need great knife for backpacking

Like Doc and rocketbomb...

if you don't have your own by now, get the damned Mora 2000. Find what you like and don't like about it. At worst, you're out $30 or whatever, probably less. At best, you've purchased a do-it-all kind of knife you'll have the rest of your life.

Many, most, some, all (pick one) of these folks are dyed-in-the-wool junkies, knowing there is no ultimate knife, but forever seeking one.

Fact is, we got too much stuff; too much money; too many choices. Start with a competent less expensive, durable knife...go from there.

oh

and wacherass. :)


Kis
enjoy every sandwich
 
The Fallkniven A1 is a sweet knife, but way heavy for backpacking. I like the F1 for that venue!!! Even the S1 would be a good choice.
 
Fallkniven F1. If you need to do some heavier wood work, Busse Skinny ASH. It's light, but still large and tough enough to hack, chop and split. (Same goes for Fallkniven A1).

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
if you are backpacking and yet conserned about weight, I recommend a neck knife with a skeleton handle. Lets face it, you don't use a knife too much if you are really backpacking (one of my problems with it, yet I still love packing)

Kabar is coming out with beckers becker necker again, that would be a great one to start with.

Scott Gossman's larger PSK knives can be had for 50 bucks with a sheath, are stout, and you would have a custom.

The TOPS pasayaten in orange takes away the tactical look of carrying a big knife yet is ridiculously light. Its almost perfect for someone who wants to pack light and carry a big knife.

Moras are incredibly light too, and easily sharpened.

A martinni puukoo is a great one too.


CRKT has a few good neck knives.



Joe
 
I can\'t add much to the recommendations above other than to say, you might want to check out some of the great custom makers that frequent this forum. They can make exactly what you want for a reasonable price.

Other than a custom, I find that the Fallkniven F1 is tough to beat as an all around knife. It isn\'t that heavy, has great steel, and a convex edge.
 
pbspencer said:
i go backpacking alot and am really enjoying it but i keep having to borrow knives from my friends (which usually suck).
So i need a great survival knife that is very hard, durable, and especially not brittle. so far ive narrowed my search down to a rat7, a fallkniven a1 or a2, a swamprat or a busse. tell me which one you think is best and any other suggestions. also which would be better for a rat7, 1095 carbon steel or d2 tool steel
Click to expand...

As you can see, your tastes are a bit larger than most people here like.
If you want a good medium sized blade that won't break the bank, I'd suggest a RAT Cutlery RC-6 over the RAT-7. Designed by the same guys, but put together much better and with a better grind geometry.

For just hiking, I'd recommend the RAT Cutlery RC-4 over any you listed.
Couple that with a Swiss Army Knife (I prefer the Victorinox Rucksack or Outrider, as they have longer blades, and more importantly, longer saws).

For hiking, those will more than do the trick.

For camping, add a chopper, like a good hatchet or kukri, and you're set.
 
Ok bro if you are set on a 7" blade I'd invest in a SwampRat RatWeiler, theses knives are made of 51200 (SR101) steel and combined with Swamprats legendary heat treatment create one of the toughest knives on the planet period !
They hold an awesome edge but can still be field sharpened with no problems. The edge geometery allow them to still adequately cut and whittle small stuff and yet excel at chopping large stuff.If faced with a rogue bear or mountain lion, outta all my knives this is the one I would hope to have with me ( of course a gun would be even better ).
And best of all when you eventualy realize that you only actually need a Mora for hiking you will most likely be able to sell this for a profit or keep it for use as a camp knife that will turn all your mates green with envy !!!!!

PICT5139.jpg


PICT5140.jpg


PICT5142.jpg
 
what do you mean by backpacking?

If you mean, long through hikes where you want 15+ miles a day, and are resupplying along the way (i.e. the AT), then I wouldn't want to carry anything heavier than a mora. This is they type of backpacking where you carry all the gear you need to be comfortable, but keep it as light as possible. A knife isn't essential assuming you have the other gear to keep yourself comfortable, and safe.

When I'm long distance hiking all I carry with me is my SAK huntsman. Hell, many "hardcore" ultralighters bring nothing more than a swiss army knife classic, but I like having a saw and scissors, which see way more use than a knife when you're backpacking.

If however, you mean going out with minimalist gear, and surviving with bushcraft (like making shelters etc.), you may want a mora or something similar. Yes, you can baton with a mora.

Having said that, I plan on getting a becker necker ASAP, because, well... i really want one.
 
Nobody's going to mention the best backpacking knife of all time? Busse Battlemistress!

No serious though, I struggle on this one too. The last time I went I lugged my new Chopweiler/Swampwarden combo in heavy leather. Wow, that gets heavy after a while. But let me tell you, that Chopweiler makes short work of opening a package of Mountain House Lasagne :)

I always do the SAK, but I want a decent fixed blade too. I have a mora 2000, I just don't dig it all that much. I'm on the list for a Koster Bush Master, maybe that will be the ticket, but it still might be a tad big. I just have this fobia of little fixed blades. I look at them and think "come on, that's not a knife". Wish I could get over it. I've seen some pretty amazing things done with a Fallkniven F1.
 
Noshtero said:
Nobody's going to mention the best backpacking knife of all time? Busse Battlemistress!

No serious though, I struggle on this one too. The last time I went I lugged my new Chopweiler/Swampwarden combo in heavy leather. Wow, that gets heavy after a while. But let me tell you, that Chopweiler makes short work of opening a package of Mountain House Lasagne :)

I always do the SAK, but I want a decent fixed blade too. I have a mora 2000, I just don't dig it all that much. I'm on the list for a Koster Bush Master, maybe that will be the ticket, but it still might be a tad big. I just have this fobia of little fixed blades. I look at them and think "come on, that's not a knife". Wish I could get over it. I've seen some pretty amazing things done with a Fallkniven F1.
Click to expand...

Hey Noshtero, do ya have a Ratmandu ? If ya like the Swamp blades you'd love it....IMO one knife that truly can do it all !!!;):thumbup:

P9250001-1.jpg
 
a good custom maker like David Farmer, Stomper, Ray Laconio....they can make you some fine fine knives...
 
how heavy is too heavy? Bryan Breeden makes a good lightweight sheath knife, several actually. Scott, Fiddleback, and Koster all have some light weight models. Who am I forgetting?

My breeden is pretty light, but I am realizing the batteries are out on the gram scale. So weights come later!
 
koyote said:
how heavy is too heavy? Bryan Breeden makes a good lightweight sheath knife, several actually. Scott, Fiddleback, and Koster all have some light weight models. Who am I forgetting?
Click to expand...

I think you are forgetting that Koyote guy....he makes a few nice light bushcrafters too :D:D:D

Seriously though - 98% of the knives you can buy will accomplish what you want a knife to do (unless you buy a frosts cutlery - not to be confused with Frost's of Sweden). Going after a relatively expensive large knife like the A2, you will get one hell of a knife, but it isn't really needed.

Unless you appreciate goofy things like: 'potential to do extraordinary feat X' - which all of us knife addicts fall victim to or simply value it for its aesthetics than I would like many suggest a cheaper production model.

Or if you like 'pretty knife that will do extraordinary feat X' then you might want to go the custom maker route.
 
Curious to know if you have handled any fixed blades that you thought were really comfortable? (that's a big, big part of it) - might be that could help us steer you towards some options best tailored for you.

A lot of times a knife may look cool - but is absolutely not comfortable to use - and if it's not - that's a great disapointment.

In short - get somewhere if at all possible where you can handle some.

All depends on your taste / comfort level etc / are you looking for a pure cutting tool / what you look for in a warranty etc, but I would suggest you at least check out the Busse Line - keep in mind though you will have to re-profile most of them considerably to get them to be good wood workers.

I have had the most enjoyment out of the Basic 5 Model, and most recently a BATAC. - both of which are very comfortable in my hand in various grips (I have medium sized hands) make excellent whittlers & produce some really tight/thin curls that can catch a spark well + they take a beating, are corrosian resistant and sharpen easily / and have lashing holes in case you need go primal and make a spear :rolleyes: -seriously though it's cool to know you could - if you had too.

They are solid knives, not to big / not to heavy to carry long term - but there are a heap of other great choices as well - they are just my personal all around favorites of the fixed blade knives I've used to date - but I must say I have high hopes for the Shookum Bush Tool (though I have not yet used one)- once the maker has time to get to my order :D

Best hopes that you find what you need & welcome to the Forum :thumbup:

sp
 
Probably not the most popular choice around, but I find myself going out with just a SAK Farmer and a Spyderco Para-Military 9 times out of 10. They are easy to carry and can handle any task you might encounter out in the bush. YMMV.
 
Jeez cut the guy some slack !:( He says he wants a 7" monster and you are all recommending tiny knives !! His wife is probably checking out this thread and saying " see I told you, everyone says you only need a small knife !":thumbdn: He has got plenty of time to get practical just let him get a tank and whack stuff !!!!!:D:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
G'day Pitdog

pitdog said:
Jeez cut the guy some slack !:( He says he wants a 7" monster and you are all recommending tiny ______ !! His wife is probably checking out this thread and saying " see I told you, everyone says you only need a small ________!":thumbdn:
Click to expand...

It's not the size that matters, it's what you do with it that counts :D:D:D


Kind regards
Mick :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top