- Joined
- Nov 2, 2012
- Messages
- 149
Many of us love big knives, but they really aren't practical for backpacking. Every now and then I'll throw a big knife in my pack for fun if I'm doing a short hike and plan to have a fire, but usually I'm cutting weight everywhere I can, which includes knives. For any serious backpacking trip (more than 10 miles/day usually, sometimes 20+), I carry a SAK Huntsman and sometimes a BK24, BK11, or a Mora. It seems like there are always threads popping up where someone asks what knife they should get for backpacking, and lots of people are pointing them towards 6"+ fixed blades. Sure, that's what I would carry if all I could have was a water bottle and one knife, but they seem silly when you are hiking all day with a 40lb survival kit on your back, shelter included.
For those of us who actually backpack, and don't just fantasize about surviving in the wilderness, what knife do you carry, for what mileage, and what do you use it for? I did a 250 mile through hike solo this past summer, averaging 17 miles/day, and carried only a SAK Huntsman and a BK24. It was high mountain terrain that varied from 4,000 feet to over 14,000 feet, the temps varied from 106 to ~15, it rained, it hailed, it snowed, and the wind blew it sideways. I never felt like I needed more knife. Honestly, I could have gotten away with only the SAK, but having a small fixed blade came in handy for cleaning fish and gave me some peace of mind for 'just in case' scenarios (although I did use it for occasional wood processing). I used the SAK's blade to open food packages, the scissors to trim bandages, the tweezers and tooth pick for first aid, the saw to notch branches before breaking them, and the screwdriver to open/close my bear canister. So, what do you carry into the wilderness, and why?
Edited to include picture:
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For those of us who actually backpack, and don't just fantasize about surviving in the wilderness, what knife do you carry, for what mileage, and what do you use it for? I did a 250 mile through hike solo this past summer, averaging 17 miles/day, and carried only a SAK Huntsman and a BK24. It was high mountain terrain that varied from 4,000 feet to over 14,000 feet, the temps varied from 106 to ~15, it rained, it hailed, it snowed, and the wind blew it sideways. I never felt like I needed more knife. Honestly, I could have gotten away with only the SAK, but having a small fixed blade came in handy for cleaning fish and gave me some peace of mind for 'just in case' scenarios (although I did use it for occasional wood processing). I used the SAK's blade to open food packages, the scissors to trim bandages, the tweezers and tooth pick for first aid, the saw to notch branches before breaking them, and the screwdriver to open/close my bear canister. So, what do you carry into the wilderness, and why?
Edited to include picture:

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