torn about what knife for moto-camping

F

Foilist

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Dec 20, 2004
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It is definitely not motorcycle touring season where I live, but this is the time of the year where I think about my annual motocamping trips for the summer. Last summer was the Blue Ridge Parkway. Next time will be a trip westward through NY, PA, OH, and maybe MI and MN, depending on the time I have. I may be meeting up for part of the trip with a very old and dear friend (the one who got me into bikes) at some point too. I plan to work in a visit to the Case plant in PA and maybe even Bark River if I get that far.

Usually I equip myself with a multitool, sheath knife, and hatchet for these trips. However, I have been discovering the appeal of simplifying lately; I need the hatchet for firewood, but the multitool is redundant thoug convenient (I have a comprehensive tool roll on the bike), and I don't really "need" a sheath knife. I'm tempted to go minimalist and just bring a SAK or nice slippie. But then again, I enjoy using different knives for pleasure, if nothing else. I know several of you are motorcyclists - what would you take from this list to go with a hatchet for a ten day motocamping trip?

Case Peanut
SAK Outrider
SAK Huntsman
Boker copperhead
Vic Spirit multitool
Vic Swisstool
Bark River Northstar
Bark River Mini Canadian
Spyderco Native

I'm not wringing my hands over this - this is just a way for me to pass the time during the winter.
 
You seem set on the hatchet so I won't try to talk you out of it. I'd take the Native or just throw a Sak in my pocket. Since you have the tool bag, the multi tool would be redundant.
 
The Native would be a good choice. I have the s30v one and its a great small package.
 
In 2000 when I took my cross country trip I kept it pretty simple. I had a slippy in the pocket along with a sak. In a sheath alongside the T-bag on the back of the sporty was a 12 inch Ontario machete for general camp knife use and kindling. It would have been interchangable with a hatchet.

I found I used a pocket knife for most things, and did just fine. Your sak huntsman should do. And maybe the peanut just for luck.

Camping along the way, especially out west on BKM land, I never needed the machete. the kindling for my campfire could be broke ove my knee, and I had a nylon tent so I was not building shelter. I never used anything but my pocket knife. The big chopper was along for the ride, and as a defensive tool, since there was no place to lock up a handgun on the bike when I would stop places along the way, like Bent's Old fort, the browning museum, and the Mountain Man museum.
 
Last summer I toured with a multitool and a Mini Canadian along with the hatchet. The Mini Canadian was fine, though a bit small for food prep. On a second, shorter trip I left the hatchet behind but regretted it, as I could find no small wood one night - only big pieces.

It's a mental thing; I can do just fine with just a SAK (and I have), but I have an urge to bring additional knives for no better reason than that I like them. I'm trying to resist this because motorcycle travel is supposed to be about simplifying and minimizing.
 
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