Hiking knife?

[markn951]

So, my family (my sister and I specifically) is getting more into hiking/backpacking/trekking... My sister is looking for a high-quality, lightweight, easy-to-carry knife to bring with her while hiking. Anything you guys recommend? Try to stay below 50 dollars. 

[jzmtl]

I take it there is no specific usage in mind and it's more of a "just in case" knife? If so you can't beat a Mora (traditional Swedish knife) for the money, very good steel and they are feather light, $50 will get you two shipped with money leftover.

http://edcdepot.com/search.aspx?manufacturer=77

Some are carbon some are stainless, if you want stainless the last one is my fav.

[markn951]

I mean, if you really ask HER, she has her heart set on a Machete, for "cutting branches and defending against mountain lions"

[Inzelique]

So get her a machete.  But, she has to carry it.  after the first hike when she changes her mind, hand her the Mora.

[Mr. Whippy]

Skeletool.  Besides the knife, you get pliers and bit driver  AND carabiner clip for easy outside the pack carry.  That is the tool of choice for me when climbing/hiking.

And it's light.

[Zack]

If you are going on marked trails then there is no need for a machete.  I say get her a mora clipper or if she wants something a little bigger a Mora 2000.  Or, if she just wants to whittle get her a SAK (camper version).  A Machete would be the last thing I would use in case of mountain lion attack.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

How about about some of the cheaper Cold Steel range

Most of them are well under $50

[TxSxB]

Gerber makes some pretty decent fixed blades at a reasonable cost (Gator, Profile, Metolius, Big Rock) You could get any of those under 30 bones on eBay. And it would be alot easier to convince her she can fend of cougars with one of those as opposed to a SAK.  If you wanna drop 50$ ($45ish) on a knife the Gerber Freeman is an awesome blade - I absolutely love mine  

[cgjones]

Something from the Spyderco Salt series might be a good choice. Possibly the Salt I? It's lightweight, rust proof, easy to carry and can be purchased for around $50.

[Gareth]

Mora are certainly good knives but for a more traditional look/feel I like to carry my Marttinni (a Finnish maker) Lynx.  Have a look at "Leuku" or "Sami" type knives for a good compromise between knife and machete.

[Gryffin]

If so you can't beat a Mora (traditional Swedish knife) for the money, very good steel and they are feather light, $50 will get you two shipped with money leftover.

http://edcdepot.com/search.aspx?manufacturer=77

Some are carbon some are stainless, if you want stainless the last one is my fav.

+1 on the Moras, but I'd stay away from the more traditional guardless ones unless she really knows what she's doing. My suggestion would be any of the Clipper-style ones in stainless; I have several like that, including that Craftline and a Frosts Clipper in blaze orange. (It works, I haven't lost it yet!) They weigh nearly nothing, have comfy, grippy handles, are easy to sharpen well, and they can do just about anything you'd need a knife for in the woods. (Sorry, Busse fans, but in real-world woodcraft, you rarely have a need to penetrate car hoods or baton through cinder blocks.)

You could go with a folding knife, but any folder of similar size and utility is gonna weigh twice as much, and be either cheaply made or cost more (probably both!). On the trail is one of the few places where a sheath knife is still socially acceptable, so take advantage of it!

[Viper]

If she wanted a machete, she's thinking fixed blade, right? Because perhaps a folder would be more useful...

[Swiss Man]

Get her one of these I have one in the kitchen and it is great.

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Belt-Knife-Canadian/dp/B0015ZSU8I

[skidoosh]

Any reason a regular SAK won't work? 

[Fisting_Chili]

This is a damn good knife for weight and ability.....
http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=product.detail&productID=2937

[markn951]

She doesn't need much, and the knife is only going to be used while hiking. 355 days of the year, it will be sitting at home. That's why I don't want to spend a lot, or buy something with a lot of utility. She only needs a simple knife, lightweight, easy to use (she is definitely not experienced), and something that won't rust. I'm checking out the Moras and I'll look at Gerber as well. I honestly don't know why she says she wants a machete. We're not going to be going in the woods, only pre-made trails... Thanks a lot guys!

[Fisting_Chili]

She doesn't need much, and the knife is only going to be used while hiking. 355 days of the year, it will be sitting at home. That's why I don't want to spend a lot, or buy something with a lot of utility. She only needs a simple knife, lightweight, easy to use (she is definitely not experienced), and something that won't rust. I'm checking out the Moras and I'll look at Gerber as well. I honestly don't know why she says she wants a machete. We're not going to be going in the woods, only pre-made trails... Thanks a lot guys!

If you read through this, it will all be explained...
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,20295.0.html

[Sean]

If your not prepared to order out, check some of your local shops, Walmart I hear in the USA has some
decent knives as well as some of your outdoor shops?  Some of the brands to look at might be... Buck, Spyderco, Cold Steel, Sog, CRKT, Gerber.  Take a look at any or all of these brands and pick something you/she might like and I'm sure you will get a quality blade. 

[jekostas]

Another vote for the Buck Redpoint - cheap, good steel for outdoors use, useful serrations, exceptional grip as it has rubber inserts.

[sergemaster]

This is a very interesting topic and is something I've been pondering as of late..

The first thing you need to research is WHERE you plan on hiking, will it be a well visited trail located near home or somewhere along the East coast or will you be planning to head out into the wilds of the northwest or better yet, the great white north of Canada?

If you're going a few hours from home, you'll not need a machete, sword, or even a light saber. To carry such a bulky unwieldy item is a little overkill and you'd do better with a set of pruning shears to be honest.  

Now if I saw someone hiking on a trail carrying a machete, I think I'd be dialing 911 and informing the park police besides steering clear of the individual, but then again we go back to location, location, location, is it outer suburbs hiking or Jeremiah Johnson.. 

If you think you'll be using your MT or other type blade to defend youyrself against bears and such, personally I'd prefer a 44 magnum over a TTI anyday! But since there are some rules in place discouraging this but again we're talking about the location, Montana sure, Western Canada yes, New Jersey???  I..... don't think so..

There's weight to consider since some hikers loath packing anything above 1 ounce so that's another factor to consider. Personally I could care less about it, but some hikers are stead fast on the subject..

Also there is the school of thought that cutting is one thing and that relying strictly on a MT is not a good idea since a MT can only do certain functions and none of them perfectly. So with that, some like to carry either a dedicated folding or fixed blade knife for all their cutting needs..

Personally for me, since the majority of hiking that I do is along the east coast where the threat of attack from bears or wild Indians are at a minimum at best, I usually pack a Swisstool, Spirit, Original Wave or a Charge TTI in a Maxpedition sheath for comfort since you can deploy it on your belt at different angles..

I also sometimes just use a good old Buck 110 with either a Micra or a Squirt to meet my scissor needs and some hikers swear by those including the Juice models since the chance of needing pliers or screwdrivers while on the trail over scissors is usually kept to a minimum..

In conclusion you need to carry what you think you can deal with having on your person for hours on end, going up and down jaggged cliffs and other various terrain. Remember you'll have either a lumbar or a back pack to bring your other supplies like a first aid kit, trail food, water, light, fire, parachord, poncho, etc.. The possibilities are endless but starting out stcik to the traditional 12..

I think you're best bet starting out would be something along the Micra/Squirt/Juice lines or even a SAK for your sis, then once you've wet your whistle and know what it is you need to have with you, you can always upgrade..

One thing to remember, It's better to have something and not need it, than to need something and not have it..  

Cheers,
Serge

[PyroJames]

Well said, Serge.  A machete or bowie knife would definitely be comforting but it may not be right for the situation.  For me, a small fixed blade or large folder is usually all I need for hiking trails.

[crls1]

Nice advise Serge; anyway, if anyone is interested, there is this Cold Steel sale. Some nice items with very good prices (the machetes are less than $ 10.00).

http://www.ltspecpro.com/july-4th-sale.html

Carlos

[jekostas]

Nice advise Serge; anyway, if anyone is interested, there is this Cold Steel sale. Some nice items with very good prices (the machetes are less than $ 10.00).

http://www.ltspecpro.com/july-4th-sale.html

Carlos

The K4 neck knife in VG-1 in either plain or serrated would make an excellent hiking knife - nice blade length, excellent steel, decent sheath, very light weight, REALLY nice grip.

Also, good and cheap.

[jzmtl]

If it's same as K7 then blade/edge is really thin, not something I'd use outdoors TBH.

[jekostas]

If it's same as K7 then blade/edge is really thin, not something I'd use outdoors TBH.

The K4 Neck Knife has the same spine width as the K7 kitchen, but since the blade is overall half the depth, it's a much, much stouter knife.  As it stands, if we were talking about week or two week long hiking trips, or a survival knife, yeah, I'd definitely agree with you.

But for day hikes, or even a few days backpacking?  It would likely be fine - I mean, you're not going to be building a shelter with this thing, just lighter duties like feathering for kindling, cutting lines, cutting moleskin for bandages, maybe some light limb stripping.

[jzmtl]

For the weight/money thou I'd still prefer a Mora. The blade on K4 would still be thin enough to flex which I don't like.

[DaveK]

If you're going to carry a knife, you may as well carry a multi-tool tbh.

It's surprising how often I use my multi on walks / hikes. Pliers to pull stones from the tread on my boots, handling hot pans (and kettle), repairing those hook-and-eye gate catches (my good deeds), dealing with barbed wire (or even thorny branches) that are a hazard for walkers and wildlife......

I'd (in fact do) go with a Skeletool, it's not like the blade is too shoddy anyway!

[markn951]

If you're going to carry a knife, you may as well carry a multi-tool tbh.

It's surprising how often I use my multi on walks / hikes. Pliers to pull stones from the tread on my boots, handling hot pans (and kettle), repairing those hook-and-eye gate catches (my good deeds), dealing with barbed wire (or even thorny branches) that are a hazard for walkers and wildlife......

I'd (in fact do) go with a Skeletool, it's not like the blade is too shoddy anyway!

First of all, thanks to everyone who replied. Secondly, Dave you have a point. TBH though most of the time she will be going hiking I will want to go with her, and I will always have either my Spirit or some other MT with me... She doesn't need the screwdriver but I'm thinking since it's light and has a carabiner and bottle clip she might carry it more than if I just got the Freestyle... Then again, Cabella's has the Redpoint for 15 bucks on clearance, and I really like the knife. I tried it out in a small knife shop in a mall in CA, and if I decide to buy her one then I would buy one for myself too. If I buy her a Freestyle (or a Skeletool for that matter) then I won't be able to afford one for myself (and I wouldn't mind a nice, light EDC for when I'm not wearing a belt)...

[Sazabi]

What about a nice AG Russel Woodwalker?  They're nicely sized and quite affordable.

[markn951]

Sergemaster definitely deserves nomination as most helpful poster lol. May I ask why so many people are recommending non-folding knives? For some reason when I think of a portable knife I think folding.