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

[bikerector]

Machetes are light for their size, versatile, and generally quite durable. I'm not going to say it's the best option out there but it's a pretty good one, IMO, and at least worth considering. When I was weighing stuff out last year a 16" tram latin machete weight just a little more than a BK7. If you went to a shorter machete like the Esee/expat libertariat you get a pretty reasonable package.

If I was intending to get lost and wanted the lightest setup, it would be a buck 110LT and a folding saw or the machete, depending on terrain. I might carry my hiker along but I tend to prefer locking blades and a bigger saw if my life depended on it. However, a SAK is a great backup or redundancy for critical gear.

Not necessarily how I roll but you could look into carrying a tomahawk head and then fashioning a handle later, or carry them separate if you want it to be ready real quick, is another option I've heard people having good luck with.

I normally carry something like a 2.5" fixed blade for general cutting tasks and then a swamp rat ratweiler as the heavy worker, and then go lighter weight elsewhere. If I need to do a shelter quick, the bigger blade seems to really speed things up for me. For rustic camping, it was a SYKCO safety mutt but it would probably be one of my own designs now, like my 'Merican Puukko.

 

[Alexander_Liam]

I always carry my Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight. Great knife and so light you forget you have it.

 

[Halfneck]

Carried an old discontinued Frosts/Mora Craftsman on a lot of Scout hikes when the boys were younger. Initially took it because it was a beater knife I got for $12 so I wouldn't care if someone enforced the "No fixed blades" rule on Scout trips. Then I kept carrying it because it worked well.

 

[22-rimfire]

Hard to beat a SAK of your choice as you can pretty much do all the necessary stuff hiking. The White River Back Packer Pro would be a good one for a small sturdy fixed blade. I think it would cut better with a thinner blade however, but for one knife, it would work well.

The Vic Trekker is very versatile, but it's a three layer SAK and hence heavier than others. But the saw blade can be quite useful camping in the woods away from your vehicle and all the stuff I take car camping.

Added: I actually like the Arno Bernard Bush Baby Squirrel more than the White River. But I know the White River is a tougher blade if that is important to you.

 

[Velitrius]

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.

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.

LOL! You'll definitely be told that you are doing it all wrong, UL hikers gotta be some of the most opinionated folk I ever met. All good though, and if you BS with enough of them you can really get some great ideas for gear and carry configurations that really make a difference.

That Spyderco Siren is neat and I need one, but for carry I pick the Bugout at half the weight of the Siren.

But admittedly, I'm doing it all wrong.

 

[CVamberbonehead]

Well the most practical outdoors knife I own is a Victorinox Camper. Its not the most fun though. Lol A swiss army knife is all you need, but I always pack a fancy fixed blade just because. Fancy fixed blades dont have tweezers though... Id suggest a Swiss army knife for you. Lots of tools, like saws and can openers, and pretty good, practical blades. If you want a fixed blade then how about an ESEE Izula or (IMO better) TOPS Tibo? Theyre good knives, and light.
Another (off topic I admit) good light weight choice is a tomahawk. You can get a cheap Cold Steel tomahawk and cut the handle down. They work great, theyre light and theyre cool. Even fun to throw, and the handle can be made from a stick if youre really wanting to go light. I use a pipe hawk and its great. Better than carrying around a heavy hatchet or axe, and its more versatile. More effective than a big knife too.

 

[jackknife]

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?

First off hound, I have to tell ya, as an old fart, it ain't gonna get any better!!!

Second, if you haven't used it on the last several hikes, don't carry it. Have you ever really needed a large fixed blade?

In my younger day, I gave free reign to my knife nut obsession. My Randall 14 was my backpacking/hiking knife. But...as I got older I ditched what I didn't really need. I realized that I never had used the large fixed blade for anything that my pocket knife could not have handled. Then my pocket knives got downsized.

Most through hikers on the A.T. don't bother carrying much more than a SAK classic for opening food packages. Certainly a light weight mora and small SAK will cover all your needs short of a zombi apocalypse, and I hear the zombies like cities.

If you're at a point where age is starting to make a difference, take a very close look at what your carrying and ditch anything you've never really really needed. A SAK with a saw or a lightweight folding saw will do more than any large fixed blade safer and with less energy expenditure.

 

[SwiftDream]

Do you take a light version of the 10 Essentials? If you already do and have the skills you are going to be fine. I do wilderness hikes at a minimum of twice a week and sometimes more. It is steep, rocky, rough mountain and canyon terrain. The most I ever carry is an Opinel 8 in one of their toughest woods, olive is nice. It packs more blade per handle length than most any other knife, does not require a heavy sheath and flat out cuts and slices like nobody’s business. It is usually lighter for its size and performance than others too and was born for hikers, travelers as a real working knife. It excels at food prep and wood carving.

If you are indeed going light as your post indicates I’d not take a machete or saw. #1 is going to be rain and cold protective clothing, your first line of defense against the elements. Hydration is next. Then the rest of the 10 Es, navigation, water purification etc. a knife is so important than every person should have one but I’ve seen a lot of greener types go way too knife heavy. A small fixed blade can make sense too but you will add significant weight even with a small skeletonized model. If that is your thing it’s okay but I’ve found it unnecessary over the decades for 99.999% of the rugged wilderness hikes we do.

I keep my knife inside my pack.

 

[Astrogator]

Hello,

My thoughts to get you going , mix and match as you like.

If you prefer a fixed bladed knife then the Mora Companion will do nicely , stainless or carbon , it does not matter.

For a Folder get an Opinel , I carry the No.9 in addition to the Mora , (nothing cuts as well as an Opinel).

An inexpensive folding Garden Pruning saw can be very useful , they are lightweight.

The little Gerber Back-Paxe is also usefull and good if you find yourself in a jam.

Enjoy your trips.

Cheers.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

For most hikes a simple multitool is just fine. I am really digging my Leatherman P4.

For a fixed blade, honestly, a Mora will do everything I need.

 

[CSG]

Having absolutely no idea what sort of hike the op was talking about or through what conditions, hard to answer his question. These days, my EDC carry is mostly my Bugout 535-2 with the stiffer CF scales. At under two ounces, it's a perfect all around ultra light knife. I wouldn't plan on batoning it but I suppose it could hold up to light batoning. I always carry a fixed knife in my day pack (Fallkniven F1). There are countless options but without knowing more from the op, throwing out knives we carry may or may not be helpful to him. A fixed blade Mora is probably one of the great all-around lightweight knives. Adding an SAK with a saw is one good choice but the old Gerber sliding saw is an excellent choice if you're going to need to process wood for a shelter or fire.

 

[8-Fingers]

Within the Bradford family, I usually hike with the G-Necker (Elmax) and Guardian 3 (M390) and from the other side of the family shop, the Rainer Fastpak (Elmax). I also carry the Esee Izula (440C) and the Esee 3 (S35VN) on occasion. Plus there is always a Mora companion in the pack somewhere! I’m not exactly an ultralight weight hiker!

 

[JamesofArc]

People have the tendency to try to pack ultra lite and then try to walk extra fast. I do the opposite. I like to care extream duty equipment and then i walk slow and enjoy my hike. Some days I walk so slow that I am stalking. May take tell noon to go 2 miles. I hike so slow that I can approach deer without them even knowing i am there.
Pack quality and ruggedness because wearing a bright colored backpack and wearing lite weight shoes is for city woman. Get a Marine FILBE, a big knife and 80 pounds worth of quality gear and take your time.

 

[Dadpool]

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

How do you mount or carry them?

I generally hike and backpack with two knives: a White River Backpacker Pro mounted on one of my pack's straps (either around my shoulder area or on my chest, depending on the specific pack), and a Spyderco Pacific Salt clipped to my pocket or tucked into my pack. If I'm only bringing one, it's the Backpacker.

(That's my daughter's Esee Izula on her pack. Also a great little backpacking knife.)

For casual hikes and car camping, I like to bring my Busse SHE2 because weight matters a lot less.

 

[Houlahound]

Thanks for all the great tips.

I am going to go with a machete for sure. I cut the tip off mine back a good two inches to make it without any kind of point because I think it makes it much safer tool in remote areas. A machete point does nothing in regard to it's intended purpose. So lose weight and reduce a significant risk of accidental impalement. Looks weird having a 90 degree clip point.

It's a good mod for remote hiking, wanted to get it out there.

 

[jackknife]

Ya'll need to look up Granny Gatewood. Old grandma did the length of the Appalachian Trail with a gunny sack over a shoulder and kids sneakers. She called the modern gear hound backpackers 'panty waists'.

 

[Houlahound]

Ya'll need to look up Granny Gatewood. Old grandma did the length of the Appalachian Trail with a gunny sack over a shoulder and kids sneakers. She called the modern gear hound backpackers 'panty waists'.

The pioneers had some "advantages" unavailable to us, for example, more abundant food supplies, free use of dogs, rifles sustainable transport free access to natural resources...etc.

But yah we pack gear because we love gear, can't deny.

 

[jackknife]

The pioneers had some "advantages" unavailable to us, for example, more abundant food supplies, free use of dogs, rifles sustainable transport free access to natural resources...etc.

But yah we pack gear because we love gear, can't deny.

Oh no, granny Gatewood was no pioneer. She did the through hike the first time when she was 67, in 1955. then again in 1960, and again in 1967 or so. Gatewood was the ancestor of the ultra light hiking thing. Its actually funny what this 70's grandma did with very little. Look her up on wiki.

And John Muir who convinced Teddy Roosavelt to make the Yosemite a National Park. He traveled very light to cover more ground and lived off of oatmeal and tea. Carried a regular little two blade pocket knife.

Only on the last part of the 20th century did the gear hounds become convinced that you needed a 50 pound backpack to go camping/hiking. Now the gear hounds think you need a 500 dollar outfit to go for a walk.

 

[Houlahound]

Only on the last part of the 20th century did the gear hounds become convinced that you needed a 50 pound backpack to go camping/hiking. Now the gear hounds think you need a 500 dollar outfit to go for a walk.

There is a worse trend, a lot of modern people don't walk in nature at all or at best they go on a guided tour with construction infrastructure on the paths with catered meals etc.

 

[CSG]

People have the tendency to try to pack ultra lite and then try to walk extra fast. I do the opposite. I like to care extream duty equipment and then i walk slow and enjoy my hike. Some days I walk so slow that I am stalking. May take tell noon to go 2 miles. I hike so slow that I can approach deer without them even knowing i am there.
Pack quality and ruggedness because wearing a bright colored backpack and wearing lite weight shoes is for city woman. Get a Marine FILBE, a big knife and 80 pounds worth of quality gear and take your time.

I'm a slow walker too as I'm constantly stopping and looking at stuff. I still don't carry much in the way of heavy duty gear. The one time I recall over my 50+ years of backpacking, camping, hiking all over the west of getting into a little trouble and needing to make a shelter, the only knife I had on me save for my SAK Classic was my Buck Folding Hunter and it did the cutting I needed it to do. I was in my early 20's at the time and a cop in California. All the guys in my department carried the Folding Hunter as a duty knife so I got one too. For some years, it was my only camping knife. I later got a 119 and that was the pair I used until the last 10-15 years.