What knife in USA when you go camping....and bushcrafting....?

I think in the US, there are 4 major visions of being in the US. The TACTICAL/MILITARY ideal is very strong. Knives like the classic Ka-bar and other tactical style knives remain popular. Many people have outfitted their "camping" supplies almost exclusively from military surplus stores.

The HUNTING/FISHING ideal is probably more popular here than in the U.K. owing in part to our more liberal gun laws. I just got back from hunting camp and my cousin was carrying a hollow ground Buck 119, which is sort of protypical.

The BACKPACKING/CLIMBING approach is quite strong here. Light, small knives like the SAK are most common among backpackers.

The BUSHCRAFT/SURVIVAL approach has certainly become popular. Among production knives, I think among the latter, full flat grinds are quite popular.

The US used to embrace saber and convex grind knives. Somewhere in the 50s and 60s, I think the hollow grind pretty much took over.
 
My fixed blade field knife is a Benchmade 162 Bushcraft. I also have a Western #W36 that was my father's. Between these two, I figure that I am set for hunting or camping.
 
Chui-888 said:
- thanks for replies, fellas

And, also, are there any knives made your side of the pond with scandi/sabre grinds that may fit the bill too...?
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Typically, my ESSE-6 is my go to, riding 11:00 horizontal on my belt. It seems to me to do most everything pretty well (tasks in your OP).

My Spyderco Bushcraft in o1 I would say pretty well answers your question above (scandi from our side of the pond). Had a small secondary when I got it, but flat ground a scandi bevel to cutting edge on each side. G10 handle has very nice ergonomic profile. A Chris Claycomb collaboration knife with Spyderco & BushcraftUK.com. Very nice when doing a lot of detail wood cutting (notches, joints, etc.).

Lt. weight orange Mora (with a true Scandi) lives in my pack (unless space is needed). Pretty amazing value, after you finish your own bevels and put a sharp 90 on the spine :-)

Regards,
 
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Honestly I've never needed more than a pocket knife. Wood is not hard to come by where I live.
I do bring a fixed blade when I was camping around the mid west for 2 weeks, a busse TG. Barely used it other than to break down a bigger piece of wood.

I've never bushcraft, since I'm in a city, but I do practice firebuilding and feathering with my Scandi knife.
 
- interesting answers, all........thank you very much :thumbup: :)

Have to admit, I had visions of the majority of you using d-p hunters and the like mostly, with a good sprinkling of Busses thrown in :D And, yes, some of the Esee series are very useful around the camp/in the woods.

The most used in UK is the Woodlore - the classic Ray Mears style, of which there's now a new one - and some others that have grown in the back of it.

A few pics here...

























 
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