I see quite a few knives these days labeled "Survivor" or "Outdoorsman" or "Traveler" and for some reason it always strikes me as a marketing gimmick. Stick a grand word inducing imagery of the free and wild on any old knife and you'll suddenly start selling more pieces? You get my drift.
Camping and hiking and other outdoor activities are becoming increasingly popular again and the industry is sure to pick up on this. At the same time people have access to a lot more information now than back in the days so the demand for higher quality steel, custom knives and high end production pieces is higher too. The customers know what they want and the makers simply have to adjust to that.
Some of us are just nuts too, and we
really know what we want.
Marketing things as "specially made for surviving in the great outdoors" doesn't make a knife into an indestructible, be all end all tool though.
So, like I said, I'm always kind of suspicious of knives marketed as "survival", "tactical" and stuff like that. Don't get me wrong, I know first hand that a lot of these knives are made by great craftsmen and from respectable companies but If you have a knife that works it's not gonna fail you all of a sudden because it doesn't have the word "survival" on it, like it's latter day models. I mean, of course knives and knife making improves with new materials, better steel, more widespread knowledge and all that but if your old knife is in good shape and can handle all the tasks you need it for, it doesn't need to be replaced.
Personally, when I'm on short camping trips, lets say a few days tops, I only bring a small folder and a fixed blade. If on a longer trip I will add a folding saw. I've yet to have to chop anything up so after never having to use my camping axe I just stopped bringing it.
A SAK or equally small folder will go a long way towards being the only knife you'll
need for daily chores. Lately I've been partial to my Fallkniven U2 since it's just such a fantastic little knife. I had wanted one for quite some time and finally got around and got one some months ago. So far I've been nothing but impressed with how much knife that's packed into that small frame. Stellar performance and very easily cleaned.
I will however always bring a fixed blade with me. Shit may hit the fan and I may need something heavier. And let's face it, being who I am I feel naked with only one knife on me, a feeling I'm sure is shared by quite a few here on this board.
I have a custom 4 inch blade Finish Puukko (spelling?) that I've found to be a very good camping pal. Unfortunately I can't read Finish so I don't know what the maker has engraved on the blade but from the looks of it it's his name. The knife is very light weight and with a fantastic handling quality. I've had it for a very long time and it's yet to let me down.
Since I however own quite a few knives I'm sometimes tempted to switch it out for something more "modern day style" but in the end I seldom do. You just can't beat craftsmanship with hype, even if the hype is good.
I'm a user, not a collector so when I go out in the wilderness I need to know my tools. I and I alone will test out what works for me. I will not take your word alone for it. Sure, you can recommend me a tool or head me in a certain direction but I still have final call. Whenever I buy a new knife to test it out I will bring that one as an extra. My known and trusted blades will be brought along in case this newly purchased steel proves out to be a POS.
I got a little off topic here but I guess what I want to say is to come prepared and test every tool for yourself before relying on it. Just because it's sold as a "survival" knife doesn't mean it wasn't a phrase the guys at marketing stuck on it to sell more pieces. In the end the user makes or breaks the tool every time.
Happy camping man!
