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View Full Version : What type of knife do you carry?



FHThiker
08-29-2006, 15:20
Hi all, I've been tracking this forum for a long time and finally decided to join/post. I really like this forum. I've learned so much I've incorporated on my 3-10 day hikes here in SC/NC. A little 'bout myself: early 30s backpacker from SC. My goal is to do the AT before I'm 40...I'm planning a 2008 or 2009 AT thru-hike. I spend about 30-35 nights/year out backpacking and several hundred miles of hiking/year (that's with working full-time). I'm doing a 5-6 day Foothills Trail run (@ 80 miles) here in SC in October.

Anyway, to my question: what type of knife do you carry on the trail? I've always carried one of the large styled swiss army, but I just don't use all the tools that it has. It's a little on the heavy side. I'm thinking of going smaller. Here's what I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Swiss-Army-One-Hand/dp/B000687B44/sr=8-8/qid=1156878872/ref=pd_bbs_8/104-4040190-2935940?ie=UTF8

So what type of knife do you carry? Thougths, suggestions, etc.

Thanks for your help!

Lone Wolf
08-29-2006, 15:24
I carry the Swiss Army Sportsman II. Have for over 20 years.

DawnTreader
08-29-2006, 16:07
leatherman squirt.. plyers edition

Ender
08-29-2006, 16:13
Leatherman Micra.

Skidsteer
08-29-2006, 16:17
Gerber paraframe.

headchange4u
08-29-2006, 16:45
CRKT Van Hoy Snap Lock. (http://www.crkt.com/snaplock.html)

Amigi'sLastStand
08-29-2006, 17:15
22" machete and Swiss Army 8 tool knife, dont know the name.

Just Jeff
08-29-2006, 17:34
Gerber lockblade with a ~3" blade. Sometimes I carry a little multitool.

neo
08-29-2006, 17:46
i carry an ak-47 east german bayonet,it doubles as a wire fence cutter:cool: neo


http://www.centerfiresystems.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=736

saimyoji
08-29-2006, 19:38
Oh brother here we go.....

Who else carries a lightsaber? :rolleyes:

Just Jeff
08-29-2006, 20:00
Forgot to mention my claymore. There can be only one.

Footslogger
08-29-2006, 20:21
I carry the little swiss army knife (about 2" long) with a blade, scissors, tweezers and toothpick. Have never needed more.

'Slogger

Rendezvous01
08-29-2006, 20:22
Swiss Army Esquire. That's the little one with small blade, scissors, toothpick, tweezers, small screwdriver blade and worthless nailfile. I carry it everywhere. I had a larger one that I lost on the Trail in NC. I'm not a ultralight packer, but I realized that I didn't use most of the options on the bigger knife, so I replaced it with the little thing, and it served me well on my hike. I probably used the toothpick more often than the knife blade, and the scissors were handy on numerous occasions. You can get one at Target for under $10, or you can pay almost twice that at some outfitters.

SteveJ
08-29-2006, 20:43
leatherman squirt S4 http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/s4/default.asp

Daddy Longlegs
08-29-2006, 21:00
I really love my cheap small $10 swiss army knife but some times when I do not care about weight I carry my buck summit http://www.buckknives.com/catalog/detail/268/229

BigToe
08-29-2006, 21:16
I started out carrying a Leatherman Wave (~9 oz), then a Leatherman Squirt P4 (2 oz), and now carry a Swiss Army Knife Classic (3/4 oz). If I was doing more than 2 week AT section hikes or hiking in more remote areas, I would probably go back to one of the fuller featured multi-tools...

On my last three sections, I haven't needed anything more than the Classic.

Hey Daddy Longlegs, that Buck Summit looks pretty sweet. I have a soft spot in my heart for the Bucks. My first knife was the Buck Fisherman, a sheath knife that I still own (35 years later, O my God). It is in pristine condition and looks like it just came out of the box. I learned how to take care of knives with that one and never forgot.

hammock engineer
08-29-2006, 21:23
I carry the light my fire knife. Knife, firestarter, and whisle all in one.

http://www.basegear.com/toollogicsl3.html

neo
08-29-2006, 21:23
Forgot to mention my claymore. There can be only one.

:D like in the highlander:cool: neo

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091203/

Topcat
08-29-2006, 21:24
i carry a very light Opinal wood handled knife which i love.

sliderule
08-29-2006, 22:20
Swiss Army Classic.

MedicineMan
08-29-2006, 22:38
carried the micra but recently upgraded to squirt with scissors...advanage over micra is that you dont have to open the machine to access the tools....

dloome
08-29-2006, 22:52
I used to carry a Victorinox Classic mini. It's the most basic Swiss Army type knife with the one small blade, scissors, naile file, toothpick and tweezers. I cut off the nail file and removed the plastic sides and key ring.

I use the knife to cut cheese and stab mice, and the scissors and tweezers for first aid. It's got everything you need, weighs well under an ounce with modification. Nice and cheap too. I've seen some folks just bring a square razor. A knife is one of those things you don't use nearly as much as you think it will.

http://thegoodstuffshop.dk/Graphics/Products/7245b_m.jpg

FHThiker
08-30-2006, 07:25
A knife is one of those things you don't use nearly as much as you think it will.

http://thegoodstuffshop.dk/Graphics/Products/7245b_m.jpg

And that's been my experience. Honestly in the 10-12 weekend backpacking trips I've done so far this year, I think I've used that heavy 6 oz. swiss army of mine *maybe* once to open some food related packaging...and that's it. I like the idea of the small and light swiss army classic. I think that's the direction I'll be heading.

Thanks for everyone's replies. :sun

greentick
08-30-2006, 07:32
Gerber multitool. Don't remember which. Weighs between 4-6oz. Probably overkill.

FHThiker
08-30-2006, 07:33
Speaking of the swiss army classic, check out this "stayglow" color. This would be handy (I'm sure it could be found cheaper though):

http://www.swissknivesexpress.com/stayclasvics.html

Newb
08-30-2006, 07:42
This reminds me of Tim Thomerson's character in the movie "Volunteers"...he had a knife named "Mike".

HIKER7s
08-30-2006, 07:53
medium leatherman and a med sized buck

kyhipo
08-30-2006, 09:03
I lose my knives! so now i get the cheap ones,besides the most use my knife ever usually gets is cutting little rope,blisters,ect ect.ky

bigben
08-30-2006, 10:16
Victorionox Swiss Army Spartan Lite. Everything you need PLUS a LED back-up light in case your headlamp takes a dump. You just have to try not to let the batteries burn out in your pocket on accident. They're not easy to find.

Bigben

hikerjohnd
08-30-2006, 10:51
Until my last hike I carried a Leatherman Squirt S4 (scissors version) but when I was packing my stuff for my last trip I found it to be rusted shut. Now I take pretty good care of my stuff and I normally oil my knife before I put it away so I can only assume I forgot, but this was pretty bad to the point I could not even open it. I think I will replace it with something a bit more hefty - like a swiss army knife - but finding what is right will be the issue. All the tools with none of the weight...

hikerjohnd
08-30-2006, 11:06
http://www.swissknivesexpress.com/stayclasvics.html

Gotta love the description - "The fluorescent material has seen tested and is absolutely safe." OK - so does that mean it isn't radioactive? What exactly was the question about safety?

Michele
08-30-2006, 11:35
So, I found this knife that I think I might use.

http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Product.htm?category=outdoor&product=53431&

frequency
08-30-2006, 12:25
a tiny victorinox swiss army edition two swiss steel plades plus scissors and orange peeler blades...also a P-38 (there was a time when there some cans in my inventory of chow)... - total weight < 2 ozs.

TOW
08-30-2006, 12:30
Have been carrying a cheap chinese made knife, cost three dollars, with pliers for about six years, also have a Buck fold out knife for back up, cost twenty dollars. I use the cheap knife with pliers the most....

rockrat
08-30-2006, 18:15
I usually carry a single blade Buck Mantis that I got at Bass Pro Shops and a Swisscard in my billfold. The Swisscard has to be the most useful tool I've ever purchased.

mweinstone
08-30-2006, 18:31
anyone so weird they carry just one single edge razor blade? i might be weird enough. i like the idea. im all in.

hikerjohnd
08-30-2006, 18:40
anyone so weird they carry just one single edge razor blade? i might be weird enough. i like the idea. im all in.

I thought about that once... How would you keep it safe? I know if I carried one it would slice through my pack... :-?

ed bell
08-30-2006, 19:01
I thought about that once... How would you keep it safe? I know if I carried one it would slice through my pack... :-?fold a piece of duct tape over the blade.

mweinstone
08-30-2006, 19:10
box of matches

icemanat95
08-30-2006, 19:53
Swiss Army knife, climber or some such. Has a saw blade, file, straight blade, scissors, etc. Good knife. I sometimes carry my Emerson simply because I carry it everywhere already and don't want to leave it in the car. I just picked up a Cold Steel Ready Edge neck knife....that might take the Emerson's place...or maybe the Kershaw Leek. I like the Squirt S4 though.

jlb2012
08-31-2006, 08:10
I always carry a Swiss Army Midnite Mini Champ and sometimes I'll carry a Buck 290 Rush

The Solemates
08-31-2006, 08:35
no knife for me.

Bjorkin
08-31-2006, 12:06
I always carry my super sharp wit but at times I will resort to my super small swiss army knife.

vf457l
09-01-2006, 01:05
I have a Bucklite. Very light single blade folding knife. Hard to find though. It was the first knife I ever owned, had one as a child in Boy Scouts and lost it. I thought Buck stopped making it and then I found one about a year ago at an outdoor show. I was so happy.

speedy
09-01-2006, 02:03
I really wanted a Benchmade 160 (http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=160) for a long time. Shopped around ebay for a while and never could get it at a price I was willing to pay. Finally decided to get a $0.97 folding knife that was in the camping stuff at wal-mart. I absolutely love it. It's light, I don't have to worry about damaging it (afterall it was only a buck), and no more than it's used, it holds a decent edge. I might have to think about the razorblade in the matchbox idea though. Sounds really tempting. Still wouldn't mind having the 160 for off trail.

OldStormcrow
09-02-2006, 09:16
I always carry a Victorinox Swiss "Tinker" model. It has a saw for hiking poles or shelter poles, tweezers for splinters, toothpick for those bug parts stuck in your teeth, a can opener, scissors (the most useful part on it), a bottle opener for when you have good beer, a corkscrew for when you have good wine, etc. This is the only model they make that has this combination and I use every tool on it almost daily...on the trail or on the job. One of mine is even the camo edition....a really stupid idea for someone as near-sighted as I am. You drop it on the ground and it's lost! The only time I ever forgot it I was carrying a can of chicken to mix with my evening's pasta meal and had to open the can with a sharpened 16 penny nail and a rock.....just too noisey!

Uncle Silly
09-04-2006, 16:16
I carry a Spyderco lockblade with the serrated blade. A Leatherman Squirt (pliers version) gets stowed in my mandolin case, for changing strings. I usually don't need the other tools on the Leatherman, but they're nice to have just in case. The Spyderco gets daily use (mostly slicing cheese or cutting rope).