Anyone who is familiar with the outdoors, and especially with wilderness camping, is undoubtedly also familiar with need for the best camping knife.
Consequently, many knife manufacturers are now offering what they call a “Camp Knife” which usually consists of a fixed-blade knife with a heavy-duty blade that measures between 8 inches and 10 inches that is designed to perform a myriad of camp cutting tasks.
However, while such knives are certainly useful, so called “Camp Knives” are not the only type of knife that is appropriate for camping. In fact, in addition to the various Camp Knives on the market today, Machetes, Survival Knives, and Bushcraft Knives are also very useful tools for this purpose.
However, like golf clubs, there is no such thing as a “do all” camping knife and thus, you should instead consider purchasing separate knives for each intended purpose.
Types of Knives Appropriate for Camping
- Machetes – The term “Machete” is a Latin term designating a long,heavy-duty, fixed-blade knife with a relatively thin blade used especially in Latin-American countries for the primary purpose of cutting Sugar Cane and clearing underbrush. Consequently, they are excellent tools for campers as well.
- Survival Knives – The term “Survival Knife” is a term used to designate a large, heavy-duty, fixed-blade, knife with a relatively thick blade which is designed to perform a myriad of survival tasks such as chopping, splitting, prying, digging, slicing, and scraping.
- Camp Knives – The term “Camp Knife” is a term coined by modern knife manufacturers which designates a large, heavy-duty, fixed-blade knife with a relatively thick spine. Also, like Survival Knives, Camp Knives are designed to perform numerous camp cutting tasks such as chopping, splitting, cutting, and slicing.
- Bushcraft Knives – The term “Bushcraft Knife” is a term used to designate a medium to small fixed blade or folding knife which is designed to be a general purpose survival knife but which also does an excellent job of performing many camp cutting tasks.
- Fixed blades vs. folding blades – The term “fixed blade” is a term used to designate a knife with a blade that is “fixed” in the open position and they differ from “folding knives” which have blades that are designed to fold into the knife’s handle via a hinge pin.
Best Camping Knife Comparison Chart
| Image | Description | Rating | Our Review | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ESSE 5 ** Editor's Choice - Best Camping Knife ** | 9.8 | Our Review | |
 | Kershaw Camp 10 ** Best Budget Camping Knife ** | 9.3 | Our Review | |
 | Cold Steel Jungle Machete ** Editor's Choice - Best Camping Machete ** | 8.2 | Our Review | |
 | Ka-Bar 14-Inch Grass Machete Knife | 8.8 | Our Review | |
 | Bark River Grasso Bolo II Knife | 8.7 | Our Review | |
| Kershaw Camp 10 | 9.1 | Our Review | |
 | ESSE Junglas | 9.3 | Our Review | |
 | Cold Steel Tail Master | 9.0 | Our Review | |
 | KA-BAR Becker Combat Bowie | 9.2 | Our Review | |
 | Cold Steel SRK | 9.0 | Our Review | |
 | OKC RAT Model 1 | 9.4 | Our Review |
What to look for in a Camping knife
As mentioned above, the key features of a well designed camping knife are the size of the
knife, the design of the blade, the blade’s grind, the type of steel from which the blade is made, and the construction of the handle:
- Size – when choosing a camping knife, you should match the size of the knife to the intended job.
For instance, Machetes are often the best choice for clearing underbrush from a prospective camp site and machete blades range in size from as little as 14 inches to as much as 24 inches (or more).However, there are often other camp tasks for which a Machete is too long but a Bushcraft Knife is too short. Therefore, for these tasks, both Survival Knives and Camp Knives with blade lengths ranging from 8 inches to 10 inches work well. On the other hand, for camp cutting tasks that require fine control over the blade, Bushcraft Knives with blades ranging from 3 1/2 inches to 6 inches work well.
Blade design – when choosing the best camping knife, blade design is another important factor. For instance, heavy-duty cutting tasks are best performed with a weight-forward blade design.Fortunately, the indigenous peoples of Malaysia and Thailand have developed several weight-forward knife patterns such as the Parang, the Enep, the Bolo, the Barong, and the Golok that are all extremely well suited to this type of cutting and there is a company called Condor Tool & Knife that imports several fine examples of these ethnic knives.However, there are other camp cutting tasks which still require a heavy-duty knife but, one with more control than a weight-forward design and thus, for this purpose, both Survival Knives and Camp Knives with either Drop Point or Clip Point blade designs are an excellent choice. Last, for cutting tasks that require fine control, short blade knives with either Clip Points or Drop Points work well.
- Blade steel – Because camping knives are often used for many different purposes such as chopping, trimming limbs, splitting saplings, digging forage foods, skinning and butchering game animals, and gutting fish as well as preparing meals, you need to choose a blade steel that is appropriate for the intended purpose.Therefore, high carbon tool steels such as 1055, 1095, O1, and A2, with a Rockwell Hardness ranging from 52 to 54 HRC are all good choices for knives that experience high impact such as when chopping and splitting and stainless steels such as AUS-8, and 440C with a Rockwell Hardness ranging from 56 to 60 HRC are good choices for knives that need to be able to hold an edge over extended periods of use such as when cutting and slicing.
Stainless steels vs. high carbon tool steels – Iron is the element from which all steels are made. However, when Iron is heated to extreme temperatures, its molecular structure expands which enables the infusion of Carbon atoms into the metal.Then, when the metal is quenched, its molecular structure contracts rapidly and traps the Carbon atoms between the Iron atoms which then creates one of two forms of steel known as Austenite and Martensite depending on the temperature to which the metal was heated and how quickly it is quenched.Then, by adding Chromium which bonds with the Carbon atoms to create Chromium Carbides, the steel becomes resistant to corrosion; thus creating stainless steels.However, the Chromium Carbides make the grain structure of non-stainless steels larger than that of high carbon steels and thus, stainless steels are not a tough as high carbon steels and they are significantly more difficult to sharpen.On the other hand, the Chromium Carbides present in stainless steels causes them to become significantly harder than high carbon steels and thus, they hold an edge better in addition to resisting corrosion.Consequently, high carbon tool steels are the best choice for knife blades that experience high impact and stainless steels are a better choice for knives that need to retain their edge over extended periods of use.
- Blade grind – When choosing a camping knife, the type of blade grind the knife has is also an important consideration. For instance, Saber Grinds have a low primary bevel line which creates a relatively thick cutting edge that is well suited for chopping and splitting but not so well suited to cutting or slicing. Therefore, Flat Grinds are a better choice for cutting and slicing tasks because they create a significantly thinner cutting edge but, they are not as tough as Saber Grinds.
- Handle construction – when choosing a camping knife, you should choose a knife that features robust construction such as a thick spine and either a Full Tang or a Partial Tang and avoid knives with Stick Tangs because, with the exception of the point, the junction between the blade and the handle is the knife’s weakest point.
- Handle material – when choosing a camping knife, it should have a handle design that is ergonomic, large enough to fill your hand, and made from a material that is tough, long lasting, and resistant to the absorption of moisture but, which also provides a positive grip such as Micarta, G10, Krayton, Hypalon, or Zytel.
- Sheath material – when choosing a camping knife, you should look for a sheath material that is both tough and impervious to the absorption of moisture such as Cordura nylon or Kydex. However, if you choose to purchase a knife with a leather sheath, it should be thoroughly waterproofed with a product such as saddle oil or Snow Seal prior to field use to prevent cracking and/or dry rot.
Our Top Ten Best Camping Knife Reviews
ESSE 5
** Editor’s Choice – Best General Purpose Camping Knife **
The Randal’s Adventure Training ESSE 5 is an excellent Camp Knife design that features an overall length of 11″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 6 1/4” in length and is constructed using 0.25 inch thick, 1095, high carbon, tool steel (tougher and easier to sharpen than stainless steels) with a Rockwell Hardness of 55 to 57 and a Saber Grind. Also, the Clip Point blade design of the RAT ESSE 5 is an excellent general purpose blade design that is well suited for a large number of camp cutting tasks such as cutting and slicing. In addition, it features a 4 3/4 inch, Full Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Canvas Micarta (a thermoformed, resin impregnated, fabric) that is very comfortable for general purpose use. Last, it includes a Kydex sheath with clip plate.
Kershaw Camp 10
** Editor’s Choice – Best Budget Camping Knife **
The Kershaw Camp 10 is another excellent Camp Knife design that features an overall length of 16″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 10” in length and is constructed using 0.20 inch thick, 65 Mn, high carbon tool steel (a Chinese equivalent of 1095) with an unknown Rockwell Hardness and a Saber Grind. Also, the weight-forward blade design and thick spine combined with the Full Tang construction make it an excellent tool for heavy-duty copping and splitting. In addition, it features a 6 inch handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Zytel (a type of Thermoplastic Rubber which is a very tough, rubber-like, material that has the characteristics of both plastic and rubber and which serves to cushion the hand from impact) that is designed to be extremely comfortable for heavy-duty use. Last, it includes a very well designed Kydex sheath.
Cold Steel Jungle Machete
** Editor’s Choice – Best Camping Machete **
The Cold Steel Jungle Machete features an overall length of 22″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 16” in length and is constructed using
8 mm thick, 1055, high carbon tool steel (an excellent choice for high impact knife blades) with an unknown Rockwell Hardness and a Flat Grind.Consequently, the blade is short enough to be easily carried on a belt and the weight-forward design makes it a very effective light chopping tool. Also, it features a 5 5/8 inch, Full Tang, handle design with handle scales made from Polypropylene (which is a very tough material that is impervious to the abortion of moisture) with a very ergonomic design that is specifically designed to prevent the knife from slipping out of the user’s hand. Last, it includes a heavy-duty nylon sheath.
KA-BAR Grass Machete
The KA-BAR Grass Machete features an overall length of 19 1/2″ inches with a Straight Back blade design measuring 14” in length and is constructed using 165 inch thick, 1085, high carbon tool steel (an excellent choice for high impact knife blades) with a Rockwell Hardness of 52 to 54 and a Saber Grind. Consequently, the blade is short enough to be carried in a back pack or kayak hold and yet, is still long enough to perform light chopping tasks. Also, it features a 5 1/2 inch, Hidden Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Thermoplastic Rubber (aka TPR which is a very tough, rubber-like, material that has the characteristics of both plastic and rubber and which serves to cushion the hand from impact) that is specifically designed to prevent the knife from slipping out of the user’s hand. Last, it includes a heavy-duty Cordura nylon sheath.
BRK Grasso Bolo II
The Bark River Knife & Tool Grasso Bolo II is an high quality Camp Knife that features an overall length of 14 5/8″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 9 1/4” in length and is constructed using 0.217 inch thick, 5160, high carbon tool steel (more rust resistant than 1055 or 1095) with a Rockwell Hardness of 57 to 58 and a Saber Grind. Also, the weight-forward blade design and relatively thick spine combined with the Full Tang construction make it an excellent heavy-duty chopping tool for campers. In addition, it features a 5 1/8 inch, Full Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from your choice of a number of different materials (canvas or linen Micarta is the best choice for camping) that is designed to be comfortable for extended use. Last, it includes a heavy-duty leather sheath.
ESSE Junglas
The ESSE Junglas (pronounced “Hoonglas”) is also an excellent Camp Knife design that features an overall length of 16 1/2″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 10 3/8” in length and is constructed using 0.188 inch thick, 1095, high carbon tool steel (a very tough blade steel) with an unknown Rockwell Hardness and a Flat Grind. However, unlike Camp Knives with weight-forward blade designs, the Drop Point blade design of the Junglas is a better general purpose blade design that is well suited for light chopping tasks as well as splitting, cutting, and slicing. In addition, it features a 6 1/8 inch, Full Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip with removable Canvas Micarta (a thermoformed, resin impregnated, fabric) handle scales that is very comfortable for general purpose use. Last, it includes a heavy-duty nylon sheath.
Cold Steel Tail Master
The Cold Steel Tail Master is also an excellent Camp Knife design that features an overall length of 14 1/2″ inches with a Clip Point blade design measuring 9 1/2” in length and is constructed using 0.312 inch thick, O1, high carbon tool steel (a higher grade tool steel than 1095 or 5160) with an unknown Rockwell Hardness and a Flat Grind. However, unlike Camp Knives with weight-forward blade designs, the Clip Point blade design of the Trail Master is more of a general purpose blade that is well suited for light chopping tasks as well as splitting, cutting, and slicing. In addition, it features a 5 1/2 inch, Hidden Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Krayton (a type of Thermoplastic Rubber which is a very tough, rubber-like, material that has the characteristics of both plastic and rubber and which serves to cushion the hand from impact) that is very comfortable for general purpose use. Last, it includes a heavy-duty Kydex sheath.
KA-BAR Becker Combat Bowie
The KA-BAR/Becker Combat Bowie is an excellent Camp Knife design that features an overall length of 14 3/4″ inches with a Clip Point blade design measuring 9 1/4” in length and is constructed using 0.188 inch thick, Chrome-Vanadium (aka Chro-Van), high carbon tool steel (a higher grade tool steel than 1095 or 5160) with a Rockwell Hardness of 56 to 58 and a Saber Grind. However, unlike Camp Knives with weight-forward blade designs, the Clip Point blade design of the KA-BAR/Becker Combat Bowie is a much better general purpose blade than a weight forward design that is well suited for light chopping tasks as well as splitting and slicing. In addition, it features a 5 1/2 inch, Full Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Ultramid (a semi-crystalline, high-temperature, polyamide made of plastic which is reinforced with 10% fiberglass and 25% mineral filling) that is very comfortable for general purpose use. Last, it includes a heavy-duty Cordura Nylon sheath.
Cold Steel SRK
The Cold Steel Survival Rescue Knife is more of a Bushcraft Knife than a Camp Knife and it features an overall length of 10 3/4″ inches with a 6 inch, Clip Point, blade made from 5mm thick, VG-1, stainless steel (a high quality, Japanese, blade steel) with an unknown Rockwell Hardness and a Saber Grind. Also, the Clip Point blade design of the Cold Steel SRK is an excellent choice for general purpose blade designs that are well suited for a wide range of camp cutting tasks. In addition, it features a 4 3/4 inch, Hidden Tang, handle design with an ergonomic grip made from Krayton (a type of Thermoplastic Rubber which is a very tough, rubber-like, material that has the characteristics of both plastic and rubber and which serves to cushion the hand as well as providing a non-slip grip) that is very comfortable for general purpose use. Last, it includes a heavy-duty Cordura Nylon sheath.
OKC RAT Model 1
The Ontario Knife Company/Randal’s Adventure Training model 1 is quite possibly the best folding Bushcraft Knife ever designed and it features an overall length of 8 1/2″ inches with a Drop Point blade design measuring 3 1/2” in length and is constructed using AUS-8 stainless steel (a Japanese blade steel slightly superior to 440C) with a Rockwell Hardness of 55 to 56 and a Flat Grind. Thus, it will perform a wide range of camp cutting tasks such as cutting, slicing, and piercing. In addition, it features a 4 1/2 inch handle with an unusual, but extremely ergonomic, handle made from G10 (a very tough Glass Reinforced Plastic) that is perfect for general purpose use.
Conclusion, Making the Decision
So, as you can see, although modern knife manufacturers do produce so-called “camp knives” supposedly specifically designed for use by campers, the simple fact of the matter is that it is physically impossible to design a single knife blade that is well suited for performing all camp cutting tasks. In fact, attempting to do so is like asking a professional golfer to participate in a major tournament with nothing more than a driver or a putter in his golf bag!
Therefore, when contemplating the purchase of the best camping knife for use while camping, you should first carefully consider the particular purpose for which you intend to use it and then purchase a knife with the appropriate blade steel, blade design, blade size, and blade grind to meet your particular needs.