the best knife for the day hiker

[jstarks188]

howdy again,
i just want to find a good knife for simple tasks,like slicing open my clif bars and not much more then that.
cya in the woods
jack

 

[ctenidae]

Cliche as it may be, I've always found the basic Swiss Army knife to be about as useful as anything you'll ever need. Leathermen are nice for the variety, but I hate the handles. My Swiss Army knives have served for everything from stake hammer to tent stake, descender to tow handle, and it's been pretty good for opening stuff, too. There's nothing better than having a handy toothpick or tweezers, too.

 

[thetrailboss]

Hey welcome back! Glad to have you, jstarks.

I agree with the Swiss Army recommendation...I carry the Huntsman model and it has worked well. No need for a knife with a 'chainsaw' on it or anything!!!

Leathermans have also become quite popular.

 

[David Metsky]

I don't even carry a knife with me on most dayhikes. Just a small pair of scissors in my F/A kit since that's what I used most from my Swiss army knife. I have a small SA knife that I carry on overnights and ski trips.

-dave-

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

A"SAK" is a great tool to have but it ain't worth jack if it is not sharp!

 

[Paul]

I usually carry a plain ol' Buck knife with a locking blade (My one gripe about most SAKs) And a pair of ER shears.

 

[ctenidae]

it ain't worth jack if it is not sharp!

True of so many things...
Nice thing about the SAK, though- if you take half-way (or even a little less) decent care of the blade, it'll sharpen right up, and hold a nice edge for a long time. Especially for stainless steel.