How much knife for hiking

[Wasatch11253]

These have been with me on my peak bagging trips this year mostly:

 

[jamaljahda]

Daily outing whatever edc I'm carrying most likely my esee 3 or izula. Knowingly going out for wooded adventure my brkt Aurora grohmann boat knife or Becker bk15 extended period more than 24hrs Aurora, mora companion some sort of chopper depending upon terrain and what i want to play with like 12 inch tramontina 14 inch daga Martindale 2 or cold steel kukri machete

 

[MolokaiRider]

You guys mention digging. What would an example be?

I can't speak for others, but there was a period of time in my life where I was doing side jobs for property brokers.

I would carry a belt knife to handle all sorts of odd jobs on the house and yard.

It was common to use my knife to dig out weeds or rocks.

Despite this sounding like abuse, a high carbon fixed blade took it in strides. A few swipes on a pocket stone usually brought the edge back quick.

 

[Ratatoskr]

Knives become much less important for distance hikers. Their job is to walk when there is light, sleep when there is not light, and eat every single thing they can get their hands on. Plenty of them do thru-hikes with literally a razor blade, or a little pen knife, or just a Vic whatever.

I (one of you, a Knife Person, a Liker of Knives) inevitably have a SAK Farmer or an Opinel 9, a leatherman/pliers of some sort, and a Mora Kansbol.

I have carried the Kansbol I would guess two hundred miles and I have never used it. If we count canoe miles it would be closer to five hundred. In its sheath, it makes a very handy trowel for catholes. I have used the leatherman once, to pull dental floss on a needle through a strap to re-attach it to a pack, and because of that one time I will never not carry it. I've had plenty of bear encounters, rattlesnake encounters, coyote sightings, and never once thought of reaching for a knife in those situations, but I always feel more capable and safe if I've got a good knife. Before I started carrying tent stakes, I had a Mora Light-my-fire, which did get used to carve stakes a lot, but it was mostly convenient to light an alcohol stove with. On short trips or day hikes, I'm much fussier about what's in my FAK than what knife I've got.

 

[GAGL]

I bought a new knife because i'm a sucker for lightweight,skeletonized knives.

It wont replace my Perrin bowie though...it came in handy to have two knives,since i forgot to bring a fork to eat my steaks..

 

[GmpaJim]

Knives become much less important for distance hikers. Their job is to walk when there is light, sleep when there is not light, and eat every single thing they can get their hands on. Plenty of them do thru-hikes with literally a razor blade, or a little pen knife, or just a Vic whatever.

I (one of you, a Knife Person, a Liker of Knives) inevitably have a SAK Farmer or an Opinel 9, a leatherman/pliers of some sort, and a Mora Kansbol.

I have carried the Kansbol I would guess two hundred miles and I have never used it. If we count canoe miles it would be closer to five hundred. In its sheath, it makes a very handy trowel for catholes. I have used the leatherman once, to pull dental floss on a needle through a strap to re-attach it to a pack, and because of that one time I will never not carry it. I've had plenty of bear encounters, rattlesnake encounters, coyote sightings, and never once thought of reaching for a knife in those situations, but I always feel more capable and safe if I've got a good knife. Before I started carrying tent stakes, I had a Mora Light-my-fire, which did get used to carve stakes a lot, but it was mostly convenient to light an alcohol stove with. On short trips or day hikes, I'm much fussier about what's in my FAK than what knife I've got.

We live 10 miles from the N. Country Trail, and walk sections regularly. They are rare, but long haulers don’t smell very good either

 

[campandtravel]

You guys mention digging. What would an example be?

Digging up an ant or termite mound come dinner time.

Digging up some burdock root.

Digging a trench around your sleeping area.

Etc.

 

[campandtravel]

it wasnt to be fun it was called ridicule. the joke is you and your needs for the bush. either way. hopefully you find your perfect angle for your needs and the few ounces disparity doesnt cause you too many additional blisters in your travels. best of luck

Just more dumb stuff. What you're calling my needs in the bush are what anyone needs when they are in the bush. I know it's probably hard to remember when you're a weekend warrior watching YouTube that some people actually use their knives. It's okay.

And if you were really a climber you'd care more about ounces than I do.

 

[craytab]

Just more dumb stuff. What you're calling my needs in the bush are what anyone needs when they are in the bush. I know it's probably hard to remember when you're a weekend warrior watching YouTube that some people actually use their knives. It's okay.

And if you were really a climber you'd care more about ounces than I do.

Why even come here and talk to us lowly knife people if you are such an expert? Maybe don't lower your standards so much....

 

[unwisefool]

Just more dumb stuff. What you're calling my needs in the bush are what anyone needs when they are in the bush. I know it's probably hard to remember when you're a weekend warrior watching YouTube that some people actually use their knives. It's okay.

And if you were really a climber you'd care more about ounces than I do.

...sooo are you camping out during the week?

 

[Ratatoskr]

You guys mention digging. What would an example be?

Catholes, primarily, to cover up human waste.

 

[craytab]

Um, buried treasure obvi...

 

[GmpaJim]

Pre Covid, another couple and us decided to do 72 hrs. with knife, fire, tarp (8’ x 10’ max., ea.), and your choice of cup, pot, etc.
There property has a huge beaver dam, so cattails saved the day. After 48 hrs. we voted in roadkill as forage. (we didn’t ..but). We had a lot of laughs, and nobody got sick.
If you’ve never tried to bug out, using your bug out bag, you need to. My advise is leave out most of that stuff, and take food!!
I used this knife…don’t laugh…it worked.

 

[Dav1]

People are trying to help in good faith Try Mors Kochanski someone who would have forgotten 10 times more than you know. He could get by with a small Knife, I'm sure he and many other true experts could knap some flint and do a better job surviving than most of us.

He stated a knife as wide as the width of your palm iirc so there you go.

 

[scdub]

People are trying to help in good faith Try Mors Kochanski someone who would have forgotten 10 times more than you know. He could get by with a small Knife, I'm sure he and many other true experts could knap some flint and do a better job surviving than most of us.

He stated a knife as wide as the width of your palm iirc so there you go.

He also took along a hatchet/axe because he was just carrying a smaller knife and he was generally cutting/burning wood.

Here’s the thing - if you have other adequate gear, you DON’T NEED ANY KNIFE. There, I said it!

A knife can be helpful for two primary purposes on a hike:

1) Improve quality of life (cut food, cords, other stuff to make life easier).

2) Survival (cut/chop wood for shelter/fire, defend against an attacking human or animal).

If you’re picking a knife to simply improve your quality of life, just about ANY knife will do.

If you’re picking a knife to help you survive a bad situation, it will be much more effective if it’s a larger fixed blade. It’s just physics.

As I said before, the less survival gear I have on a hike (especially shelter/clothing), the more knife (or axe, etc.) I want to have with me, just in case I tumble down a ravine and have to spend an unexpected night outside.

 

[scdub]

Also, not to keep beating on this dead horse but…

The term “hike” generally implies the woods or other “wild” area.

If the OP asked “How much knife for a walk around my block?” or even “How much knife for a hike in circles around my neighborhood park?” then I’d say little to none (disregarding the self-defense aspect).

As someone said earlier in this post, a knife is really “just for fun” most of the time while camping/hiking.

“How much knife for hiking?” could be re-phrased as “Is a small folder an adequate knife to help keep me alive on a hike?”

From the OP:

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.

I say listen to that feeling. I often carry a fixed blade in the woods with no intention of having to use it. Just like my pistol and my tourniquet. All of them are there for emergencies.

I really think most folks have it backwards. They bring a big fixed blade or axe when backpacking with a tent, sleeping bag, and a bunch of other gear, but leave the big blades home when they’re “just” on a “day hike” 6 miles into a forest.

I say that the “hike” (in the woods, with very limited gear) is one of the absolute best times to carry a big blade.

 

[Dav1]

Scdub I'm talking about the right size knife for hiking. In a survival situation if you can't make a small fixed blade work for you you don't have particularly good knowledge.

 

[shane45-1911]

if you can't make a small fixed blade work for you you don't have particularly good knowledge.

Categorically disagree.

A large knife can do "small knife" stuff, but the the opposite is definitely not true.

It's not about knowledge - it's about physics and efficient time management.

 

[scdub]

I only carried my opinel and Tommy, and never unsheathed my Tommy for about a year before deciding to trade it for the Izula.

Tommy? Do you mean tomahawk?

And you traded it for a tiny knife because you never used it??

Huh? Why would that matter? We weren't talking about what secret lives people keep, just the general low quality "barber shop banter" of people actually posting here. I'm guilty of it too at this point I think.

Wow - I guess thanks are in order that you’re willing to lower yourself to this level with the rest of us posting here.

Scdub I'm talking about the right size knife for hiking. In a survival situation if you can't make a small fixed blade work for you you don't have particularly good knowledge.

If you hike around a bunch of little saplings and the weather isn’t too bad then you might be 100% correct.

If there are only larger trees around and it’s raining and you’re cold, all the knowledge in the world isn’t going to get your little fixed blade to help you make a shelter quickly.

 

[Alone]

...I say listen to that feeling. I often carry a fixed blade in the woods with no intention of having to use it. Just like my pistol and my tourniquet. All of them are there for emergencies...

...I say that the “hike” (in the woods, with very limited gear) is one of absolute best times to carry a big blade...

Categorically disagree.

A large knife can do "small knife" stuff, but the the opposite is definitely not true.

It's not about knowledge - it's about physics and efficient time management.

I have to agree with both of these.

I've worked/stayed at some very remote Farms and Ranches here in South Texas, many times all alone. And, no matter how close or far I get from my truck (*my "Command Center", so to speak), a large/robust/capable fixie has been my constant companion, since abandoning my Buck 119/camp hatchet combo many years ago. The fact is that things can go south pretty quick whenever you're in the great outdoors, and a large/robust fixie can really become a great asset when time, daylight, calories/energy, and possible injury rear their ugly heads.

I refer to this as my "Condom Theory"...Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.


Your mileage may vary.