Among the essential pieces of gear you should bring along when camping, a camping knife is a must. It is a handy tool you can have in your camping gear through which you can manage with some simple fixes and needed changes on the spot. Also, the best camping knives can help to get ready with kindling and firewood and are even influential for self-protection. From hundreds of options, we bring the best 11 to work well for outdoor use.
- Spyderco Endura 4
- Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife
- Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife
- Kershaw Clash
- Morakniv Bushcraft Survival Knife
- Gerber StrongArm Serrated Knife
- Helle Eggen Knife
- ESEE RB3 Knife
- Spyderco Caribbean Folding Knife
- Gerber Paraframe I Knife
- Zero Tolerance Sinkevich Knife
Because of so many options out there in the market, it is not easy to find the best. And here we picked 11 best camping knives concerning the key features including,
Lightweight: It is ideal if it is no more than 8oz in weight
Durable steel: The blade of the knife should be steel for durability
Good handle: Should take an ergonomically designed handle
For your next outdoor adventure, a good camping knife will be a nice addition. Let’s take a look at the best options through our recommendations.
Spyderco Endura 4
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 3.6 oz
- Blade Length: 3.75″
- Price: $91.00
Spyderco Endura 4 is an extremely sharp and durable folding knife that is ideal for backpackers. It opens and closes smoothly and its thumb hole makes it even easier to handle in one hand. And with its generous handle, this is more suitable for large hands.
The handle is fabricated with Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon making it strong yet lightweight. And as it is a non-slip grip with a flat saber grind blade ensuring elevated cutting performance. With the right combination of PlainEdge and SpyderEdge, it offers powerhouse cutting on tough supplies. If you are looking for a well-built folding knife, durable and sharp this will be a perfect fit.
Product highlights:
- Quality knife made in Japan
- Lightweight and durable
- Non-slip grip
- Double duty blade with PlainEdge and SpyderEdge
- Outstanding cutting performance
Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 14.7 oz
- Blade Length: 4.8”
- Price: $59.95
Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Fixed Blade Knife is a top option in the survival knives category that is with numerous tools, including a sharpening block, a whistle, ferrocerium rod, and a simple survival guide. This is quality tested for high durability and a versatile option for various outdoor needs.
Even though it is not among the sharpest camping knives, its extended blade and partial serration make it ideal for heavy-duty cutting needs. Also, it takes a hard metal pommel that can be used as a hammer, which seems useful in fixing camping tent stakes. And you can also start a fire easily with its included Ferro rod. But this is not good enough to use in camping kitchens.
This is not mastering any categories and is not too powerful for heavy-duty. But for its price, it is a versatile camping knife to manage well.
Product highlights:
- Quality design for maximum durability
- Stainless-steel pommel at the end as a hammer
- Includes a whistle, a sharpening block, and a ferrocerium rod
- Basic survival guide includes
- Not for camping kitchen use
Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 4 oz
- Blade Length: 3.9”
- Price: $27.73
Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife is a sharp and sturdy knife that is bundled with a built-in fire starter. This is a fixed blade knife with a tough Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade and an anti-slip TPE rubber handle for fine grip.
You will find this knife with a color-matching plastic casing supported with a belt clip. Even though it has nothing special performance-wise, it is overall a decent knife of which key strength is a fire starter. If it is your main consideration when choosing the best camping knives, this is a good option for a low price tag.
Product highlights:
- Stainless steel lightweight camping knife
- Features a built-in fire starter
- Includes color-matching plastic casing
- Anti-slip TPE rubber handgrip
- Low price tag
Kershaw Clash
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 4.3 oz
- Blade Length: 3.1”
- Price: $32.60 (with discount)
Kershaw Clash camping knife is a very affordable model from Kershaw Knives which is one of their entry-level options. It features a sharp blade with partial serration making it a perfect cutting tool for campers, hikers, hunters, backpackers, gardeners, and even mechanics. For all performance, its comfortable and natural grip brings good support.
The knife opens using the flipper on the spinal column even though it felt somewhat clunky. And like most camping knives, it does not work well in the kitchen. Its retail price seems quite high for its performance when compared with others. But at a discount, it is worth adding to your camping gear.
Product highlights:
- Affordable camping knife
- Sharp blade with partial serration
- Comfortable and natural grip
- Built-in flipper and secure locking liner
- Useful pocket clip
Morakniv Bushcraft Survival Knife
- Blade Material: Carbon steel
- Weight: 8.00 oz
- Blade Length: 4.3”
- Price: $79.99
For rough camping trips, Morakniv Bushcraft Survival Knife takes a high-carbon steel blade that is treated by DLC to prevent rust when working in wet conditions.
This features a unique spine for added performance and can be used with fire starters instead of using your sharp blade. And it is more loved for its scandi grind edge which is sleek for accurate cuts. Not only the blade, but this is wholly quality made including the fully-functional sheath. This supports diamond sharpener also with the Morakniv Firestarter making this works the best in any survival condition.
Product highlights:
- Fixed-blade knife with high-carbon steel blade
- Blade with DLC anti-corrosive black covering
- Sheath with multiple uses
- High-quality performance with precision cuts
- Slightly bulky and heavy with sheath
Gerber StrongArm Serrated Knife
- Blade Material: Carbon steel
- Weight: 10.9 oz
- Blade Length: 4.8”
- Price: $69.95
Gerber StrongArm Serrated Knife is a strong carbon steel fixed-blade type knife that is ideal for long-time use. Featuring a full-tang design it maximizes the key points of a camping knife announcing its USA quality build.
To give a good balance to the weight of the blade it features a glass-filled nylon substrate. And this has a good grip to use in any weather thanks to its diamond-textured rubber-covered handle. Adding more value to the purchase it comes with a nice sheath that can be easily mounted horizontally or vertically on any. Therefore, you have no struggles about taking it anywhere with you.
Product highlights:
- Full-tang design to maximum durability
- Rubberized grip with diamond texture
- Innovative sheath
- Longer blade makes it long-lengthen
- Slightly heavy
Helle Eggen Knife
- Blade Material: Triple Laminated Stainless Steel
- Weight: 4.23 oz
- Blade Length: 3.98”
- Price: $123.95
Helle Eggen Knife is made of a Triple Laminated Stainless Steel blade aiming at higher durability and lasting sharpness than others. As a fixed blade camping knife, this can be considered one of the lightest to carry in the market. The knife features an ergonomic handle finished of curly birch for long-lasting, yet being lightweight. While it fits well in medium to large hands, its innovative, natural design is good in the eyes too.
You find this as a quality product under a higher price tag. Adding value to that, you find this knife in a genuine leather sheath which makes this a unique product. This product is hand-crafted in Norway and works well for quality-oriented campers.
Product highlights:
- Super sharp and durable blade with Triple Laminated Stainless Steel
- Lightweight and innovative design
- Crafted and inspected by hand to certify quality
- Genuine leather sheath; not belt-compatible
- Highly priced model
ESEE RB3 Knife
- Blade Material: High Carbon Steel
- Weight: 6.00 oz
- Blade Length: 3.50”
- Price: $152.51
If you are looking for the best camping knives for survivalists, ESEE RB3 Knife is a perfect fit. It is made of 1095 steel for super durability and features a Scandi grind edge. With that, it works well to build shelters, make fires, and all of the other survival positions.
This is ideal to use in any weather as it has more grip when wet with the handle of Micarta. And the handle is designed to fit better in your hand to make the user feel comfortable when using it. Adding more value to your purchase, this knife comes in a travel-friendly leather pouch sheath. So overall, it is a quality design for rugged use.
Product highlights:
- Micarta handle is grip enough and better when gets wet
- Best for survivalists
- Includes a travel-friendly leather pouch sheath
- Quality-guaranteed USA build
- Super durable and highly priced
Spyderco Caribbean Folding Knife
- Blade Material: Rustproof Steel
- Weight: 4.2 oz
- Blade Length: 3.70”
- Price: $189.00
Spyderco Caribbean Folding Knife is a quality knife just as you expect from Spyderco in the best camping knives market. The blade is leaf-shaped and is of rustproof steel in either role of PlainEdge or SpyderEdge to fit well with your needs. This is full-flat ground for the best edge geometry.
The handle is a top-selling point of this knife which is lightweight and features special G-10 scales. And it looks great in the eyes with its unique black and yellow layers. Together, it takes the most needed Compression Lock mechanism and reversible titanium pocket clip for both right and left-sided carry. This is one of the most capable knives in the market with good value features for all you pay.
Product highlights:
- Extremely sharp rustproof LC200N Blade
- Grippy 3D-machined textured G10 handle
- Compression Lock
- Reversible tip-up pocket clip supports left or right sided tip-up carry
- Expensive but classy
Gerber Paraframe I Knife
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 2.7 oz
- Blade Length: 3.0”
- Price: $25.95
Gerber Paraframe I Knife is the best pick for minimalists only weight 2.7 oz and good for camping or everyday use. Its design is unique with an open-frame handle and is a full stainless steel build. But for the biggest selling point, this cut down its weight for all light-packers.
This takes a corrosion-resistant stainless steel blade which is affordable and easy to keep up. Make sure you keep it sharpened regularly for maximum use. Just like the weight, this is compact too with a smaller size fitting inside your pocket with no complaints. Together with all these, you find this model perfect for your tight budget compared to similar camping knives 2021.
Product highlights:
- Extremely affordable camping knife
- Lightweight and compact design
- Stainless steel handle for long-time use
- Frame lock to hold the blade securely
Zero Tolerance Sinkevich Knife
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 2.45 oz
- Blade Length: 3.25”
- Price: $244.95
If you are not shopping within a tight budget, Zero Tolerance Sinkevich Knife is a very good camping knife you can bring home to take with you on the next outdoor escape. With CPM S35VN steel blade, it is durable and can be used for the long term by sharpening the blade. It is lightweight and small in size to make it one of the best camping knives in pocket-fit size. It is only 4.1 inches when folded and can be recommended for backpackers.
This features a KVT ball-bearing system making it easily open and close just in one hand. Additionally, it takes a reversible clip with left/right tip-up, lanyard hole, and titanium handle with quality USA finish.
Product highlights:
- Lightweight and pocket-fitting design
- Made in the USA with quality and essentials
- KVT ball-bearing system to open and close smoothly
- Reversible clip for easy carrying
- Highly expensive product
Best Camping Knives Buying Guide
Compared to some other camping essentials, camping knives aren’t heavy pieces of gear. But there are many things behind making your choice tricky. We here bring help to find the best camping knives for your next outdoor adventure through some key facts. Keep them in mind to find out the best.
Blade type; fixed or folding knives
Camping knives are mainly coming in two types. When some are fixed bladed you have some with the ability to fold.
Fixed Blade Knives:
These types of camping knives are stronger than foldable ones and you can use them for a longer time. In considered maintenance, these are easier and can be found more functional. They are very useful to manage tasks like building shelter, cutting wood for kindling, or even for your self-defense.
From a performance standpoint, fixed blade knives work well. But they are quite heavier than the foldable type and come in the heavy end. Therefore, depending on your idea to store and transport, you can get one from this to work for you. These are supported with sheaths that add more weight yet confirming safety.
Folding camping knives:
If you are more concerned about easier transport and fit in your pocket, folding knives are the best to go. For backpackers, these are perfect as they are lighter in weight and usually not as bulkier as fixed blade ones. If you are looking for the best camping knives for backpacking rather than regular use, a folding knife can work the best for you.
Just like benefits, they are not as strong as fixed blade knives. This is because of their folding technique. And even when managing tasks like chopping wood, these are not cooperating well. Also, they easily get dirt and are not easy to clean as well. Therefore, find a camping knife that can easily clean.
Blade Design of the Knife
By today, camping knives are using various blade designs and they have their own rewards and drawbacks.
Among different designs, Scandi grind is popular, which is found on many of the best camping knives of 2021 including the ESEE RB3 and the Morakniv Bushcraft Survival Knife we mentioned in the list.
The Scandi grind is good at holding an edge and you will find it easy to sharpen. And grind style increases cutting precision making no influence on durability.
The blade shape is also another key factor impacting the performance level of the knife. You find a leaf shape with a unique blade shape in the Spyderco Caribbean Folding Knife that can even be used to slice and chop food just as much as helpful in piercing.
Blade Materials
Although there are different compounds, the best camping knives are made of steel aiming at durability, easy sharpening, and rugged use. The market is full of different camping knives and they are of various steel combinations. And some of them are really good enough to stand over the others.
High-carbon steel-made knives are really worth it for their higher price and can hold the edge well even if you have been using them over and over. But stainless steel is something more common and affordable as well but not as strong as carbon steel. And if you use them regularly you need to re-sharp them in regular order for its best use.
Handle of the camping knife
Just as much as the strong and well-made blade, it is very important to consider the knife handle. A quality handle brings more value to your camping knife which makes your knife comfortable in your hand.
With numerous innovative designs now in the market of camping knives, you find handles made of different materials. Some of the popular ones include Steel for more affordability, Wood handles for a nice look and precision knife-work, Nylon for a nice blend of grip and weight, and Titanium for lightweight and durability.
Knives on a camping trip are essential pieces of gear and bring help in many ways. It is your time to pick the best!
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