5 Best Camping Knives for Precision and Reliability

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Camping knives are essential for both survival and utility.

You’d be amazed to find out what goes into a proper camping knife, from full-tang blade designs to serrated edges, carbon coatings, and all.

We’ve done all that research and planning for you, so you can just pick an excellent camping knife and quickly expand your knowledge of them in a single, simple guide.

5 Best Camping Knives Reviewed

1. Bushcrafter 162 Camping Knife

Benchmade simply does it best, and a wide majority of previous users agree. The 530V steel construction and the sturdy no-slip grip on the handle allow this fixed blade to withstand anything you throw at it.

The diamond weave pattern on it grips your skin and maintains your dexterity while in use. The inclusive sheath is, unfortunately, a bit weak. You’ve got a sharp knife here, and it doesn’t exactly hold it well.

While this knife is expensive, budget for a stronger sheath. That being said, the knife itself has no flaws, and as a gesture of good faith, Benchmade also includes a lifetime sharpening service at absolutely no cost to you.

You don’t even have to pay the postage on the return. Just contact them, get the necessary information, and you’ll get a knife coming back to you that’s as excellent as new. When you choose Benchmade, you’ll also benefit from the lifetime warranty.

Pros

• The diamond-weave handle provides essential dexterity.
• Free lifetime sharpening services (no postage costs)
• Includes a lifetime warranty

Cons

• A slightly weak sheath
• A little bit pricey

Product Information

• Type: Fixed blade
• Dimensions: 11” x 3” x 2″.
• Weight: 7.72 lbs.
• Blade material: CPM-S30V steel
• Handle Material: G10 resin fiberglass
• Blade Design: Single-sided straight edge

2. Gerber Bear Grylls Camping Knife

Gerber is one of those outdoor brands you can’t live without, and who would? They produce affordable, high-end outdoor camping gear, and their collaboration with Bear Grylls might just be the best thing they’ve done in years.

This knife features a textured rubber grip with a specific area for your index finger to bolster additional support. We are a bit surprised that they didn’t design the blade with a full tang, considering the knife’s intended use for survival experts.

Basically, that means the blade material runs all the way through the handle, providing stability and support.

The black coating on the blade itself will also wear off over time, but the point (pun intended) remains: it’s a sharp knife that won’t let you down. You’ll get added benefits, such as the steel striking pommel on the hilt’s base for emergency situations.

Traditionally, they break windshields during a crash, but you can also use them to drive tent stakes into the ground and perform other tasks around the campsite. There’s also a military-grade nylon sheath enclosed, as well as a lanyard through the loop in the hilt’s base.

Pros

• The hilt features a stainless steel pommel.
• A high-carbon steel blade cuts through just about anything.
• Includes a military-grade nylon sheath

Cons

• The coating will wear off over time.
• We expected a full-tang blade design.

Product Information

• Type: Fixed blade
• Dimensions: 13” x 5.5” x 2.2”
• Weight: 5.62lbs
• Blade Material: High-carbon stainless steel
• Handle Material: Textured Rubber
• Blade Design: Partially serrated edge

3. Morakniv Fixed Camping Knife

Fixed blades are the preferred type of outdoor enthusiast worldwide, and Morakniv does true justice to everyone looking for something a bit more tactical.

Starting from the bottom up, you’ll get a high-friction rubber grip that helps you retain your dextrous hold on the knife in any situation, as well as a full hand-to-point blade. The extended handle, featuring an ergonomic curve to secure your index finger, enables this.

They did fall flat on the sheath, though. Plastic is never our first choice for a knife sheath, and while it’s thick, the knife sits a little loose in there.

It comes with a strap that extends over the hilt, but it’s a cheaply made addition. We would have actually been happier if they hadn’t included it, but thanks to the cost, you can budget for an additional sheath right off the rip.

You’re also able to get it in nine different colors, though we’ve read that brighter colors (orange, lime, and sky blue) have been known to wear down very easily. You’ll also get a lifetime warranty straight from the manufacturer, so there’s no dealing with middle management to get your warranty fulfilled.

Morakniv has an outstanding customer service team that genuinely wants to help you get through whatever issue and get you back to using your knife.

Apart from that, it doesn’t exactly hurt that you’re getting that level of brand dedication from one of the most inexpensive-quality camping knives we’ve ever used.

Pros

• Great price
• Designed for cooking, carving, and all-around utility use.
• Includes a limited lifetime warranty
• High friction grip keeps you in control in survival situations.

Cons

Plastic knife sheath
Brighter colors wear off.

Product Information

• Type: Fixed blade
• Dimensions: 9.1” x 1.8” x 1.4”
• Weight: 5.60 lbs.
• The blade material is 12V27 stainless steel.
• Handle material: high-friction rubber
• Blade Design: Single-sided straight edge

4. Kershaw Blur Camping Knife

Kershaw is another name that you hear a lot when talking about outdoor goods. This time around, they’ve gone ahead and created a rather simple and affordable knife with a straightforward design.

You get a durable handle-to-point straight edge, crafted out of the S30V steel that makes up the rest of the knife.

Before we get too into it, the handle leaves a lot to be desired. It’s good for now, but leaving your knife out in moderate heat on the campsite will result in it feeling sticky and eventually coming off.

Rubber grips embedded in key areas of the mostly steel handle don’t hold up as well as we would have expected from Kershaw.

Despite this, the knife’s design ensures its durability for a lifetime. They spared no expense at the grade of steel and made the blade 3 ⅜” long, so you shouldn’t run into any concealed carry issues or strict laws.

The tempered clip prevents overbending issues, and the hilt features a pre-drilled hole for attaching a lanyard. It’s a great utility knife, but it’s not the best on the market.

Pros

• A grip thumb stud allows for quicker deployment.
• Blade length meets nearly all national laws.
• Designed to last for lifetime use

Cons

• Rubber grips are not durable.

Product Information

• Type: open-assisted knife
• Dimensions: 3 ⅜” blade
• Weight: 4.21 lbs.
• Blade Material: S30V steel
• Handle Material: Steel and Rubber
• Blade Design: Single-sided straight edge

5. Light My Fire Camping Knife

We’re really excited to talk about this one. The core of excellent products is their ability to solve multiple problems simultaneously.

Light My Fire is appropriately named for the lanyard and dual-flint-striking stick that you keep in the handle. With it, you’ll be able to start roughly 3,000 fires (or at least, 3,000 strikes or attempts) before it ends up running out of material.

That should keep you in plenty of campfires for years. The only downside is that the flint doesn’t adhere to the surface very well. At first, the flint is securely in place, but with continued use, it becomes slightly looser. Since this basic plastic sheath tatters fairly easily, Light My Fire should consider upgrading it.

There is a 3.7″ blade that is razor-sharp, and the plastic does not do it justice. It also only supports 1” belts, and the average US belt is 1.5″–2”, so that’s also a problem.

However, Light My Fire returns with its excellent price. The knife’s spine is designed specifically to strike the flint, but it can also be used as a standalone blade for carving, cleaning games, and other basic utility purposes.

You do only get a one-year manufacturer warranty, though, and since other brands outdo that with lifetime ones, that’s a bit disappointing.

Pros

• It includes a fire starter that fits into the handle.
• The no-slip grip is also friction-resistant.
• Able to help start up to 3,000 campfires

Con

• The flint quality is questionable.

Product Information

• Type: Fixed blade
• Dimensions: 8.86” x 1.77” x 1.5”
• Weight: 3.35 lbs.
• Blade Material: Stainless Steel
• Handle material: ABS plastic
• Blade Design: Single-sided straight edge

Things to Consider Before Buying

Blade Size and Length

This is critical not only for legality, but also for your personal handling skills.

If you’re not comfortable wielding a blade, then getting a smaller blade edge and overall length is going to benefit you.

This decision will impact price, utility use, viability in a survival situation, and whether or not you’ll effectively be able to use it to clean game or fish in the wild.

Material Quality

There are different materials, and then there are different grades of said materials.

If you’re going with some kind of steel, you’re already doing well, but there are higher grades such as 316L and 420L, which basically describe different levels of carbon, sulfur, nickel, nitrogen, and other materials as well as their percentage values.

The higher the L rating, generally speaking, the better.

Durability

Durability is heavily influenced by material grade, handle material, edge, and brand.

This is something that’s solely tactical; companies aren’t slapping on aesthetics to sell it; they know that you want something reliable.

As long as you don’t go over your budget, there are a wide range of durable camping knives available.

Edge Style

In this guide, we describe five different edge styles that you’ll find in camping knives later on, each having their own uses.

Edge style traditionally doesn’t affect the cost of your camping knife, but getting the wrong edge style (for your specific needs) can make the knife feel a bit lackluster.

Pay attention and grab the right one for your intended use.

Types Of Camping Knives

If you look up knife handler and collector resources, you’ll know that there are more than a dozen different primary knife type categories.

For the sake of the subject matter of camping, we’ve disclosed the best types for basic outdoor functions and explained them in detail.

Fixed Blade Camping Knife

There’s no assisted opening, no clip, just a durable sheath attached to your belt or boot.

These lead to more legal issues and usually require a concealed carry permit for traveling outside of campgrounds.

For your needs, the best fixed-blade camping knife should feel like an extension of yourself.

Assisted Opening Camping Knife

Different from a switchblade, these have a button or latch that helps the blade swing open, but generally the dull edge is what swings outward.

Since these knives lack a tip for stabbing motions, they are generally completely legal.

Clip-Fold Camping Knife

There is no assisted opening, but the design is the same as the aforementioned knife type.

You must manually flip the knife out by using your thumb to release the pressure that a safety latch is holding on.

Multitool Camping Knife

A Swiss Army knife or other similar construction contains the blade.

These generally aren’t the best camping pocket knives to have for perilous or potentially dangerous situations, but they still get basic tasks done.

This type of knife is best for beginners in camping because it’s so universal. It can be used for sponging, making shelters, and so on.

Wrap-Up

After reading all that, you know that camping knives require a much more tactical approach than simply selecting the first one you see online.

A quality camping utility knife can make all the difference in the wonderful outdoors, and now that you’ve found the perfect one for your budget and expectations, it’s time to master the wonderful outdoors like you never thought possible.

Be sure to handle your gear with care, and check out our other camping guides to stay on top of your game.