New hiking fixed blade

[RugerNurse]

Looking for a new hiking fixed blade to pair with my PM2. Don’t care about the steel and preferably around $100 and 4.5”-5” blade length. The Fallkniven S1 comes to mind but that’s $160 or the BK16 but I’d have to upgrade the sheath. Any other favorites of peoples?

[Fly Fishing Rick]

Looking for a new hiking fixed blade to pair with my PM2. Don’t care about the steel and preferably around $100 and 4.5”-5” blade length. The Fallkniven S1 comes to mind but that’s $160 or the BK16 but I’d have to upgrade the sheath. Any other favorites of peoples?

It's a little shorter than you're looking for but I like the ESEE PR4 for general woods use.

[Manixguy@1994]

Looking for a new hiking fixed blade to pair with my PM2. Don’t care about the steel and preferably around $100 and 4.5”-5” blade length. The Fallkniven S1 comes to mind but that’s $160 or the BK16 but I’d have to upgrade the sheath. Any other favorites of peoples?
[/quoteThis may be of interest . They have a variety of fixed blades to choose from . Very good company to deal with , nice people . I had the 200 model and plan to get the 240 .

[JSumm]

I would check out Esee. They have a good selection at an affordable price and they have a lifetime warranty.

I went with the AGK for this purpose. Old pic

[Bolster]

What do you guys do with knives that large in the out-of-doors? I find the mule an extravagant length on backpacking trips, with 3.5" of blade. But then I am a desert dweller, not hacking my way through the everglades.

I really am curious: What do you use the length for?

[TomAiello]

I tend to go with fixed blades rather than folders when backpacking, because they are more 'bulletproof' and I don't need the greater 'discretion' of a folder.

Bolster, do you use your knife to process wood (i.e. feather sticks or kindling) when backpacking? I prefer to avoid carrying an axe (for weight reasons) so the knife has to pinch-hit (usually batoning). I'm not sure that requires a lot of length, but I definitely prefer stoutness for that role.

[vivi]

Aqua Salt has been my go to for over a decade.

Compared to most options you'll be looking at, it's lighter, rust proof, uses a tougher steel than a lot of fixed blades, is extremely easy to field sharpen, has better geometry for knife tasks, and has a very nice sheath that can clip to running shorts, pj's, a pack - you name it.

It's not a very traditional pick, but this knife has beat out countless "bushcraft" style knives I've tried over the years. Whether ESEE's or customs, I haven't found a knife I'd rather bring with me than this.

[Halfneck]

What do you guys do with knives that large in the out-of-doors? I find the mule an extravagant length on backpacking trips, with 3.5" of blade. But then I am a desert dweller, not hacking my way through the everglades.

I really am curious: What do you use the length for?

My go to woods fixed blade is a custom puukko from the Jones Brothers. I'd say it's a little over a 3" blade. Mostly what I've used it for is crafting stuff for around the campsite. I've used it to make a hanger for my coffee pot over the fire, tent stakes (cause my son forgot to put them back where they belonged), and fuzz sticks for fire starting.

Most times I could get by just carrying a small folder for my day-to-day camping needs. It's far more fun for me to bring along one of my fixed blades & get to use it instead.

[Bolster]

Bolster, do you use your knife to process wood (i.e. feather sticks or kindling) when backpacking? I prefer to avoid carrying an axe (for weight reasons) so the knife has to pinch-hit (usually batoning). I'm not sure that requires a lot of length, but I definitely prefer stoutness for that role.

Actually no, and good point, I imagine the longer blade would be useful in splitting wood, especially when the blade goes 45 degrees into the wood, as can happen. Also, gives more room to baton. (Fires are prohibited pretty much everywhere I hike, and I've taken to backpacking without even a stove anymore.)

[Doc Dan]

I'd get a Mora and call it a day.

[MacLaren]

I'd get a Mora and call it a day.

+1

[Makunochimaster]

[Doc Dan]

Here's mine. Very light weight and descent steel (Sandvik 12C27). They come in a wide variety of colors from black, blue, green, to orange and colors between. I like this one because I can find it if I drop it. For $16 there is nothing better until you get to many times the money and even then it is debatable. This is very practical.

[Cowboyfromhell]

Esee for the win...

[MacLaren]

Here's mine. Very light weight and descent steel (Sandvik 12C27). They come in a wide variety of colors from black, blue, green, to orange and colors between. I like this one because I can find it if I drop it. For $16 there is nothing better until you get to many times the money and even then it is debatable. This is very practical.

Yup. Dang hard to beat imo.

[aicolainen]

I'm quite diversified in my hiking, meaning I hike in costal areas, woodland, mountains, summer, winter or anything in between.
On 90% of my hikes I'd feel adequately knifed with just a PM2. Over equipped even.

There are a couple of scenarios/hikes where I find a mid sized fixed blade to be a natural companion; social hiking trips with family and/or friends in wood areas. These trips typically involve some camp tasks like preparing a fire, rigging a tarp, prepping some food, processing fish etc. And the kids very often wants to borrow a knife and get creative with all the natural building materials they're surrounded with.
For this type of use I typically carry my Fällkniven F1. It's probably not the best, not even among the ones I have myself, but I've had it for so long, it's second nature. Whatever shortcomings it may have, lack of length is not one of them. I find it's 3.85" to be perfectly adequate, and while it may take some effort to split larger diameter logs, I've rather spend that effort the few times it's required, than log around a larger and heavier knife that's more than I need most of the time.
I've never warmed up to hiking axes, so pretty much anytime I bring a mid sized fixed blade it's paired with a Bahco Lapplander folding saw.

I hardly have anything that's bigger than the F1 (my Waterway and DBK Bushcrafter both have very similar edge lengths), but there are some scenarios where I choose to bring even larger fixed blades. At this point the hiking part of the equation is usually reduced to a minimum though. The traditional Norwegian/Scandinavian Leuku/lapp knife/sami knife is both a practical camp knife and a nice way to connect with my local knife traditions. Whenever camp life is the primary objective, i.e. short access hikes, canoe trips, hunting camps etc. I like to bring one of my leukus, if it makes sense. Most of them come with rather thin blade stock for their size, so I wouldn't take on any larger battoning jobs than I would with my F1, but the long skinny blade is quite nice for food chores. I've cut a notch in the blade so it also doubles as a pot lifter, fire rake or anything else that requires an extended arm when the fire gets cranking hot.

My fixed blade selection is already a little excessive, but I still can't help myself looking long and hard at the Enuff 2. It seems to blend the nimble handling of the Leuku with the modern materials and compactness of the F1. There have been quite a few times where I would have traded the F1's ruggedness for better cutting performance - so maybe the E2 could be the answer. If it's someday released as a salt I would have no other choice than to find out. It's shorter than what you're looking for, but I wouldn't dismiss it for lacking 0.5". That's rather a benefit in my book.

[abbazaba]

I love the fallkniven f1, but the Mora is the one I actually use. Weighs less too.

[kennethsime]

Staying under $100, I really like my Mora Kansbol, and its big brother the Garberg. Really hard to beat for the money.

I might also look at the ESEE 4HM if you wanted something beefier.