Knife recommendation - My life may depend on it.

Another ditto on the F1 and a SAK. The F1 as mentioned above can be had at Knifeworks for $86.95. Good deal. The SAK scissors and file can be real handy on ragged nails. The tweezers are invaluable for splinters. If you foresee chopping, bring a small hatchet as others have said. The SAK I like best is the Fisherman from Victorinox:http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6578. The Climber and Huntsman are also good picks.
From Wenger I like the Traveler:http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4966
 
Ka-Bar Marine Corps knife, Lots of Marines have had to depend on these. I have had mine for about fifteen years, and it has seen lots of use. I have hammered with it , split kindling, built shelters, cleaned game( its a little large for small game and fish, But works) and chopped my way through brush. And for the price(around $50) you could add a multitool. A good Leatherman can be bought for around $100. For camping, and just being out in the woods, my Leatherman sees more use.
 
If I were living off the land, I would want a hatchet, and a good fixed blade, but for thru-hiking, I would carry as little extra weight as possible. I have found a leatherman wave, VERY useful during backpacking. The pliers are good for holding or lifting hot things, untying tight,swollen knots (ie: paracord, or tent lines). The serrated blade good for cutting string, cord, etc. , Screw drivers for repairing various things that break, or for prying things. Etc.
 
I think one thats been overlooked, and shouldn't be is the BM Outbounder. I also think highly of several mentioned but would pick a Ont RATK or RAT5. I carry a fixed blade when backpacking, and carry a Camper SAK and sometimes a saw. I usually just boil water and eat dehydrated stuff right out of the bag. I have not hiked a trail like the AT but have spent a week or so at a time in wilderness areas in the Rockies. Time of year dictates more about what I carry. http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1537
 
Weight really does start to suck on hikes that long. That's why I'd also recommend against taking the full Leatherman, unless you've got lots of mechanical stuff. These things are great for car-camping or for city chores, but there aren't enough things that they can do in the woods to make it worth all the weight. I'd get a good SAK that has a saw, and then bring a solid little fixed blade with something like a 4" or less blade. The F1 would serve this role perfectly, as well as several Bark Rivers. Even a good Mora would likely be enough to take care of things, and be very lightweight (such as the 510).

Good luck in your decision, and do let us know what you choose. I'd also be really interested in seeing your full gear list, if you happen to get the chance.
 
if you want one, get a small "silky" saw, will cut all the fire wood you need.

Take a decent small multi tool, if you need to fix something. It will be irreplaceable if you get a clogged jet in the stove or have a zipper break on the tent.

get a 3 or less fixed blade that is light and handy, and a small diamond or ceramic sharpener.

Is your goal to walk as many miles as possible, as fast as possible? or is you goal to walk what you can and enjoy the trip rather than the ending.

I hike or canoe camp with people who are only concerned about miles, how far did we paddle today, how many lakes, etc. I tend not to get back on trips with them if i can help it as I find it much more fun to some days just hang out and enjoy a wonderful place. make a decision on what your goal is. If you have to make the whole thing in one shot, then look at making everything as light as possible and only carrying Titanium or whatever is the lightest. you will make better progress. I know several who consider a portable digital camera wasted weight, i consider it essential.

If you want to enjoy whatever part of the trek you make, then look at it as what is going to be the most enjoyable. is it going to be end of day camp, just hanging out, enjoying who's around, maybe having a bottle of wine that you bought at the last town you walked thru? buying a steak to cook once in while... The AT is not all out in the boonies. you walk thru several towns and being close to civilization happens fairly often.
 
For backpacking I would highly recommend the Bark River North Star, and take a strop with you for sharpening. It will handle any task you might have on the long trail.
 
DARKHAVEN said:
Thanks for the responses, based on this and what I read on this thread, here are my thoughts:

I need a 7-8" blade for chopping. As for the blade material, D2 and 1095 are the mains, but I've read many on this forum feel 1095 is the best for a knife of this size (with D2 chipping, etc). Please comment.

As for my second knife, the smaller 4-5", are you guys recommending I make this one a folder, or still straight blade slicer?
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Hiking the At I seriously doubt you want or need a chopper. Get a Fallkniven F1 or similar. Why would you bring a chopper on the AT anyways?
 
DARKHAVEN said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone, I've got a lot to think about! Keep the recommendations coming! Also, does anyone who's hiked the AT or just taken long hikes think I should be carrying a multitool like a Leatherman IN ADDITION to my main utility knife? Is there value to be had there, or would I not really use it that much?

Thanks!
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Multitools are not needed on the AT. When backpacking remember "ounces turn into pounds on the trail". I carried a SAK climber mostly for the scissors to trim moleskin, cut down maps, cutting duct tape etc. In my most recent kits I carry a LM Micra, a nylon spoon and my trusty Kershaw Orange lockback. Total weight about 3 oz.

Repairs are mainly done with duct tape and paracord until you can find a better repair in a town.

Knives on the AT are mainly for minor food prep, cutting paracord, shoelaces and webbing, whittling on rainy days, digging scat holes, opening mail drops etc. They did come in handy when you bought a days worth of fresh food in town and needed something to cut it up. I used to crave fresh fruit and there was nothing better then hanging a 3lb bag of apples or a sack of peaches off your frame and eating 2-3 a day for a couple days. I used to put them in a mesh bag and let them chill in a stream while making camp.

I never had to baton, build shelters, clear brush etc. No need for a chopper or fixed blade. When you put 20-40 miles in a day, you just want to be dry and get your tent up, stove going and get the water boiling.

Learn to love peanut butter and remember "NO pain, NO rain means NO Maine"
 
I would check out either the Benchmade Griptilian fixed blade (a knife you simply can't go wrong with), the Benchmade Nimravus, or the Becker Knife and Tool CU-series. I think there's a 5"er there. If not, there's the CU-7, which I have and it's a beefy, you-ain't-gonna-break-it knife.

Good luck on your trip! :thumbup:
 
I would go with 3 knives and some sort of hatchet.
#1 a multiplier tool, sog, gerber, or leatherman
#2 a small fixed blade for cooking, carving with a steel that holds up well.
#3 a large fixed blade like a ranger RD7, or RTAK, or any strong knife about the size of a ka-bar or larger.

I would also carry a gun for bears and whatnot. You could do some damage to a bear with a ranger RD9 on a stick but i wouldnt want to chance it...
 
You can carry a big knife without frighting the sheeple.
Just wear a cover vest.
The Photo or Safari vests will cover your business and have lots of pockets to carry other things.

As to what big blade.
Khukuri,Tomahawk,hachet,bowie are all good,it's just personal preference and what else you're carrying at the time.
 
I've done more miles than I care to count, including a few chunks of the mighty AT. Sum total cutting gear? Vic Soldier and a Ka-Bar Short, convexed and worked to be more a hunting knife than a weapon. Aside from one rare instance where the Shorty was worth its weight in gold as a handhold on a climb in WV, the Soldier has been all I've ever needed.
 
If I had to hike the AT again, I would do it different from a knife standpoint. I would trade my SAK Super Tinker for a LM Juice S4 (need those scissors, and pliers are nice for repairs), and a light neck knife or Mora. The stainless Clipper would have worked well, or the AG Russell Woodswalker. Seriously, you don't need any more knife than that. This is not a survival situation we're talking about. At most, you're only a day's walk to the nearest town, or road to hitch on. You will not NEED to baton, although after hiking 25 miles in a day, you may find you have extra time and energy to burn. Also, I'm sure your fellow shelter-mates would get a kick out of it. That, and maybe busting out your Fiskars folding saw to take down some of the local flora. Hikers love deforestation! I'm sure you can come up with a perfectly good justification for bringing an extra 14 oz of metal on a long-distance hike. Makes sense to me!
 
Bark River or Fallkniven.

Self-defense is best left to a sturdy staff/walking stick.

Personally, I'd carry an $11 dollar Mora.
 
Or someone who actually knows what they are doing...
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Instead of trading jabs, why not list your Appalachian Trail or other multi-week hiking experiences in your post? Then the other readers, particularly the original poster and the fellow who called you out, can place your knife recommendations into context?

Just a thought, to avoid further stress.
-Bob
 
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