Stout backpacking knife

Standard78 said:
I completely understand the differences between camping, hiking and backpacking, all I'm saying is that some people need to lighten up and quit telling people they're doing it wrong.
Click to expand...

You mean like people saying that big knives and saws are excellent backpacking tools? I agree. They should start or add to threads about bushcraft or survivaling (or whatever survivalists do) and quit pushing their tiresome big knife agenda in every thread.

Look, nobody's telling anybody what to carry in their pack. As far as I'm concerned, they can pack their bowling pins and rubber noses so they can practice their juggling clown act.

But it's kind of silly for juggling clowns to jump in on a thread asking about backpacking gear and to try to convince people how useful their bowling pins are for backpacking. That's just silly and it's no less silly when the recreational wood processors jump in and tell us again about how cool their big cutlery is.

Big knives are as relevant to backpacking as bowling pins.
 
...Says the self-proclaimed, be all, end all authority on the subject.
 
Pinnah, just in case you missed the very first post in this thread, the OP is asking which big knife to bring in his backpack. Recommendations were made based on that.

Then you show up and try to convince somebody asking about a big knife just how useful your opinel, leatherman micra, and camp stoves are.

That sorta puts the rubber clown nose squarely on your face.
 
Last edited:
pinnah, you are right. Its not bowling pins its the size of your kitchen sink.
The thread asks for what big knife to take backpacking. The answer is: "big knives aren't of much use". If the question was "what big knife to take backpacking to have some fun", then we could suggest some big fun knives.

If you take a big knife trekking or backpacking, well up a big hill, then its of toy value. No different to taking a hardback novel on Survival, something to kill time. Do any real distance and its weight you don't need, just like the kitchen sink.

I do like a big knife, but I can't find a practical purpose for a whole lot of them. An ESEE Junglas or BK9 may well be great as big knives go, but what is it for? For the same weight several tools would be so much more useful and efficient. For real work neither are big enough either. They are a design with little use as there are better ways to do stuff. (I haven't been on this forum for a while, used to be a lot; do these knives get questioned at all?)

Backpacking, you don't need much knife at all. Those who take more is because they want to. You pack it, you carry it; see you at the top.
 
Last edited:
People talking about need...
You don't need to go backpacking at all, regardless of what your definition of it is.
Less chance of falling off a cliff in your living room.
No bears will get you in your comfy bed.

You're out there because you want to be.
Bring what you want.
 
Backpacking. ;)

Alexsnewpack.jpg
 
I think you need a tactical wheel barrow for that. :D

Big knives.... backpacking.... day packing..... whatever you do, have fun doing it.
 
22-rimfire said:
I think you need a tactical wheel barrow for that. :D
Click to expand...

My first time to the woods as an adult I could have used a wheel barrow...
I went with my step-brother, who handed me a 75 pound external frame pack, which was sized for him (he's 5 inches taller).
I was on muscle relaxers for back spasms, and lugged that damned thing while bent almost double.
He had an even heavier pack...we had enough crap for 2 weeks easy...and it was only an overnighter!!!

These days my pack does not go over 20 pounds, and that's including water, big knives and food.
It's a Swissgear pack I got at Costco because it was on sale...let the backpacking snobs' attacks begin. :D
 
Cobalt said:
Fixed it for yah!!! :D

Funny thread. OP get the 911 and don't look back. It is a perfect back packing knife. I carry one in my travel pack everywhere I go.
Click to expand...

Turned into an odd thread after all, I ended up getting a mountainmandu off the exchange for plenty cheap.
 
Well that will do it. Good buy.
And when you are not backpacking, it will make a good truck knife too. My truck tools can sure get the work done, just I don't want to carry them further than I need to. Lifting the tool box into the truck is bad enough (always better to have two boxes than one big heavy one).

Be safe, have fun.
 
I love when people criticize big knives for backpacking. I think you should state your pack size and weight for a 3-4 day 40 mile loop in eastern hills / mountains if you're going to judge the weight of one of the most important tools. As someone else said, of course you don't need to go backpacking in the first place. My pack is sub 15 lbs, including my 1lb cutting tool that I use for everything, and a bit of bourbon. That's my choice, and I can afford to make it since I've saved so much weight elsewhere. I laugh when I see people in hiking boots with big packs, I'm barefoot most of the time so I saved a ton of weight there anyway. If you're really one of the weight weenies, you probably won't even bring a knife to begin with. And why bring any food besides dry beans??
 
Pack size has a lot to do with the environment you are going to travel in. Is it wet or dry, hot, cold or freezing, and a breeze or howling driving wind? Scotland is great as you can have winter, summer, autumn and winter again in one day; and if you are really lucking gale force winds just to finish you off.

Bare feet:
It takes quite a while to harden feet up enough, and doesn't work everywhere. Its one thing to harden up the soles but another to stop them cracking. Not everyone have got the feet for it, and not everyone are going to be able to put the time in to get their feet ready, nor go through the pain of conditioning. Happily there are far more light weigh footwear options now than the old heavy leather mountain boots of old. Sandles are an accident waiting to happen, don't do it, trainers are better.

Nothing wrong with big bergens either, just fill them with air. Synthetic sleeping bags are excellent but so bulky, so require huge packs. Again fine if filled with air; that extra space isn't for a bigger kitchen sink.
Heavy duty bergens, military tough, aren't necessary unless carrying military radios or mortar bombs. A simple climbing sack, with minimum padding, and light weight material will still last years. Saves another 5lbs too.
My last pet dislike are too many pockets and organisers. Non are ever the right size. How many Walkie Talkies, GPS devises and small stuff pockets do you need? Better to departmentalise with a few dry bags. Packaging on packaging is everywhere with every item with its own pouch; its not needed, save some weight there again.

Lastly, one reason to save weight on general stuff is to allow for a few luxuries. A tin of sardines, on crackers, tastes so good at the top of a hill somewhere, and oranges in the Alps are heaven.
 
Last edited:
AntDog said:
...Says the self-proclaimed, be all, end all authority on the subject.
Click to expand...

Pot, kettle, black.

AntDog said:
Pinnah, just in case you missed the very first post in this thread, the OP is asking which big knife to bring in his backpack. Recommendations were made based on that.

Then you show up and try to convince somebody asking about a big knife just how useful your opinel, leatherman micra, and camp stoves are.

That sorta puts the rubber clown nose squarely on your face.
Click to expand...

Actually, I didn't "show up" until the 2nd page, well after you had already started stirring the pot on page 1.

Here's what I wrote and I stand by it.


pinnah said:
AntDog,

This thread would be running better if the OP chose a title like "Stout Chopper".

This thread is like one titled "Fast Sports Car" containing a first post saying "I'm considering a Ford F-150 or Dodge Ram". Nobody is busting on his love of big choppers. The problem is that calling that style of camping is way out step with what is expected when the subject is "backpacking". For backpacking, the Leatherman Squirt PS4 is ideal.

OP, as others have alluded to, I've grown to deeply respect the ideals of leave no trace camping. I've to too many places that have been too trashed by too many people. Sometimes, it just takes one party to wreck a site.

I've also found that leave no trace techniques and the lightweight tools they utilize to be every bit as fascinating and rewarding as knives and knife craft.
Click to expand...

Notice that what I actually said is that all that is needed for backpacking is something like PS4.

Now really, why in the world are you so insistent in turning that simple statement into something of a flame war. Are you so incredibly insecure in your knife beating machismo that you just can't tolerate it when somebody points out that your big knives are an unnecessary option? You need to turn that into some sort of insult so you can feel good beating your chest or something? Let me be clear... It's not an insult. It's your pack. Carry what you want.

Rodriguez, glad you found a knife that suits your tastes. Have fun with it. I still think you would have gotten more helpful input on what you were looking for had you gone back and edited the subject line as I suspect a lot of you wood harvesting compatriots may have skipped over this thread thinking it was a SAK and Mora love fest. But then again, we wouldn't have the chance to see all of the theatrics either.


Greenjacket, I'd hike with you. You're right to blame the romantics. We're all living out some sort of fantasy or artificially construed something or other in the backcountry. HYYH.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top