Spyderco Forums

I'm looking for a knife I could use for camping stuff, nothing seriously abusive, but I wouldn't want a delicate knife for something like that anyway. Fixed or folding is fine, just can't be over 5.5 inches of blade (I'd get the warrior, but it's just over that limit)

i carry an esse 4 and one of my spyderco folders. the esse is a great knife for medium duty fixed blade work. but is not a fine slicer like most of my spyderco`s . they have 5 and 6 inch versions. you might check out the woodsman knife that spyderco has and the Mule team knives are awsome, i have 2 ordered as i write this.

I bought the Temp 2 for camping and also a Bushcraft, though I have not gone camping with them yet. For overall camp utility, I would pick the Temp 2.

Pneumothorax wrote:I bought the Temp 2 for camping and also a Bushcraft, though I have not gone camping with them yet. For overall camp utility, I would pick the Temp 2.

I'm kinda iffy about spending $200 on a really nice looking blade only to end up putting scratches on it when using for camping....maybe i should just stick to a kabar or something- don't get me wrong, i've been drooling over the temp2, but its just too nice imo

I think the Temp 2 would be a perfect option for you!

The Temp 2 makes a great camp knife! I've used mine on many camping trips and it did everything asked of it with style. It has a few scratches now, but still looks and cuts great.

I carry a Kabar Kukri machete for the heavier tasks like hacking, splitting & battoning wood when camping, then I'll always carry a Spyderco folder. I'd say a Manix 2 in 154CM would be good and isn't too expensive really. I love my Manix's but if you want a "beater" knife for camping, just grab the whole Resilience, Tenacious and Persistence series for the same price as a Manix! 3 for 1 :)

I'm EDC'ing a Persistence a lot lately and cannot believe how great this knife is for the price. I don't mind scratching it up, I feel the same way about its bigger brothers despite not EDC'ing them. I tend to carry and use it for alot more tasks that I wouldn't want to drag some of my nicer knives through.

In terms of splitting wood and the survival role, how well would you think the temperance 2 did?

For normal use, the fixed Moran drop point is very very nice and practical. And so light and well balanced. Did I mention already how light it is? I have many fixed blades, and unless I would want to break down furniture with it, the Moran is perfectly sufficient.
Add to this some kind of affordable Victorinox swiss army knife (as there is no comparable Spydie), for example the locking one-hand Forester or the incredibly versatile Voyager, and you have a perfectly usable universal toolset as well

I haven't used the Temp 2 for splitting/batoning and probably wouldn't unless it was a emergency/survival situation. I use a hatchet if packing light and an axe if we are car camping for processing wood. I think the knife could handle the batoning if the user knew what they were doing though.

If you are looking for a more survival oriented knife, the ESEEs seem pretty hard to beat for the price. I used a friends ESEE 5 for some heavy duty wood splitting, but the knife was quite thick and couldn't compare to the Temp 2 for carving or food prep.

The Temp 2 is an awesome blade. The balance is perfect (for me anyways) and the handle is super comfortable.

An Aqua Salt would be a good choice, but not if you don't want a scratched blade, since H1 scratches easily. However, if you don't mind a knife that makes you look like a rugged outdoorsman, H1 is your steel. :-)

Outside of Spyderco, I recommend the Swamp Rat RatManDu.

Edit: Since you mentioned battoning, here's the RatMandu in action... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjodvUpkNrQ

If you want something sturdier from Spyderco, look for one of the smaller Hossom models.

Too bad the Jerry Hossom series aren't available anymore. At normal prices they didn't appeal to me as much, but when they were being cleared out at ridiculous prices, I picked up a Forager, and it really is nice! The terrific finger choil lets me have the control of a smaller knife if I'm trying to make shavings for starting a fire, etc, yet the blade is long enough for light chopping.

I do like my Aqua Salts also, and it doesn't bother me at all that they aren't full tang, but then I don't use them to baton firewood either.

Outside of Spyderco, I would also look at the ESEE line.

My problem is when I go camping, I really look forward to using my knives, so I tend to bring my ESEE's along with about 20 Spyderco's, and grab a piece of wood anywhere I can and start whittling/ making chips for the fire etc :) .

Depending on if you camp near the ocean or salt can make a difference. It seems to always rain when I camp so I'm always wet, and the river I have camped on several times is slightly saline, so it is a little harder to keep my ESEE 1095 steel knives from rusting, and this environment is perfect for H1. Mine are all users, so it doesn't bother me if I get a little cosmetic scratch on the blade.

When in the field, I carry a Gerber LMF II fixed-blade and a Spyderco Gayle Bradley folder. I used to carry a Gerber Mark II fixed-blade but haven't seen it in a long while. :o

SnowCrash wrote:Fixed or folding is fine, just can't be over 5.5 inches of blade (I'd get the warrior, but it's just over that limit)

You'd get the warrior for your camp knife if the blade was a little smaller? You must do some interesting camping. Maybe a little sentry removal before hot dogs and smores? :)

One of the Bushcraft Seconds would have been perfect for you. Great quality construction and very durable at a fraction of the cost of the new G-10 verson.

Joe Talmadge wrote:You'd get the warrior for your camp knife if the blade was a little smaller? You must do some interesting camping. Maybe a little sentry removal before hot dogs and smores? :)

I think the Warrior would make a pretty good camp knife if the spine was flat instead of sharpened, and the crossguard was removed.

wow, no one has said Military. I use my orange military specifically for camp use :)

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Swamp rat ratmandu I promise you couldn't destroy it if you tried and a ffg spyderco delica/endura

For me, it's a cold steel recon tanto for heavy chopping and my EDC blade with happens to be my delica.