The best camping knives are a functional work of art. Their clean, quick, and efficient cuts truly are a thing of beauty. Any outdoorsman will tell you that there are few things more satisfying than using a great camping knife. When you are out in the great outdoors, you never know when you’ll need a dependable knife.
There are many scenarios where having a dependable survival knife can help you or even save your life. You may have to cut rope, prepare food, dress game or fish, sharpen sticks, or even defend yourself. Hands down, a high-quality knife is one of the most essential survival tools. Let’s take a look at the ten best knives for camping.
The 10 Best Camping Knives
10. Hoffman Richter Wolf Fixed Blade Camping Knife
Take a look at the Wolf Fixed Blade Camping Knife from Hoffman Richter. This is a great survival knife. It’s perfect for camping, hunting, or even self defense. The drop point blade is 4 inches long, 5.5 mm thick, and constructed from heavy duty 440C stainless steel, coated in titanium. The Wolf Knife has a full tang design, which means that the heavy duty stainless steel extends all the way from the tip of the blade to inside the bottom of the handle. Knives constructed with a full tang design are much stronger, durable, longer lasting than those without. In fact, Hoffman Richter claims that the Wolf Knife is so strong that it will never break — and they welcome you to try.
An additional feature that’s really cool can be found on the handle of the Wolf Knife. Close to the bottom edge of the handle, there is a 300-lb rated cord tie and glass breaker. Personally, we love this feature, and it really gives the term “survival knife” a whole new meaning.
Included with the Wolf Fixed blade knife is a belt sheath case so that you can safely store, transport, and carry it.
Features
- Blade Material: 440C steel, coated in titanium
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 4 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 1 lb
- Features: Includes a nylon belt sheath.
9. Schrade SCHF52 Frontier Camping Knife
The SCHF52 Frontier Camping Knife is an awesome fixed blade knife from a company called Schrade. This knife is a bit bigger than common hunting knives. The blade itself is an impressive 7 inches (17. 9 cm), while the entire knife comes in at a pretty substantial 13 inches (33 cm).
For improved strength and reliability, the drop point blade is 1095 high carbon steel. Additionally, the Frontier knife features a full tang design, where the blade extends all the way to the base of the handle, which provides even more strength and reliability.
The Frontier’s handle is thermoplastic elastomer. We don’t know exactly what that means either, but we do know that this knife feels great in your hand. This handle design ensures that grip is secure and prevents for the knife from slipping out of your hand.
Included with the knife is a black polyester bet sheath for easy storage, transportation, and everyday carry. Additionally, the Frontier also comes with a ferro rod, a sharpening stone, and a lanyard hole.
Features
- Blade Material: 1095 High carbon steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 7 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 1 lb
- Features: Includes a polyester belt sheath, ferro rod, and sharpening stone.
8. Schrade SCHF3N Camping Knife
We’re big fans of the Schrade SCHF3N Knife. Aesthetically, the knife is awesome and has a real tactical feel to it. The blade is 6.4 inches long (16.2 cm) and constructed of heavy duty high carbon stainless steel. Including the handle, the entire knife comes in at 12 inches (30.4 cm) in length and 1lb 6 ounces in weight. The SCHF3N’s steel blade has a full tang design, providing strength and durability that should keep the knife intact and functional for years.
This camping knife comes equipped with an awesome grey, micarta handle. The handle has finger grooves, a finger choil, and jimping, so you can be sure that the knife will remain firmly in your hand and not easily slip out during use. Also included with the knife is a lanyard, which can be securely tied into the lanyard hole located at the bottom of the micarta handle. Along with the non-slip micarta handle design, tying the secure lanyard around your wrist adds another effective layer of grip security.
In addition, the knife includes a ballistic sheath carrying case. Using the sheath, along with the lanyard, makes the knife very easy to transport, even during long hikes or climbs.
Features
- Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 6.4 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 1 lb 6 ounces
- Features: Includes a sheath and lanyard.
7. ESEE 6P Fixed Blade Camping Knife
The ESEE 6P Fixed Blade Camping Knife is great for any outdoorsman. Its design is simple and elegant, avoiding any gimmicks or cheesy aesthetics. Overall, the length of the ESEE 6P is 11.75 inches. The blade itself is 6.50 inches long, 3/16” thick, and constructed of strong, dependable 1095 steel. With a full tang design, you can be sure that the knife will hold up through many years of use. The exposed portion of the blade features an awesome matte black finish with a plain cutting edge.
The ESEE 6P Knife has one of our favorite handles. The handle is Micarta with a grey linen scales design, which is very visually pleasing. On the bottom of a handle, you’ll find a hole for the attachment of a lanyard.
With the knife, you are also provided a molded polymer sheath. This is one of our favorite sheaths, as it’s really unique and tactical looking, but also provides great functionality. In addition, the polymer sheath has a clip plate for attaching to your belt, pocket, or hiking bag.
Features
- Blade Material: 1095 Steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 6.5 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 1 lb
- Features: Includes a molded polymer sheath.
6. Gerber Prodigy Survival Camping Knife
The Prodigy Survival Knife from Gerber is a top contender for the best camping knife. Gerber has been well known for creating high-quality, long-lasting survival knives for almost a century now — and the prodigy knife lives up the expectation and the hype.
Overall, the length of the knife is 9.75 inches, which is more compact than many of its peers, but still big enough to get the job done. The blade is 4.75 inches long and constructed of very strong 420HC stainless steel, so it’s ready to cut through anything in its path. For added durability and strength, the Prodigy has a full tang design. The blade has a black oxide coating, which provides effective corrosion resistance and minimizes scratches and stains.
About half of the blade has a serrated edge, which is not common among the popular camping knives. The serrated edge is perfect for cooking or any materials that are easily to cut through by using a sawing motion — like rope, for example.
With its ergonomic rubber handle, you can wield the knife confidently and safely. The strong grip design prevents any slipping. The grip also maintains a non-slip feel when wet, so you can use the Prodigy Survival Knife with confidence in any outdoor condition.
Along with the Prodigy Knife, Gerber includes a sheath, a leg strap, and two additional attachment straps.
Features
- Blade Material: 420HC Stainless steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 4.75 inches
- Serrated: Yes
- Weight: 1 lb
- Features: Includes a hard sheath.
5. Gerber StrongArm 420 Fixed Blade Knife
The StrongArm 420 Fixed Blade Knife is another fantastic camping knife from the guys at Gerber. When it comes to survival knives, this is one of the most popular models that is currently on the market. With a length of 9.8 inches and a weight of 7.9 ounces, the StrongArm 420 is easy to wield, carry, and transport. The light weight of the knife is one of our favorite features.
With a 4.8 inch fixed blade, drop point design, and full tang construction, the StrongArm lives up to its name. The blade is made of 420HC steel and is coated with a matte black finish. Gerber offers the knife in two versions, one with a serrated blade and one with a straight edge.
The handle of the knife is glass-filled nylon inside of a rubber mold. On the very bottom edge of the handle, you’ll find a striking pommel. A striking pommel is constructed to break through hard services, and is very effective when it comes to emergency situations and rescues.
A really unique feature of the StrongArm 420 knife is its unique sheath system. Gerber calls it a “multi-mount sheath system.” With attachable, snap-on pieces, the sheath is adjustable for different situations. The sheath system allows for 3 main methods of carry. First, you can carry the knife vertically with the snap-on molle strap. Secondly, you can carry the knife horizontally on your belt using the removable belt loops on the sheath. Finally, you can carry the knife through the traditional method, by attaching it to your belt vertically.
Gerber manufactures the StrongArm 420 camping knife in the USA at their factory in Oregon.
Features
- Blade Material: 420 HC Steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 4.8 inches
- Serrated: Optional. Serrated version is available.
- Weight: 7.9 oz
- Features: Multi-mount sheath system with attachable, snap-on parts.
4. Ka-bar US Marine Corps Knife
The Ka-bar US Marine Corps Fighting Knife is one of the most famous knives in the world. It is arguably the most famous fixed blade knife. During World War 2, the United States Marine Corps issued this exact model of knife to every single Marine. In the decades since, its popularity and claim to fame has only grown larger.
Although Ka-bar does not market this knife specifically for camping use, keep in mind that it was literally created for survival. The knife works great in any outdoor situation, especially camping. It’s extremely strong, dependable, and can last for decades if taken care of. Ka-bar has been making very high-quality knives since 1898. Following production, Ka-bar tests each and every knife for strength, sharpness, and corrosion resistance. You can purchase a knife from Ka-bar with confidence in the quality.
The overall length of the USMC Knife is 11.875 inches. The blade of the knife is a 7 inch long straight edge blade, constructed of high-strength 1095 Cro-van steel. On top of the steel blade is a beautiful matte black coating. The handle of the knife is leather, which provides a great non-slip grip in any weather condition.
Included with the Ka-bar US Marine Corps Knife is a very high-quality, 100% leather sheath. The knife and sheath are both manufactured in the USA.
Features
- Blade Material: 1095 Cro-van Steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 7 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 11.2 oz
- Features: 100% Leather Sheath
3. Gerber 22-01400 LMF II Survival Camping Knife
The Gerber 22-01400 LMF II Survival Camping Knife is another high-quality knife from Gerber. This is arguably Gerber’s most popular model. In fact, this is one of the most popular fixed blade knives on the market, and is currently one of the best sellers on Amazon. The LMF II Survival Knife was originally designed to free an aircrew from a crashed aircraft, which gives it a few unique design features.
The bottom of the knife’s handle has a very unique buttcap. The buttcap is made of stainless steel and comes to a pointed edge, which makes it incredibly effective at piercing glass. The smart design places a gap between the tang inside and the buttcap, which absorbs the shock when you use the buttcap to break something. Additionally, the gap also prevents electrical shock when cutting live wires — because, remember, it’s designed for aircrew rescue. Awesome design and awesome features.
The LMF II is 10.59 inches long, with a blade length of 4.84 inches. The blade is high-quality 420HC stainless steel that is coated with a matte black finish. With a serrated edge, the LMF is great at sawing and cutting tough materials with ease. The knife also has a full tang design, with the blade only stopping just before the end in order to provide the shock absorption gap between the tang and the buttcap.
The handle is glass-filled nylon that is coated with a TPV overmold. While the handle is very heavy-duty, the soft-grip overmold makes for a great, non-slip design. Three color choices are available for the handle, including black, coyote, and green.
Included with the LMF II is a ballistic nylon sheath that is coated with a fire retardant. The sheath also comes with two straps, which gives you several carrying options and makes transporting simple.
Gerber provides a limited liftetime warranty on the LMF II camping knife. This knife is manufactured in the USA.
Features
- Blade Material: 420 HC stainless steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 4.84 inches
- Serrated: Yes
- Weight: 11.67 oz (24.28 oz with sheath)
- Features: Includes a nylon sheath with a fire-retardant coating.
2. Old Timer 152OT Sharpfinger Fixed Blade Knife
The Old Timer 152OT Sharpfinger Knife has a unique aesthetic feel to it. Despite being designed for outdoor camping and hunting use, many people believe that the Sharpfinger has the look and vibe of a household kitchen knife. This is probably due the design of the handle, because the blade itself has an awesome shape that clearly screams “hunting.” While some appreciate the design more than others, no one can debate the quality of this awesome knife. The 1520T Sharpfinger Knife is absolutely one of our favorite camping knives.
The knife is a favorite among hunting enthusiasts, and is absolutely perfect for camping and hiking. It’s great for dressing game and fish, as well as for cutting rope or preparing food to cook.
The entire Sharpfinger Knife is 7.1 inches (18 cm) long. The blade is 3.3 inches long (8.4 cm) and constructed of High Carbon stainless steel. With a fixed blade, full tang construction, the Sharpfinger knife can handle just about anything when it comes to camping or hunting. Unlike the other camping knives we’ve reviewed, the Sharpfinger has a clip point skinner blade. As opposed to the more common drop point blades, a clip point blade has a more defined tip and is more efficient for piercing and stabbing. If you enjoy hunting, we recommend you choose the Sharpfinger knife from Old Timer.
The traditional handle design is one of our favorite features of the Sharpfinger. There are two separate halves of the delrin handle, attached to the tang with two nickel-plated rivets. As a result, the tang is partially visible down the length of the handle, which makes for a beautiful design.
The 152OT Sharpfinger knife also comes with an included leather sheath that attaches to a belt for easy hands-free carrying.
Features
- Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 3.3 inches
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 1 lb
- Features: Clip point blade. Includes a leather belt sheath.
1. Schrade SCHF9 Fixed Blade Knife
The SCHF9 Fixed Blade Knife from Schrade is a beast. This is our favorite and our top pick for best camping knife.
The SCHF9 has an overall length of 12.1 inches (30.7 cm). The knife’s blade is 6.4 inches (16.3 cm) of 1095 high carbon steel. In addition to the high quality steel, the knife has a full tang design, which provides increased strength, reliability, and longevity. If you take care of this knife, you will get many years of use from it.
The TPE non-slip handle offers security and confidence. It features thumb jimping, finger choil, and front quillion features to prevent any slips or loss of grip. On the bottom of the handle, Schrade has also included a convenient lanyard hole.
Along with the SCHF9 knife, Schrade includes an awesome belt sheath with a storage pouch. When you’re out in the woods, the storage pouch is very convenient, but it is also removable if you’d prefer to use the sheath without it. The sheath has a tactical feel and is great for carrying or transporting the knife. It quickly and securely attaches to a belt, where it will remain safely until you decide to remove it.
We are big fans of Schrade knives, and the SCHF9 knife is no exception. If you are going hiking, camping, or just enjoying the great outdoors, we recommend that you bring this spectacular knife.
Features
- Blade Material: 1095 high carbon steel
- Blade Design: Fixed blade
- Length of Blade: 6.4 inches (16.3 cm)
- Serrated: No
- Weight: 15.7 oz
- Features: Includes a belt sheath with a removable storage pouch.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Camping Knives
In order to choose the best camping knives for your own needs, there are a few important things to keep in mind. These are a few of the important factors that you should take into consideration.
Hardness
The hardness of a camping knife is measured on the Rockwell Scale (HRC). Hardness describes the blade’s ability to resist bending. The harder the blade, the less likely it is to bend under pressure. Portable knives typically have a 57-59 HRC. As the HRC exceeds 59, prices tend to quickly increase with it.
Type of Blade
There are two main types of camping knives: fixed blade and folding blade. Fixed blades are stronger, sturdier, and more dependable than folding blade knives. Additionally, they tend to last significantly longer. However, fixed blade knives are also less portable, harder to conceal, and more difficult to store.
Folding blade knives are also much safer and less likely to cause any accidental injuries. The folding mechanism covers the blade when the knife is not in use. With a fixed blade, a sheath or case is necessary to cover the blade.
Full Tang
In a full tang knife, the blade itself extends all the way into and through the entire handle of the knife. Full tang knives are significantly stronger and sturdier. For fixed blade camping knives, we recommend opting for a full tang knife.
Blade Shape
There are several different blade shapes available on camping knives. Some blade shapes are designed for specific purposes, and other shapes are designed to be all-purpose. Three of the most common blade shapes are drop point, clip point, and tanto point.
1. Drop Point Shape
Most camping knives utilize a drop-point blade shape. This all-purpose blade is strong and dependable. It is ideal for general cutting and chopping and will withstand years of regular use. Drop-point blades curve along the spine and tip so that the tip of the blade does not face directly forward.
2. Clip Point Shape
When compared to drop-point blades, clip-point blades generally have a thinner, sharper point. Since the point is sharper, they are ideal for detailed knife work. The sharper tip is also good for puncturing. While a clip-point blade is sharper than a drop-point, they are not as strong.
3. Tanto Point Shape
Tanto blades are very strong and heavy-duty. They are designed specifically to pierce through tough materials. The flat grind blade remains thick until just before the tip, which creates an extremely strong point.
Camping Knives FAQs
What is a camping knife used for?
Essentially, a camping knife is a strong, durable knife that is intended for outdoor use. Common uses of camping knives include preparing food, cooking, dressing game and fish, cutting rope, and sharpening sticks. While they are portable and may fit in your pocket, camping knives are generally bigger than pocket knives, but smaller than backpacking saws.
Is it legal to carry a camping knife?
You are legally allowed to own any knife that you want to. However, there are legal restrictions on what size knife you are able to carry on your person. The laws may also differ between fixed blade knives and folding knives. In the United States, these laws and restrictions vary from state to state. To be safe, we recommend that you look up the laws in the state that you reside in or are planning to travel to.
Can I carry a knife while hiking or camping?
Whether or not you can carry a knife while hiking or camping depends on your location. In the United States, you are legally allowed to bring and carry a knife. There are restrictions on the length of the knife’s blade. In the USA, the maximum blade length that you are legally allowed to carry differs from to state. To avoid finding yourself in any legal trouble, we highly recommend that you look up your own state’s laws regarding knife size.
What is the difference between a fixed blade knife and a folding blade knife?
When it comes to camping knives, there are two main categories: fixed blade knives and folding blade knives. The names of the knives themselves are pretty explanatory — a folding blade knife folds, while a fixed blade knife does not fold. Both types of knives have their advantages and disadvantages.
A fixed blade knife is stronger, more dependable, and more durable. Most high quality, fixed blade knives are “full tang.” In a full tang knife, the blade continues as one piece of metal from the tip of the knife all the way inside, to the base of the handle. This creates a much stronger and sturdier knife.
On the other hand, fixed blade knives are more difficult to carry, and are also more dangerous. Since the knife cannot fold into itself, the sharp blade is always exposed. While most fixed blade knives do come with an included sheath case, it is not always available or utilized.
Since folding knives fold into a smaller overall size, which also hides the sharp blade, they are both easier to carry and safer.
What is a full tang knife?
A full tang knife is a knife where the blade continues, as one piece of metal, all the way from the tip of the blade down to the base of the handle. Essentially, the blade is the entire length of the knife and the handle is built around it. A full tang knife is much stronger, sturdier, and more dependable. Most high-quality, fixed blade knives will feature a full tang design.
4 Ways to Properly Maintain a Camping Knife
If you want your knife to last a long time and accompany you on many adventures, it’s important to take good care of it. Here a few good tips to help you keep your knife stay as beautiful, sharp, and dependable as the day you bought it.
1. Clean and Lubricate the Blade
Many camping knife blades are steel, but this applies to all metal blades. The blades will stain and rust if they are not properly maintained and cared for. To prevent rust and blade deterioration, we recommend that you keep the blade properly cleaned and lubricated.
2. Keep the Knife Inside of the Sheath
When your camping knife is not in use, you should keep it inside of its sheath. Keeping your knife stored in its sheath will protect it from any scratches, damage, or exposure to liquid. Additionally, the knife should absolutely be in its sheath during any type of transport or traveling. Even if the knife isn’t in use, an exposed blade is dangerous because it can accidentally slice or stab you, other people, and other valuable items nearby.
3. Store the Knife In a Safe Location
Most importantly, you should store your camping knife somewhere safe and outside the reach of children. In most cases, when you aren’t using or carrying your knife, the best solution is to keep it safely hidden in a safe or locked draw.
4. Sharpening Your Knife
Over time, the blade of your knife will begin to dull. This not only makes it more difficult to cut through things, but it also becomes a safety issue. Believe it or not, dull knives are more likely to cause an injury. It’s a good idea to regularly sharpen your knife. How often it needs sharpening depends on how much you use it. We recommend using a knife sharpener every few months to keep your knife as sharp, efficient, and safe as possible.
Final Thoughts
When you are going camping or hiking, it’s essential to bring a high-quality, dependable camping knife. They are useful in many different situations including food preparation, cooking, dressing game or fish, cutting rope, and sharpening sticks. In general, a knife is a fantastic survival tool to carry. In some cases, having a good camping knife may very well save your life.
For the best camping knife, we highly recommend checking out the Schrade SCHF9 Fixed Blade Knife. Our whole team owns one. It’s a durable, dependable and, at such a low price point, it is a fantastic investment.
Happy Camping!
Which is your favorite? Is there an awesome portable knife that you think we should try out? We’d love to hear about it! Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
