If you are looking for an excellent survival knife that won’t cost you a fortune, then you have come to the right place. Let’s get right to it and take a look at the top five contenders for the best survival knife under $100.
Best Survival Knives Under $100
Comparison Chart
1. Ontario Knife Company 8665 RAT-3 Survival Knife
If you’re looking for a good fixed blade survival knife that comes in at a reasonable price, this might just be it.
Review
This particular knife features an overall length of 7.9 inches, combined with a 3.9 inch long blade. This does make it on the short side of things. We do like its compact nature because it makes it very maneuverable, it works well in tight spaces, and it is portable too. However, it is still just large enough to take care of most basic outdoor tasks.
We do like how the blade is made out of 1095 carbon steel. This is a very hard and durable type of steel that is very resistant to many types of damage. At the same time, this type of steel also features excellent edge retention. This means that the blade will stay sharp for a long time and will not need to be sharpened very often.
Moreover, this knife also features a full tang design. The fact that the blade still runs down all the way through to the end of the handle does allow for excellent durability. It also allows for excellent balance and a good hand feel.
Speaking of good balance and a good hand feel, we do also like the heavily textured micarta handle included with this knife.
Micarta is a very hard and durable type of material, plus it is waterproof too. The fact that it features an ergonomic design complete with texture also allows for a really good grip, even if the handle gets wet. For the low price it comes in at, we think that this is a great deal.
Pros
- Good blade steel
- Comfortable and durable handle
- Compact and portable
- Sheath included
- Great edge retention
- Full tang for durability and balance
Cons
- Not the most rust resistant
- Can be hard to sharpen
2. GERBER StrongArm Fixed Blade Knife
Here we have a relatively large outdoor survival knife that can come in handy for a wide variety of purposes. Worth noting is that this knife is made in the USA.
Review
This survival knife comes in at 9.8 inches complete with a 4.8 inch blade. Then blade itself is fairly large, which we do like, because it works well for many different outdoor, camping, and survival tasks. However, it’s also not so large that it becomes hard to maneuver or use. It’s still more than short enough to be maneuverable and portable. It also doesn’t weigh very much, just 7.9 oz, which also helps with portability.
It does also come with a multi mount sheath system that allows you to carry the knife in a variety of ways. You can easily attach it to your pants, vest, or anything in between. The belt loops are detachable. It also comes with nylon webbing for drop leg carry and secondary retention.
The blade here is made with 420 high carbon steel. This type of steel is very hard, durable, and almost impossible to break. It is also extremely sharp and features excellent edge retention. Although it may be a bit difficult to sharpen, you really should not have to sharpen very often. It even comes with a ceramic blade coating for added durability and moisture resistance.
You then also get a high-quality rubber handle. Rubber is durable, it’s comfortable, and it is moisture resistant. The knife handle is also ergonomically designed in such a way to make it comfortable and easy to hold onto. It also features a diamond textured grip to allow for a very secure grip, even when it is wet. Just in case, yes, this is a full tang knife.
Pros
- Very durable
- Excellent edge retention
- Ceramic coating
- Secure and comfortable handle
- Full tang design
Cons
- Ceramic coating can start to wear off
3. Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Here we have a nice outdoor knife that is not only functional but also looks very cool too.
Review
Here we have a knife with a 4-5/16” blade, With the knife itself being just around 10 inches in length. We’d say that this knife is neither too large nor too small. The blade is big enough to take care of most basic outdoor tasks. However, the knife as a whole is also small and lightweight enough to be maneuverable, even in tight spaces, as well as portable too.
We do like how the blade is made out of 1075 high carbon steel. This type of steel features excellent edge retention. This means that the blade will stay sharp for a long time. It doesn’t need to be sharpened often. Although, it is so hard that it can be a bit it’s hard to sharpen. At the same time, this type of high carbon steel also isn’t overly moisture resistant.
However, it is a full tang knife. This means that the blade material runs all the way down through to the end of the handle. This allows for excellent durability, as a fixed blade knife should have. This also allows for a great balance and a good hand feel. Speaking of the hand feel, here you get a smooth hardwood handle.
We do very much like the appearance of this smooth hardwood handle. It is also carved in such a way that it has an ergonomic design to provide you with a comfortable grip. It does have some finger grooves. That said, the handle is very smooth, so it can be slippery when wet. Speaking of getting wet, because it is word, it’s not the most moisture resistant handle.
Pros
- Durable blade
- Good edge retention
- Full tang design
- Good size for most purposes
- Looks beautiful
- Comfortable handle
Cons
- Can be slippery when wet
- Not the most moisture resistant knife
4. AXARQUIA-Black Premium Outdoor Survival Knife
Here we have another knife that not only looks really nice but works really well too.
Review
Let’s survival knife comes in at just 8.67 inches long with a 3.94 inch blade. This does make it one of the shorter knives on the list today. With that being said, we do like the compact size. It makes it very easy to maneuver, even in tight spaces. It also helps make it more portable. However, the blade should be just long enough to take care of most basic outdoor and survival related tasks.
We do also like how this knife is fairly lightweight, as it definitely helps with portability and functionality. On that note, it does also come with a very high-quality sheath. This genuine leather sheath can be worn in multiple positions for portability. It also comes complete with a fire starter integrated right into it.
The blade of this knife is made with MOVA 58 stainless steel. This is a very high-quality type of stainless steel. Because it is stainless steel, it is very resistant towards moisture and corrosion. However, thanks to it also containing other metals, it is also very hard, durable, and features excellent edge retention too. It has a very high Rockwell hardness rating.
You then also get paid by color my car to handle. This is my car to handle is not only extremely durable, but comfortable as well. It is shaped in such a way to allow for a secure grip. It also has a texture that makes it easy to hold on to even when it gets wet. Yes, this is a full tang knife, so it is very durable and also features excellent balance.
Pros
- Extremely durable
- Very nice blade steel
- Corrosion resistant
- Good edge retention
- Comfortable and secure handle
- Genuine leather sheath
Cons
- Leather sheath requires maintenance
5. Condor Tool & Knife Cavelore Knife
Here we have what has to be the fanciest and the best looking survival knife on the market today.
Review
What we have here is a blade that is made out of 1095 high carbon steel. High carbon steel is very resilient towards many types of damage and is very hard to break. It also features excellent edge retention. This means that it will stay sharp for a long time and doesn’t need to be sharp very often.
With that said, this type of steel isn’t the most corrosion resistant, so don’t get it wet. If you do get it wet, dry it quickly. We do really like the Flint finish, as it is very stunning and aesthetically appealing. Keep in mind that this is a full Tang knife. This automatically allows for excellent durability. It also produces excellent balance and a good hand feel.
Speaking of hand feel, here you get a genuine burnt American Hickory handle. Yes, it is real wood, so it does look very nice. It’s also quite durable. It is also shaped in such a way so that it is comfortable and secure to hold. However, it doesn’t have much of a texture, so it can be a bit slippery when wet. Also, because it is void, you really shouldn’t get it too wet, at least not for too long.
Pros
- Looks very nice
- Comfortable to hold
- Full tang
- Good balance and hand feel
- Excellent blade steel
- Good edge retention
Cons
- Handle and blade aren’t overly moisture resistant
Conclusion
We think that the best survival knife under $100 on the list today is the Ontario Knife Company 8665 RAT-3 Survival Knife. It doesn’t cost much, yet is durable, functional, and comfortable.