How much knife for hiking

[unwisefool]

I carried my Carothers BFK for outdoors stuff, foolishly sold if. Got an FK2 inbound and i believe it’ll be a little better due to the 4.5” blade, light weight, and super ergonomic handle.

Interesting, I like the BFK better than the FK2.

 

[coolbreezy37]

Interesting, I like the BFK better than the FK2.

I think the only real difference is blade length.

 

[NapalmCheese]

When I was trying to be a weight weenie I would backpack and do multi-day climbs with a Victorinox Swiss Army Classic, so.... I certainly didn't need a whole lot of knife. It doesn't take much to open a bag of Mountain House and you don't often have to cut poles or split logs when you are carrying your shelter and living above the tree line. Now I take whatever catches my fancy, still usually a smaller folder of some sort, or a full size trapper. Or the Buck Marksman I've been carrying every day for the last couple of years.

 

[unwisefool]

I think the only real difference is blade length.

There are a few other things that the FK2 has that the BFK doesn't have, but for me the blade on the BFK was slightly pointier and the balance felt better.

 

[Knives&Lint]

I've yet to do any serious long distance backpacking, but I do a decent bit of simple day hiking. In season, I try to get out at least twice a week, and I'd say our typical trips range anywhere from 8-14 miles for the day. I'll be the first to admit that what I carry is based on what I want to carry first and foremost, not necessarily need.

I'll carry a primary folder as I always do, for hiking my current go-to's are usually the Hinderer Jurassic or Manix LW . The Vic Climber in Stayglow usually goes in my pocket, but honestly that is redundant because I also have the Swisstool (the latter of which saved my ass lately on a hike in the snow/ice where my spikes came apart). I usually also carry a small fixed blade, most often my LT Wright Great Plainsman, which sees alot of apple duty .

I do carry a large fixed blade (Benchmade Sibert 162) in my pack, just in case. Also, as scdub mentioned, I carry my trauma kit with tourniquet and some makeshift survival materials in my pack (the pack stays in my car, so the trauma kit can serve double duty). People die out there, man. In fact, I've heard of people getting lost at the same place on the same day as I was there, and dying of hypothermia that night. In June! I don't get caught up in the little extra weight, I really don't even think about it. I just put my pack on and put one foot in front of the other, soaking in the beauty along the way. I don't claim any expertise, and I tend to take most dogmatic "expert" advice with a huge grain of salt. At the end of the day it's just walking in the woods, and I've been doing that since I was in grade school and was tasked with taking the dogs through the swamp, so I carry what my instinct tells me to. My instinct tells me it never hurts to be over-prepared, but that's just me.

 

[Skar]

When I go in the wild it is the same as my edc.
A folding spyder of some flavor

Here's a pic because .... we need pics !

 

[19-3ben]

With all this bushcraft stuff on YouTube promoting larger fixed blades,

I see this as a false premise. Look at knives marketed for the bushcraft world (Becker BK16, Fallkniven F1, Mora Garberg and Companion, ESEE 3 and 4, Tops BOB and the list goes on). They’re all 3.5”-4.5” blades.

There are of course exceptions to that rule but that size seems to be the norm and I don’t think many would consider those to be large knives.

 

[RugerNurse]

I see this as a false premise. Look at knives marketed for the bushcraft world (Becker BK16, Fallkniven F1, Mora Garberg and Companion, ESEE 3 and 4, Tops BOB and the list goes on). They’re all 3.5”-4.5” blades.

There are of course exceptions to that rule but that size seems to be the norm and I don’t think many would consider those to be large knives.

I mean the guys that say they have the ESEE Jungalas and a BK 9 for a back up, plus their ESEE 6, then a BK16 for a companion blade and a small fixed blade for detailed work.

 

[JWright214]

I feel like any quality knife in the 3-5 inch range would be fine. I prefer to have a knife with no moving parts, if it’s the only knife I have, so a fixed blade would be my choice.

 

[Another Shepherd]

An 18-inch sawback machete. I do not rely on well manicured trails and well behaved wildlife.

 

[Don W]

R RugerNurse That 112 slim is about perfect. I usually have something similar to the 112 and a SAK Tinker with me most days. If I am going overnight I often bring a fixed blade, but I rarely use it for anything.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Local conditions matter. I'll generally stick pretty light, mostly something that is good for food prep, like a benchmade Bugout, but I'm eyeing a white river backpacker pro. None of the timber near me is conducive to work with a knife, and anything that is reasonable with a saw is pretty easy to break up using a branch crotch as a fulcrum. I still carry way more than I need, but unless I'm carrying a lot more gear because I'm packing based on looking after other people, I'm still not planning on a lot of "woodcraft".

 

[RugerNurse]

Thanks everyone. I was just curious what people took along. I don’t do multi day hiking trips but sometimes I bring a medium fixed blade along, because I like fixed blades, but never actually use it. But then I feel underprepared if all I have is a folder.

 

[eveled]

A Buck 110 is all the knife I’ve ever needed.

With that being said, I enjoy carrying fixed blades when I can. The sheath makes a big difference in how well it carries and if it gets in the way during physical activity

 

[RugerNurse]

When I go in the wild it is the same as my edc.
A folding spyder of some flavor

Here's a pic because .... we need pics !

Beautiful knife. I’ve been eyeing the Native 5 lately

 

[Rich S]

I've backpacked a lot of the Appalachian Trail (weeks at a time) with a SAK Tinker and a 3.5-4 inch puukko.

 

[Bob Denman]

How far are you going?
Almost ANY knife is better than none; but you should always be prepared for an unexpected overnight stay...
Pack along a "survival" kit, and know how to use it.
As for me: I'd carry something tough: with about a 3.5" blade...

 

[scdub]

Thanks everyone. I was just curious what people took along. I don’t do multi day hiking trips but sometimes I bring a medium fixed blade along, because I like fixed blades, but never actually use it. But then I feel underprepared if all I have is a folder.

If you’re feeling underprepared, I would suggest you listen to that feeling. I’ve never used any of my tourniquets, but that doesn’t make me leave them at home.

There is no “right” type or amount of knife to pack. It’s all about where you’re going, if you’re by yourself, what else you’re carrying, how much you know about survival, what the weather is like, etc., etc.

It’s up to you to evaluate the risks of your trip and plan/pack accordingly. I like knives, so I probably carry more/larger knives than I could get away with as well.

If you’re a by yourself, on single track trails (no vehicle access), and you aren’t carrying a shelter, imho you should have the knowledge and tools with you to build a survival shelter (and ideally a fire as well).

This is still assuming you’re carrying a map and a compass (something lost hikers never seem to have) and have given your itinerary to a trusted friend/relative.

It’s just a matter of using your imagination honestly. I can’t be prepared for everything, so I focus on the worst that could happen with more than a 1% likelihood of ACTUALLY happening, and try to prepare for that. You just have to decide on your own comfort levels and hit the trail.

 

[Hammer67]

I've done many extended trips in the backcountry with nothing more than a SAK. Bushcraft is largely an optional hobby, not something one has to do when they go hiking. In fact, in many places now, particularly in the West, hacking down trees and making fires on public land is not even legal. As with so many things, I think it's just a matter of anticipating your needs and then choosing a tool accordingly. If you're not planning on carving bowls, hacking a shelter out of the forest and processing firewood, then there's really no need for a larger 'bushcraft' type blade at all.

Still, I think there are some good reasons to have a decent fixed blade on you, even if that's in combination with a small folder/multi-tool. If you'd like a compact and very lightweight, but still very capable, fixed blade for hiking/backpacking, I think the Bark River 'Ultra Lite Bushcrafter' is a great lightweight hiking blade. There was just a fresh run of these, and lots of choices still to choose from at the usual dealers (I have no affiliation with BRK):

 

[kobold]

I've done many extended trips in the backcountry with nothing more than a SAK. Bushcraft is largely an optional hobby, not something one has to do when they go hiking. In fact, in many places now, particularly in the West, hacking down trees and making fires on public land is not even legal. As with so many things, I think it's just a matter of anticipating your needs and then choosing a tool accordingly. If you're not planning on carving bowls, hacking a shelter out of the forest and processing firewood, then there's really no need for a larger 'bushcraft' type blade at all.

Still, I think there are some good reasons to have a decent fixed blade on you, even if that's in combination with a small folder/multi-tool. If you'd like a compact and very lightweight, but still very capable, fixed blade for hiking/backpacking, I think the Bark River 'Ultra Lite Bushcrafter' is a great lightweight hiking blade. There was just a fresh run of these, and lots of choices still to choose from at the usual dealers (I have no affiliation with BRK):

^^ Well put.
I looked at the new ULBs today on KSF. I like them so much, it is difficult not to buy a third one. But I have something else in mind.