Folding Camp Knife Suggestions

[PayneTrain]

Is the 204P Military still available at KW? If so, your search ends there. Probably my favorite stainless steel in easily the exact knife you need. Light, big and versatile, and open construction for easy cleaning. There are a lot of other great choices, but a 204P Millie is the number one answer.

[greencobra]

Once we get into the back country, we are usually fly fishing in creeks and doing a lot of bushwhacking. So, slicing and cutting branches are two things I need this knife to do.

that's a quote from the op, not something i made up. maybe he fancies himself as tarzan, no? :D

i'm glad your folders work for you and your native friends wear drawstring pants. it's whatever works. the indians of brazil wear a leaf. being indigenous to an area and trying to spend a few days out of your normal environment are two separate things. the guy posts he/they are going into "back country." although he doesn't specify how remote that back country is, he better be prepared with proper equipment, clothes and basics.

honestly, and not trying to take away from the enthusiasm of the guy, if you have to go on a public forum and ask what should i take on a 3 day bushwhaking trip to backcountry, a delica, endura or mili, my first impression is no or limited experience. :)

[Surfingringo]

Once we get into the back country, we are usually fly fishing in creeks and doing a lot of bushwhacking. So, slicing and cutting branches are two things I need this knife to do.

that's a quote from the op, not something i made up. maybe he fancies himself as tarzan, no? :D

i'm glad your folders work for you and your native friends wear drawstring pants. it's whatever works. the indians of brazil wear a leaf. being indigenous to an area and trying to spend a few days out of your normal environment are two separate things. the guy posts he/they are going into "back country." although he doesn't specify how remote that back country is, he better be prepared with proper equipment, clothes and basics.

honestly, and not trying to take away from the enthusiasm of the guy, if you have to go on a public forum and ask what should i take on a 3 day bushwhaking trip to backcountry, a delica, endura or mili, my first impression is no or limited experience. :)

Fair enough, I should read more carefully. :) I will stick to my assertions that it's not that hard to keep a folder clean and the drawstring is a functional "britches keeper upper". :cool: :p

I'd also imagine his query about which knife to bring was, more than anything, a good excuse for discussing and purchasing a new knife. That' how a lot of the threads around here get started...at least a lot of the ones I start anyway. Hope I didn't let my opinions clog up a good "which knife should I carry" thread.

[Mako109]

Regarding drawstring shorts, haven't you seen the survival TV show "Naked & Afraid"? Where do they all keep their knives? Pants are overrated :D

[Ankerson]

has anyone been real camping? you don't want to clean fish or game animals with a folder for obvious reasons. the goop and guts matter will migrate into every crevasse. no matter how long you swish it around in water it never gets clean. thats why fish fillet knives and skinners are fixed blade.

bushwacking with a delica or endura, hardly. too small and light to be of any use to chop branches. same with the salt.

emperorma, i think you're asking too much of one folder for a 3 day back country trip. i'd still stand by my original suggestion of a manix 2xl. it's as close to a beefy fixed blade that folds as i've ever seen and can take punishment. wack your branches with that. i never tried but i'm guessing it could work pretty well on food prep on a camping trip. but i'd take another knife for fishing and cleaning birds, a fixed blade. spyderco makes some that would work, take a look. then i'd throw a delica or something in my pocket.

be prepared to buy a real pair of shorts that take a belt, none of this drawstring nonsense. you're out in the bush, not a disney cruise.

enjoy the camping. and wondering where you're headed by the way if you care to share. :)

The OP asked for FOLDER Suggestions so we answered his question staying in the topic of the thread.

[EmperorMA]

has anyone been real camping? you don't want to clean fish or game animals with a folder for obvious reasons. the goop and guts matter will migrate into every crevasse. no matter how long you swish it around in water it never gets clean. thats why fish fillet knives and skinners are fixed blade.

bushwacking with a delica or endura, hardly. too small and light to be of any use to chop branches. same with the salt.

emperorma, i think you're asking too much of one folder for a 3 day back country trip. i'd still stand by my original suggestion of a manix 2xl. it's as close to a beefy fixed blade that folds as i've ever seen and can take punishment. wack your branches with that. i never tried but i'm guessing it could work pretty well on food prep on a camping trip. but i'd take another knife for fishing and cleaning birds, a fixed blade. spyderco makes some that would work, take a look. then i'd throw a delica or something in my pocket.

be prepared to buy a real pair of shorts that take a belt, none of this drawstring nonsense. you're out in the bush, not a disney cruise.

enjoy the camping. and wondering where you're headed by the way if you care to share. :)

Once we get into the back country, we are usually fly fishing in creeks and doing a lot of bushwhacking. So, slicing and cutting branches are two things I need this knife to do.

that's a quote from the op, not something i made up. maybe he fancies himself as tarzan, no? :D

i'm glad your folders work for you and your native friends wear drawstring pants. it's whatever works. the indians of brazil wear a leaf. being indigenous to an area and trying to spend a few days out of your normal environment are two separate things. the guy posts he/they are going into "back country." although he doesn't specify how remote that back country is, he better be prepared with proper equipment, clothes and basics.

honestly, and not trying to take away from the enthusiasm of the guy, if you have to go on a public forum and ask what should i take on a 3 day bushwhaking trip to backcountry, a delica, endura or mili, my first impression is no or limited experience. :)

I think the inexperienced here are confusing car camping with actual backcountry travel were you have to carry all your supplies on your back and you might be out for 7-10 days with just what you can carry, with absolutely no sign of help for miles and even then, only if you're able to drag your *** out to find it.

For a description of the type of backpacking I like to do (sorry if this gets a bit long), I wear the very light nylon shorts or pants for a few reasons. One ... well ... they are light. When you are carrying everything on our back and you might be doing as much or 10-12 miles on foot going up (or, even worse, down) 3,500' elevation gains, weight counts. Every gram. They are thin and light, which means they pack well and don't take up much space. When you have to carry everything on your back, space is at a premium. You can wear your Carhartt pants and big ol' Danner boots, but I simply don't have room for them nor do I want to carry so much weight. The thin nylon also dries extremely quickly. I often spend more than half a day in the water fly fishing for trout. This is in the mountains (not the flatland nor near the car), mountains with glaciers and very high peaks and where it gets cold at night, even in August. So-called tough pants for real camping wouldn't dry in two days where I go. I can't carry the weight of wet clothing nor can I risk wearing it when the summer temps drop into the 20s. It has to dry in 15-20 minutes or it is of no use to me. And I don't wear a big, heavy belt because the waist belt of a backpack with 40 lbs in it crushing down on the big belt and its buckle and the big fixed-blade knife in its sheath that is hanging on the belt kinda hurts. Of course, those with experience know this.

I often backpack rather long distances, and sometimes may go 4-5 miles between campsites (not picnic bench car camping sites, but wilderness sites) by traveling in a stream and fishing the whole way. When it is time to stop fishing and find the trail (doing this by headlamp is a pain in the ***), I get out of the water and go (and my pants or shorts dry very quickly!). If you have ever been to the PNW, you'd know that any watercourse is heavily vegetated, and often these might consist of wild blackberries. If you can't go through the blackberries, it might be a 5, 10 or even 20 minute backtrack to go around them, so having a tool to cut a few of them to make it to the open woods is a good idea. You might also come across a very large downed tree across the creek (500" of snow a year knocks down a lot of trees) that may be so big that you cannot get over it. Again, having the flexibility to exit the creek, cut though a couple of feet of blackberries and get around the tree helps you keep moving. Again, those with experience now this.

When I am in the wilderness, I might eat a few trout as protein weighs a lot and carrying it hurts. Being able to supplement your intake without burning all the calories it requires to carry it is smart. So, I might need the knife to gut three or four trout every once in awhile. If I truly wanted a good trout (and bird!) knife, I'd look at something that has the blade shape of a Pattada or Grasshopper or Mantra 2 or Sprig, although their blade lengths and handles may or may not be ideal for the application. I doubt many folks here think of all those knives as "hunting" or "fishing" knives but their blade shapes are very well-known to those who hunt birds and chase trout. Their blades just need to be 2 3/4" - 3 1/2" long. Dear God, if only Pattada could have a blade about 3 1/4" - 3 1/2" long with an overall length of 7 3/4" or Mantra 2 could have a more workmanlike handle material .... Ahh yes ..... experience.

And, since weight is so important, I do not want to carry a big, heavy blade for the tough work and then another for something else and yet another for something else. I don't want the weight and I don't have the room. I need versatility and I need light. I wouldn't even entertain the thought of carrying two sleeping bags even though I know there is a good chance that I might sleep at night in 50 degree temps or 15 degree temps. I carry only one that I think will provide comfort and utility for the trip I have planned because I do not have the room or the desire to carry another 2.5 lbs. I need to plan for the toughest job I expect but also be willing to forego amenities so I can go lighter and save space. Those with experience know this.

As far as the capabilities of the knives asked about, I asked because I do not have experience with Spyderco knives. I came here because some of the folks on this forum have dozens of these knives (even hundreds) and I was hoping to use their experiences and informed opinions so I might be able to choose more wisely. I wouldn't be using a knife for every single task mentioned on every trip, but I might encounter all of them at some point. I am a thinker and hearing informed opinions allows me to cross-reference them with my own experience, even if the experience of the people providing these opinions differs from my own. I can take their feedback and I can apply the principles of what I need to do to get the jobs I need done to what they have accomplished and what has worked better for them at certain tasks that are similar, yet not exact, to what I do. It's analytical thinking.

All of our experiences and all of our needs and all of our personal preferences are different. This doesn't mean that we can't learn from each other, however. And it doesn't mean we need to get snarky and say a newbie to the forum has little or no experience simply because his idea of "wilderness" and "camping" are quite different from another's.

[Tdog]

Sounds as though you get quite a workout in your camping/fishing travels. If you've read other threads on this forum, you already know there's a great group of folks here. It's good to have additional information as to the requirements you are looking for in a knife. I don't have a Pattada but have considered getting one of these. It really looks as though it would make a great B&T and slicer but perhaps might not be as good for "all round" camping uses. I have a Sprig and love it, a really great knife. If weight is a primary factor, I think the Endura in VG-10 would make you an excellent choice. It comes in just over 2 ounces and is really tough, easy to sharpen, and keeps the cost down. It also comes in a combination edge which might work well for you? It's great that you can get out, catch some nice fish and enjoy the wilderness. I'm in the Keys hoping to get some fishing in, but the weather just won't give a break. Calling for 15-20 knot winds the next few days and grouper season doesn't open until May 1. Good luck in your travels, and welcome to the forum.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have spent more time in the woods than most people. From some of your comments I think possibly more than you. I agree that snark isn't called for but you ask for advice and then act like you know more than everyone else or have more experience than everybody else. I was picking up a condescending tone and that isn't gonna get you a lot of opinions. I didn't comment in this thread at first because after reading your original post it was obvious you didn't want to hear my opinion which is that folders are for backpacking on established trails and fixed blades are for wilderness trips. I am gonna go ahead and throw in my views on it and you can take or leave what you want. Consider it food for thought rather than advise.

There are pants that fall in between draw string nylon and carhartts, just like there are boots that fall in between Danners and water shoes. Exaggerating to make a point can sometimes miss the point. I wouldn't be bushwhacking through blackberries with light nylon pants on. I have to bushwhack through blackberries all the time. I carried a Beech tree cut into 4 foot lengths through 100 yards of them yesterday. My own property is loaded with them. I have filled five gallon buckets with them. For backpacking trips I have a pair of cargos that zip off into shorts. They take a belt, are sturdy and save weight due to versatility. I have used a folder many times to get through blackberries but still wouldn't be doing so in light pants. I have ripped pants on backpacking trips and it isn't fun. I do carry a needle and small bit of thread in my first aid kit. They weigh nothing and are cheap insurance.

I don't live in the NW but I assure you we can get plenty wet in the bush here in New England and I can usually dry my clothes out at night. It is likely wetter where you are but the humidity is up near 100% here in the summer too. I haven't needed swimwear to stay dry in the summer.

My belt rides right below my pack strap. I have never had the problem you describe. During hunting I usually have a sidearm on my hip and a pack on. Has never been an issue for me. I think a lot of people's packs don't fit properly.

There are lightweight fixed blades that weigh little more than a folder does and you don't have to carry them on your belt. I like to keep a small fixed blade strapped to the shoulder strap on my pack and then usually a small folder like a Delica in my pocket. You can still wear your drawstring pants that way. :)

I don't car camp, I hate it. I have done 14 days off trail in New England in January with a 50 pound pack and I have done 8 day backcountry hunting trips in Colorado lugging all my gear on my back. I roll light in the summer often and keep my pack under 20 pounds in warm weather. I am no stranger to managing pack weight. A small fixed blade won't break your back, or your hand.

I have packed all my icefishing gear up over 11,000 feet in January and slept in a snow cave. This was about 3 miles up and about 1 mile from the lake. I dug the cave there because I was breaking treeline and the weather was bad. I didn't weigh my pack but with an ice auger and all my fishing gear plus my -15 bag and winter gear I must have been at 60 pounds or more. The snow was so crusty I actually used my knife to dig a lot of it out. Well, that and my snowshoe.



I don't believe that it is wise to go into the "wilderness" without an adequate fixed blade knife. In a survival situation a knife is important. If you are going in as deep as you say I would bring something you can bet your life on. I am not talking about a 12 inch Bowie, just a reliable packable knife. When backpacking on established trails there is nothing wrong with a folder, when going off trails where help isn't always present then I lean towards a fixed blade.

Here is my advice, if you insist on a folder get a Pacific Salt. It is big enough for anything you may encounter and if you are gonna process game it is easy to keep clean due to its simple liner less and washerless construction. It is also super lightweight and bright yellow so it is hard to lose. Not all folders are as easy to keep clean. I field dress a deer with a SAK once and I am sure it still has some of that in it somewhere. It sure had a smell for years. :eek:

If you are open to a fixed blade consider one of the Mule knives. You can get one in many steels, they aren't too heavy nor are they too bulky. If you are not gonna be doing any really rough work with it then it should treat you really well. It is also an excellent food prep knife for when you are at camp. I have processed Elk, Deer, Squirrel, Rabbit, Grouse and all types of fish with my Mules. I also usually have one laying around the kitchen. I have also carved bow drill kits and built primitive traps with it. They are just enough without being too much. It is more or less a Stretch handle with a Tenacious blade. You could also look at it as a scaled down Temperance2. While I would bring a little more knife than this if I was in the scenario you describe I think that based on your desires in a knife that a Mule may work very well for you. A Moran could be a good choice too.

Anyway, have fun and stay safe! :)

[Eli Chaps]

I don't know if the OP was meaning to be condescending or just flared a bit at being called out for inexperience but either way...

I've spent a wee bit of time in the out of doors. From Saudi Arabia to Alaska and I've been in places in the PNW where you had to pipe sunshine in. :) I've also had to carry everything on my back, chest, wasit, and legs for not so casual long walks. I didn't get to choose much in the way of weight. Most of what I carried I was told to carry.

Now, it is hard for me to imagine wearing nylon pants in those environments, but then, in my hey-day, we didn't have the broad range of fabrics that are available today. We thought the advent of poly-pro was an amazing leap forward! :D It's even harder for me to imagine not wearing a fabric, slip-buckle belt. But, if that is what you do and and it works for you, more power to ya.

In my first post to this thread I did indeed recommend a small, but sturdy, fixed blade knife and I stand by that and still think it is the best option. For me, personally, I've never expected any of my folding knives to do fixed knife work. I've gutted birds with old three-blade traditionals but as others have pointed out, you really can't get them clean and blood is hard on metal, especially that old carbon steel.

The Enuff Leaf comes in at 108g (not sure if that is with or without the Kydex sheath). That's a fixed blade, with rugged FRN scales and quite capable VG10. An Endura is slightly lighter at 94g but you enter the world of trade-offs for choosing a folder. The Military is actually heavier at 128g and only .75" shorter when closed. I think all of them are capable of chopping through berry vines, cutting cord, etc. and nothing I see in your posts suggests what I would consider truly "hard use" such as batoning (a thing I don't do) so for me, and what I read in this, the beauty of the fixed blade is in its simplicity and ease of cleaning.

These and the others that have been mentioned are all great knives that are built to work. Folks are just trying to give you a variety of opinions and inputs to help ensure you're making the best decision possible for you. :)

By all means, please let us know what you decide and how it performs in travels!

[EmperorMA]

I have spent more time in the woods than most people. From some of your comments I think possibly more than you. I agree that snark isn't called for but you ask for advice and then act like you know more than everyone else or have more experience than everybody else. I was picking up a condescending tone and that isn't gonna get you a lot of opinions. I didn't comment in this thread at first because after reading your original post it was obvious you didn't want to hear my opinion which is that folders are for backpacking on established trails and fixed blades are for wilderness trips. I am gonna go ahead and throw in my views on it and you can take or leave what you want. Consider it food for thought rather than advise.

Lots of good info in your post that overlaps quite a bit with some of my experience.

My need to get through blackberries isn't anywhere near as extreme as yours. I just on occasion might be able to save myself some time by cutting through just a very few feet of streamside vegetation. If it's more than that,my clothing choices mean I pretty much have to figure out a way to get around it. I make the clothing choices more because I am often wading in streams most of a day and the clothes designed for that dry very quickly. I accept that tradeoff realizing I lose some protective qualities in the exchange. I'll take a few scratches getting through "normal" brush but thorny things will shred them and me so I either have to go around or cut through if there is little enough of it that doing so will save me time and energy.

If I am out specifically hunting, I am most definitely equipped differently, with stout clothing and fixed-blade knives. That Moran you mentioned has already caught my eye, even though I rarely hunt big game anymore. I'd also probably already have a Sprig for trout and birds if it's blade was a little shorter.

Sorry about the condescending tone. It was only meant toward one who said he thought I had little to no experience even though he doesn't know who I am or what I've been out doing for the last couple of decades. If my post didn't convey that it was in response to those remarks only, I apologize.

[bearfacedkiller]

No worries my friend, we are an easy going bunch most of the time. Water off a ducks back, ya know. I didnt think that much of what I had to say was what you wanted to hear so if you found anything in there useful then I am happy.

Have fun, stay safe and enjoy the outdoors! :)

[Doc Dan]

OP, why do you want a folder? I would think an Aqua Salt serrated would be the right knife for you. It will not rust, is very tough, and is fairly light weight. Also, the Bill Moran folder is extremely light weight at only 3oz.

If you want a folder, why not look at the Manix 2 Light Weight or the Pacific Salt, as has been mentioned?

When I was younger, I used to camp, fish, hunt in some extremely remote places. Weight is a factor, as you know. I used to carry a small, light folder in my pocket, and a light weight fixed blade, often on my pack straps where I could easily reach it.

[greencobra]

All of our experiences and all of our needs and all of our personal preferences are different. This doesn't mean that we can't learn from each other, however. And it doesn't mean we need to get snarky and say a newbie to the forum has little or no experience simply because his idea of "wilderness" and "camping" are quite different from another's.

well said, and your right. i apologize to you. i forgot we're all here for the same reason. again accept my humble apologies, please. :)

[EmperorMA]

All of our experiences and all of our needs and all of our personal preferences are different. This doesn't mean that we can't learn from each other, however. And it doesn't mean we need to get snarky and say a newbie to the forum has little or no experience simply because his idea of "wilderness" and "camping" are quite different from another's.

well said, and your right. i apologize to you. i forgot we're all here for the same reason. again accept my humble apologies, please. :)

Absolutely accepted. No worries.

Your suggestions are making me take a very hard look at Manix XL. In fact, it is running neck-and-neck with Military right now and might be finishing a bit stronger down the stretch. It'll be one of those two and ........ I actually think I might buy an Endura FFG regardless. Seems to me like everyone should have one (or two or three). :)

[EmperorMA]

OP, why do you want a folder? I would think an Aqua Salt serrated would be the right knife for you. It will not rust, is very tough, and is fairly light weight. Also, the Bill Moran folder is extremely light weight at only 3oz.

If you want a folder, why not look at the Manix 2 Light Weight or the Pacific Salt, as has been mentioned?

When I was younger, I used to camp, fish, hunt in some extremely remote places. Weight is a factor, as you know. I used to carry a small, light folder in my pocket, and a light weight fixed blade, often on my pack straps where I could easily reach it.

I have carried fixed blade knives for a very long time. Some very good ones, too. George Herron, Wayne Hendrix, Don Norton and JD Clay made some of my favorites.

I want to start carrying folders now for the space savings and the ability to carry them at the ready in a front pocket. I am looking to establish a core of five or six folders that I can carry with a clip that I can reasonably expect will be a darn good EDC for any day I am lucky enough to wake up and have something to do. Anything to do.

I have a Dly2 due in Friday for a small folder. I have a Caly3.5 on the way for the high end of mid-size and it should be here in a week, or so. I have decided that a Native5 LWT is going to be my smaller mid-size but I need time to launder more money away from prying and less-than-understanding eyes (you know who I mean) before that one comes home. I need a large, "tough-duty" folder, a large light-duty folder (which will be an Endura 4 FFG) and a SE blade of some sort to round out the core collection. This thread is about the large, tough-duty folder.

I'll get a fixed blade Spydie or two as time passes, but I want to establish this core of folders first. I am branching out, as it were. :cool:

[Mora2013]

I've got nothing specific to recommend, just here to see what others thoughts are...

Although I am confused about one thing: are you only wanting to bring one folding knife with you on the camping trip? Are any other tools coming along?

[PiggyBackJack]

A lot of good info and experience shared in this thread. I feel the camping part has already been covered in above posts and therefore I will be brief in my suggestions:

K2
Manix2 XL
Tatanka

All beefy, sturdy folders.

[JT]

Tatanka

This.
If you want a strong, beefy camp knife for hard use, You can't go any bigger than Tatanka.
No, it's not light weight, it will pull your pants down.
No, it's not the most convenient slicer either. But it will slice, dice, cut and gut.
Not for "ultra-light weight oriented" mindset.
What it will do the best, and what is made for, is to take a beating, and then some.

Meh, I usually have one FB in the backpag, and a folder in my pocket. And an axe or hatched if I make longer trips.

And welcome to the forums, this is a fun place to be, except: hide your wallet, now :D

[TomAiello]

Although I am confused about one thing: are you only wanting to bring one folding knife with you on the camping trip? Are any other tools coming along?

I've done weeklong trips in the high sierra with just one cheap fixed blade (Mora) knife. It's not impossible--it just depends on how fanatical you are about pack weight. On long through hikes (we did one trip where we hiked 25 miles every day for two weeks) you are usually forced to go to the extreme on lightening your load.

[EmperorMA]

Although I am confused about one thing: are you only wanting to bring one folding knife with you on the camping trip? Are any other tools coming along?

I've done weeklong trips in the high sierra with just one cheap fixed blade (Mora) knife. It's not impossible--it just depends on how fanatical you are about pack weight. On long through hikes (we did one trip where we hiked 25 miles every day for two weeks) you are usually forced to go to the extreme on lightening your load.

Tom is right. I am looking for something that somehow manages to be big and capable but is still worthy of making those trips that demand every ounce of weight and every square inch of space be counted.

The pack weight (or, more appropriately here, the "pocket weight") game is all about trade offs. What can you give up to save weight and space? What is so important that it's worth carrying a 5 oz/4" knife over a 3 oz/3" knife? When does utility override weight and space concerns? When do weight and space become the only things that matter?