Backcountry pocket knife

[ElkAddict26]

I enjoy knives very much and consider myself somewhat of a novice collector. I am curious what everyone is carrying as a backcountry folding pocket knife. Currently I carry a White River Knives M1 backpacker pro as a small fixed blade and the Tyto 1.1 for game processing replaceable blade. I really like the idea of having a lightweight folding pocketknife always on my person. I am wanting something lightweight, durable and with somewhat higher end blade steel. Not interested in crazy high end blade steels, but something in the s30 or s35 range. I do very much like the benchmade bugout and would assume several people will recommend this knife. Just curious what else might be out there, similar price, weight, blade steel and size. Thanks

 

[mtnkid85]

You guessed it. I really like my bugout, Id certainly recommend it.

 

[camelcluch]

I carry a lone wolf folder, Rainer fixed and havalon. I may try out the knives of Alaska folder.

 

[snowplow]

I edc a Benchmade Osbourne and am always impressed by it for it's do all abilities. I love the blade style and length. It's actually bigger than it seems. Long and thin and very light. The tip style is excellent and it is a great carver as well.

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[TBHasler]

Bugout user here. Crazy light and takes about 10 secs to put a razor sharp edge back on it.

 

[Cng]

The Bugout is really nice, but the scales have some give to them. Probably not an issue since you’re also carrying a fixed blade, but if I was going to pick a folder for anything more than food prep and cord cutting in the backcountry, I’d probably choose something with a titanium or steel scale or at least a liner.

I personally carry a Leatherman Wave on all my outdoors activities, but it doesn’t sound like that interests you.

 

[clockworkgator]

GEC improved trapper or a GEC F&F Fish Knife. I wish they were stainless, but can't beat the overall quality.

 

[ramont]

Benchmade Osborne that I bought online and customized by ordering D2 for the blade and personalized engraving.

 

[TBHasler]

As brought up earlier, IF this is your only packed knife you’d likely get different recommendations. I carry my bugout in my pocket but also have a fixed blade in/on my pack. I just assumed you’d bring another knife.
May want to clarify on that point as it would likely result in different recommendations.

 

[ElkAddict26]

As brought up earlier, IF this is your only packed knife you’d likely get different recommendations. I carry my bugout in my pocket but also have a fixed blade in/on my pack. I just assumed you’d bring another knife.
May want to clarify on that point as it would likely result in different recommendations.

Yes sir in my original post I talked about carrying the white river m1 backpacker as my small fixed blade, along with the tyto 1.1 for processing work.

 

[FacePlant]

Spyderco Endura with flat ground blade and orange scales. Works great for edc, and still heavy enough to do some work if needed. Bright orange so I can find it after snack breaks on the trail.

 

[boom]

The Bugout is really nice, but the scales have some give to them. Probably not an issue since you’re also carrying a fixed blade, but if I was going to pick a folder for anything more than food prep and cord cutting in the backcountry, I’d probably choose something with a titanium or steel scale or at least a liner.

I personally carry a Leatherman Wave on all my outdoors activities, but it doesn’t sound like that interests you.

i'm with this guy about the Bugout. i love my bugout. i bought it used and carried it daily for about 2 years. it cut a lot of stuff (im a field civil engineer in heavy construction), and the lack of a liner never got me in trouble. but hunting, i think i would leave it at home and grab something with a liner. you just never know what can happen when traisping around the wilderness for days on end. for the most part i carried my (found it broken on a jobsite) Buck 112 folder, since it feels "quintessential American hunting". but i think my new GiantMouse Ace Biblio pretty much derailled what i feel i like in a folder.

i do like the look of that Victorinox Pro Hunter in orange. but i need a new knife in my life like a hole in the head.

 

[mcseal2]

It depends on the hunt for me. I almost always have a fixed blade on my belt or in my pack. Usually a pretty high quality one with a 4-4.5" blade like a Bark River in 3V or Dozier in D2.

For the second knife it depends a bit if I will have the fixed blade on my belt or in my pack. Some of my newer pants have a built in belt that I don't really like carrying the fixed blade on. My Kuiu rain pants have the belt covered for most of it's length. Due to this I'm carrying the Dozier with it's formed kydex sheath more in my pack and a folder in my pocket. Sometimes I carry a Benchmade Altitude in my bino harness and don't take a folder. If I hope to be caping an animal and not doing a Euro mount I'm more likely to have the Altitude.

I like the Bugout others mentioned but don't consider it real sturdy like they said. I do carry it quite a bit since I have the fixed blade on day hunts for deer.

For longer trips or hunting bigger animals I like to go with something a bit tougher. I have 3 I pick from:

Buck Alpha Crosslock in S30V. This knife has the saw/guthook blade and a 3" S30V blade and weighs 3.9oz. Biggest drawback for me is it's a little thicker knife and doesn't carry in a pants pocket as easy as the others. The guthook is pretty wide and can save the edge on other knives doing hide cuts though, especially on animals with a thicker or muddy hide. This one goes more often if the fixed blade is on my belt and it will be in my pack.

Gerber Bolt Action Exchange blade. This knife weighs 2.5oz with the utility blade I use for camp work. I like that it can quickly swap blades to a saw or different shaped blade. I sometimes take this as my only knife and leave the fixed blade. If I ever lost the knife from my pocket I could still process game using the spare blades I carry in my pack and a little tape. Biggest downside is that it's just standard Gerber stainless steel from the 80's or 90's. If I ever find someone to build me some S30V blades to fit it I'll likely carry it all the time. I usually carry the knife in my pocket and a couple spare blades in my pack. The knife with both spare blades in the sheath I use is 5oz total.

ZT 452CF. This is a 4" S35 blade, a bigger knife but light for it's size at 4.4oz. I took it to Alaska on the moose hunt and it worked well. The blade shape is identical to the Benchmade Saddle Mountain Hunter knife, a pretty good slicer for meat but not the best skinner. I like a bigger knife especially on something the size of a moose, so it was a great fit there. It's almost as capable as my fixed blade for camp work but still easy to pack.

A knife is one place I am willing to pack a little extra weight. I like knives and consider them important enough to carry 2 of them almost all the time. I'm also pretty good at losing them, that might be why I like having 2 so much.

 

[ElkAddict26]

It depends on the hunt for me. I almost always have a fixed blade on my belt or in my pack. Usually a pretty high quality one with a 4-4.5" blade like a Bark River in 3V or Dozier in D2.

For the second knife it depends a bit if I will have the fixed blade on my belt or in my pack. Some of my newer pants have a built in belt that I don't really like carrying the fixed blade on. My Kuiu rain pants have the belt covered for most of it's length. Due to this I'm carrying the Dozier with it's formed kydex sheath more in my pack and a folder in my pocket. Sometimes I carry a Benchmade Altitude in my bino harness and don't take a folder. If I hope to be caping an animal and not doing a Euro mount I'm more likely to have the Altitude.

I like the Bugout others mentioned but don't consider it real sturdy like they said. I do carry it quite a bit since I have the fixed blade on day hunts for deer.

For longer trips or hunting bigger animals I like to go with something a bit tougher. I have 3 I pick from:

Buck Alpha Crosslock in S30V. This knife has the saw/guthook blade and a 3" S30V blade and weighs 3.9oz. Biggest drawback for me is it's a little thicker knife and doesn't carry in a pants pocket as easy as the others. The guthook is pretty wide and can save the edge on other knives doing hide cuts though, especially on animals with a thicker or muddy hide. This one goes more often if the fixed blade is on my belt and it will be in my pack.

Gerber Bolt Action Exchange blade. This knife weighs 2.5oz with the utility blade I use for camp work. I like that it can quickly swap blades to a saw or different shaped blade. I sometimes take this as my only knife and leave the fixed blade. If I ever lost the knife from my pocket I could still process game using the spare blades I carry in my pack and a little tape. Biggest downside is that it's just standard Gerber stainless steel from the 80's or 90's. If I ever find someone to build me some S30V blades to fit it I'll likely carry it all the time. I usually carry the knife in my pocket and a couple spare blades in my pack. The knife with both spare blades in the sheath I use is 5oz total.

ZT 452CF. This is a 4" S35 blade, a bigger knife but light for it's size at 4.4oz. I took it to Alaska on the moose hunt and it worked well. The blade shape is identical to the Benchmade Saddle Mountain Hunter knife, a pretty good slicer for meat but not the best skinner. I like a bigger knife especially on something the size of a moose, so it was a great fit there. It's almost as capable as my fixed blade for camp work but still easy to pack.

A knife is one place I am willing to pack a little extra weight. I like knives and consider them important enough to carry 2 of them almost all the time. I'm also pretty good at losing them, that might be why I like having 2 so much.

Great recommendations, thanks.

 

[Eltigreblanco]

I carry benchmade Osborne, I also really like an opinel no.8. It's cheap and I can get it super sharp

 

[LostArra]

Are my Mini Griptillian and Spyderco Native completely out of date? Still work for me


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[kylehertzog]

I have been eyeing and drooling over the James brand hell gap. That thing looks amazing with s35vn steel.

The Hell Gap Knife

Sometimes everyday carry means more than what you can put in your pockets. Built around an s35vn blade and canvas Micarta or G10 scales, it's a cutting polymath.

thejamesbrand.com

edit, I did not catch the foldable part. Can't go wrong with something from Bench, for cheep stuff I like CRKT because of there selection.

 

[menhaden_man]

Outdoor Edge Griphook is pretty sweet and great price. I carry that and a Havalon but could easily get it done with one or the other.

GripHook

Grip-Hook Blaze, newest gut-hook skinner with Orange Kraton handle

www.outdooredge.com

 

[Lawnboi]

I like to carry a small fixed blade.

Lt Wright frontier first. Little 5.5” knife.

I carry it in a magnetic pocket sheath from dlt trading post.

I carry it every day, hunting or not.

 

[Austink47]

Osborn 940 every day. Looks like I am in good company.