knife for hiking

[Explorer Editor]

I am shopping for a knife to keep in my backpack, having lost my Leatherman Juice. I am debating whether I should get another Leatherman, either the Juice or the Wave, or settle for a Swiss Army knife, which is a lot cheaper. Have people found the pliers and other tools on the Leatherman useful in the field? What knives do people like for hiking and backpacking?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I am shopping for a knife to keep in my backpack, having lost my Leatherman Juice. I am debating whether I should get another Leatherman, either the Juice or the Wave, or settle for a Swiss Army knife, which is a lot cheaper. Have people found the pliers and other tools on the Leatherman useful in the field? What knives do people like for hiking and backpacking?

In a word, no. Rarely use all those widgity things on the knife, whether it's a Leatherman or Swiss Army, and it just adds lots of weight.

What I've pared it down to over the years is a lightweight knife with a high quality blade 2" or less and a Leatherman Micra. The only times I've used the Micra is for snowshoe repair.

 

[Grumpy]

I carry a Buck Cadet, two blade pocket knife, and have for years (and years). It weighs in at around 1-1.5 oz. One blade is about 2.25 inches (2 in. cutting edge length; the second is 1.5 in. (1.375 in. cutting edge). Both blades are kept very sharp. This is all the knife I've ever needed while hiking. Have never felt the need for scissors, tweezers, toothpicks or screwdrivers.

When hiking with my dog in porcupine country I carry a small pliers and pair of stout leather work gloves.

G.

 

[DougPaul]

In my experience, knives don't get used very often and the fancy widgets are used even less often and just add weight. I carry a fairly small Swiss Army knife with a ~2" blade, a smaller blade (which I rarely use to keep it sharp), and scissors (great for cutting moleskin), a can opener, and a screwdriver blade.

The leatherman-like tools are very heavy, so I carry a cheap knock-off tiny multi-plier tool.

If skiing, I also carry a Binding Buddy with screwdriver bits to match my binding screws. (Many bindings use screws which are not Phillips or flat blade.)

Doug

 

[sapblatt]

I have a fairly small leatherman - I am with DougPaul on this - I love the scissors - moleskin, tape, loose threads, etc...used the blade occasionally - the screwdrivers occasionally. Nothing else gets used...I doubt I could open a can with one of those can openers, but then again, I would not carry a can!

 

[nartreb]

In a word, no.

Ditto. I carry a folding knife with a partially serrated edge, which in theory can handle rope, smaller branches, etc. In practice it works very well on lunch meat and cheese, and the handle is perfect for opening my bear can.
I keep a very large leatherman-style tool in the car, it comes in handy for minor car repairs.

 

[Gris]

if ya want a real knife...

i went the other way - w/ a real knife, a Buck "Revolution XT." Real hard to cut yourself w/ it as the biner end swivels into the handle. also has a nice thick saw edge at butt end of blade. can find them for about $40 or less. biner/clip thing is nice - keeps ya from losing it. small and light enuff to not get in the way, but big enuff to be really useful... YMMV

 

[Stan]

I have an old military knife, 6" blade, with an interesting story from WWII. I have used it on many occasions to cut cheese, fruit and line and once to cut balsam boughs for an unplanned bivouac. I generally carry it outside the pack for quick emergency access, which has never been the case and I hope never will.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

MadRiver hikes with a Marine K-BAR in his teeth! See here if you want an explanation

I do carry my Leatherman but it is heavy and I've only had use for the knife and only rarely at that. The pliers have been handy in day-to-day use, but I would prefer the scissors for hiking, I guess. Tweezers would be handy for splinter removal (or pliers, if big enough )

Tim

 

[Woody]

I will bring my small Leatherman in the winter for skiing, snowshoe or crampon repair. Otherwise I only carry a knife with a 2 " blade.

 

[werdigo49]

I'd like to get along with one of the tiny pen-knife rigs (with tweezers in the end), but actually find the pliers on my Leatherman used often. Usually it's just to handle a hot aluminum pan.

 

[Chip]

I used to carry something like this, until I realized it was a bit much .

I now carry this bad boy and the sharply serrated knife in my mess kit.
In winter I'll include a small snowshoe repair kit also.

 

[John H Swanson]

On knife selection, availability and other meandering thoughts

When I was young I would carry a swiss army knife and a sheath knife for "protection" and back-up Then I got a little wiser and dropped out the scheath knife.

A few stories:
1) I met an AT hiker and we started talking about knives. He said that he used his spoon every day, but his knife fewer than 6 times in 2000 miles. I thought this an exageration and he explained that he did use his knife's sissors frequently - moleskin and food package opening. When my leaxan spoon broke while eating rock hard icecream in a trailside shop, this point was learned. I don'tcarry a back-up spoon but it would be rated more important than a back-up knife.

2) I met an Everest climber that wore his swiss army knife on a string around his neck. Quite heavy and awkward. When I asked him why, he responded that if you drop it on the mountain it is gone forever.

3) I was hiking on an AMC NH Winter hike that had many very expereinced leader/hikers. My mitten was fraying and I asked if anyone had a knife. Everyone did but all of them were in their packs. So I went through the process of removing my pack and getting my knife out.

4) In NOLS, leaders often carry a lighter and a watch on a string around their necks. If you get separated from your pack...the lighter could be quite useful. The watch was there for availability without being on your rist.

I adapted this approach having a lighter and a small swiss army (key chain) knife on the string. For many years I'd smile inside when I could produce the knife when someone needed it for that small chore. If you want to do this then the small rubber biner holder used on the climbing "quick draws" works great to slide over the end of the lighter.

I later stopped doing this except for winter packing where the ligher inside the shirt works better as it stays warm.

I still use only the key chain swiss army knife for backpacking - sissors, knife, and nail file. More is not really needed and it really adds alot of extra weight. I like the one that has the small LED light as it adds a back-up light for nearly no extra weight. It limits the bringing of the can of tuna, but we have retort packs now. And if I bring wine, I usually transfer it to a PET soda bottle and consume in the first day or two.

On day hikes I carry the larger swiss army - the climber model.

 

[marty]

I have a fairly small leatherman - I am with DougPaul on this - I love the scissors - moleskin, tape, loose threads, etc...used the blade occasionally - the screwdrivers occasionally. Nothing else gets used...I doubt I could open a can with one of those can openers, but then again, I would not carry a can!

Agreed. I love my Leatherman Micra. The scissors are excellent. It's very versatile and only 1.75 ounces.

Marty

 

[sapblatt]

3) I was hiking on an AMC NH Winter hike that had many very expereinced leader/hikers. My mitten was fraying and I asked if anyone had a knife. Everyone did but all of them were in their packs. So I went through the process of removing my pack and getting my knife out.

This is a real good point - you need to have some things be readily accessible - I always wear my compass (if you think you should get a reading, you need to have it nearby) and leatherman on my belt - readily accessible - a whistle should also be nearby (I am guilty of not following my own advice here) - if you fall and break your leg and need to try and signal you do not want to be having to go thru your pack for it.

I also keep snacks nearby (in my pockets) - before I did that I found I would go to long without eating because it was not convenient to stop and get food out.

 

[jime]

Lately I use a Spyderco Native lockback knife. I prefer knives with just one blade and that aren't serrated because I think plain edge knives are easier to sharpen. I also carry a small Leatherman Squirt P4, like the micra but with pliers instead of scissors and have found the pliers useful for lots of different stuff.

 

[evilhanz]

My larger multi-tool has been much more useful in my briefcase than it ever has been in my backpack, so that's where it lives now. I still keep a small multi-tool in my repair kit, and a small folding knife in a more accessible pouch. However, on longer backpacks, I sometimes substitute a slightly larger fixed blade for camp chores and such.

 

[Grumpy]

I carry my small, two-blade Buck knife (described above) in a pants pocket every day -- a nearly lifelong habit. The only place my knife does not go with me in that fashion is where it has become illegal for me to have it. My knife also gets used nearly every day, for one thing or another that knives are good at doing.

G.

 

[sleeping bear]

Swiss army "classic". You know the one- single blade, file, scissors, tweezers, toothpick. Perfect.

I carried that for a two week trip and it was all I used. The scissors and tweezers even served as a surgical kit when I had to dig out an infected toe nail.

It's small though, so in the winter I will put it on a string around my neck.

For backpacking trips I also always carry a leatherman in my repair kit, just in case. I've needed it on many occassions, often for stove repair.

 

[griffin]

I now carry this bad boy and the sharply serrated knife in my mess kit.
In winter I'll include a small snowshoe repair kit also.

This is my shiv of choice as well. Nice and light, and I get a lot of use out of the scissors. I do use the blade as well, but then I tend to pack food items that need slicing (avocados, sopressatta...). It lives in a pocket, or clipped to one of the side pockets on my pack (mine has a money clip)