The best fixed blade camping knife for ME

Gerber has gone way down hill as one person has put it. It has gone for me like this. Gerber and Buck used to be the best but now they are nothing. Unless you buy a custom buck at cabelas or other places, heat treaded by Bos. At Cabelas they come under the name Cabelas guide series I think but do not quote me. For a camping/survival knife you can buy others but for the money the Becker/Ka-Bar BK2 is your best bet up there for a general camping knife. I own one. You can spend more money somewhere else but I do not think you will find a tougher knife for the money. I picked one up for a little over sixty bucks.

This thing has a blade of 5 to 5.5 inches and it weighs a pound. It is truely a heavy duty beat me up knife and it keeps going.

For a small knife I would recomend one of your Rat/ESEE knives you have listed.

Kind Regards,
Daniel
 
Ok. I've narrowed the choice down to the RC-4 or the RC-5. The ESEE warranty is unbeatable. I will probably be bringing this knife with me camping and hiking. It will hang upside-down (handle down) out of the sheath, so it needs to stay in there. I can't decide between the two. I've read several glowing reviews of both.
Everyone says the RC-4 is the perfect knife. The right size, not too heavy etc.
The RC-5 is a beast. Heavier, thicker, bigger. There is always the coolness factor to that.

I really want to avoid getting both right now, since they are around $100 or more. Can those of you who own them please comment about which you think I would be happy with? I know the RC-4 is probably enough knife for my needs, but I don't want to feel that I would have been better off with something a little beefier.
 
Btw, I want to say thank you to everyone that has posted and given me their recommendations and advice. I've read it all and gained a lot of valuable knowledge. :thumbup:
 
the ESEE5 was designed for getting downed pilots out of their aircraft. for a general camp knife the ESEE4 or possibly the 6 would suffice for your needs.
 
That RAT/ESEE RC-5 is a moose. Here it is compared with the LMF II, KaBar, and Buck Nighthawk. The LMF II was a Pappy's Day present from #1 son a couple of years ago. To be blunt, if I lost it, except for sentiment, I wouldn't miss it one iota. The KaBar, actually, another one which my Pappy carried in the So. Pacific during WWII, was a great companion on many a camping trip thirty plus years ago. The Buck Nighthawk has promise 6.5" x .2"- but my old 119 'Special' - 6" x .175" - available at WallyWorlds, etc, for as little as $34, is a real workhorse, too. Both are US made and employ Bos heat treated 420HC steel.

IMG_3518.jpg


Are you getting the knife for you - thus the 'ME' - or are you to be camping in Maine (ME)? If you are familiar with the Canadian chap Les Stroud who did the Discovery TV series 'Survivorman', he employed a Buck 119 on several 'northern' adventures. Good luck!

Stainz

PS If your camping includes a bearer for supplies, etc, that RC-5 is the best... but it's heavy!!
 
personally, i'd take a Fallkniven S1.

cziv said:
I would like to go on record as saying - at the risk of sounding like an a** - I can't stand Fallkniven's. They're not a USA company, they're overpriced for what you get IMHO and they have a ton of selections that look pretty much the same as the rest. ESEE - Cold Steel - KA-BAR :thumbup:
Click to expand...

each to their own. but i will ask you this: how many American brands are actually 100% fabricated in America these days?

as for the Fallkniven's, they're made in Japan to the designs and specifications of a Swedish company.

i'll admit that some of their knives are overpriced (the Northern Lights and Tre Kronor series mostly). but their basic models (WM1, F1, H1, S1, A1, A2) are all pretty competativly priced.
 
The ESEE knives are 100% American made. All work is done on them in the USA.

The RC4/ESEE4 would be the better of the two for inverted carry. However the company does reccomend that if it is to be worn in this manner that you get the Molle back with the sheath. The ESEE4 is comonly available in this configuration.

It is a great fully functional knife that will serve all your needs backpacking/camping without any problem at all.
 
wildmike said:
The ESEE knives are 100% American made. All work is done on them in the USA.
Click to expand...

that's certainly a point in their favour if you're American then. i really like their Izula.

i just wish they'd kept the RAT name. ESEE is just silly.

I'm Australian. we don't have any production knife companies any more. i'd like some Aussie made blades, but that means going down the Custom path. which in turn means: not just yet.
 
The knife is for me as a person. I live on the west coast, so no camping in Maine planned for the moment.

My common sense tells me that the RC-4 is more than enough knife for what I need. My ego and my testosterone want a bigger badder knife. I fear that I'm just going to end up spending more than I had intended, and get both, but for now I think I'll order the RC-4.

Now, I need to decide on the knife color and the sheath options. The desert brown seems pretty cool, but the orange handle would be easier to see if I happened to drop the knife in a pile of leaves, or at the edge of a lake. Then again the black blade and tan handle are a very sexy combo... visually pleasing.

Now, do I need the Molle back Sheath in order for the knife to stay put during an inverted carry? Can anyone with the knife comment on the stay-put-ness of the knife with just the kydex sheath? The knife will be attached to the shoulder strap of my backpack as I hike around.
 
yes but so is orange. Check out zyhano's video about his orange RC-4. It is in a custom orange sheath, but it looks great, and its what I'd do if I ever get/had got the RC-4.

About the molle back, if it isn't outside your budget, why not buy it. It sure does add to the versatility and mounting options of the RC-4.
 
Hey raiz,

If your're strapping it to your back-pack then get the "made in America" Esee Junglas. A nice 10" blade that has a beautifully made kydex sheath. Delivered to my door for $160 (includes shipping).

Not Heavy at all. :thumbup: Lopped of this small tree in 5 whacks and wiped down clean as a whistle, still looks brand new Old #22!

868772296_xJr3F-L.jpg


868772461_3VeAr-L.jpg


868772634_BarPp-L.jpg
 
Sambo. Sorry indeed to hear that there are no longer any knives being produced commercialy in Australia. In that case I would find some local smith who could make knives.
 
wildmike said:
Sambo. Sorry indeed to hear that there are no longer any knives being produced commercialy in Australia. In that case I would find some local smith who could make knives.
Click to expand...

unfortunatly, any manufacturing industry in Australia is either stone cold dead or in it's final death throes. we are now officially a Resources (mining) and Services (edication and banking) economy, not a manufacturing one. which is sad.

there are a number of very good custom knifemakers in Oz. the downside is that they aren't cheap. the upside is that some of them produce truly beautiful blades.

i'm in the market for a hard-use, survival knife and have settled on a Fallkniven S1. @ ~AUD$200 i wouldn't feel at all bad about using it heavily.

an AUD$300-$500 custom i'd probably be too timid to use too heavily if you understand what i mean.

hell, i've got a few old leaf springs sitting at home i'm looking to turn into a machete or two. if i can ever get my hands on a piece of 13" x 5", 5/8" thick (min specs) decent grade spring steel, i've got a mate with a great design for a survival hatchet.
 
Sambo. Valiant co. is down in OZ and sells some very nice, high quality bush blades of various styles.

Leaf springs make into great knives as well.

But honestly. The Fallkniven S1 is a fantastic blade and at 5" is adequate for most all uses not reserved for a chopper. I have an F1 and was very surprised by its quality and how much I like it. I prefer the RC4's sheath, but for a general use knife the F1 wins out. Better handle and no choil.

My favorite big chopper is my Himalayan Imports M-43 Kukri. Great knife.
 
I have the ESEE-4 and consider it a great all-around knife. I have quite a few others, including a Fallkniven H1, but I wear the ESEE-4 daily. It came with the MOLLE back sheath also, and is easily adaptable to whatever carry method you would want. For an everyday knife, I'd pick the -4 over the -5, even considering the awesomeness of the -5.
 
cziv said:
I would like to go on record as saying - at the risk of sounding like an a** - I can't stand Fallkniven's. They're not a USA company, they're overpriced for what you get IMHO and they have a ton of selections that look pretty much the same as the rest. ESEE - Cold Steel - KA-BAR :thumbup:

Goes, hides under his rock to avoid the flames. :(
Click to expand...

I partially agree with cziv there. I dont understand the no-love for Cold Steel. For me the SRK with AUS8 rocks for use around water and it has a great sheath for much less money than a Falkniven.
 
raiz said:
Thanks for all the replies guys. The info you've provided has helped a lot.

Can anyone compare the sheaths of these 3 knives? This will probably be the final selling point for me. It needs to snap in, stay put, and give me a sense of security that it won't fall out when I'm runnin around in the mountains. I don't want to worry about losing my knife.
Click to expand...

Basing your decision on the sheath is a mistake I have made and regretted. Seriously, base it on the knife and the knife alone. It is extremely easy to have custom kydex or leather sheaths made by custom makers. Best of all, these common knives you speak of are usually going to be readily available to the makers so you wouldn't have to send your knife to them. Kydex especially is not expensive either.
 
I can't believe a haven't seen more BK-2 votes I love my beastie, so much so I am going to buy the hedgehog leatherworks sheath when it comes out maybe even buy custom polished g10 scales
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top