Is One Blade Enough?

[Widerstand]

My thoughts are this: If your knife is too heavy and causes a burden, you need to exercise more and maybe lose weight. Period.

My thoughts on it is that yours are ridiculous. It's not an issue of exercise or weight loss.

It's really comparing apples and oranges here.

People that do long treks/thru hikes/hike mileage hiking/ultra light hiking...etc. whatever you want to call it are not building big fires, shelters, traps...etc. You are trying to apply the logic of a woodsmen/bushcrafter to something that has nothing to do with them.

 

[Arkanian]

Unless of course you need to exercise more and maybe lose some weight...

 

[Moosez45]

Unless of course you need to exercise more and maybe lose some weight...

That would be me. (raises hand)

Moose

 

[Paws]

Loads are dependent on purpose. If I'm in for a long haul, I'll try and go light. But if the purpose is camping, I'll suffer a heavier load...and more toys.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

My thoughts are this: If your knife is too heavy and causes a burden, you need to exercise more and maybe lose weight. Period.

I'm going to have to go with the other poster here and disagree with you, friend. If the knife is too heavy and causes a burden, that's a sign that you should go with a lighter blade.

I would never carry one of these massive, thick, survival-style knives that have become popular nowadays. There's an old wisdom that goes, "Jack of all trades, master of none," and it applies to knives in the field. I carry two blades: one 3-4" fixed-blade drop point, one 9-10" folding saw. Both are light and let me do anything I need to: process wood for fires, whittle, skin small game, etc.

If I'm car camping with a group, I might take an axe or a bigger saw or at least a hatchet for chopping. But a huge, thick, heavy knife that is supposed to do everything? No way. And certainly don't want it weighing me down on the trail.

Just my two cents.

 

[cramsey3006]

My thoughts on it is that yours are ridiculous. It's not an issue of exercise or weight loss.

It's really comparing apples and oranges here.

People that do long treks/thru hikes/hike mileage hiking/ultra light hiking...etc. whatever you want to call it are not building big fires, shelters, traps...etc. You are trying to apply the logic of a woodsmen/bushcrafter to something that has nothing to do with them.

It's ridiculous to even think that a knife will weigh you down, IMO. People seem to think that a small knife is the sign of an experienced person, yet if you look at the true masters, the native peoples around the world, they all carry a big knife, an axe or a machete.

I think that if you were REALLY wanting to hike light, it's a lot easier to carry a knife that can build shelter than to pack the shelter along with you. Who said anything about big fires or traps? A big knife still makes a small fire much faster than a SAK will.

Hell, the story for movie 127 Hours should prove that even if you are hiking/biking light, it pays to have a decent size knife with you. What took him forever with a multi-tool would have been a lot quicker with a big knife.

 

[Moosez45]

It's ridiculous to even think that a knife will weigh you down, IMO. People seem to think that a small knife is the sign of an experienced person, yet if you look at the true masters, the native peoples around the world, they all carry a big knife, an axe or a machete.

I think that if you were REALLY wanting to hike light, it's a lot easier to carry a knife that can build shelter than to pack the shelter along with you. Who said anything about big fires or traps? A big knife still makes a small fire much faster than a SAK will.

Hell, the story for movie 127 Hours should prove that even if you are hiking/biking light, it pays to have a decent size knife with you. What took him forever with a multi-tool would have been a lot quicker with a big knife.

Ouch. That hurts just hearing you talk about it.

I agree with both sides. I've been on some long hikes, and we packed light, built for speed and endurance, but bring enough knife (BK2) to do whatever I needed.

On the flip side, I been on some long trips, that required carrying more stuff than what you would for a hike.

If I'm gonna stay over night somewhere, say, a 3-4 day back country hunting/fishing/scouting trip, I'm gonna have a BK9, BK2, and a BK14. Probably some other gear associated with cooking, and some drypack food.

Good thread, I'm interested to keep it going.

Moose

 

[Rsmith_77]

It's ridiculous to even think that a knife will weigh you down, IMO. People seem to think that a small knife is the sign of an experienced person, yet if you look at the true masters, the native peoples around the world, they all carry a big knife, an axe or a machete.

I think this is awfully simplistic, and terrain dependant
sure the folks in the northern forests carried axes, and the folks in jungle areas carried machetes

what sort of cutting tool did the aborigines in australia carry?
how about the plains indians in the american west?
how about the bedouin peoples of the middle east?

Not to say in the areas that required them larger blades were not used, but to make a broad statement like that is misleading

 

[Widerstand]

It's ridiculous to even think that a knife will weigh you down, IMO. People seem to think that a small knife is the sign of an experienced person, yet if you look at the true masters, the native peoples around the world, they all carry a big knife, an axe or a machete.

I think that if you were REALLY wanting to hike light, it's a lot easier to carry a knife that can build shelter than to pack the shelter along with you. Who said anything about big fires or traps? A big knife still makes a small fire much faster than a SAK will.

Hell, the story for movie 127 Hours should prove that even if you are hiking/biking light, it pays to have a decent size knife with you. What took him forever with a multi-tool would have been a lot quicker with a big knife.

Alright man you enjoy your heavy shit, next summer at this time ill be in northern Oregon banging out the whole PCT, 2600 miles of goodness. Enjoy your heavy stuff. I would like to see you do high mileage days for 90-120 days in a row... Oh wait i would only see you for about 4 minutes as i pass you on the trail and finished before the rains hit Washington.

See I think you are hung up on things. Try to break away from what you are use to thinking.

I think that if you were REALLY wanting to hike light, it's a lot easier to carry a knife that can build shelter than to pack the shelter along with you.

Spoken like someone that is truly clueless... My shelter is 12ounces, compared to your knife and the amount effort and calories you are going to spend and the food you will be carrying to repletion them...

I get the feeling from how you are talking like you have never hiked 20+ miles a day for 14+ days in a row.

I'm really not trying to be a dick but come on you started it with the whole needing to loss weight thing.

 

[hughewil]

If I am backpacking i have a Mora Clipper on my pack, BK13 around my neck, Vic huntsman in my pocket. I can do anything I will need to do with any of those 3 and i still have plenty of backup with the total weight still pretty low.

 

[Rsmith_77]

I get the feeling from how you are talking like you have never hiked 20+ miles a day for 14+ days in a row.

I will admit to this applying to me
what DO you carry on these kind of trips? just curious

 

[Silverthorn]

If the guy that 127 hours is about, had brought a BK 2 he might have been able to chisel his hand out instead of cutting his hand off.
Guy has balls of steel though, to many sheeple would have just stayed stuck and laid down and died there.

Not to derail the thread..lol

I think both P.O.U.'s have their merits depending on the situation.
As a younger man I used to hike very long hikes with a camp axe, my boyscout knife, and a smallish case fixed blade. That was on top of my pack.

Soldiers hike for days and days on end in very difficult terrain with 80 pounds of kit, depending on the need, so to say that you need to pack a 6 pound pack to hardcore hike is I think an over simplification.

I can see the merits of packing light enough to avoid unnecessary caloric loss and fatigue, especially the speed that it would allow. In any situation where you might need to climb, lighter is much better also, that cant really be argued.

A person can condition themselves to do the same task under completely different loads though, so for the big steel fans, or the minimalists to try and say that they are right and the other is wrong is at least in my limited experience, inaccurate.

Depends where you are and what you really need, and what you are trying to do I think.
I like to carry tools, but that's how I was taught.
If I tried hiking minimalist style, who knows?
I might fall in love, or I might keep reaching for something that I didn't bring.

Just saying both sides have good points, and both can be equally right depending.

My 2 cents anyway.

Silverthorn

 

[Widerstand]

I will admit to this applying to me
what DO you carry on these kind of trips? just curious

Sure thing man here is a list man, this is in fact an old list... http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=818 I should update it.

 

[Widerstand]

II think both P.O.U.'s have their merits depending on the situation.

I think this is the best thing said in this thread! I wish this would be a thread ender.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Alright man you enjoy your heavy shit, next summer at this time ill be in northern Oregon banging out the whole PCT, 2600 miles of goodness. Enjoy your heavy stuff. I would like to see you do high mileage days for 90-120 days in a row... Oh wait i would only see you for about 4 minutes as i pass you on the trail and finished before the rains hit Washington.

See I think you are hung up on things. Try to break away from what you are use to thinking.



Spoken like someone that is truly clueless... My shelter is 12ounces, compared to your knife and the amount effort and calories you are going to spend and the food you will be carrying to repletion them...

I get the feeling from how you are talking like you have never hiked 20+ miles a day for 14+ days in a row.

I'm really not trying to be a dick but come on you started it with the whole needing to loss weight thing.

+1.

I am not an expert on anything, but people who know what they're doing always try to go as LIGHT as possible. Anyone saying, "I'll bring the heaviest blade I can... that way if I need to hack my own arm off, I'll be set" doesn't sound like someone I need to listen to when it comes to trail advice. Just sayin...

 

[BushOgre]

I am 330lbs of bush loving Ogre. Even if I hike hyper light, I am still heavy. hee hee
Maybe I should hike with a chainsaw and a chiminea.
Seriously, I carry a decently heavy pack. It has been lightened over time. Learned what I needed vs. what I thought I needed. But it will probably always be heavier than average. (anyone know what average is?) I live by Murphy's Law so I like to be prepared to battle that S.O.B.

I say whatever makes you comfortable when outdoors, use it. We all have different skills and different desires. If you can carry a 100lbs of gear like jarodmichael then go for it. If you like to carry a finger nail file and call that your kit, sweet.

One last thing. In my experience, most of the ultra light people tend to care more about logging miles and getting somewhere by a certain time. I tend to move methodically and allow myself to soak everything in. I am not saying that logging a ton of miles is bad, what ever floats your boat, but for me personally, I don't care how far I travel, its the small details among the larger picture that interests me. I have spent a week or more without ever going more than 20 miles from OBC (Ogre Base Camp) I don't spend a lot of time on trail. I like to go where others have not gone or at least I can't tell if they have been there.
Of course I have never hiked the Appalachian or John Muir trail, where you need to be so far by a certain time or the weather will kick you between the teeth. Maybe one day, I will try the super light method, it sounds like Vegas. A nice place to visit and worth a gamble.

 

[Rsmith_77]

Sure thing man here is a list man, this is in fact an old list... http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=818 I should update it.

thanks!
seriously impressive stuff there man

 

[Widerstand]

thanks!
seriously impressive stuff there man

Keep in mind this is my base weight, for long distance hiking. When it comes to train riding, this weight goes up about 10/12 lbs (reference my A pack to live out of videos on my YouTube channel). Also when I am working wilderness skills...etc. Ill bring whatever i want. I love my Beckers. Ive even been thinking on bring my BK11 or BK14 if I have one by next year on my PCT thruhike.

 

[BushOgre]

Keep in mind this is my base weight, for long distance hiking. When it comes to train riding, this weight goes up about 10/12 lbs (reference my A pack to live out of videos on my YouTube channel). Also when I am working wilderness skills...etc. Ill bring whatever i want. I love my Beckers. Ive even been thinking on bring my BK11 or BK14 if I have one by next year on my PCT thruhike.

Love your train hopping videos.
Question, your pack list (as a list freak I have read it about 10 times) doesn't mention food or water. What would you say is your weight once you add life giving sustenance?

 

[Widerstand]

Love your train hopping videos.
Question, your pack list (as a list freak I have read it about 10 times) doesn't mention food or water. What would you say is your weight once you add life giving sustenance?

The reason I don't count food or water is cause those things are always changing and I have no control over them. The desert is going to something different then NW Washington in the winter. That said often I aim at 3-4 days of food and coffee, I also try to aim for 2 liters of water on me.

So like a liter of water is just over 2lbs so take a 10lb pack and add four pounds, as for food that's always changing for me.

I really just want to stress here that this is just me and how I see things.

Lets say you plan on going 50 miles on the trail, if you have 25lb base weight then you add food and water you could be looking at 35 or 40lbs, the more weight you carry, the slower you go, the more food you need, and then you have more weight so you go slower....etc. the less weight/the lighter the gear you have, the less energy you spend packing so you need less food and less water, so you go further...etc.

I think one of the biggest problems with conversations like is that people get confused with general camping/hiking/woodsmenship and going ultra light. If I am only doing 5-15 miles ill be the first guy to take all kinds of stuff, a pack of steal, frozen day old pizza slices, you name it!