Bennett,
I like the looks of the Vulture too. And that Vord certainly looks like a winner. Probably going to cost me some $$$ that one. The Glock field knife is the real deal too. In fact all the options mentioned have merit.
You might want to search Sissipuukko too. Cool blade and tough for what you seek.
But I would have no problem reccommending the KA-BAR. I would not be afraid to have it as my only blade for what you describe.
Here are a few excerpts from a review I did with mine last fall. I find it to be a superb tool and very easy to live with.
Making a frog/fish spear,
And a day with the knife, from the review.
Better Nate, than Lever,
Well, so much for this week. Plans, yeah right.
Today's KA-BAR Moment is like my personality. Split, complicated, and a work in progress.
After the usual weekend chores. And finding out that my Jury Duty will carry me into late August. I needed some woods time.
Since our mandatory 3 day heat wave ended. I think it hit 85 here one day. The weather has been much more to my liking. With temps running in the high 60s to lower 70s. With high 40s at night. A reminder of why I like it here.
Before anybody says anything. I know this was not a real heat wave. And most folks have it way worse. It's all relative.
Here are the raw materials for the latest KA-BAR challenge.
***Full Disclosure***
I think we all know these three saplings could have been chopped down by me and my knife. We have already seen that done. Today I was returning from a hike with the dog and the Dog's Head. So, I yanked my Silky Super Accel 240 out of my pack and sawed through them like a BK-9 through wedding cake. The rest of the project will be done entirely with the knife unless otherwise stated.
Here they are in the lean and rest,
And finally, out in the trail ready for the two tenths of a mile skid out of the woods. I left the tops on, because I figure I will use them for something in another project. Since I was doing this by hand, it was more of a drag, than a skid.
Once back closer to the edge of my woods. I decided to take advantage of a stump from a blowdown that occurred this spring. A good thing to do in the woods. When your life doesn't depend on it. Is to learn to utilize what raw materials present themselves to your best advantage.
I want 3 pieces roughly five foot in length. So there is some batoning to be done. Yes, I could use my Silky Saw. But what fun would that be? Besides this is a knife review, not a saw review.
A word on batoning.
There seems to be two camps on this skill. The "Don't do it at all" camp, and the "I baton everything up to sixty inches in diameter camp". I fall somewhere in the middle.
For this project as with others. I don't just beat the sneakers of my knife. Driving it straight into a cross grain baton in one harsh beating. I tap a little, then rotate the piece, and tap some more. Slowly working my way all the way around the piece until I am back to the beginning. This gets repeated, until I get through it. This gets the job done just fine and is way easier on your knife.
If you have help, one person can hold and rotate the tree. Since I was by myself. I decided to lop off the tops. This makes it much easier to rotate the stick alone. The Dog's Head makes fast work of limbing. Taking anything from about thumb size or down in one easy swipe. If you are on your game, it will take most up to about half your wrist size in one swing. If you are not, it will take two swings. Oh the Horror!
Another shot to try and show the limb size. These were all easily taken with one swing.
As you baton around. What you are basically doing is using the knife like a wedge to force the wood apart. Yes you are cutting it in the process. But the knife is a wedge. Almost everything that doesn't plug in, is usually one of three things. A wheel, a lever, or a fulcrum.
Here is a piece looking from the end. You can see where it was cut by the blade. But finally the small center that is left, gives way to the force of the wedge and lets go.
For this work, I lightly tap just behind the clip point on the flat of the knife.
Here is the start of cutting another piece.
***Official KA-BAR***
For warranty purposes, and to see if you are still reading, this was all staged. The wood is actually styrofoam. Painted to look like trees. Honestly, I have never cut anything tougher than a tomato with this knife.
I mean, I was just sitting there and the knife slid off a log onto the woods floor into some soft moss. It couldn't have fallen more than 18" and when it hit the ground it just broke in half. Me and my friends couldn't believe it. The thing just exploded when it hit the moss. It has to be faulty steel, or bad heat treat, or something. Can you cover this thing?
OK, with that out of the way, onward.
I batoned three pieces of roughly equal length. Approximately five foot each.
Now just like the tripod, its time to lash then together.
Y'all carry Twine in your packs, right?
And here is the half finished project. Note that it is much shorter, and slightly thicker than the cooking tripod,
Right about here, I was informed, that I had played in the woods long enough. It was time to quit screwing around, and get dinner going. Alright, I'm on it. I'm hungry too.
I like to build and mess around with wood fires. But sometimes, I just like to take a break and relax. Today was one of those days. Actually, I wanted to sneak back up onto my project and do a little cyphering for the next few steps. So I needed to buy some time.
Enter the "Upside Down Fire" You do all the work before you light it. And it just takes it from there, all by itself. Stack some wood like this.
Break down some kindling,
Do up a few Fuzzleberry Sticks,
Did I mention, this knife just rocks the Fuzzleberries?
Do your pencil lead, pencil, thumb stuff like usual. Note the fluffed up twine low and off center on the right, Y'all carry Twine in your packs right?
This was a two strike fire. Because klutzo me missed the twine with the first volley of sparks, Da! But the second set of sparks hit pay-dirt.
That's it, walk away,
A quick shot of the KA-BAR to prove it was us.
Pre-warming the taters. These were no ordinary taters folks. They were sliced three fourths of the way through. Into approximately 1" slits. Then, into the slits were stuffed, slices of onions, crushed garlic, salt, pepper and drizzled with EVOO.
I find the upside down fire method to produce a nice even flame. Less ups and downs than a traditional fire. For just a fire. This one would have easily gone 3-4 hours with a fairly constant flame. But today, all I was hoping to achieve was another small bit of time on my other project.
When I came back, and was ready to throw the meat on. I knocked it down a bit. To reduce the elevation and amount of heat.
On go the pork chops. To the keenly observant, you will notice the potatoes got rewrapped. I needed to be able to rotate these as opposed to just tossing them on. The folds kept forcing them on to the same side. So an adjustment in field was made.
For this meal, I was looking just to brown them up a bit and acquire some of that tasty wood smoke flavor.
Once browned up a bit. They were slathered in barbecue sauce and wrapped in foil. The heat of the fire was reduced and moved more off center. They went on for about fifty minutes.
First course,
Tomato and basil salad. Fresh picked from plants a few hundred yards away. Yum,
Main course,
Barbecued Pork Chops and Seasoned Baked Potatoes, KA-BAR style,
Complete review here,
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1300572-Dog-s-Head-Utility-The-First-Thirty-Days
This knife punches way above its weight. It isn't what all the cool kids want to wear these days. But that doesn't make it any less of a knife. And in reality, not hollywood, but real life. You would be hard pressed to find a knife that has been to more hostile environments, and done more than what a KA-BAR has done.
YMMV,
LV
and also survival if need be.
. Nice thick blade stock with a decently long blade make it ideal for battening through wood and thrusting..into people. Hallowed out handle that can be fashioned over a stick to become a spear. The sheath is water proof and very light weight with a nice click in letting you know its secure. 
