Some random if not useful advice for beginner/novice campers regarding Outdoor Adventure Advice and purchasing a knife (other than a folder) for camping.

Choosing a knife for your requirements**

**One days full walk  (rugged terrain) or greater from any help/other people, no mobile phone signals based on experience in rugged Australian bushland.

* I'll discuss satellite phones later in another blog.





Choosing a knife can be seen as a rather daunting task on the outset when one considers the plethora of knives available today. Right, let's stop right there and ignore that first statement, why? because that's garbage.
As an absolute beginner and as an absolute "expert" in the wilds, the choice of the knife you take into the wilds with you should be based on the following outlined below.


BUT BEFORE TALKING ABOUT CHOOSING KNIVES I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR OUTDOOR SKILLS, because these are going to be much more important than "what knife am I going to take/buy for my outdoor trips"?, and here's why:

Going "bush" means many things to many people, so I will give you my take on this.

Be prepared, that's right just like the Scouts say. You can't really do much better than this.
Know first aid and if you don't, then take a course and then come back and read the rest of this blog.
Take a recognized advanced first aid course. Make sure others going along also know first aid and are qualified because they could be the ones to save your life! Practice these skills outside of the course (they can easily be forgotten over time,  if called upon you must be able to perform them flawlessly and in a timely manner).

Now are you saying, "heck, I know shit about first aid"! OR thinking you do, is not the same as knowing from proper training!

Know how to take compass bearings,  read a map, follow, choose a path  in your sleep.
Be comfortable walking at night (with a headlamp of course).
If going where you have never been before, Get the facts from people that truly know about this region and or go with one of these people at least 2 times to get to know the area before leading any trip yourself. Lead the second trip yourself with one of those "experienced" people as a backup.
Learn/know how to find water and extract it out of thin air if necessary! What do I mean by this? Simply this, if you are leading a trip and don't know every damn place to get water along the way and or how to find it if the area is totally dry, then you shouldn't be leading any trips away, except from the kitchen to your bedroom and back.
Know how to setup your tent in all weather conditions and in the pitch dark without a torch/headlamp.
Know how to set up everyone else's tents that are going along-just in case.
Know the limitations of those amongst your party.
IS everyone fit and healthy? If not then don't allow them to come along.
Tell someone where you are going and for how long and make contingency plans for the "troops" to be alerted if you fail to return by a certain date.
Have a positive attitude regardless.
Learn to read the weather and not just rely upon your "Casio G Shock" which, BTW I now know what the "G" stands for, that is, a GINORMOUS! watch that looks like you are wearing an instrument panel out of a 777 cockpit- LOL just joking here and no offence to Casio G Shock owners/users.
Know how to cook properly and not just eat that dehydrated dog food stuff. Yes, I did some time with that crap until I met others who knew better and educated me a thing or two about camp cooking. No more dog food for me. Do I look like a dog? There is absolutely no reason (regardless of the distance hiked per day) to eat that dog food type camping food sold by camping stores- they all taste crap. To walk hard and far you need to be fuelled properly, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. So yeah, learn how to cook. 

Knives Knives Knives!!!!

Which brings me to the point of KNIVES. Make sure whatever knife you take with you, you can use it to prepare food with or at least eat with in a semi civilized way and not like some maniac trying to eat off the end of their knife like some RAMBO would be.  CUT YOUR MOUTH AND INSTANTLY BECOME A LIABILITY! In other words, machetes 

Machetes and the like are great for cooking and keeping the weeds/brush down in any self respecting tropical jungle farm. These multipurpose tools are great but outside of their cultural environment, you may attract unnecessary attention and or frighten people off who are not used to seeing such big knives in action! 

The same goes for "survival" type knives. Better to keep them for wilderness areas where you will not encounter the general public, ie they will and you will look out of place on a group camping trip (unless everyone is sporting these types of knives LOL) or pulling one out in a hut on a regular trekking route (except in the jungle).

are great if you are doing all of the above in the tropics but you may need to take another small knife 

Small knives are very practical for camping where one needn't have to hack apart large logs in order to build fires or maybe areas where open fires are strictly banned.

Small knives are perfect for day hikes too where speed and sensible pack weight can enable you to move fast and far to see and do the most in a single day. On such hikes there is absolutely no need to bring a large chopper unless you plan on showing off or indeed frightening the people you are traveling with. My advice is to resist the urge on such hikes to bring that big monster along. Recently, I was witness to someone who took a huge brunt of criticism for bringing such a chopper on a large camping trip, mainly though because it was inappropriate for many of the food preparation and eating tasks LOL.  As he was a complete "beginner" he was quickly forgiven but rest assured if he wasn't he would have been in for a hard time.

with you in this type of environment, especially if you are not that highly skilled with a machete or parang. But that's ok.

 No fires allowed? Then a fuel stove may be necessary- learn how to use one, inside out and in your sleep; be able to conduct field maintenance on it.

I once got a call at after midnight from another country from a friend who couldn't light their stove (first time they ever used it!) , three days into their bicycle touring trip! Ok I fixed the problem for them over the phone.


If fires are allowed......


Camping in wet weather will require a knife that you can, if you have to, remove wet wood in order to gain access to dry inner wood to start a fire if need be.

It might be very cold, in fact, so cold, and stupid you have lost your gloves, or even more silly, just didn't bring any and now having to use your knife, realizing it is freezing and damn uncomfortable in your wet cold hands (because the snow has now turned to slush! What i'm trying to say here is make sure any knife you choose is comfortable in ungloved hands. If you have to wear gloves to use a knife, then better leave it at home and take another one.

All of the above plus more can be gained/learnt by joining a reputable hiking club eg at a university but of course not limited too.



What is this "Survival knife"business???

I'll tell you what it is, it is in fact Bullshit. Because no knife no matter what it is will be any use to you unless you possess the skills to use it and make the best use of it, regardless of any survival situation you might be involved in (on the receiving end, ie need to be rescued, or part of a rescue party).
Just let me say this. Whatever knife you choose to take away "camping" remotely, should be sturdy and not too heavy. What do I mean by too heavy? Well if your chosen knife weighs about as much as two or three days worth of food then leave it behind, it's too heavy! (unless you are planning just an overnight trip***
Your chosen knife must be razor sharp, yes that's right razor sharp, not just sharp or "ok it's sharp enough". WHY??? Well it is possible you may need to cut something in a hurry and that dull blade is going to be a real problem if it can't cut in a hurry.

However, a "survival knife" in my opinion should satisfy these criteria**

Well made, with as few parts as possible. No one part, if a failure occurs in this part should the knife be rendered useless. Leave all knives with metal handles at home, ie I refer to knives which only have metal as a handle; I don't mean cord wrapped knives. Know how to use the knife you take with you for tasks other than chopping. There is definitely a plethora of "review videos" on YouTube which only show knives being used to chop. WTF is that all about?? Is it that these people simply can't demonstrate the myriad of cutting and other tasks knives should and can be used for? 

Coastal walks/trekking/camping/hunting: take a stainless blade unless you  have access to lots of fresh water in order to maintain your knife. The handle should be comfortable so that gloves are not needed-but can be used. Don't kid yourself about this latter point, be smart about it.
Make sure it is a knife you know how to sharpen and carry a small stone to touch up the blade if necessary. Knife size: Up to 7 inches in length or greater if working in the tropics.

In other words a "survival knife' is simply a simple but practical knife design for a given environment. It is NOT a knife u can hack your way out of a plane cockpit with, unless you are a pilot who may need to hack their way out of a cockpit. A super thick knife is NOT a prerequisite for a "survival knife" anyone who advocates this has no idea and has never been or has no real experience in survival. Fact.