If you are looking for a good camping survival knife, you come to the right place. Today, we’re going to take a look at the top five contenders for the best camping survival knife that the market has to offer.
We’re going to be evaluating these knives based on a variety of factors. These include the handle, the Tang, the blade steel, the size and shape, the overall design, and more. Let’s help you find a good camping survival knife.
Comparison Chart
Morakniv Garberg Sandvik Stainless Steel Full-Tang Fixed-Blade Survival Knife With Leather Sheath, 4.3 Inch
Best Camping Survival Knives: Reviews
1. ESEE Desert Tan Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
Here we have a very high quality hunting knife that comes to us from a popular and trusted brand name. It’s definitely not the cheapest hunting or camping knife on the market, but it is well worth the investment. It comes complete with a variety of features that make it well worth the cost.
Review
The ESEE Hunting knife features an overall length of nine inches combined with a 4.5 inch long blade. This means that just about half of the knife is the blade and half is the handle, which should allow for great balance. We do think that this is an ideal size for a camping and survival knife. It’s more than large enough to take care of most outdoor related tasks.
However, at the same time, it’s also small enough to be maneuverable and easily portable. On that note, it comes in at just 8 oz, therefore making it fairly lightweight. It’s definitely not something that is going to weigh you down too much as you use it or carry it around.
In terms of functionality and portability, we do think that it is a great option. It does also come complete with a polymer sheath for added portability. Not only does this help with portability, but it helps keep both you and the knife safe when not in use.
In terms of the blade itself, the 4.5 inch long blade is made with 1095 carbon steel. This type of steel is extremely hard and resilient to various types of damage. It’s extremely difficult to crack, chip, or break this kind of blade. At the same time, it also features a very sharp edge, combined with excellent edge retention. Carbon steel is excellent on this front.
The only slight downside is that carbon steel isn’t exactly the most rust or corrosion resistant.Ttherefore, if it gets wet, you do want to dry it relatively soon. However, besides that, we do think it is a very good blade, particularly due to the very high Rockwell hardness rating. It’s something that you can use for a variety of tasks and really put through some punishment without fear of breaking.
Let’s keep in mind that it is a drop point blade, which should be fine for most purposes. It is also a full tang knife, so the blade material runs all the way down through to the end of the handle. This allows for fantastic durability and excellent balance as well. It also allows for a good hand feel. Speaking of hand feel, we do also like the micarta handle that this knife comes with.
The micarta handle is very durable for one. It’s very impact resistant and waterproof too. However, it is also shaped in such a way to be ergonomically friendly. It also comes complete with some texture to help prevent your hand from slipping in the event that it gets wet. You also get a finger choil for some extra safety.
Pros
- Excellent durability
- Full tang design
- Good hand feel and balance
- Very hard with good edge retention
- Ideal size for most purposes
- Nice sheath included
Cons
- Not the most corrosion resistant
2. Morakniv Garberg Survival
If you’re looking for a high-quality fixed blade survival knife, this might just be it. It comes to us from a highly trusted brand name, yet doesn’t cost a fortune. It comes complete with some really excellent features that can help keep you alive when things get tough.
Review
Here we have a fixed blade survival knife that comes in at 9 inches long, complete with a 4.3 inch long blade. We do like this size of knife. It is more than large enough to take care of most basic outdoor, camping, survival, and other such tasks. However, it’s also short enough to be maneuverable. It’s not so large that you can’t use it in tight spaces.
On that note, we do also like that it weighs well under 10 ounces. It is therefore fairly lightweight, which does also help with maneuverability and portability. That said, it’s still heavy enough for you to know that there is some good blade steel behind it. Make no mistake about it, this is a durable knife that comes to us from a very high quality brand name.
For instance, the blade here is made with very high-quality stainless steel. We do like stainless steel on a survival knife because it means that it won’t corrode or rust. This definitely makes it ideal for outdoor purposes.
On that note, stainless steel does also have decent edge retention and durability. It is a type of knife that should last for many years to come. Just keep in mind that stainless steel isn’t the hardest material around. You will need to sharpen the blade more often than you would then with one made out of high carbon steel. However, the upside of not being too hard is that the blade is also easy to sharpen.
Something that you will like about this knife is that it is full time. Having the blade steel run all the way down through to the end of the handle does of course allow for excellent durability. It also allows for a great hand feel and good balance. Speaking of hand feel, here you get a nice polymer handle. That polymer handle is about as durable and waterproof as humanly possible.
At the same time, it’s also ergonomically designed to be comfortable to hold. It also comes complete with a good bit of texture to help prevent your hands from slipping even if it’s wet. In terms of overall convenience, you also get a protective leather sheath included here, one that you can easily clip onto your person. For the decent price that this knife comes in at, we think that it is a great deal.
Pros
- Great overall durability
- Full tang design
- Great balance and hand feel
- Ergonomic handle
- Good size for most purposes
- Weather resistant
Cons
- Not the best edge retention
3. Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk Fixed Blade Knife with Fire Striker
If you are looking for real quality in a fixed blade knife, this is a good option to consider. It features excellent blade steel, the perfect size, and an ideal handle for outdoor related purposes.
Review
What you get here is a survival knife that comes in at 9.5 inches long, with a 4-5/8 inch blade. That is pretty standard for a survival knife. It’s not so big that it becomes hard to maneuver or cumbersome when carrying around. It can easily fit in relatively tight spaces.
However, it’s also not so small that you can’t take care of most outdoor tasks with it. You can easily break down kindling, process a kill, or anything in between. The blade should be more than large enough for most basic outdoor needs.
On that note, it comes in at under 8 ounces. This means that it is relatively lightweight in the grand scheme of things. It’s more than lightweight enough for you to use for hours on end without fatiguing. It’s also like enough to easily carry around without getting tired. On that note, you do also get a sheath included here, a nice nylon sheath that makes the knife just that much more portable.
That sheath also comes with a fire striker integrated into it. On that note, the knife itself is designed to work in combination with the fire striker. Furthermore, the sheath also comes complete with a belt hook, so you can easily clip it to your person for added portability.
Going back to the knife itself, the blade here is made out of high carbon stainless steel. Having a high carbon content means that it is very hard and durable. This makes it resistance to many forms of damage. On that note, this also makes the blade have excellent edge retention and overall hardness. It’s not the kind of blade that you will have to sharpen very often.
However, because it is also stainless steel, it is also very resistant towards moisture and rusting. This therefore makes it a great option for outdoor purposes.
We do also like that the blade is a drop point blade, as this is a useful design for a wide variety of outdoor, camping, and hunting related purposes. Also worth noting is that this is a full tang knife. Being full tang automatically makes a fixed blade knife just that much more durable. It also allows for excellent balance.
Ask for the handle, it is made out of micarta, which is a tough material. It’s very durable, resistant towards physical damage, and waterproof too. The handle here is also ergonomically designed with finger grooves to provide you with a good hand feel and great grip. It also comes with small spines or a bit of texture on the top of the handle to help provide a secure grip. It’s not going to slip even when wet.
Pros
- Very good blade steel
- Excellent edge retention
- Hard and durable
- Moisture resistant
- Good size for most purposes
- Sheath and fire striker included
- Full tang design
Cons
- Handle is a bit heavy in comparison to the blade
- Sheath and fire striker aren’t the highest quality
4. SOG Fixed Blade SEAL Pup Tactical Knife
If you’re looking for a high quality camping knife that won’t cost you a fortune, this might just be it. This definitely isn’t the most expensive knife on the market, but it does still hold its own when compared to the others.
Review
Here we have a tactical knife that comes in at 9 inches overall with a 4.75 inch long blade. As you can tell, it comes in at the pretty standard size when compared to other survival knives. It’s not so small that it can’t easily take care of most larger tasks, yet not so large that it becomes hard to maneuver or cumbersome. We think that it is a rather ideal size for most outdoor, camping, and hunting related purposes.
On that note, the knife itself also isn’t overly heavy. It comes in at just a few oz. It is more than lightweight enough to use for hours on end without fatiguing.
It’s also more than lightweight enough to carry around without getting tired. Yes, it does come complete with its own ballistic nylon sheath. The sheath is designed to easily attach to your person in a number of ways, plus if it helps keep both you and the knife safe.
Going back to the blade itself, this is made with a AUS8 stainless steel. This is a very high-quality type of blade steel. Keep in mind that it has also undergone a cryogenic heat treatment for extra hardening. It also features a powder coated finish. So, this means that the blade itself is extremely hard and durable. It’s not easily going to snap, chip, or crack, even with a great amount of punishment.
At the same time, it’s also very hard and has excellent edge retention. It’s going to stay sharp for a long time without needing to be sharpened. Furthermore, thanks to that heat treatment and the powder coating, it is also very resistant towards moisture and rusting. It is realistically a perfect option for outdoor purposes.
Yes, this survival knife does also feature a full tang design. Having the blade steel run all the way down through to the end of the handle does of course allow for even greater durability. It also allows for excellent balance and a good hand feel. Speaking of the handle, here you get a glass reinforced nylon handle. For one, it is very durable and waterproof too.
This handle is also designed with finger grooves, plus it’s ergonomically shaped to fit your hand. It also comes complete with a whole lot of rough texture. This makes it very easy to hang on to, and provides you with a secure grip even if it gets wet. It also comes with a good finger guard to keep you safe during use. All in all, this has to be one of the best knives on the list today, particularly for the low price it comes to us at.
Pros
- Ideal size and weight for most purposes
- Very high quality blade steel
- Full tang design
- Great handle
- Good balance and feel
- Blade shape is ideal for most purposes
- Weather resistant
Cons
- Sheath isn’t the highest quality
5. Holtzman’s Gorilla Survival Store Bushcraft Survival Knife
Here we have a really cool survival knife that comes complete with its own case and a number of accessories.
Review
this particular survival knife comes in at 8.6 inches long with a four inch blade. This does make it the shortest blade on the list today. With that being said, we do think that four inches is still more than long enough to take care of most basic outdoor, survival, and camping tasks. Of course, being somewhat compact does make this knife very maneuverable and portable.
On that note, it also weighs just a few oz, therefore also making it very lightweight. This is of course something that does also help with maneuverability, functionality, and portability. Speaking of portability, you do also get a highly advanced solid polymer sheath it comes complete with a belt clip. You can easily attach it to your person, for added portability.
The sheath also helps keep both you and the knife safe when it is not in use. Moreover, it also comes complete with a scraper tool, paracord, and a fire starter. They are all integrated into the sheath for added portability and organizational purposes.
Going back to the blade itself, it is made out of 1095 high carbon steel. This means that it is very hard and durable. It can easily resist many forms of damage including physical impact. On that note, it also has excellent edge retention. This is the kind of knife that is going to stay sharp for a very long time. Yes, it may be somewhat difficult to sharpen, but you won’t have to do that very often.
You might also appreciate how this knife comes complete with a full Tang design. This means that it is effectively one long piece of steel. This does allow for greater durability, plus it also allows for good balance and hand feel.
Speaking of hand feel, do you get a very nice G10 handle. That G10 handle is waterproof and very durable. It also features a special design that is ergonomically friendly, and therefore easy to hold on to. It even comes complete with a good deal of texture so your hand won’t slip even if it gets wet. For the reasonable price that it comes in at, we think that this is an excellent outdoor survival camping knife to consider.
Pros
- Nice sheath
- Very portable
- Lightweight and maneuverable
- Good blade steek
- Full tang design
- Comfortable handle
- Excellent edge retention
Cons
- Difficult to sharpen
- Not the most corrosion resistant
Buyers Guide
Let’s leave you with some tips on how to choose the best camping survival knife.
1. Folding or Fixed
Folding knives are nice if you are going for portability. However, if you want something durable, then you always want to go for a fixed blade knife. The reality is that although folding knives are convenient for portability, that hinge is an inherent weak spot.
A folding knife is just never going to be as durable or impact resistant as a fixed blade knife. If you want something portable, sure, go for a folding knife, but if you want something that is actually going to last, you want a fixed blade.
2. Tang
Speaking of fixed blade knives, you always want one that has a full tang design. This means that the blade steel or blade material runs all the way down through to the butt or end of the handle.
This is opposed to a knife where the blade steel ends where the handle starts. This allows for much greater durability because the whole knife is just one long piece of steel. It also allows for much better balance and a good hand feel.
3. Grips
We also want to look for a survival knife that features a grooved and textured handle. You want there to be grooves for your fingers, and a texture as well. Both of these together will allow for a good and secure grip, even if the handle gets wet. You want these features because you don’t want your hands slipping off the handle mid-use.
4. Size
We recommend going for a survival knife that is between 8 and 11 inches in total length, with the blade being anywhere between 4 and 6 inches. You want the knife to be long enough to take care of most basic outdoor tasks. However, you also want it to be short enough so that it is maneuverable and portable.
5. Blade Steel
You generally have two options to choose from here, stainless steel and high carbon steel. Stainless steel is rust resistant but not the most adorable and it doesn’t have the best edge retention. Carbon steel is very durable, has excellent edge retention, but isn’t the most moisture resistant. However, you do then also have high carbon stainless steel, which provides you with the best of both worlds.
6. Handle Material
Generally speaking, for the handle, you want something like a glass filled nylon or a micarta to handle. Both of these materials are extremely durable, hard, impact resistant, and moisture resistant. Although wooden handles look nice, they are best avoided due to durability and moisture issues.
7. Blade Thickness
You want the blade to be between 3/16” and ¼” in thickness. You want it to be thin enough for precision work, but thick enough for durability.
Conclusion
We think that the best survival camping knife on the list today is the ESEE Desert Tan Fixed Blade Hunting Knife. It might not be cheap, but it is durable, functional, and comfortable. You really can’t ask for more than that.