Stout backpacking knife

And "Who is my neighbor?"

 

Yup, on both counts.

Outdoor Carry by Pinnah, on Flickr

 

"Base-camping" and "backpacking" are totally different things. If I'm base-camping, then sure, I bring large blades (BK-9 and 7 are favs). But, on the other hand, if I'm truly backpacking (i.e. doing some serious miles), then weight and mobility are more important. For true backpacking, as suggested above, all you'll ever need is a small SAK, a Mora, and/or an Endura (or similar), or some combination thereof. It's just MHO, of course, but I've hiked thousands of miles on the AT, and sometimes all I took was an Endura and a SAK Cadet.

 

This is really well said.

I shall steal this shamelessly in future discussions.

 

What other cutting tools did you take other than "sometimes". What cutting tools did you use, how often, and what for?
Why did you just sometimes take the endura and sak?

 

There in lies the rub. An extra pound here and an extra pound there seems insignificant until you weigh the pack or don it and tote it on the trail. It really doesn't take much to make a 13 pound base weight a 21 pound base weight.

 

All the more reason not to build a fire.

 

Short of dealing with food and food packs I almost never use a knife when backpacking. There truly is little need.

 

Yes, you go slower and cover less ground. But it is still just as much fun, and that is what we are talking about here. It is a leisure activity, not a competitive marathon or "operator" terrorist hunt. Usually after a couple of days I get to enjoying the trail as much as the destination. I know at that point I have accomplished what I have set out to do, which is to put the usual agenda, rat race, rush hour driven mindset on the back burner for a few hours and unwind.

n2s

 

That may be the first time I've ever seen someone claim more weight when backpacking equates to as much fun or refer to is as still leisure .

 

This is interesting. I don’t have anything but empirical data based on my own personal experience here but I think like this: you are probably right if we consider a few logs or small quantities of wood harvested. I am probably right if we consider the total yield from a couple of hours of cutting, when collecting rather big quantities of wood. I think the efficiency of a folding saw vs. effort needed is higher compared to axe (I don’t have to swing it around and hit the log multiple times, etc.) and also the precision and “cleanliness” of the cut it’s much better. Just my opinion .

I agree with this, my backpacking hikes have exactly the same goal . It’s to be out in the Nature, enjoy family time, recharge and enjoy the pleasure of “being on the way”. Yes, I might want to reach a mountain peak, a precise spot, etc. but it’s not a race. I don’t feel bad if I “fail” . It’s just walks in the woods for leisure for me. About the weight I am also not obsessed. Considering I carry along a baby carrier that is at least 15 kg when occupied , I keep my backpack around 8 to 10 kg. So I’d say I don’t go around exactly “ultralight” .

 

I agree with leghog. Almost all wilderness backpacking takes place on established trails with practical everyone overnighting in the same desirable spots. With hundreds of people using the same location every season, the wilds can't stand individuals "building shelters" camp fires and chopping on everything in sight. The only times I've built camp fires on backpacking trips is when I've hit a patch of cold, wet weather and needed to dry out. Otherwise I carry a stove and use it.
I should probably also point out that if we all beat the wilds up, the end result will be the Feds constantly adding more restrictions to our access to public lands.

 

As usual, if someone doesn't do something how you do something, they're doing it wrong.

 

Have you even considered the possible reasons it is best to leave no trace?

 

Again, all the more reason to leave no trace.

 

Didn't say he was doing it wrong. Simply stated he gave an example of all the more reason to not build a fire which in this case is why scar/mar an otherwise unmarred backcountry. Short of cat holes a couple of hundred feet of any trail or water source and footsteps no one should know we were ever even at a backcountry location. Most prefer to find the backcountry like that, and we should oblige them that.