View Full Version : choice of knife
sharper8
10-17-2012, 20:57
I've been thinking about getting a river knife for my thru hike . . . any negative points?
Wise Old Owl
10-17-2012, 21:04
Well I am not a river choice fan in the last five years, had one but going to take a pass you are welcome to check out a CRKT in my gallery.
max patch
10-17-2012, 21:05
If you are referring to the type of knife that my kayaking friends have attached to their PFD then thats way bigger than you need. The smallest swiss army knife is all you need. I like the swiss over other knives that are just as good as it includes the tweezers which you're gonna need.
I've been thinking about getting a river knife for my thru hike . . . any negative points?
The river knives are mostly serrated which is overkill for cutting mostly sausage and cheese and the occasional piece of 2mm rope. Victorinox Tinker has more than you need.
Plus the serrated part is hard to lick cleanish.
Drybones
10-17-2012, 21:36
If it weighs more than 2 oz, its too heavy.
Sarcasm the elf
10-17-2012, 22:22
I carry a leatherman Micra and have been quite happy with it, it weights 1.8oz and has several different tools that come in handy on the trail. I may soon switch over to the leatherman squirt PS4, which is basically the same thing except tht it also has a tiny set of pliers, which can be quite useful when trying to handle hot cooking pots or when making minor equipment repairs.
http://www.leatherman.com/product/Micra
http://www.leatherman.com/product/Squirt_PS4
That said, there's a part of me that is tempted to carry something ridiculous like a zombie defense Ka-Bar (http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=5725Z), just for the purpose of pissing off Ultralighter's that make a big deal out of how light your knife should be :D
If it weighs more than 2 oz, its too heavy.
I fail to understand blanket statements like this. Not that less than 2 ounces is not good, just that anything over 2 ounces would be dismissed out right.
Figure out what your really gonna use it for (IMO cutting sausage, cordage, cheese etc.) and then find the best fit for your values of weight and price. I am a big fan of the Gerber Paraframe mini.
I fail to understand blanket statements like this. Not that less than 2 ounces is not good, just that anything over 2 ounces would be dismissed out right.
The OP did ask for any negative points to carrying a "River Knife" which I assume is a large fixed blade knife like one of these: http://kayak.nrsweb.com/boating/River%20Knife
I think the point is that there are plenty of knives out there that weigh less than 2 oz. that will do the job.
I either carry a Leatherman Micra or a Swiss Army Classic. The most useful implement on either of these knives is the scissors.
You don't need a 8 oz multitool or a Rambo survival knife. But hey if someone wants to carry one than go for it. HYOH
Hiking uphill out of Neel's Gap in 2010 I came upon a big buck knife sitting in the trail. My immediate reaction was "Anyone carrying something this big and heavy is someone I'll likely catch up to soon". And so it was, within a mile I caught up to a fellow hauling a predictably enormous pack. He was happy to get his knife back.
I personally think the 2 oz limit is too high, and especially for the AT. My Wenger "Esquire" weighs 0.8 oz. The most useful attachment is the little scissors, not the blade.
I recall sometime on the trail this year, in Oregon I think, I passed a couple of day hikers (both guys), armed both with pistols and ludicrously large knives (really daggers) hanging from their belts. I'm sure these guys thought the hardware made them look tough. In my eyes, at least, it just looked ludicrous, pathetic. Well, and a little dangerous (not in a good way), as I suspect it's tough for boys to carry big weapons and resist the urge to play with them in some way or another. Or worse, overreact to imagined threats or insults. It just made me want to get away from them ASAP.
FWIW, I do use a river knife like that when kayaking, and I keep it handy; being able to quickly cut a rope could be important on occasion when kayaking. Okay, almost never there too, but weight isn't an issue in that situation.
I guess I should learn to stop responding to new threads about knives ... I just can't resist telling the Neel's Gap story now and again, however! :-)
yellowsirocco
10-18-2012, 10:11
I have carried something similar to the tiny swiss army before and it is just a bit too short for my liking. I like one that is about a half to an inch longer. I like a slightly larger one mainly for cooking purposes. I like to eat a little better than most.
+1 to Donde! that is great advice and dead on.
88BlueGT
10-18-2012, 11:24
Personally, I think everyone has different opinions on knifes on the trail. I have ALWAYS carried a tiny 'Appalachian Trail' (brand) knife, the blade is maybe 1.5" and its very light as the handle is hollow in through the middle. However, as I have been doing more hiking by myself, I feel more comfortable carrying a larger blade. I now carry an amazingly durable/well balanced/fixed blade that I picked up a long time ago, Ozark Trail, pretty sure its K-Mart brand. I put it to my sharpening stone last weekend and it does the job and will dice cheese with no problems :) I guess I carry it more for personal safety.. just makes for a piece of mind. I KNOW there is no reason but it... but like they say, you don't need it until you need it.
RoyalCannon
10-18-2012, 13:40
I'm in the midst of planning my 2013 thru and I'm planning on bringing the following:
Swiss Tech Utili Key 6-in-1 (http://www.swisstechtools.com/proddetail.aspx?pid=5) -- 0.5oz
and
Swiss Tech Micro Tech 6-in-1 (http://www.swisstechtools.com/proddetail.aspx?pid=6) -- 1.6oz
The OP did ask for any negative points to carrying a "River Knife" which I assume is a large fixed blade knife like one of these: http://kayak.nrsweb.com/boating/River%20Knife
I think the point is that there are plenty of knives out there that weigh less than 2 oz. that will do the job.
I either carry a Leatherman Micra or a Swiss Army Classic. The most useful implement on either of these knives is the scissors.
You don't need a 8 oz multitool or a Rambo survival knife. But hey if someone wants to carry one than go for it. HYOH
I agree with you Don H. I carry either a crkt m16 Gerber knockoff or a gerber medium paraframe, both under 2 oz. However, i am going on a 10 day no resupply next year and may put my "alot" heavier leatherman wave in the pack because of the scissors and a small saw. I know they have lighter versions that do the same, but i'm not inclined at this time to spend more money just to save a few ounces when i have something that will do. Eventually i may do just that and replace it. My point was simply that "may find heavier than you need" is probably the better answer here.
Hiking uphill out of Neel's Gap in 2010 I came upon a big buck knife sitting in the trail. My immediate reaction was "Anyone carrying something this big and heavy is someone I'll likely catch up to soon". And so it was, within a mile I caught up to a fellow hauling a predictably enormous pack. He was happy to get his knife back.
I personally think the 2 oz limit is too high, and especially for the AT. My Wenger "Esquire" weighs 0.8 oz. The most useful attachment is the little scissors, not the blade.
I recall sometime on the trail this year, in Oregon I think, I passed a couple of day hikers (both guys), armed both with pistols and ludicrously large knives (really daggers) hanging from their belts. I'm sure these guys thought the hardware made them look tough. In my eyes, at least, it just looked ludicrous, pathetic. Well, and a little dangerous (not in a good way), as I suspect it's tough for boys to carry big weapons and resist the urge to play with them in some way or another. Or worse, overreact to imagined threats or insults. It just made me want to get away from them ASAP.
FWIW, I do use a river knife like that when kayaking, and I keep it handy; being able to quickly cut a rope could be important on occasion when kayaking. Okay, almost never there too, but weight isn't an issue in that situation.
I guess I should learn to stop responding to new threads about knives ... I just can't resist telling the Neel's Gap story now and again, however! :-)
These kind of commets/responses always crack me up :) yeah...maybe you should stop responding as you advised yourself :)
You should take a look at the Kershaw brand their great knifes.
88BlueGT
10-18-2012, 16:06
^^ Yes, they are.
Llama Legs
10-18-2012, 16:20
I took a small stainless steel butter knife and ground off the serrations, then polished it to a smooth blunt finish. Perfect for spreading peanut butter/nutella, very easy and safe to lick clean. Plus I have a tiny tiny swiss knife for sharp jobs...
gentrified
10-18-2012, 18:29
none needed. I carried a tiny pair of sicssors. More useful than any knife. No knife was needed for any point in the trip.
GAME 2012
The Snowman
10-18-2012, 19:41
Swiss Army knifes all the way I buy them from the warehouse sales for next to nothing.
Wise Old Owl
10-18-2012, 19:56
Because they are great for cuttin the cheese and cannot stay sharp when cutting wood or survival - you get what you pay for,,,, easy.
It was originally designed for working on cleaning a gun.... I can't remember when the swiss had a gun....
Sarcasm the elf
10-18-2012, 20:46
Because they are great for cuttin the cheese and cannot stay sharp when cutting wood or survival - you get what you pay for,,,, easy.
It was originally designed for working on cleaning a gun.... I can't remember when the swiss had a gun....
I thought your comment was funny and I was about to make a comment questioning how their army could fight using those little knives...then I decided to look it up, I guess I was wrong :eek:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Switzerland#Individual_weapons
Under the country's militia system, professional soldiers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_army) constitute about 5 percent of military personnel; the rest are male citizen conscripts 19 to 34 (in some cases up to 50) years old. Because of a long history of neutrality (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrality_(international_relations)), the army does not take part in armed conflicts in other countries, but takes part in peacekeeping missions around the world.
Weapons marked in bold are considered personal equipment of the soldier (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pers%C3%B6nliche_Ausr%C3%BCstung_( Swiss_Army)&action=edit&redlink=1), who is responsible for their well-functioning and must keep them at home until the end of the military service (unless living near an external border of Switzerland).[33] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Switzerland#cite_note-32) Between brackets is the number of such weapons in personal equipment as of 31 January 2009.[34] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Switzerland#cite_note-33) Swiss army knives (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_army_knife) are also issued, but are not considered weapons.
:D
swjohnsey
10-18-2012, 21:19
Because they are great for cuttin the cheese and cannot stay sharp when cutting wood or survival - you get what you pay for,,,, easy.
It was originally designed for working on cleaning a gun.... I can't remember when the swiss had a gun....
Interesting, every male Swiss citizen has a machine gun (actually an assault rifle) in his closet with 200 rounds of ammo.
It's part of how they stay neutral. Also back in the day mercs used to be there #1 export, but some treaty stopped that. They can only send mercs to one place now, the vatican.
swjohnsey
10-20-2012, 08:33
Yeah, the Vatican Swiss Guard, most colorful army in the world!
Odd Man Out
10-20-2012, 09:43
I hate to hijack this already hijacked thread, but does anyone else bring two knives? I find I like to have a SAK knife for cutting things (rope, cheese), and a plastic knife (from a fast food place) for spreading PB, jam, butter, etc... I don't like to get gooey stuff in the hinges of the SAK and I don't have a machine gun in my closet.
Different activities call for different knives. On my thruhike the very smallest Swiss Army knife worked just fine. Then the year after the hike I discovered tall-ship sailing. On my ship, every crew member aboard is required to carry a nonfolding rigging knife at all times, especially when going aloft. For that I have a heavy professional grade sheath knife with a wicked serrated edge. That makes for messy cutting but lets you cut heavy lines fast, an important safety factor. On the Trail that knife would just be useless dead weight.
swjohnsey
10-20-2012, 10:33
I hate to hijack this already hijacked thread, but does anyone else bring two knives? I find I like to have a SAK knife for cutting things (rope, cheese), and a plastic knife (from a fast food place) for spreading PB, jam, butter, etc... I don't like to get gooey stuff in the hinges of the SAK and I don't have a machine gun in my closet.
I use my knife for cuttin' stuff and my Sea to Summit spoon for spreadin' stuff.
I only carried a single razer blade to cut up my leukotape. I'd carry the smallest possible knife if I had to cut up food, though
Giantsbane
10-22-2012, 13:29
I typically take two knives as well, my smaller folding Opinel for my food and a larger belt knife for everything else. I think I'm going to get a Mora knife next.
turtle fast
10-22-2012, 13:40
Has anyone found a knife that incorporates a nail clipper? For those of us that do not use a bounce box.
Sarcasm the elf
10-22-2012, 14:04
W
Has anyone found a knife that incorporates a nail clipper? For those of us that do not use a bounce box.I have found that the scissors on my leatherman micra work quite well for cutting nails, it might be worth trying.
Has anyone found a knife that incorporates a nail clipper? For those of us that do not use a bounce box.
I just saw the victorinox classic now comes with a built in clipper It possibly could have been the Wenger brand Swiss knife. Check both sites.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
SunnyWalker
10-22-2012, 20:26
Bear Grylls Scout Knife. Really light. I have been throwing around the issue of which knife to take on my thru also. Lately I saw some reviews of this knife and am intrigued by the Gear Grylls success. I looked over the reivews for this on YouTube and then bought one at local Wal-Mart. It does have a light handle and I think it might serve me well. Although, knowing myself I may change my mind several times before may 2013. Then i may have several different knives in my bounce box. Fun, fun. Like I said, not only are knives useful and necessary but fun to take out and look at and think of how cool they are. One of the oldest tools known to man?!? Might as well get a good one, a cool one and then you can cut cheese in style!
Odd Man Out
10-22-2012, 21:27
Has anyone found a knife that incorporates a nail clipper? For those of us that do not use a bounce box.
Here are two. I suggest the first.
http://www.wengerna.com/swiss-clipper-16930
http://www.wengerna.com/giant-knife-16999
turtle fast
10-22-2012, 21:37
The Wenger looks perfect (not the giant 2 pound monstrosity) but at 1.3 oz looks like it fits the bill as cutting a pepperoni with a razor blade does not appeal to me. As well the cutting of toenails with a scissors seems to me an injury waiting to happen.
hypnolobster
10-22-2012, 23:19
I carry a Dermasafe folding razor blade or a tiny little Spyderco Bug (both about the same weight, dermasafe is larger but more fragile) and the tweezers out of a swiss army knife.
I used to scoff at hikers that carried a razor blade for a knife, and now I'm one of them. Honestly, it's still more than I need.
It's almost impossible for anyone to know what's right for you. What I will tell you is that asking about a specific model is backwards. You should provide your requirements and limitations first.
daddytwosticks
10-23-2012, 07:10
I carry the smallest Swiss Army knife w/tweezers and bring along a cheap plastic disposable knife for spreading peanut butter or cutting cheese. If it breaks or gets lost, pick up another disposable one at a fast food joint along the trail. :)
Hosaphone
10-23-2012, 08:33
I typically take two knives as well, my smaller folding Opinel for my food and a larger belt knife for everything else. I think I'm going to get a Mora knife next.
I used to carry a tiny SAK for the scissors mostly, and a mora knife. Reasonably light (I think the mora + sheath was like 3oz). Then I realized I never used the mora knife...
I'm thinking about moving towards using a wood stove as much as possible, though, so maybe I'll start carrying a real blade again.
Giantsbane
10-23-2012, 15:33
I used to carry a tiny SAK for the scissors mostly, and a mora knife. Reasonably light (I think the mora + sheath was like 3oz). Then I realized I never used the mora knife...
I'm thinking about moving towards using a wood stove as much as possible, though, so maybe I'll start carrying a real blade again.
That's the same kind of stove that I use! A fixed blade belt knife definetly helps split the slightly larger sticks if you can't find the smaller ones.
88BlueGT
10-24-2012, 10:52
I guess I 'technically' carry two knives. A plastic GSI and a real knife.
Hiking uphill out of Neel's Gap in 2010 I came upon a big buck knife sitting in the trail. My immediate reaction was "Anyone carrying something this big and heavy is someone I'll likely catch up to soon". And so it was, within a mile I caught up to a fellow hauling a predictably enormous pack. He was happy to get his knife back.
I personally think the 2 oz limit is too high, and especially for the AT. My Wenger "Esquire" weighs 0.8 oz. The most useful attachment is the little scissors, not the blade.
I recall sometime on the trail this year, in Oregon I think, I passed a couple of day hikers (both guys), armed both with pistols and ludicrously large knives (really daggers) hanging from their belts. I'm sure these guys thought the hardware made them look tough. In my eyes, at least, it just looked ludicrous, pathetic. Well, and a little dangerous (not in a good way), as I suspect it's tough for boys to carry big weapons and resist the urge to play with them in some way or another. Or worse, overreact to imagined threats or insults. It just made me want to get away from them ASAP.
FWIW, I do use a river knife like that when kayaking, and I keep it handy; being able to quickly cut a rope could be important on occasion when kayaking. Okay, almost never there too, but weight isn't an issue in that situation.
I guess I should learn to stop responding to new threads about knives ... I just can't resist telling the Neel's Gap story now and again, however! :-)
yes, that was a close call.
SunnyWalker
01-25-2013, 00:40
Hey Odd Man Out, good idea!
rocketsocks
01-25-2013, 00:50
19227......I use a swiss army knife 3.2oz bout the same as a deck of cards.
BirdBrain
01-25-2013, 01:20
I carry a leatherman Micra and have been quite happy with it, it weights 1.8oz and has several different tools that come in handy on the trail. I may soon switch over to the leatherman squirt PS4, which is basically the same thing except tht it also has a tiny set of pliers, which can be quite useful when trying to handle hot cooking pots or when making minor equipment repairs.
http://www.leatherman.com/product/Micra
http://www.leatherman.com/product/Squirt_PS4
That said, there's a part of me that is tempted to carry something ridiculous like a zombie defense Ka-Bar (http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=5725Z), just for the purpose of pissing off Ultralighter's that make a big deal out of how light your knife should be :D
1922819229
Micra on left. PS4 Squirt on right.
I prefer the PS4 Squirt because it has tick removers (otherwise known as pliers.
kidchill
01-25-2013, 18:27
I think I carried a leatherman that weighed around 3oz...honestly, I used the damn thing twice in 2200 miles and both times I was in town and could've borrowed someones. I was gonna replace it about half-way thru with something lighter, but just said screw it. A large fixed blade knife is probably overkill. Someone suggested anything over 2oz is overkill, IDK if that's truly the magic number, but you don't need much...I met a guy that carried like 4 knives and all were oversized...for what?
Wise Old Owl
01-25-2013, 18:48
Interesting, every male Swiss citizen has a machine gun (actually an assault rifle) in his closet with 200 rounds of ammo.
Would you fix a rifle with a swiss army knife? - nope
I hate to hijack this already hijacked thread, but does anyone else bring two knives? I find I like to have a SAK knife for cutting things (rope, cheese), and a plastic knife (from a fast food place) for spreading PB, jam, butter, etc... I don't like to get gooey stuff in the hinges of the SAK and I don't have a machine gun in my closet.
aww - tad conflicted .... no worries mate. Yes two knives are perfect.... one for cutting cheese and the other cuts wood.
I used to scoff at hikers that carried a razor blade for a knife, and now I'm one of them. Honestly, it's still more than I need.
It's almost impossible for anyone to know what's right for you. What I will tell you is that asking about a specific model is backwards. You should provide your requirements and limitations first.
You and me both and they still don't shave or bathe...
I carry the smallest Swiss Army knife w/tweezers and bring along a cheap plastic disposable knife for spreading peanut butter or cutting cheese. If it breaks or gets lost, pick up another disposable one at a fast food joint along the trail. :)
Broken works too... don't loose your edge.
I think I carried a leatherman that weighed around 3oz...honestly, I used the damn thing twice in 2200 miles and both times I was in town and could've borrowed someones. I was gonna replace it about half-way thru with something lighter, but just said screw it. A large fixed blade knife is probably overkill. Someone suggested anything over 2oz is overkill, IDK if that's truly the magic number, but you don't need much...I met a guy that carried like 4 knives and all were oversized...for what?
Heh great... I just flat out disagree with the highlighted part.... see gallery!
G-FOURce
01-25-2013, 18:57
http://www.rei.com/product/836226/victorinox-little-vickie-utility-knife
Weighs 1oz (incl protective sheath)
3.5" blade
big enough handle to hold securely/comfortably
i got mine when they were on sale for < $5. If I were going on an extended hike where I needed nail clippers, this knife is light enough that I could just carry nail clippers, too. I personally would prefer to use actual nail clippers and an actual knife than a miniature, multi-tool that had a somewhat compromised version of each.
I have always carried the smallest Swiss Army knife they make around my neck but when I return to the AT this May I plan on bringing a small Mora fixed blade knife. I've switched over to a woodburning cookstove and will using the knife to baton wood especially when it's wet and for starting campfires. It'll also come in handy for providing a false sense of security when I'm camping alone and that's priceless. :)
Cat in the Hat
G-FOURce
01-26-2013, 12:05
It'll also come in handy for providing a false sense of security when I'm camping alone and that's priceless. :)
Classic! Maybe I do need a bigger knife...
I use my knife for cuttin' stuff and my Sea to Summit spoon for spreadin' stuff.
Me too. Small knife or micro multi-tool for cutting. Spoon (actually titanium spork) for spreading stuff.
G-FOURce
01-27-2013, 09:47
?... Spoon (actually titanium spork) for spreading stuff.
Agreed. I opted to splurge and got my son and I a pair of S2S titanium spoons that weighs 0.1oz each.
Wise Old Owl
01-27-2013, 10:57
If it weighs more than 2 oz, its too heavy.
I fail to understand blanket statements like this. Not that less than 2 ounces is not good, just that anything over 2 ounces would be dismissed out right.
I am still waiting for the 2oz Jetboil.....
19288
rocketsocks
01-27-2013, 11:09
I am still waiting for the 2oz Jetboil.....
19288Damit Woo, now I have to clean my computer again.....sticky freakin oatmeal everywhere!
Why am I drawn to knife threads and stove threads and not firearm threads?
When you think about it firearms are sort of like knives and stoves in own package.
Maybe it's because my eyesight sucks and I'm a lousy shot. I do miss my FNC1 though.
Guns are kinda like trophy brides though. Very high maintenance.
Knives and stoves are a lot closer to the kinda girls I used to go out with.
Ended up with a fine old woodstove. 2-3 cord of wood each season and we're both happy.
Maybe just 1 cord of wood per season lately, but still gives a fine heat.
Odd Man Out
01-27-2013, 12:42
I covet the Wenger knife with the nail clippers, because I must keep my toenails well clipped to avoid infected toes.
It has the small, knife, tweezers, toothpick, small scissors too. Everything I want, nothing else at 1.3 oz.
But I'm not sure how well the nail clippers would work. Anyone have experience with this product?
swjohnsey
01-27-2013, 12:48
IMHO anyone/everyone needs a knife. I doesn't take much to get the job done. Mine is a Gerber LST that weighs less than an ounce. I put my toenail clippers in my bounce box.
Prime Time
01-28-2013, 15:44
I carry a 3" folding buck knife in a sheath that straps to my hip belt. I've carried it for 28 years and it's as good as new. It weighs 3.3 ounces, including the homemade sheath, it serves many purposes and I'm pretty handy with it. Not every trip or hike is the same so knife usage certainly varies, but here's a brief list of things I have used it for over the years: Slicing food, opening packages, spreading peanut butter, slicing open my bagel (no fun with a 1.5 inch blade), cutting rope, straps, the legs off my hiking pants to make shorts out of them once. I use it to create kindling shavings for starting campfires, I love to whittle at camp, I carve names, dates, etc for other hikers on their sticks (used to do this more before trekking poles), have made "camp furniture" using my knife to notch out where branches join, made my future wife smile once by carving our names in a tree (relax, the tree's still there), I've lost a few dollars betting I can throw it into a small target from too far away. I've never had to defend myself with it and doubt I ever will, but if I had too it would probably serve me better than my bare fists or my ultra mini swiss folding pin. I don't think it makes me look cool or scary, but it is the only piece of gear in my pack that I can play with. You see you can hike all day, set up camp, eat and go to bed or you can pass some time doing nothing particularly important except enjoying your trip just a little more with an old friend. I'll keep my knife thanks.
ViolentOrgasm
01-28-2013, 18:55
All you need is a razorblade. I carry mine in a small plastic diaphram turkey call case.
sgt easy
01-28-2013, 19:25
with a name like that, v.o., a knife would be superfluous...the diaphram, maybe not :) seriously, i carry a "makeready knife" blade (like a razor blade but smaller) with my mini-tweezers in a tube as part of the first aid kit; in my pocket, a boker mini ak-74 (2.5" partly-serrated auto-opener) weighing 1.75 oz. with the clip removed. I like the one handed, automatic opening feature. and it's cheap.
Capt Nat
01-29-2013, 09:46
I carry a full size hunting/combat knife. I don't use it every day, but I use it for something at least several times a week. It gives me pleasure having it. It is a good one because I don't want to carry a cheap piece of crap. I will not ask anyone to carry it for me, don't ask to use it because I don't loan it out...
staehpj1
01-29-2013, 10:23
I carry a plastic thingie that is a knife spatula hybrid. It is part of the Guyot Designs MicroBites Utensils set. The whole set weighs about an ounce and a half and the serrated edge cuts surprisingly well for plastic. It comprises my entire eating and cooking set of utensils, cuts veggies, cheese, and sausage while also being great for spreading peanut butter and such.
I do also carry a Gerber ultralight LST, but almost never use it. It weighs about 0.6 ounces though so I take it along just in case.
BTW, I really crack up when I hear guys say that they carry some big knife for defending against boars and bears.