Camping is a great way to get out and experience nature. You can rough it in the outdoors with friends, family, or alone and enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods. However, camping is not necessarily easy. A lot of your experience will vary depending on the gear you bring, and unless you’re a survivalist, you’re probably going to want to pack up! One of the most important things to have with you in any outdoor living is a camping knife. They have a variety of uses, including self-defense, cutting wood for fire, or even meal prep.
Are you planning a camping trip but don’t know what knife to choose? Do you need one with survival tools, or just a straight blade for cutting? How big does it need to be, and what should it cost? These are all questions that new campers may not know. Fortunately, we can help!
In the following piece we’ll go over what to look for when buying a camping knife, as well as some of our picks. Happy browsing!
Depending on what you need it for, you have some choices for a camping knife.
Price – Your first consideration will likely be your price range, as knives can vary greatly in their costs. Generally, a higher-quality knife will last longer than a cheaper option, but unless you plan to use it regularly, you may be able to get away with a cheaper knife. For most good-quality camping knives, you can expect to pay between $35 and $250, depending on your requirements. This is the range our recommendations will fall into as well so you can be confident in our picks.
Folded or Straight – Next, you can decide if you would prefer a fixed blade or a foldable blade. Fixed blades are generally stronger when full-tang (metal entirely through the handle), but need to be kept in a sheath for protection. A foldable knife opens itself up to damage because the knife needs to fold to work. If it rusts or it doesn’t open, you may have trouble using it. However, they are safer and more convenient to carry.
Size – Now that you’ve narrowed your choices down, you can consider the size of your knife, including the blade and handle. For most camping knives, 8-12” in total with a 3-5” blade is the recommended size to be able to perform most actions comfortably. Larger and heavier knifes are better for chopping, while smaller and lighter knives are easier to maneuver so be sure to consider what you need it for.
Materials – Your blade can be stainless or carbon steel, both with their own benefits. Carbon steel can become sharper more easily and is more durable than stainless steel, but rusts more easily. Your environment and intended use will determine which is best for you.
Your handle should be made of a sturdy yet comfortable material so that it doesn’t hurt your hands from use. Rubber is often used to cushion the handle, as well as bone for sturdiness. You want something that is comfortable, provides great grip, and looks good (primarily the first 2).
Now that you know what you’re looking for, we can review some potential choices to consider. We’ll give you the good, the bad, and what you need to know about each.
No, this isn’t the baby food company! Gerber has more than 70 years of experience creating survival gear for hunters, backpackers, and more. Their products are designed and often produced in their Portland, Oregon location and are backed by a lifetime warranty. Their products are trusted to save lives, which is reflected in the quality of the products, and why they’ve been around since 1939.
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About the Knife
Gerber’s Bear Grylls collaboration yielded a survival knife that is approved by survivalist Bear Grylls. It is more than just a camping knife, as it contains additional gear like a fire starter, blade sharpener, and whistle. The knife itself is a 4.75” serrated drop-point blade made of high-carbon stainless steel.
The blade is full tang, and the handle is covered by rubber for extra grip extending a total of 10 inches. The blade can be housed in the nylon sheath that is included, secured by Velcro to keep it safe.
Statgear are a rescue, hunting, and survival gear company from New York. They sell a variety of knives of their own creation for survival or everyday use, and each is backed by a 30-day return policy. You can find fixed, folding, pocket knives, and more on their website.
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About the Surviv-All
The Surviv-All survival knife is another survival knife with extras in addition to the knife. It is a 9.5” total knife with a 4.25” stainless steel drop-point blade. The blade is non-serrated and has a black finish for looks and a textured brown handle to make precision movement easier.
The blade is full tang, with the base of the blade reaching the bottom of the handle to be used as a pommel. This product also comes with a sheath that includes a fire starter, cord cutter, and lanyard slot, which would be convenient for new survival or camping enthusiasts.
Benchmade has a simple goal: create the best knives in the world. Starting in 1988, they began making knives for rescue teams, campers, survivalists, hunters, and more. They take pride in their work, with a lifetime warranty on all knives. When it comes to knives that are worth their price, Benchmark is a solid option.
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About the Bushcrafter 162
The Bushcrafter 162 is a fixed drop-point blade made of S30V stainless steel. This is the highest quality stainless steel available, making it a very sturdy blade.
What’s even better is that it is full tang, with the high-quality steel running through the waterproof G-10 fiberglass handle. It can be used for a variety of activities, including precision cuts or chopping down small trees.
You can see why it’s considered a top contender for being the best fixed blade camping knife out there.
Fallkniven is a Scandinavian knife manufacturer that creates knives for survival, hunting, camping, and even kitchens. They are recognized by the Royal Court of Sweden for exceptional craftsmanship, and are incredibly well-respected worldwide. Their knives come with a 10-year warranty, so you can be confident in your purchase.
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About the Fallkniven A1
The Fallkniven A1 Blade Knife is a heavy fixed blade made of VG10 steel, which is incredibly tough. It is 12.5” long in total with a 6.3” blade, making it one of the larger knives we’ve reviewed. It can easily chop bigger pieces of wood while still being able to perform more precise cuts, with the tough VG10 steel keeping the edge strong.
It comes in near the upper-tier for price but is generally much cheaper than the Bushcrafter. It is certainly a knife you cannot go wrong with.
Spyderco is an American knife manufacturer with a huge selection of knives, including foldables, fixed blades, and more. They have a number of options including color, size, serration, and more that you can choose from on many of their products. They even have utility knives to perform a variety of purposes for everyday use, or for survival.
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About the Endura4
The Endura4 is the first foldable knife of this review. When open, the knife is 9.1” with a flat 3.75” blade made of VG-10 steel. It is very sturdy for a foldable knife, and seals away in the handle easily.
The handle is made of fiberglass-reinforced nylon and comes in a variety of colors, with an ergonomic texture for better grip and a belt clip for easy travel.
There is a lot to take into account when trying to decide which is the best knife for camping. The first thing you will need to consider is your price range, as that will affect the quality of the blade you can look for. It also does not hurt to look at the warranty for the knife to know that your investment is protected. Once you have a range, you can choose a knife that will fit your hand comfortably, and that comes with the necessary gear for you.
Also, no matter which camping knife you decide on, you are going to need to take care of it properly. You need to know about knife sharpening and details on how not to damage the blade during the sharpening process.
If you are a beginner, the Bear Grylls Survival Knife will be great because it is cheap and includes extra survival and camping tools. If you have a little bit more to spend, the Benchmark Bushcrafter is one of the higher quality knives available. However, what works best for you will vary from others, so be sure to try a few out until you find one you trust your life with!
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