Light weight knife for hiking - have to admit, it makes a difference.

H

Houlahound

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Aug 2, 2017
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I had to shed a bit of gear during a pretty brutal hike recently thru steep country. I just felt very restricted and over burdened and didn't think I was going to make it out. Something I just never would have thought possible as a younger man.

What is your lightest weight knife or knife combo to carry for deep hikes??

How do you mount or carry them?
 
A deep hike with my survival at stake?
If money isn’t a concern my vote is for a BRK Kephart or Aurora. Both very capable knives for how light they are and they carry comfortably.
If I’m on a budget, it’s going to be a CS SRK. It’s a little heavier than the other two but it’s tough to beat for the money.
I’d throw in a Esee Izula II if I had a little extra cash. That little guy is very handy.

For carrying, its important to keep the knives out of the path of the extremities that are in motion during a hike. Little things that while not bothersome on short trips can become annoying on long hikes... like a big knife smacking against your leg with every step on a 10...15....20 mile hike, when your already wet from sweat and starting to get tired, little things can really start to get frustrating.
 
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DPC said:
A folder, a skeletonized knife, a Morakniv or similar. Winkler Knives are light for how thick they are, if you get them with wood or rubber handles.
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Folders are a good choice especially if you won’t be skinning game with them. For whittling, cutting binding, and other minor camp chores, folders can excel at that. They’re lightweight and slip into a pocket. No sheaths or other attachments required.

My folder of choice is the Recon 1.
 
seems to me its no hike if
one needs to hack through vegetation.
that's an expedition!
always get a map.
stick with a mora and a folding saw
anything more challenging or crossing
difficult terrain just saps up time
and energy.
plan for leisure and not for an
all out offensive against nature :-)
isn't the idea about taking it all in
and to stop and smell the roses?
figure the only thing heavy should be
the water supply,
but that lighter at every stop :-)
 
GIRLYmann said:
seems to me its no hike if
one needs to hack through vegetation.
that's an expedition!
always get a map.
stick with a mora and a folding saw
anything more challenging or crossing
difficult terrain just saps up time
and energy.
plan for leisure and not for an
all out offensive against nature :)
isn't the idea about taking it all in
and to stop and smell the roses?
figure the only thing heavy should be
the water supply,
but that lighter at every stop :)
Click to expand...

Hiking is not really the best word for what I do but it is the word everyone understands. I just find an interesting ridge to walk along or peak to head to and see where it all leads me. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't bother going. Not knowing where you are going makes it an adventure and getting out of a situation makes it a challenge you know you have to win.
 
It is one thing to enjoy the knife hobby outdoor, but for the purpose of the long hikes, I too would probably shed weight and carry only the essential. It depends on how difficult and how many days is the hike, for just a day or two, I would still carry a SAK 111mm OHO Trekker at the minimum.

But for serious long distance thru hikers(for example, someone like Andrew Shurka, who can hike on average 35-45 miles/day for months), I'd read people often just carry as little as a SAK classic.
 
Maybe an Opinel No.12 Carbon...
https://www.opinel-usa.com/collecti...oducts/opinel-carbon-blade-no12-folding-knife

Or an Opinel No.12 Stainless...
https://www.opinel-usa.com/collecti...s/products/no-12-opinel-stainless-steel-blade

Or an Opinel No.12 Explore...
https://www.opinel-usa.com/collecti...ducts/opinel-no12-explore?variant=19630753029

The No.12 is not a heavy knife...but it is a BIG folder.
Here's a serrated No.12 compared with a Buck 110...

4GRhoO6.jpg
 
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Houlahound said:
I had to shed a bit of gear during a pretty brutal hike recently thru steep country. I just felt very restricted and over burdened and didn't think I was going to make it out. Something I just never would have thought possible as a younger man.

What is your lightest weight knife or knife combo to carry for deep hikes??

How do you mount or carry them?
Click to expand...
Opinel and a Micra!

Just kidding. You can take weight watching on hikes to an unbelievably serious level if you want. Check out what the ultra light back packing crowd does. Careful though, you will be told that you have been doing it all wrong.

For be personally, I don't go in to the woods with out a sturdy, medium sized fixed blade. Right now, my flavor of choice would be the CPK FK2.

nSD087hh.jpg


I don't do hardcore multi-day hikes above tree line though, so YMMV. What you carry will all depend on what you're comfortable with and what you are doing. You may feel fine with just a folder. In that case, I'd look at something from spyderco in FRN to save weight. A knife that I've been carrying lately that would work in the folding category is the spyderco siren. Super light with linerless G-10, rust free LC200n, amazing blade/handle shape, and spyderco quality.

1kW6E16h.jpg


How about some smaller fixed blades? Esee Izula, Brdaford G3, Ruike F-815 (great budget option), and Esee 3.
XX610uXh.jpg
 
Houlahound said:
I had to shed a bit of gear during a pretty brutal hike recently thru steep country.
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Cool. Tell us of your hike. There's nothing like a tale of an epic adventure to start the day. It must have been pretty serious to leave gear behind.

My knife goes in my pocket, and I've carried some that become uncomfortable after hours on the trail. Every step... thump... thump... thump... against the leg. It can drive you insane. The lightest I've carried is a Mel Pardue designed Benchmade. They still make a similar knife and call it their 3551 family. It's about as small as I'd want to go. The knife is flat and carries well in the pocket, but the shape of the handle isn't very ergonomic.

My most recent acquisition is a Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight. It's actually a couple tenths of an ounce lighter than the Pardue/Benchmade, and everything about the knife is FAR more user friendly. If you want to go a few tenths of an ounce heavier than the Pardue/Benchmade, then the Spyderco Manix 2 is worth a look. While being only slightly heavier, it's bigger physically, so is better suited for a wider variety of outdoor tasks.
 
Probably a bigger fixed blade in the pack, or securely attached to it, and an Opinel or SAK in the pocket.

For the fixed blade a scandi grind. Probably I'd look at LT Wright, Fallkniven or Bark River, but on a budget Buck 119.
 
A Buck 110 or a Mora Classic Number 1 are what I carried on my belt when in the field. Once in a while I might have taken a Western L66 out instead.
I also carried a Stockman and a 4 blade Scout/Camp/Demo knife or a SAK Huntsman in my pocket. I never felt "under knifed".
The 110 plus the three in my pocket was and is my "normal" EDC.
 
Friend of mine just bought Esee 3 for EDC, and Esee 4 might be like that too...
If on a budget - Cold Steel SRK in SK-5
 
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