Over the years I have been camping countless times in varying conditions and situations. From far northern Canada in the dead of winter all the way down as far south as Newport Beach California to the tropical beaches of Hawaii. Even though the gear I needed varied from location to location there has always been one piece that had stayed the same and regardless of where I was, still remained my go to tool, a solid knife.
My point of view on these knives comes from my experiences, I’m sure that there are others out there that have stood the test of time. I just haven’t used them yet. I also have an affinity for full tang blades; I don’t like the mechanics of a folding blade. To me it’s just one more thing that could possibly fail.
When you are thinking about buying your camping knife there are a few things you need to consider like the size of the blade, construction materials, sheath, and price to name a few.
One of my go to considerations are peer reviews, do people use the knife and does it stand up to what it was built for. Basically whichever you decide on it will always come down to what you need it for, my needs are different that yours. So this list will only help you get a bearing point for you to compare your wants and needs verse mine.
#1 Victorinox Swiss Army, Camper
Amazon Product Link
Starting small, but mighty. This knife in my mind is the most versatile camping tool on the market. They are a classic and a great place to start when buying knives. They are smaller and less bulky than a full out leatherman, the combinations of tools are more useful, and the two knives are sharp right out of the box. Let’s not even start in about how useful the tweezers are.
#2 Buck, Vanguard
Amazon Product Link
If you ever get the opportunity to handle one of these knives, you will instantly feel the craftsmanship that went into making it. I have large hands and the handle on the vanguard, fits a little small, but not too small that I wouldn’t bring it with me hunting. The blade and the wooden handle make for an all around beautiful knife.
#3 KA-BAR Marine Corps fighting knife
Amazon Product Link
This knife has been with the Marine Corps since WWII, and is still used today. One of the best things about this knife is the steel its made from (in my opinion). The steel is 1095 CroVan which won’t be razor sharp out of the box but that deliberate. Anyone who knows anything about their knives should be able to put their own edge on their blade. The practicality of the steel it’s made from makes sharpening it on any hard surface easy. Which is great if you don’t have any store bought tools around you, when you’re out camping.
#4 Buck/Hood, Thug blade
Amazon Product Link
This Blade is heavy duty while still being nicely balanced in hand. It’s a large fixed full tang blade that can take on whatever gets thrown at it. Lets just say this if the world is going to end and I had only a few minutes to grab the most essential items from my home, this would be the knife. Survivalist till the end.
#5 Spyderco, Bushcraft
Amazon Product Link
The very first thing that you’ll notice about this knife is its weight and thick spine.
I loved how this knife looks and how sharp it came right out of the box. One of the disadvantages about this knife is the handle. Its smooth, which makes using it in wet conditions an issue. But seeing as I don’t enjoy camping in the rain, and I try and avoid it, I wouldn’t worry much about whether to bring this one along.
There are endless amounts of knives out there to choose from, when your going out to purchase one for yourself just make sure you know what you’ll be using it for, knives can be situational and are meant for specific purposes. The knife I would use on a beach is a lot different from the knife I would use in the frozen tundra. Don’t forget a good knife can make or break your camping trip.
Remember to be safe and pack the right tools!