What are your carry options for a 4 day hike?

I admire all the minimalist's who only carry 2 small knives.

To be honest, I have had some bad experiences camping mostly due to my youthful stupidity that I just feel more comfortable carrying a large knife.

Besides, when I am in the woods, I do martial arts forms (emptyhands and weapons), for fun. I love it, it is my way of interacting with nature. The forms help me scale my energy down to a meditative state. One of the reasons I like backcountry is because I can be crazy and there are no soccer moms to judge me.
 
High Sierra-BM Griptilian.
To much distance and altitude gain to lug anything but a light-weight utility folder.
I know we all love having our knives but the reality is for 4 days in the high country that is all I need.

If I added another it would be a Becker Necker or a Mora.
 
I'm always changing my list. Keep in mind, I *always* have, in my pockets, as a minimum, a SAK Huntman in the woods, and a Spyderco Calypso or similar knife clipped to my pocket. In addition to that, I'll usually carry a small fixed blade, something like a SR Howling Rat/Bog Dog or Busse BA3/Satin Jack or CS SRK or Becker CU/7, something along those lines. That's for really strenuous hikes, I've done 10 of Colorado's 14,000 ft peaks with those. For something longer and slower, I'd opt for larger, either a SR Camp Tramp or Busse Steel Heart. Lately I've been playing with some HI Khukuries, but they might just be too bulky.
 
I wouldn't bother with the Delica, it's an around town knife IMO.

My gear- Ka-Bar MkII, LM Supertool, Vic Climber (in pack). Machete or kukri if I'm thinking I'll need a chopper, but if I'm moving fast I'm using my coffee can stove with a trangia, candles or small debris. And I'm more likely to add a saw than a chopper- can do as much, as fast and with a greater margin of error for less weight that way, and I've been using a machete since I was 12.
 
The knives that I have consistantly carried on backpacking trips are a RSK Mk 1 and some sort of SAK. As much as I enjoy my knives, espcially my BRKT's, I really haven't had the need for them. Although I carry my NorthStar from time to time. For mtn ranges Ive carried them in would include all over the Appalachians, from Springer Mtn in NE GA and Western NC, to MT Rogers VA, to Spruce Knob WV, to western MD, to the northern Rockies (Glacier Nat Park.) To Philmont Scout Ranch.
 
For four days backpacking, I'd go with my Gerber Ultralight LST. At 0.6oz., it's my designated chopper. If basecamping, I usually carry a Bark River Mountaineer.
 
Four days of backpacking: SAK trekker, Busse Mud Razor or Swamp Rat Camp Tramp.

If I am car camping with the family of kayak camping (leaving in about four hours for kayak fishing in the Everglades so I better get to bed): Busse FBM, Bager Attack Tac or Satin Jack Tac, and SAK Trekker
 
Multi-tool, hatchet, knife, spare knife.

Anything else? Maybe a lightweight folding saw like my Gerber.

bushcraftcombo2.jpg
 
I'm living in New Zealand right now, where tramping is a way of life. On 3-5 day tramps I get by with my SAK Huntsman and my Salt I. The only knives I brought with me. At home in Canada I usually carry my Ritter Grip and SAK Huntsman. Multi-day trips here have forced me to re-evaluate how much I carry in weight. I would rather carry more chocolate :D than the weight of three or four knives plus a heavy chopper. I've seen posts here where people outline their gear for a 2 day trip and the first 5 items are knives. Take one, MAYBE two knives. Leave the rest at home. My .02
 
Well, the original post was for a 4 day trip in the mountains. To me this means either the Rockies, the Cascades, or the Sierras.

The Leatherman is just with me by default. It's my do everything tool. I usually also wear the folding lockblade Kabar Mule for EDC.

For deep in the woods, the Hudson Bay style Norlund hatchet is my primary woods tool that gets added. The head is 14oz. If I add only one extra blade, this is it.

The fixed blade is light and in the field for cleaning game and fish I prefer a fixed blade. The blade pictures is an old Western SH-39 with a 440C stainless blade. Especially when you are around a lot of saltwater, you need to have stainless.

This setup is a standard traveling package. The Leatherman and the Mule I usually have on me, and the hatchet, hunting knife, and a superlight Gerber folding saw I toss into my gear before a trip. The hatchet, hunting knife, and saw add maybe 2 pounds (about 1 kilo) to the load, which to me is a barely noticeable amount.
 


I'd feel like I had my bases covered with these. The khuk might not be 100% necessary in terms of the added weight. But when off the grid, I tend to have a healthy concern for the dangers that come in the two legged variety. The added peace of mind is worth the weight.

Sean
 
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