Spyderco Forums

I love to hike and backpack, and since lots of others here like to also, I decided to make a thread for posting hiking and backpacking photos. Try to include some shots with your Spyderco knives, but I know we carry different ones too, so those are ok!

I'll start with a set from my trip up to Mt. Sterling in the Smokies on 11-20-25
I started in Cataloochee Some famous Smokies fungus Made it to the gap A few days old, but I was surprised to see bear tracks above 5000' Mt Sterling fire tower Mt Guyot Mt Cammerer Small cascade Big burl on a tree 14.8 mile round trip!

Great photos. We did a hike earlier this year I think and I got a few pictures of the Spydercos. A great combo! We live near the Rockies, so lots of great opportunities to get out and enjoy the outdoors and put these knives to work.

Red Leader wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 06, 2025 9:06 am

Great photos. We did a hike earlier this year I think and I got a few pictures of the Spydercos. A great combo! We live near the Rockies, so lots of great opportunities to get out and enjoy the outdoors and put these knives to work.

Very good! We were in Denver back in July and did some short day hiking in RMNP and Pike’s Peak. BEAUTIFUL country! Yes, I went to the SFO!!

Aladinsane wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 06, 2025 9:26 am

Yes, I went to the SFO!!

Haha, good! It's a great trip! Also, if you turn right on that road right before the SFO, it leads up to some great trailheads and beautiful hiking. Nothing like stopping to grab a new knife, then going for a hike with it.

And just like you, here is the pic of My LJ SE out on a hike...

I've got a bunch.

Here's my most recent backpacking trip, LGW with my Temperance 2:

vivi wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 06, 2025 11:04 am

I've got a bunch.

Here's my most recent backpacking trip, LGW with my Temperance 2:

Excellent photos of your knife in action! Beautiful country in Linville, too! Funnily enough, I've never been there, I'm addicted to the Smokies! Looks like a great trip!!

The linville / asheville / boone / eastern TN area is highly recommended. Tons of gorgeous old forests and a number of waterfalls.

Here's some more.



selection for a trail clearing day / overnighter in my local woods



Temp 1 cutting up mango on a wilderness trip



and apples



and steak





fire prep



kid brought her dragonfly and her favorite mora.

Promise I'm not trying to take over your thread! Got a lot of pictures from the past 6 months.....



comparing various fixed blades for fire prep in my local woods



street beat on my go to backpacking bag, a kelty 65L pack





slicin steak. this one in particular was so good.



slicing oranges



street beat before preppin my cooking fire



Getting my final check done on my pack before heading out into the wilderness for 4 nights / 5 days



In fact I'm getting ready to head out for an overnighter after I finish up my replies here

almost done



fire starting tools



setting up camp in uwharrie NF





slicing overcooked steak



not wild about g clips on my pack strap, and they carry too high to clip to my belt while backpacking. really hope spyderco can offer a lower ride system in the future.





from a different trip. one of the rare times I brought a folder backpacking. this trip taught me despite the super thin stock thickness, I still need to reprofile the edge on my catcherman to a thinner angle. It binds on apples and wood a bit more than I expected.



this was the other knife I brought that time, a convexed 3V SRK. Where's my 3V spyderco fixed blades???



getting prepped for steak tacos.

Setting up camp with the SRK in an unspecified location off the BRP.



This setup makes it easier to draw the knife with my pack on, and gives me the option to carry on my belt while hauling my pack.



Another trip. Aqua Salt helping me check various streams for fish.





cutting paracord for my tarp.





I spy a dyed pacific salt 1 clipped to my pocket.



I never get sick of mountain views. This was on the VA/NC border



Still getting a lot of use out of this Aqua Salt Sal! It's been one of my most reliable knives I've ever owned. I have a few backups in my storage bins should I ever need them....PE, SE, uncoated, coated. Great design.

If it's ever brought back for a version 2 my only suggestion would be to make the handle a touch taller like the Temps so it's a bit more palm filling, and using one of the newer steels like magnacut would help ensure better sales. I've grown quite fond of H1's incredible toughness for a backpacking knife myself, but the general public likely perceives it as a more marine oriented steel choice than one for raw toughness too.

vivi wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 06, 2025 11:30 am

Promise I'm not trying to take over your thread! Got a lot of pictures from the past 6 months.....

This is exactly what I was hoping for! This is for EVERYONE to post all the Hiking, Backpacking, etc... photos you want to! Keep them coming! It's fun to see what other people use and HOW they use it and different purposes. Again, feel free to post those outdoorsy pictures! I love this stuff!!

For camping my go to is the Manix 2 salt lw. Looking at the Chief as well, but the Manix 2 is awsome

The smokies are awesome - thanks for sharing. These are some great pics.

I did a camping trip there last April with just the para 3 lightweight SPY27 and it served me very well.

toml4185 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:31 am

The smokies are awesome - thanks for sharing. These are some great pics.

I did a camping trip there last April with just the para 3 lightweight SPY27 and it served me very well.

Thank you! I’m glad you had a good time out here! Photos? I love the cobalt blue handle on the SPY27 Para 3!

Paul Ardbeg wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 06, 2025 12:17 pm

For camping my go to is the Manix 2 salt lw. Looking at the Chief as well, but the Manix 2 is awsome

Nice! I love the striations in the rock, Manix 2 is a heck of a knife!

Aladinsane wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:48 am

toml4185 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:31 am

The smokies are awesome - thanks for sharing. These are some great pics.

I did a camping trip there last April with just the para 3 lightweight SPY27 and it served me very well.

Thank you! I’m glad you had a good time out here! Photos? I love the cobalt blue handle on the SPY27 Para 3!

Didn't end up taking many and I didn't get any of my Spyderco at work. Did get one of the splitting axe (it's the GB Splitting Hatchet) though (which sort of counts?). EDIT: just noticed the silky saw "big boy" hiding out among the wood too :-)

Hope to make it back over there soon and do some more fishing next time.

FYI - the bear pic is not anywhere near as close as it looks.

toml4185 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 12:48 pm

Aladinsane wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:48 am

toml4185 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:31 am

The smokies are awesome - thanks for sharing. These are some great pics.

I did a camping trip there last April with just the para 3 lightweight SPY27 and it served me very well.

Thank you! I’m glad you had a good time out here! Photos? I love the cobalt blue handle on the SPY27 Para 3!

Didn't end up taking many and I didn't get any of my Spyderco at work. Did get one of the splitting axe though (which sort of counts?). EDIT: just noticed the silky saw "big boy" hiding out among the wood too :-)

Hope to make it back over there soon and do some more fishing next time.

FYI - the bear pic is not anywhere near as close as it looks.

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IMG_5808.jpg

Perfect! Congratulations on the bear sighting!That’s good medicine!
I only saw one this year. Hopefully more next year!

This is an awesome thread guys...

Yes, great idea for a thread.

I'm section-hiking the PCT as I find time, and recently have been carrying modified "naked" mules. I used to carry some flavor of LW Manix, and before that, a 'heavy' Caly 3.5, but 'heavy' knives had to go once I got my pack base weight down to 11 lbs. I actually don't use a knife too much on the trail, it's more of an emergency/backup tool, and I don't find the lack of scales to be a problem. But I do carefully chamfer all the handle edges so it's smooth in the hand. The mule and sheath are so light and thin (3.0 ounces total), I wear the knife UNDER my backpack belt with no discomfort.

Bolster wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 07, 2025 4:36 pm

Yes, great idea for a thread.

I'm section-hiking the PCT as I find time, and recently have been carrying modified "naked" mules. (I used to carry some flavor of a Manix, and before that, a Caly 3.5) I actually don't use a knife too much on the trail, it's more of an emergency/backup tool, and I don't find the lack of scales to be a problem. But I do carefully chamfer all the handle edges so it's smooth in the hand. The mule and sheath are so light and thin (3.0 ounces total), I wear the knife UNDER my backpack belt with no discomfort.

Wow! That’s a cool setup! I carry my fixed blade knife on a length of paracord around my waist. It lays on my waist just above the hip belt. No rubbing. Then when I take off my pack, I still have my knife. I’ll take a picture when I get time.

PCT! Sounds awesome! Have a good time and post some pictures!!