need backpacking fixed blade suggestions

hotfuzz said:
i think after reading everyone's responses and really thinking this over, im not going to start taking a fixed blade backpacking. im going to get one of those folding diamond sharpeners and stick with the leatherman. you guys are right, knowone really needs a fixed blade. i would never need it for splitting fire wood or doing any of the things that a fixed blade can do that a folder cant. i dont even make fires backpacking because it conflicts with what i learned about LNT principles. thanks for all the suggestions though i will get something for car camping instead
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The ultralight fad (and especially Backpacker magazine's relentless promotion of it) is going to get some people killed eventually. Some of it is just amusing (cut the tags out of your clothes to save weight) but some of it is just stupid and reckless (carry a woefully inadequate first aid kit rather than a decent mix of supplies that only weighs a couple of ounces more).

There are some things that are so important in the woods they demand redundancy. You'll never catch me on any sort of serious hike without more than one knife, flashlight or fire source. If the SHTF the last thing I want to rely on is some flimsy folding knife and one soggy pack of bar matches to bring me home alive.

Spend $13 on a Mora and take it with you. You won't notice the extra weight.
 
I ground the excessive jimping off this Fixed Grip to make it more usable, and at 4.6 oz, it makes for a good backpacking fixed. Coupled with a SAK Farmer or Skeletool, makes for a lightweight, redundant, and functional combo:

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The ultralight fad (and especially Backpacker magazine's relentless promotion of it) is going to get some people killed eventually.
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gear (or lack of gear) isn't what gets people in trouble in the outdoors. if anything, too much gear gives inexperienced folks an elevated sense of confidence, emboldening them to engage in foolhardy behavior.

the biggest killer in the woods is hypothermia, and the principle causes of hypothermia are a) wearing cotton and b) not keeping a set of dry clothes in a waterproof bag.

what keeps folks out of trouble (in the woods and elsewhere) is situational awareness, knowledge and good ole common sense.
 
ExMachina said:
gear (or lack of gear) isn't what gets people in trouble in the outdoors. if anything, too much gear gives inexperienced folks an elevated sense of confidence, emboldening them to engage in foolhardy behavior.

the biggest killer in the woods is hypothermia, and the principle causes of hypothermia are a) wearing cotton and b) not keeping a set of dry clothes in a waterproof bag.

what keeps folks out of trouble (in the woods and elsewhere) is situational awareness, knowledge and good ole common sense.
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I agree with most of what you say, but let's take this argument to the extreme: if lack of gear isn't a problem then why take any at all? Just take to the woods with the clothes on your back and maybe a bottle of water. I wouldn't recommend that, and I'll bet you wouldn't either.

Situational awareness is more important than having the latest geegaw in the woods (GPS and the fools who get lost when their batteries die are a good example), but all the situational awareness won't do you a bit of good when you need something you don't have.

There's definitely a problem with too much gear---but there's a problem with too little as well. My read in this particular case is that the OP isn't in the category of bumbling neophyte. I'll bet he could benefit from enough gear without it getting him into trouble.
 
ExMachina said:
gear (or lack of gear) isn't what gets people in trouble in the outdoors. if anything, too much gear gives inexperienced folks an elevated sense of confidence, emboldening them to engage in foolhardy behavior.

the biggest killer in the woods is hypothermia, and the principle causes of hypothermia are a) wearing cotton and b) not keeping a set of dry clothes in a waterproof bag.

what keeps folks out of trouble (in the woods and elsewhere) is situational awareness, knowledge and good ole common sense.
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True, about the stuational awareness, and common sense. But then common sense tells me to have a couple good knives and some good gear when out in the wilderness. Not just clothes in a bag. ;)
 
elkins45 said:
There are some things that are so important in the woods they demand redundancy. You'll never catch me on any sort of serious hike without more than one knife, flashlight or fire source.
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I don't disagree. A Mora (in my case a small BRKT) and a SAK, a headlamp and a single AA/AAA flashlight, and matches/steel/lighter is a reasonable, and reasonably lightweight, collection of useful tools. What I'm reacting to is the sensibility that says in order to manage in the woods you need to carry a foot-long sharpened pry bar that you then use to denude the landscape in making your "primitive" camp.

I don't go crazy with ultralight hiking. Mostly, I try to reduce weight since I'm usually adding 10-15 pounds of camera gear, so things get heavy fast. I do think it's crucial to think about the ethics of our behavior in the woods, though.

How much impact do my camping practices have on the environment and the resources available? How long does it take for those resources to regenerate? What would happen if ten people pass through using the same practices? A hundred?
 
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BryFry said:
True, about the stuational awareness, and common sense. But then common sense tells me to have a couple good knives and some good gear when out in the wilderness. Not just clothes in a bag. ;)
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if for some crazy reason, on my next backpacking trip, i had to choose between taking a knife and taking a change of dry clothes, i would choose the clothes. dry clothes have saved my ass a couple of times. i still can't say as much about my Benchmade.

but this is a knife forum not a clothes forum (even though i sometimes do feel nekkid w/o a knife ;))
 
I like Res C so...Scrap Yard Yard Keeper or Swamp Rat Howling Rat...maybe a couple bucks more but worth it! Comfy handles to work with!

That said, Rat RC3 and 4 are great knives! As are barkies...
 
ExMachina said:
if for some crazy reason, on my next backpacking trip, i had to choose between taking a knife and taking a change of dry clothes, i would choose the clothes.
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Hmmm.... good luck with that. :eek:

Personaly, I would just use my knife or gear to build a fire and get dry.... but that's just me. :p
 
elkins45 said:
I agree with most of what you say, but let's take this argument to the extreme: if lack of gear isn't a problem then why take any at all? Just take to the woods with the clothes on your back and maybe a bottle of water. I wouldn't recommend that, and I'll bet you wouldn't either.
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One of the great parts of lite backpacking is it takes your backpacking to the next level. When you view your equipment in terms of weight minimization you evaluate it in terms of safety requirements and, need vs want. It will lighten you your wallet also.
I now have three back backs for - 3 season day hikes; winter day hike; 2 -3 nights. And I pack them accordingly.
I've learned a lot more about backpacking and equipment before I focused looked at it through weight.
I've also done more back packing - because it is more enjoyable.
And I've stretched myself more in the wilderness.
 
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I posted similar thread a couple of months ago

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=679651

I consider myself a ultralightweight backpacker and a fastidious gram counter :)

My knife of choice has been a SAK Classic, a true lightweight at 0.9 oz- the scissors and tweezers are very handy.

I recently went to stove kit that will burn Esbit or wood. With that, the SAK no longer cuts it (literally :)). After a lot of researching I ended up w/ a Landi PSK- with the thin scales it weighs in at 2.6 oz- pretty light considering it's 1/8" steel

http://landiknives.com/?page_id=46

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also worth looking at is the Fallkniven WM1 ~ 2.5 oz
the Bark River PSK ~ 1.8 oz- this is a nice little knife- smaller than the two mentioned above however
 
Since no one has mentioned it yet, I will throw out my personal favorite camping/backpacking fixed blade......the timeless Camillus pilot survival knife.:thumbup: Sturdy, decent batoning, modifiable sheath and the ability to cut aircraft metal (not that you need to in the bush :p)
 
Lots of good advice here :D Personally, I say buy 5 or 10 (over time) and try em all out. Once the blade fetish sets in, there isn't really any going back. RD-5 or any RC is a great start.
 
It was just a short time after Spyderco discontinued them and I had owned a couple of them for quite some time. But when I first used both of my Spyderco Temperance 1 blades I was astonished at how ergonomically perfect they were and how rugged they were as well. I still prefer to take both my Spyderco Temperance 1 models ( which are getting a bit tough to find here of late).

I find the plain edged and the fully serrated edged models of that blade to really work in harmony with each other. ABout 2 years ago I was faced with one of my most vicious and daunting cutting chores. We got a 30lb + north Missouri snapping turtle. Let me tell you right now field dressing a monster snapping turtle is not a job for the faint of heart and it's also not a job for a discount store blade. But those Temperance 1 models along with a couple of folders I had did a dandy job. And the plain edge would still shave hair off my arms when the job was done.

Spyderco's newest edition of the Temperance ( Temperance 2) is a bit of a pricey knife but they have taken a super fixed blade design and have improved it immensley. But Spyderco has other great blades that can tackle outdoor cutting jobs so I encourage all of you to check them out. But if you can get a pair of Temperance 1 models you better get them. You won't regret it. Not to mention the FRN handle and VG-10 blade steel can endure harsh environments too. Thumbs straight up for Spyderco :thumbup:
 
+1 to the Mora comments.

You can get some really nice sheaths for them too on the secondary market.

I personally like the wooden handled versions with laminated steel. They are under 20$ :eek:.

I think if I was going to only have a folder it would have to be a classic design. Maybe a stockman or a Buck 110.
 
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A fixed blade isn't always used to chop down trees and denude the forest just for a whimsical trailside bonfire. Often it is just to get to the dry wood in order to start a fire. Fire can save your life.

Having a small responsible fire occasionally in a safe and legal area that you clean up after when you leave isn't going to kill the woods.

Besides, have you seen the wreckage behind a Boy Scout troop on the trail?:eek: I don't think you could top that if you tried.
 
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