Choose a knife for a week-long backpack

elkins45

elkins45

Joined
Jun 17, 2006
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I posted this in General, but then I realized it would probably fit in best here.

Sometime in the spring I'm hoping to spend a week backpacking the Sheltowee Trace, which is a north-south trail that starts in Tennessee and goes almost to the Ohio river. Obviously I can't do all 260 miles, but I'm hoping to do one of the central sections that has almost all wooded trails and very little road walking. I can't decide which fixed blade to take with me. All have certain advantages and disadvantages. I'll be using it for general utility tasks like food prep, fires, possibly some light brush clearing, digging catholes if I can't sharpen a decent digging stick. I will also be carrying a folder, most likely a Spyderco Para 2.

I would be interested to know which you would choose (and why) if you had these knives to choose from:

Fallkniven F1
Spyderco Aqua Salt
Busse SAR5
Fehrman Shadow Scout
Bark River Bravo-1
Entrek Javelina
Scrapyard Dumpster Mutt
Scrapyard Scrapper 5 LE

All input appreciated (except "you only need a Mora")...I already have several, and this decision doesn't have much to do with 'need', just 'want'. :D
 
I'd go with the F1 myself. It's a proven design and a proven knife for the outdoors.

The Busse SAR would probably be very good too. It's basic, no frills, and the thickness suits the blade.

The Scrapyard knives are just too thick for a general purpose 5" blade, IMO. I will fully admit that I have no firsthand experience with them, but the blade thickness vs blade length turn me off. Love the looks of the handles though. It's the same reason I don't have a Becker BK2 anymore. I love the design, but it's too thick for a 5" length for me.

I really like the design of the Entrek Javelina. It's looks like one of the more woods worthy blades they offer.

I always carry more than one blade. I'll have a folder or multi tool (usually both, LOL), a small 3"-4" fixed blade, and a larger knife for dirty work. I like the redundancy. Could I get by without them? Sure I could. I don't worry about the extra 10-12oz of weight though.
 
If you're bringing the Para2, you have the small blade category covered. Why not bring along something a little bigger, to complement it? Maybe a 12" machete; the 12" Tramontina would be nice and light, and for $5 how can you go wrong?
ETA: out of your original list, I'd take lightest knife of the bunch, which would be the F1 I suppose...
 
I'd vote dumpster mutt - because that Busse Basic handle is one of the most comfortable grips I've ever dealt with.
 
cramsey3006 said:
I always carry more than one blade. I'll have a folder or multi tool (usually both, LOL), a small 3"-4" fixed blade, and a larger knife for dirty work. I like the redundancy. Could I get by without them? Sure I could. I don't worry about the extra 10-12oz of weight though.
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I'm big on knife redundancy as well. I always have a folder and I usually keep a Mora Clipper inside my pack just in case. I generally like to have three knives (double redundancy? :)) and three light sources when I know I'm going to be in the boonies for more than a day.
 
Fallkniven F1. Easy to carry, easy to sharpen, and has always performed great for me no matter the task.
 
elkins45 said:
fires, possibly some light brush clearing, digging catholes if I can't sharpen a decent digging stick.
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I try to limit my impact on any trail I travel on, therefore I would try and hold off on these activites as much as possible. Just a suggestion.
As for the knife, Sar 5 is what I would be taking along.
 
What else are you brining, are you taking a chopping tool? or just the folder and the knife in questions.

From what you listed, and though I have no experience with them, judging from what I've seen of them, I say this.

With no other chopper: Your Fehrman.
With a chopper: your F1

I often go with a spyderco millie and an RC6 with no chopper in the mix. With your shadow scout it would looks similar to that set-up. I find it works great for me.

I would recommend a chopper though, if your traveling by boat, you should have no problem taking it either.

SDC15001.jpg
 
One oz carried at the beginning, is a pound at the end.

Are you going to be carrying a stove and fuel?
Or will you be building fires to cook?
Are you going to carry a tent or a tarp?
Or are you going to build shelters?

I did a lot of long distance backpacking, carrying a gasoline stove and a tarp.
The weight of a large knife equalled a quart of fuel.

I only carried a SAK which was useful, and also a small Bucklite folder, which I never used!
 
Backpacking for a week, but don't want a mora? Then take whatever is lightest on your list.
 
Your Para 2 is going to cover small light work, food prep, slicing, etc. So you need something to handle everything else. I have an F1...love it but I would carry something around 5" or bigger. My F1 is one of my favorites but you cant clear jack with it, it cant prep bigger rounds so I like it for spoons and feather sticks, whittling. I have never used the Fehrman Shadow Scout but like the length. You could process wood pretty well with it if you had to. It is big without being a monster! But I do like the scrap and the busse handles better. For longer use...those are super comfy! But I like a longer blade Around 5-7" not a monster long one. My main blades I like are the A1, BK7, then my RC6...in that order. If you had an S1 I would go with it very good fit and just about right for general use. Lightweight, right length, sheath is extremely functional (Many dont like their sheaths, I absolutely love them! because they are simple, secure, and functional). Becareful with extremely thick blade they become limited in fine duty. .25" is really alot different then .20" IMHO. But convex can make a thicker blade more versatile. Just my 2 cents
 
From the one you've listed - F1 or Bravo 1 - good performers and easy to sharpen :thumbup:
 
Of your list, I'd suggest the F1 and a small folding saw. Nice and light and not really sure why you would need anything longer for the chores described and chances are on a trail system you'll be cooking with a stove set up more often then not. Keeping it lighter, I'd ditch the spyderco for a SAK-farmer or other SAK model (with a saw) and lose the folding saw suggestion.
 
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