The Best Camping Knives of 2018

After 2 weeks of exhaustive research, crowdsourcing opinions and hands on testing, we have concluded that the BlizeTec Survival Folding Knife may be the Best Camping Knife of 2018. With all its several features such as LED Light, Seatbelt Cutter, Glass breaker and Magnesium Fire Starter, the product deserves the high accolade [Read more].

Planning on a huge camping trip?

If so, then you should never go unequipped with the necessary materials on hand.

It is best that you equip yourself with a durable and reliable camping knife at hand.

Whether you want to slice through packages, set up camp or cut through wood to make fire, a good set of camping knives will make a huge impact.

With all the numerous choices available in the market nowadays, it becomes more and more difficult to choose the right camping knife for yourself.

Luckily, we are here to do the tedious task for you, no more need to go through each product online or in stores. We have shortlisted a total of 20 products in our search of the best camping knife that 2018 can offer.

But with careful testing, crowdsourcing feedbacks and research, we were able to narrow the list down to 5. In this article, we reviewed each of the best camping knives, highlighted their important features, while also revealing their pros and cons.

So without further ado, here are the 5 Best Camping Knives of 2018.

5 Best Camping Knives of 2018

Your Ultimate Guide to Buying a Camping Knife

Going out into the woods and basking in all its serenity and peace is always a worthwhile adventure. Disconnecting from all the hustle and bustle of city life is an exhilarating yet calming experience that you need to do once in awhile.

But before going camping, you need to keep track of all the needed materials before being one with nature. For example you should equip yourself with a reliable tent, one that will be able to withstand the harsh elements of the outdoors.

You also need to maintain a good stock of food and drinks to keep you energized and hydrated all throughout your camping trip. One of the most important piece of equipment that you should grab a hold before venturing out into the outdoors is a good set of camping knives.

However, what are the things that you need to consider before buying a camping knife? We are here to provide you with the necessary factors that you need to look into before buying one.

1. Fixed or Folding?

One of the important things you need to consider is the decision to buy either a fixed or folding knife.

Before answering this question, you need to answer this one first: What do you want to do with the knife?

We are asking this question since some campers prefer to buy knives to trim and open packages while other campers also need one that can cut and process wood.

When you want to do the latter then a folding knife will most definitely suffice. Folding knives are usually smaller in size and are built to do light duty tasks i.e Neck Knives. However, with the advent of folding knives with strong locks, a few of them can already do light to moderately heavy duty tasks. Folding knives usually appear in small sizes and are portable enough to be placed in the pocket.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a knife that can cut and process not so thick wood, then it is suitable that you equip yourself with a fixed knife. Fixed knives come in different shapes and sizes. The size can range from 2 inches to 12 inches. Fixed knives usually have a more robust build and come with blades that can cut through hard material.​

2. What are you cutting?

Different campers use knives differently. Whether you want to cut packages or chop wood, a specific kind of blade comes into picture.

The extent or ability of a blade will depend on three things. These are the shape, the heat treatment and the steel used.

The shape of a knife is definitely an important factor that you need to consider before buying one. The shape of a certain knife will depend on its profile as well as its grind. Because of these knives appear in different shapes.

Because of this the shape of the blade depends on the task it is meant to do. For example, if you are looking for a knife that can cut through thick rope and netting, then you should consider buying a hawk bill or recurve blade knife (read: Best Machete Guide).

For campers who want to be extra prepared for uncertain situations or for search and rescue operations, then a blunt tipped blade and a sheepsfoot blade knife is the suitable option. For campers who are into hunting as well, then a knife equipped with a blade that has aggressive slashing edges is the appropriate choice.

But to be on the safer side, you can always choose a knife that have drop points, clip points or those with a leaf shape. Regardless of the shape of the blade, you should always equip yourself with one that has a sturdy tip, a nice curve as well as one with a straight portion near the handle. If you have more experience using a sharpener, then you can always consider buying a recurve blade knife.

In terms of durability and cutting ability of a blade, you need to look into buying one that has a heat treated steel. Most of the camping knives or even kitchen knives nowadays are equipped with heat treated steel. This complex process adds more sharpness and overall durability for the blade.​

3.​ The grind of the knife

The overall capability of a knife also depends on the blade’s grind. The grind of a blade is the means of putting an edge on a piece of steel. The most common types of grinds are: the hollow grind, the flat grind and lastly, the convex grind.

In order to understand the concept more, think of a knife grind like an upside down triangle. In a hollow grind, the sides of this triangle are apparently curved in. With this, the thick steel can be reduced to provide a keen edge. Knives with this grind are suitable for slicing thick material.

A flat grind has sides that are straight. They are suitable for a myriad of different purposes. Lastly, a convex grind has curved out sides. This make them very sturdy and robust. Convex grinds have a very strict and tedious process which is why manufacturers employ factory workers to do the finishing touches.

How We Assessed and Evaluated These Products

For this article, we had a tedious process of reviewing each compelling product we come across. We had a total of 2 weeks to spare for evaluating each and every product in our list. First, we did a comprehensive crowdsourcing opinions from peer reviewers as well as consumers.

After the first phase, we have shortlisted a total of 20 camping knives that have exhibited high quality and excellent performance. In addition, all of the 20 camping knives were all equipped with durable and sharp blades. Because of this, narrowing the list was an exhausting task.

However, since we want to provide you with a list of our picks of the best camping knives available in the market nowadays, we did the tedious work for you.

In here we focused on the factors and aspects that make an excellent camping knife. While this may sound like an easy task, as it turned out, it was harder than we expected.

Overall, we focused on the following factors to help narrow our list down to 5: durability, ease of use, material used, portability, design as well as value for money.

To help with our endeavour, we also sought opinion from peer reviewers that also had experienced with the products shortlisted. We made sure to keep our reviews as objective as possible since we only want what is best for you. We also have collated reviews from reputable websites such as PopularMechanics.com and Knifeplanet.net.

After weeks of exhaustive hands on testing, crowdsourcing comments as well as research, we were able to come up with a list of the 5 best camping knives available in 2018. We guarantee that these products are able to stand up to the test and will even provide you with more.

In the product reviews, we have emphasized the important features of each products as well as gave our two cents regarding their pros and cons. So, to no longer keep you waiting, here are the 5 best camping knives available in 2018.

Our Top 5 Picks

1. TAC Force TF-705 Series Assisted Opening Tactical Folding Knife - First Runner Up

The first entry on our list is the TAC Force TF-705 Series Folding knife.

As the product title implies, it is equipped with a spring assisted hinge that offers fast one handed deployment.

With its liner lock, the blade is locked securely into its place.

The blade is highly durable thanks to its black half serrated stainless steel construction.

Adding more to its functionality and versatility, the knife is equipped with an aluminum constructed handle that also features a bottle opener and a glass breaker that will come in handy in cases of emergencies.

​To provide better carrying capacity and portability, the knife comes with a pocket clip. The knife, overall measures 4 and a half inch in closed length with a 3 ¼ inch blade that dons a thickness of 3mm.

measures 4 and a half inch in closed length with a 3 ¼ inch blade that dons a thickness of 3mm.In our review we have noticed that because of the aluminum constructed handle, it does not provide enough grip. Because of this, you might need to wipe your hands first before using the knife.​

Another worthy entry on our list is the BlizeTec Survival Knife.

We chose this as one of the best because this product is overflowing with a lot of added features on top of its already excellent built and quality.

The purchase includes a set of several pieces of equipment.

It has a drop point blade, bright LED flashlight, magnesium alloy fire starter, blade lock, window breaker, seatbelt cutter and pocket clip.

Saying all those inclusions already gives use the tongue twists.

Because of all these equipments, this product is definitely one of the products that you need to bring along to your camping, hiking, trekking and even hunting trips.

Despite all these inclusions, the products remains light weight and easy to carry around, thanks to its lightweight build and nylon carrying pouch. Weighing only 6.46 oz, the knife is extremely portable and easy to carry around without any hassle.

The knife’s overall length measures 8.5 inches from tip of the blade to its handle. The blade alone measures 3.5 inches long and when closed, the unit only measures 5 inches.

When testing the unit, we did not have any qualms in terms of its durability and overall performances. If we were to nitpick, we would say that they lack a few points in the design and packaging department.​

The third entry on our list is the RNS Star Fully Stainless Steel Folding Knife.

When we opened the packaging and saw the product for the first time, we were left in awe since the product just boasts excellent stability and durability.

The tip point of its blade is made with 3CR13 Stainless Steel.

Moreover, the product excels as well in the design department thanks to its full finished black etching coating.

This makes the blade non-reflective. This coating also adds more durability and hardness factor to the blade. The top of the blade is serrated.

With regards to its handle, it flaunts an ergonomic finger groove and an embossed non slip pattern to provide more grip despite wet hands when doing hard tasks.

To add more portability to the knife, it comes with a pocket clip. The knife boasts of a reliable inner lock mechanism.

The knife measures 5.8 inches in length from the tip of the blade to the end of the handle. The blade measures 2.56 inches in length while its closed size is 3.23 inches in length. Weighing only 78g the product is easy to carry around.

Our only gripe with this product is the mere lack of a few essential inclusions such as bottle opener and carrying pouch.​

The fourth entry on our list is a product from the w

ell renowned Morakniv. It flaunts a versatile fixed blade that is made more durable thanks to its hardened Sandvik 12C27 Stainless Steel construction.

With regards to its handle, it has a patterned high friction grip which makes it convenient to use despite wet conditions or especially for people with sweaty hands.

The blade measures only 4.1 inches in length while also having a blade thickness of 0.1 inches, overall the knife measures 8.6 inches from the end of the handle to the tip of the blade.

To add more to the product’s safety features, it has a color matching plastic sheath with belt clip. With the plastic sheath, the product weighs only 4.1 oz, making it one of the most lightweight camping knife on our list.

Our caveat with this product is the fact that the handle does not have a grooved pattern. This makes the embossed non slip pattern not that effective. Moreover, it lacks some important inclusions such as a bottle opener.

The last but definitely not the least entry on our list is the victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife.

Hailing from one of the most popular brands in the field of cutlery, Victorinox, this all around product exceptionally delivers on the important factors.

It features 7 functions that allow you to do usual camping tasks.

It includes a 1.25 inch blade, nail file with screwdriver, scissors, key ring, tweezers as well as toothpack.

It has all those inclusions in a compact and modest package.

To provide more durability without sacrificing on its design, it has a stainless steel blade encased in polished ABS scales while flaunting an American flag design.

Weighing only 0.47 oz, the product fits comfortably in the pocket while still making space for more storage like keys and wallet.

The product measures 2.25 inches in length. Our main caveat with this product is that it does not come with a carrying pouch or a belt clasp. Nevertheless, the product delivers on the essentials

Our Recommendations:

Editor's Pick: BlizeTec Survival Folding Knife with LED Light, Seatbelt Cutter, Glass breaker and Magnesium Fire Starter

Choosing our favorite pick among this excellent list of camping knives is a difficult task. But to provide you with our honest view of each product and in our aim of telling you which of the camping knives in 2018 is most suitable for you, we had to do the difficult task.

After several deliberations, we conclude that the BlizeTEc Survival Foldinng Knife is one of the best camping knife available in 2018. It excels in the durability of the blade thanks to the hardened Stainless Steel construction.

Moreover, it boasts of several inclusions such as an LED light, a seatbelt cutter, glass breaker as well as a magnesium fire starter. Setting up a fire in the woods is an extremely difficult task. But with this product, the process is simplified and is made more convenient.

Donning the tag Survival Folding Knife, the product definitely delivers on its promised quality and functionality.

Runners Up: TAC Force TF-705 Series Assisted Opening Tactical Folding Knife

Coming in at second place is the equally durable TACFOrce TF-705 Series Assisted Opening Tactical Folding Knife. Owing to its serrated stainless steel construction, the knife ultimately delivers on durability and sharpness.

To add safety to the product, it is equipped with a spring assisted hinge that lets you open the knife with a single press of a button. In addition the product is equipped with an aluminum constructed handle that features a bottle opener and a glass breaker which both come in handy in several situations.

Another honourable mentions is given to the Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade. What it lacks in inclusions, it makes for it in the durability and sharpness aspect of the product. Donning a blade that is made more durable with its hardened Sandvik 12C27 Stainless steel construction, the product ultimately delivers in slicing through hard and thick material.