what 3 knives would you bring on a long backpacking trip?

I'm planning on starting the PCT in april of next year. Remember, it's not uncommon for hikers on the PCT to walk 30+ miles in a day. Heck, you've got nothing better to do out there. When you're walking that far, especially at altitude, you'll be cursing the weight of those three redundant knives hourly. Additionally, most of the PCT is through Wilderness areas and parks so practicing your bushcraft skills would be frowned upon (not LNT). Basically you need to open packages of Ramen, cut bagels or fishing line, spread peanut butter, and rarely clean fish. A victorinox paring knife or the mora would be your best bets, and many would say the weight of those would be better spent in more sleeping bag loft or more full-coverage shelter.

That said, I'm planning on bringing my Aurora as my one (weighs as much as my tent) luxury item. Do as I say, not as I do.
 
Three knives is overkill IMHO if you're serious about going light. A small multi-tool such as a Leatherman model might be handy for fixing gear (stoves, glasses), and a light FB such as a Roselli Carpenter, a Mora or a Helle should be sufficient.
 
Hmmm - so seperate it into two questions.

PCT - I hear you. It's well-trodden, well-marked, and high impact. It's going to be camp-stove all the way.

Distinct thing is the low-use trail putzing about the John Muir Wilderness and Jennie Lakes Wilderness and stuff like that - where there's wood-gathering allowed, and some small worry about possibly getting lost.

Would you guys still drop down to one or two knives for that sort of thing?

(One reason for the two-knife is getting my companions to help clean fish. Another is that I've dropped a knife into an unretrievable place fishing before...)

thanks for all the help, you guys are great. I'm eying the RAT-3 and some BRKT now.

-thi
 
Funny - I asked this question over at knifeforums, and I got a lot of "3 isn't enough - you need a saw and a machete, too" or "a folder, a 3" fixed, and a 6" fixed!"

-thi
 
Well, I've never done the ultra-light thing, but I don't think I'd hit the backwoods with our a backup knife. Even if it was as simple as a SAK and a mora; SAK and another small slipjoint. Whatever. That really isn't much weight at all, and at least you wont be fubar is one gets toasted.

Of course, I'm not talking machete and a ka-bar here.
 
I'm not sure what leatherman you have but if it's a full size, I'd get the Squirt P4. Still has a useable pair of pliers plus it's lighter. Compared to the Wave you're saving 6 ounces. The P4 is all of 2 ounces.
Then I would buy a saw like the Gerber Sport saw, 3 ounces. For emergency fire and shelter building in an 'oh crap' situation.
Then I'd always go with a good fixed blade. I would opt for a good 4-5 inch but if you want light check out the Rat-3 at just under 5 ounces.

That would be what I would take given your parameters and it all weighs less than 10 ounces. And, you still have a good solid knife to fall back on in case of emergency. Of course I take more of a Nessmuk approach but then I also live at a higher lattitude and don't forget the rain.:D
 
Vic Huntsman, Spyderco Calypso 3, Busse Steelheart E. I'm close to 50, and climb Colorado's mountains all the time with these. I always look at it this way - if it's too much to carry, then I'm out of shape.
 
Knife 1 - one of these

SH Steel Heart - (1st choice)
Euro 6
NO-e

Knife 2

Active Duty Variant

Knife 3 - one of these

Vic Outrider
Leatherman Wave
 
I would have to go with a light fixed blade probably no more than 4-5 inches,
Bark river has some great choices, a mora would do but I like something just a bit heavier I am Looking at a SOG NW Ranger For this purpose. A good single blade folder Like a buck 110 gerber gator, or my Endura would probably fit the bill as well.

A Sak Rucksack or the military model Any locking blade with a saw and a screw driver

A fiskars or gerber pack hatchet, very light, good for nailing tent pegs in hard ground, splitting wood, etc. Hollow handle can store gear or extra chord.

Unless you are planning on trail blazing you dont need a machette or chopper.


I would probably throw in my EDC Folder or a becker necker just in case.
 
I typically carry my BK-7 on my belt, a Newt Livesay NRGS around my neck, and a 14 or 16 inch Tramontina on my pack. Sometimes the NRGS gets subtituted for a Mora of some type. Mac
 
To me some of the best knives that can be have come out of (and are still being produced by) the Wauseon factory (this is why I own so many of them). Having said that, if you are really concerned about every ounce that you need to carry then what I sugeest you do is get a Leuku / puukko combo. I have two sets of them. Steel is high carbon and all of them are sharper than what you can probably think of. The leuku has a blade of 8.25" and the puukko a blade of 3.5". Each pair of knives rides in the same leather sheath which is a type of a piggy-back sheath. There are some kind of plastic inserts inside each knife's housing so that the sharp blade cannot accidentaly pierce the scabbard. Although I haven't made a direct measurable comparison, I have the feeling that this combo in its sheath is lighter than my BUSSE HR with magnum handles sans sheath! Regarding pocket tools, I would suggect either a LEATHERMAN SURGE or, any of the VICTORINOX SWISSTOOL series.
 
I carry a Finnish Puukko (a bit over 4 oz - http://www.marttiini.fi/puukot/shop/prod.asp?ContID=224) and a Vaughan Supersportsman's Sub-zero hatchet (about 10 oz - http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/view_catalog_page.asp?id=1747#). If I'm not concerned with weight I might add a Vic SAK Farmer.

I used to carry a Leatherman, Valiantco golok, and Frosts Mora. It was over-kill and added way too many ounces to my pack.

I'd leave the leatherman at home. Just bring the Frosts Mora unless you've got some specific use for the spyderco (like a dedicated fish-cleaner or something).

You might want to consider a Pocket Chainsaw - it's about 5 ounces and would allow you to gather downed wood (that needs to be cut up) for a fire.
http://www.pocketchainsaw.com/
 
Regardless of the projected uses on a trip into the wilderness, I always pack a decent hatchet or a large knife or a machete that allows me to rapidly modify my environment.

Myself, I view my Norlund Voyageur hatchet as my primary survival blade.

What I would recommend is a:

Hatchet (Gransfor Bruks Wildlife Hatchet)
Multitool (Leatherman, SOG, Gerber, Etc.)

Fixed Blade (3.5"-5") There are a lot of neat fixed blades, but for backpacking a puukko style neck knife, like a Mora on a lanyard, is hard to beat.

A lightweight Rapala filet knife and a folding saw also come in handy and don't weigh much.
 
A fixed blade at least 4" long and a SAK........that would cover most tasks you may encounter !!!
 
I would break it down this way. Bring a small fixed blade (Mora) on a lanyard around your neck as your primary blade (food prep, fish cleaning, etc.) and keep a Leatherman on your pack strap (repairing gear, fishing, etc.). Then I would add one more blade as an absolute backup in your PSK. I would think an SAK or another Mora would probably work well here. I like the Leatherman Wave or Charge Ti (scissors will come in handy while fishing), but they are a bit heavier than the Juice K4 (no scissors, but has a saw and file). If you are really cutting weight, you could probably save a few ounces by going with a Juice in place of the Wave or Charge, but the lack of locking blades on the Juice is enough to make me opt for the extra weight. None of these blades are heavyweights. By having a primary blade and a primary tool (Leatherman), you save your last blade sealed up in your PSK for an absolute emergency. Worth the extra few ounces for the peace of mind, at least for me.

Oh, and stay away from the Leatherman Surge...WAY too heavy for your purposes.
 
I only take a SAK on long backpacking trips. No need for more when through hiking. If hiking into an area where I expect to set up a base camp and do day hikes; I may add a medium fixed blade to carry on the day hikes (most stuff remains at base camp).
Long trips mean more weight so I take less heavy stuff (like knives, guns, showers, cabanas etc.) (I do take a svensaw though, campfires are enjoyable and a big part of camping, IMO.)
When hunting I take a medium fixed blade in addition to the SAK. Hunting means that I am typically Jeep camping so the additional weight is no big deal.

Enjoy!
 
For light backpacking I carry my Brian Goode skinner, small fiskers camp hatchet and my sawvivor pack saw. Works for me but it's hard to leave my bigger blades at home. lol
 
I want to follow-up my previous post. I only addressed three knives. I of course would have my Norlund Camp Hatchet and or my Ontatio 12" hd machete.
 
Check out the Classic Lite Hunter Barkie over at DLT Trading Company. One of these a small Fiskars hatchet and a SAK Hiker wouldn't weigh much at all.
 
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