After a steady lifelong evolution to smaller and smaller blades, I'm comfortable with any 2 to 2 1/2 inch blade. Its a cutting tool, and I find that adaquite grip is more important than blade length. If the ice man could get by with a 2 inch flint blade 5,000 years ago, thats good enough for me. If I was going in winter, I'd like to have a small hatchet or saw with me, if possable.
I've been using a small pocket fixed blade by Mike Miller, for a few months now, and its small enough that it goes in my right jeans pocket. About 2 inches in the blade, 4 3/4 overall, 3 1/2 onces in weight. cryo treated O1. Nice grey giraffe bone handles on full tang. it looks like a short mini chefs knifes, with a wide blade for such a short length, but it works out fantastic. So far, it's done everything I needed to do with a knife in day to day use. I have a black length of paracord as a llanyard from the sheath to the belt loop just in front of my pocket. I've been using it as an unfolding pocket knife. It's been perfect. If I had only one thing I would change, I'd like just a tiny skosh more handle. Not much, just a wee tiny bit.
Before Brett gave me this Mike Miller knife, I had gone to a Buck Hartsook for 99% of my edc pocket knife work.
With the exeption of chopping and battoning, I just don't need much blade for backpacking, canoe/kyaak camping, hiking, fishing. Look how our grandfathers got by with a single everyday pocket knife. Heck, look how our ancestors skinned game with a single flake off a flint nodual.
The Iceman had an influence on me, and made me really think about what I was carrying.
Small 2 inch blade knife and hatchet seems to be a good combo.
