Last Updated on July 5, 2023
Camping is just fun, think of the beautiful sky and of all the other sweet things you get to do but believe me when I say that little things that refuse to fall in place can leave you more frustrated than excited.
For people who camp a lot, the importance of having a perfect knife at hand is as clear as daylight, but for those of you who are newbies, you could feel things like “a knife” might seem insignificant until you need one.
Give a more profound thought into you being stuck with a set of knives that can’t cut through a tree branch, then you know this topic is worth treating and if you are embarking on some hunting or an adventure trip, all the worse it gets.
So, let’s say you haven’t made the trip just yet, I am going to make the work less stressful for you by helping you pinpoint what should be on your mind when you go knife shopping so that your trip will be hassle-free, and then you can thank me secretly.
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Things To Consider When Picking Your Knives
- Foldable or Fixed: For the primary part, camping knives can either come in a foldable type or a fixed type.
The foldable ones offer you the luxury of folding or rolling the blade back after its usage while the fixed types are permanently stuck and attached to the end surface of the knife.
While a foldable knife is safer to handle, fixed types provide you with a steadier grip when you need to use them.
So answer this question, are you a “safe” or a “grip” person. If you can handle blades well, then the fixed type is probably a better option for you, but if you have little children around you during the trip or you wouldn’t be doing so much cutting, then you can make do with a foldable knife.
There is an option of getting a locking knife; this is a knife that comes with a foldable blade and its protective sheath, but when opened the blade can be locked into place to give the feel of a grip knife.
If you feel the need to have both a foldable and a fixed blade separately for your trip, then you can make a protective sheath for your fixed blade if you don’t already have one and keep it securely.
- Quality: As it is with buying anything else, the price of any commodity varies. For knives, it is better to decide what kind of knife you want and just how much you are willing to part with before you go on a search for one.
This is because the price for a complete high carbon steel knife in one market could be the same price for a plain stainless steel knife at another.
So, in as much as I wouldn’t advise you to break a bank when it comes to buying your knife, it would also be a pity to have an inefficient knife at the end of the day.
Don’t go too cheap; average quality is better than no quality at all.
- Size: This part is a very crucial part of choosing your knife, knowing what size you need is perfect for your expedition.
When searching for knives, sizes can be overwhelming, but if you have a good grasp of what you are going to encounter on the campground, it would be easier to decide if you would need a large knife for severe cutting or a smaller one for less demanding work.
Note however that a small knife might not be useful if you are planning on engaging in any form of hunting on your trip. So, on the average, a knife between 9 to 12 inches will be on the safer side.
- Ask Questions: Find out as much as you can about the brand of knife you are interested in before you make payment for it especially if it is costly and can not be returned.
Going on camping trip means that you wouldn’t be able to run back and forth for replacements so once you are all packed, you are all packed!
If you are shopping online, read about the kind of knives you want, if you are buying it in person, query the shop personnel about the specifications on your knife of choice so that you know exactly what you are buying and weigh if it fits the need for your trip.
- Comfort: You have done all the research you want to do about your blade, and you have cut out your budget for it, think of your comfort next.
Wielding your knife with ease is extremely important when buying knives if your knife is too heavy for your body build or the grip keeps slipping through your grasp when in use then it’s as good as a waste at least for your trip.
Knife handles can be made of plastic, wood, rubber, stainless steel, or aluminium. All these have their varying durability, but if you have sweaty hands then you should stay away from the plastic, stainless steel or aluminium handles as they are very slippery when in contact with little moisture.
Make sure you go for what you are comfortable with even if it’s not the fanciest knife on the list, beauty without use is disappointing when you need it.
Finally!
The need of a useful blade when on a trip cannot be over-explained; it is just what it is, important!
Depending on what kind of expedition you are going for, the use of a knife is usually unavoidable. This means that in most cases you will always need one.
If you don’t need a simple knife to make food, then you will need a complex one to hunt, cut through some rough paths or even chip down branches for a fire.
You should have your knife safely kept for immediate use when on any camping trips and with these tips, you can’t be found wanting when picking just what is right for you.
