tester. The yard here is about 60 acers square and walking around doing maintenance and testing it’s about 8-10 miles of walking for the day. It is a vigorous work day but not over exertion. I guess it depends on what you are accustomed to but 4.5 oz isn’t much at all.
 
Re: using knives

I used the crap out of my AdV Tac Butcher during a time when I knew I would never sell any knives. Then I got an acute case of unemployment and I was sorry I used that particular knife, since it was so beat-up and scratched and scuffed that there was no way to get a decent price for it. Now I don't buy a knife like that because there is no point in having it if I can't use the hell out of it with impunity.
 
vinprom said:
Good that you accepted my apologies. Anyway, seemingly you are deliberately humiliating me: new, lack of knives, grammar mistakes, not posting pictures. Not nice.
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You did kinda ask for it ! ;)

I often will take a few snaps of a knife soon after arrival .

Unless a thread is specifically asking to see a knife in use or beat up looking , I just use my "stock pic " of it new .

Doesn't necessarily mean I don't use my knives .
 
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