What do you carry hiking?

[RugerNurse]

Just seeing how much knife people have in the woods

[Mushroom]

Depends what kind of hiking I’m doing. Sometimes just folders and sometimes both.

The vast majority of my hiking here on East Coast is done on established trails. Even on multi-day overnight hikes, I could get by without having a knife on me at all. (But thats no fun! ) On a longer hike like that (distance and duration) I tend to choose wisely and only carry one folder.

Shorter hikes where my pack weight isn’t such a concern, I like to carry a fixed blade along with a folder or two.

[Bolster]

I have been carrying folders in the past, but am shifting to fixed, ie, lightened Spyderco mules. My current hiking mule is 2.4 oz + .4 oz for the sheath, so about the same weight as my trusty hiking Manix LW, but with another 1/2" of edge, and more strength of course.

The only concern is that, legally, a fixed blade in Calif that is carried in a pack of any sort is considered a "concealed dagger." (What a mindless over-generalization.) Nobody cares or inspects if you're out on the trails, but it is a concern if walking through town, especially if you look like a vagrant, which happens after a few trail days. And I don't fancy the idea of legal open carry of a fixie in town--that attracts unwanted attention. So if I think there will be much "town time" I will continue to go with a folder.

[Scandi Grind]

I always carry both, even at Walmart. But when I'm hiking, the fixed blade gets bigger.

[Doc Dan]

A fixed blade is what I used to prefer, though sometimes a folder. If something happens and for some reason one gets stuck in the wilderness a fixed blade will be a blessing. It may not happen, but remember the Boy Scout Motto.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Well on a short hike just a folder, but overnight like with camping involved I definitely add a fixed blade

[standy99]

Spyderco Junction

If I have a backpack it’s always a fixed blade.

[toomanyquestions]

In the past it has generally been a small fixed blade (3-4.5") and a folder; that trend will likely continue. I may buy a Manix2 LW for this very purpose next summer.

[bdblue]

These days I carry a LW Tenacious. I don't want to carry an expensive knife like a limited PM2 or Manix 2 and I need to carry a blade under 3.5" because I'm frequently hiking in Colorado or going through Colorado.

[aicolainen]

It depends..
On day hikes with the family and/or friends where I’m likely to make a fire or the kids may want to carve something, I usually bring a robust fixed blade, e.g. Fällkniven F1 and a lightweight folder for food prep and finer tasks, e.g. Salt 2.

On backpacking hikes weight is more of a concern and I rarely need to cut anything beyond food or fabric (for repair work). The Salt 2 FFG is probably my most carried for this type of hiking.

Some hikes where weight, bulk or legal limitations are quite restrictive and the likelihood of needing a knife is very low I may go with only a Victorinox alox Bantam, alox Cadet, Sportsman or Compact depending of the type of hike.

On some odd hikes, if I believe there are safety concerns related to only carrying a folder, I will throw a Mora Companion spark in my backpack even if I only expect to need my folding knife - just in case. Typically this is something I do on day hikes in the colder months.