Machete for long backpacking trips

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XC279

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Nov 6, 2006
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I am planning a long (month or more) backpacking trip this summer. I admit that I don't know much about machete's. I am considering buying the woodsmans pal premium or the SOG Jungle Primitive. What would be the best choice or should I even bring a machete? I'm primarily going to be on the Pacific Crest Trail.
 
Reviews from the majority of folks who use the Woodsmans Pal are not great, seems to not be the best chopper and not terribly comfortable.

From looking at area maps and pictures of the wilderness there, I don't see an environment where you'd get the most use out of a machete: I think you'd pretty much be carrying dead weight.

What other blades are you carrying? If you're going to be gone for that long, I'd assume you're working hard on keeping your weight way, way down. In general, though, I'd recommend taking at least two items: a good pocket knife and a very good belt knife. A hatchet or a folding saw would be in my pack without a doubt, but others don't necessarily find that to be a 'must have'.

It would be hard to beat a Swiss Army Knife for a pocket knife, either the Vic Farmer or a Victorinox One Hand Trekker. Both these have useful, simple tools and carry easily. They also both have small saws and good blades. I favor the Farmer.

Many options would exist for a good belt knife. Some ideas to look into:

Fallkniven (F1 is quite popular)
Bark River Knife & Tool (Many, many options from them such as the Aurora, Nebula, Kephart, etc.)
RAT Cutlery (RC4 just came out, looks like a real winner)
Customs from folks like Scott Gossman

Most of those, save the customs, would run you around or a little over $100. If you're on a tighter budget, other options exist.

For hatchets, the Fiskars 14" hatchet is dead reliable and a great buy, highly functional and quite light for what it does.

If you've already got your steel choices lined out and were just considering the addition of the machete, my apologies! I really enjoy woods blades.

Either way, stop by the Wilderness and Survival forum to talk gear, we love that stuff over there. Lots more good advice and steel and all else to do with the outdoors.
 
I have all my other gear planned I had just heard somehwere that a machete was a good choice to bring when you go out in the woods on long trips. As far as knives I was planning on bringing a Swiss Army Knife Camper and a SOG Daggert II (I don't know why but I've always loved that knife). I'll try this in the Wilderness Survival forum, I appreciate the help.
 
For backpacking, weight is a consiseration. Condor's 10" and 12" Inca knives in 420HC are worth looking at. Also, Ontario has a thin economy 12" camp machete in 1095 that holds an edge a bit better. The Ontario is fairly inexpensive. The Condors come with nice leather sheaths.
 
You'll be hiking on a trail and won't need a machete. In fact, you probably won't need to chop anything the entire trip. A small lightweight knife (I prefer either a fixed blade or locking folder) will be all you'll need for long-distance backpacking.

In fact, I rarely come across anything in the outdoors that ever needs cutting, especially following No Trace backcountry ethics. I do carry a knife and strongly agree that it is one of the Ten Essentials, but cutting moleskin or opening foil food packs are about the only time my knife gets used when camping, hiking, or backpacking.

Have fun on your trip!
 
Bob W said:
You'll be hiking on a trail and won't need a machete. In fact, you probably won't need to chop anything the entire trip. A small lightweight knife (I prefer either a fixed blade or locking folder) will be all you'll need for long-distance backpacking.

In fact, I rarely come across anything in the outdoors that ever needs cutting, especially following No Trace backcountry ethics. I do carry a knife and strongly agree that it is one of the Ten Essentials, but cutting moleskin or opening foil food packs are about the only time my knife gets used when camping, hiking, or backpacking.

Have fun on your trip!
Click to expand...

+1 on Bob W's response.
Especially if you are on the southern portion of the PC trail there will not be much to cut. Much better to carry extra water here than a heavy blade.
 
Bob W said:
You'll be hiking on a trail and won't need a machete. In fact, you probably won't need to chop anything the entire trip. A small lightweight knife (I prefer either a fixed blade or locking folder) will be all you'll need for long-distance backpacking.

In fact, I rarely come across anything in the outdoors that ever needs cutting, especially following No Trace backcountry ethics. I do carry a knife and strongly agree that it is one of the Ten Essentials, but cutting moleskin or opening foil food packs are about the only time my knife gets used when camping, hiking, or backpacking.

Have fun on your trip!
Click to expand...

Excellent, and I agree.

When I backpack on the trail I usually carry a 3" blade Buck lite with a bright ORANGE handle. It's small, lightweight, cheap, strong, and ORANGE! I've found it many times in the dirt and muck just because of it's distinct color.:D

So to answer the thread starter's question. I would recommend a great inexpensive Cold Steel Kukri, Bolo, or Panga machete. The only thing you might have to do when you buy them is to sharpen them a bit, and maybe even take a emery cloth to handle just to make the plastic handle smoother.
 
whenever i go fishing around here i always have to make my own trails every season because things grow so fast. i use to carry around a convexed 12 inch onterio machete but then i got a fiskars chopping machete. it works unbelievably well. the difference is day and night between the two. also it is easier to use it as a long knife for some reason. i use to carry a kabar usmc but the fiskars can do everything and more compared to a 12 inch machete and a 7 inch blade.
 
Bob W said:
You'll be hiking on a trail and won't need a machete. In fact, you probably won't need to chop anything the entire trip. A small lightweight knife (I prefer either a fixed blade or locking folder) will be all you'll need for long-distance backpacking.

In fact, I rarely come across anything in the outdoors that ever needs cutting, especially following No Trace backcountry ethics. I do carry a knife and strongly agree that it is one of the Ten Essentials, but cutting moleskin or opening foil food packs are about the only time my knife gets used when camping, hiking, or backpacking.

Have fun on your trip!
Click to expand...


+ 1.
A medium sized knife ( 4" -6 ") will do everything you'll need.
 
No Trace hiking is great but if you are going to be in a place that allows camp fires then having something to split dead wood is essential. Also in an emergency having a blade that can build emergency shelter, cut saplings for a travios , etc only makes sense. I have done month long treks in the wilderness before and most time I took along my Woodman's Pal and a Camillus military folder. There was usually a back-up folder in the pack as well in case I lost the Camillus, most of the time it was a Normark Big Swede. The Woodman's pal splits wood, builds shelters, digs fire pits, does just about any chore you can think of around camp. One suggestion, get the leather sheath, the nylon is good only to protect the blade at home but not to carry.
 
On that trail, you shouldn't need a machete. I have hiked the same area and, although I will admit I did bring along a larger 'survival' type knife for emergency use, I have *never* needed anything larger than a swiss army knife.

If you absoulutey want to bring along a larger knife, I would suggest something along the lines of a Bark River Aurora. You can do almost anything with this knife.

If you feel you want to be prepared for major woodworking in an emergency, take a light hatchet like Gransfors Bruks.

Have fun on your trip,

Mark
 
The PCT is more like a narrow highway than the average hiking trail. About the only chopping you might need to do is if a tree fell across the trail but most of those are going to be too big for a machete. In most cases, you can just walk around them anyway.
 
I have never encountered a need for a large knife on a trip. A good four inch blade will suffice. I made a week long trip with nothing but one of the tiny SAK's from my first aid kit. Not recommended but we did just fine.
 
I hate to blow my own horn really I do.
I designed the Mache~Axe based on just your requirements and some serious study of traditional 'machete' profiles from around the world. I concur that if chopping dead fall is unlikely, then you only need a SAK or General purpose outdoor knife. For almost everything else, there's the Mach~Axe.
http://www.imagometrics.com/images/6.05/GoBox/GKit_Cmpnts/Entry_Extr/Mach/RKMA .jpg
Quick Specifications/Features:
Total length-18"
Total weight (machete)-20.6 oz/ 580gm
Sheath weight -
Blade length-12.75"
Grip length-5.125"
Grip circumfrence-4"
Blade Material- 1095 Carbon Steel- Satin Finish
Blade thickness-.158"/4.5mm
Grind Pattern-Convex W/3mm bevel
 
I would second the Condor Inca Knife. Condor puts out a good tough product that's lightweight and comfortable to carry thanks to their swiveling sheaths. The Inca is at a good size to do double duty as a camp knife or brush clearing tool. One of my favorite things about many of Condor's more compact models is they feel as though they'd be just as at home in the kitchen as they would in the woods.
 
Check out RAT Cutlery. Their RC-3 and RC-4 are out and the RC-6 will be out in April. For such a backpacking trip I would take a good folder OR my RC-3 AND probably the PC-6. I would not want to have to carry the added weight of a hatchet, ax, WoodsmanPal, etc. As others hae already stated your chopping needs should be somewhat limited. That said, I tend to think of survival issues when planning my hiking, camping gear. I plan a little for what CAN go wrong or what unplanned event can occur. For example you buddy falls and breaks a leg. You now may need to cut some wood for a splint, crutches or litter. You could want to split a little wood for a fire. Maybe it just is a cold evening or possibly it is an emergency. I would feel very comfortable with a knife the size of the RAT RC-6 for this need.

Sounds like a great trip. I wish that I had made such a trip when I was young enough to physically do it and could manage to take off a month from lifes responsibilies. Good luck and enjoy the trip.
 
I have to agree with 60 watt. He seems to be a pretty bright guy. If you think that you might have to do some chopping, pick up a Cold Steel Kukri. As a heavy duty camp knife, it should be excellent. You won't cut down a giant redwood or skin an elk, but you should be able to cut some sticks to cook hotdogs. And look good doing it.
 
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