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

A RAT-3, a Leatherman Juice Pro and something light, cheap and crappy in case my wife needs to use a knife while we're out...
 
Any good knife with a blade long enough to hit the bottom of a peanut butter jar. Just one is needed. I used to cary a SAK, but since then I carry a fixed blade knife. Turns out it is more practical for my needs.
 
CS Carbon-V TrailMaster, Frost's Clipper Mora, Leatherman Blast. Anything I can't handle with those, I may as well just go home.
 
A Ranger RD-7 customized by Scott Tanguay
My RD-4 customized by Scott
And a Leatherman Wave

Gibson said it nicely: If I couldn't manage with those I wouldn't bother.
 
I don't own a Mora, but if I did, I imagine that I would take it.

Knives/blades that I have found to be useful in backpacking:

1. Good neck knife: Benchmade 160 TK-1 (my all-time favorite knife)
- great ergonomics
- very light
- safe neck lanyard: may lose knife, but better than being strangled!
- easily attached to pack

2. Good filet knife: Benchmade 10115 Steigerwalt
- very light: 1.7 oz!, even the sheath is light
- great kitchen knife

3. Light tomahawk
- lighter than a hatchet
- broken handle can be replaced

4. Swiss Army Knife with scissors & pliers
- usually only light-duty scissors & pliers needed in the woods
- lighter than a Leatherman style tool
- other tools are just a bonus

Generally, the best knife for a given task is going to be the one most easily reached - especially if you have your pack on!
 
This is what I carry with me pretty much everywhere I go and I mean literally everywhere.

Leatherman Supertool or wave(I have severa of both)-probably the most versatile tool around and it's multiple blades are razor sharp.

Benchmade AFCK or my Spy Military usually on me

Big 9 inch blade( mine is an SHBM)

These three go with me in a pack(small pack) and when I need a larger pack I either pack them in the other pack or get one of several duplicates I have and insert in larger 4500 class pack. I always have a hatchet and/or a machete in any vehicle so no matter what I will always be prepared.
 
1. Small hatchet (Norlund Hand Axe. If I could afford the weight I would take a GB SFA)

2. Eriksson Mora 510

3. Vic "Farmer"

4. Opinel folding saw (this is new to me)
 
My Generic Combo would be:

1. Large Fixed blade (chopper)
2. Small fixed/large folder (camp chores and all round user)
3. Multi-tool / SAK


So, I have several combo's I could go with.

1. HeavyHeart
2. Mora Clipper
3. Champion SAK (Like Champ, but older)

or

1. BK1
2. Wenger Mountaineer
3. gerber Mutli-tool

or

1. Ontario Machete
2. Becker Necker
3. Champion

Or, maybe packing a little smaller and lighter, slide down the weight/size scale and the RAT-7 becomes the "medium" chopper, replacing the big burly blades. Depends on season, terrain, etc.

and so on...... Mix and match.

For large Chopper you could substitute your hand axe, I prefer a large blade, it really just is a matter of preference.

I always try to make either 2. or 3. to be in Stainless, for food prep, again, you can prep food with carbon steel, no problems, but I prefer stainless when possible.

Also, like to have a little saw on one of them, that's why the Multi-tool, Wenger or Champion is always somewhere on the list.
 
Hhhhmmmmm. I would probalbly bring my becker combat bowie (9 inches). A SAK trekker if they have a saw. Also probalbly a a grohmann #4. I think that would pretty much cover it.
 
Vic. One Hand Trekker
Spyderco Paramilitary
Folding Saw (I have the Kershaw that is made in Finland)
 
RedEdge77 said:
Hhhhmmmmm. I would probalbly bring my becker combat bowie (9 inches). A SAK trekker if they have a saw. Also probalbly a a grohmann #4. I think that would pretty much cover it.
Click to expand...

They have a very good saw. It didn't take much time or real effort to cut through this partial limb.

bundevaluation003a.jpg


bundevaluation004a.jpg
 
If it were me and so worried about weight, I would ditch the spyderco and replace the Mora with a Cold Steel Bushman. You keep all the attributes of the spyderco and the mora and the weight is kept low cause the bushman is not a heavy knife, but it is a hell of a functional tool. Plus you can abuse the bushman till your hand falls off. I've never had much need for the leatherman when camping, unless for the can opener. But wait... the bushman is a dam good can opener, too. Yup, thats my 2 cents. Have fun in SoCal, wish I was there.
 
how do you use the can opener on a leatherman?

and does the trekker only come in serrated and could the serrations still allow me to carve?
 
You specified that there would be no shelter building and probably no
tree/ branch cutting so that kinda negates the need for hatchet or large knife.Otherwise i would also list a hatchet/large knife.
(Personally i don't think i'd go out without at least a small hatchet, the ground is really rocky here and driving in tent pegs can be very difficult without one).

For me i would carry a SAK and a mora clipper, a third knife seems kinda superfluous.
I love my OH Trekker, the saw is the best i've seen and i love the one handed opening i but would miss the scissors. So i would carry the OHT AND a Leatherman Micra around my neck, plus the mora.
Or a Vic Huntsman and the Mora.
The swisschamp is also great but a little thick/awkward if you intend to do precision carving/whittling.
If fishing and carving/whittling are a big part of your travels a third knife like a folding filet knife or stockman might come in handy.

In a pinch if you really needed to travel fast and light the Huntsman or Swisschamp would (by themselves) do most of what you need.
 
My three would be a Leatherman Wave, Wetterling 15" and a Mora (either the 510 or the 780).

If you don't have any plans on chopping or cutting, I agree that three is way overkill. A good multi-tool and a mora would cover all your bases.
 
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