Purpose: What do we use knives for outdoors? Here’s a general list: for rough tasks—chopping firewood, clearing paths, carving wood to make various items—and for fine tasks—opening packages, cutting meat, slicing ropes, etc. The former requires sturdiness, a robust build, and an appropriate blade shape to deliver sufficient chopping power, while the latter demands sharpness and flexibility. These two needs are largely contradictory. If a knife claims it can do both, it usually means it does neither well. Therefore, for more hazardous outdoor activities that take longer periods, the former type is essential. If you’re just going on a relatively posh camping or hiking trip where you don’t even need to light a campfire, the latter will suffice.
Generally speaking, outdoor knives fall into three categories: machetes, daggers, and folding knives, each with its own range of uses. Together, they form a fairly complete system that complements one another.
I: Machete
Whether in the south or the north, a machete is a basic piece of equipment for mountain dwellers. It’s not only used for chopping wood and clearing paths, but more importantly, combined with ropes and plastic sheets, it can be used to construct shelters, rafts, ladders, stretchers, backpack frames, makeshift bridges, beds, rain capes, and even for fighting wild animals. There’s almost nothing it can’t do—only things you haven’t thought of. Most of the time you might not need it, but once you do, it becomes your most effective outdoor tool. A good machete should have an excellent blade shape and a solid body. It must be long and heavy enough, with a slight downward curve at the front and the center of gravity positioned as far forward as possible, giving it more force when chopping. This is the most emphasized feature of a machete. A high-quality machete is even more powerful than an ordinary axe. With the right technique, you can chop through a 10 cm diameter pine log in just a few strikes. From a practical standpoint, a machete handmade by mountain villagers costing just over ten yuan performs similarly to a Cold Steel Kukri (about a thousand yuan), though the latter is sharper, rust-resistant, and has a better feel.
For general outdoor activities, considering the machete’s relative lack of portability and limited usage frequency, a team of around five people only needs to bring one. For groups larger than ten, two are enough—it’s the ideal team knife.
II: Folding Knife
A folding knife both supplements the machete and serves as the most commonly used knife for every outdoor traveler. A suitable outdoor folding knife, mainly used for cutting tasks, must be sharp, simple, reliable, and capable of one-handed opening. In harsh environments, items like Swiss Army knives—which are essentially delicate ornaments—are not recommended. They lack a locking mechanism, are hard to maintain, cannot be opened with one hand, and are practically unusable with gloves in winter. Most of their functions are merely decorative in the field. So, a knife is just a knife—as long as it can cut, that’s enough. It must be within easy reach. There are many types of one-handed opening folding knives. A Tanto blade shape is more convenient for cutting, and serrations help with slicing ropes and pruning branches. The handle must offer sufficient grip, include a belt clip for attachment, and have a sturdy locking mechanism that doesn’t loosen. The steel used in the knife must offer good edge retention, remain sharp, and resist rust. Due to these strict requirements, unlike machetes, domestic folding knives often struggle to meet the standards. Among imported options, the BUCK 186 is an outstanding representative. Of course, many folding knives from reputable brands like Cold Steel and Benchmade also meet these criteria—you can choose based on personal preference. Some small fixed-blade knives can also handle these tasks, such as neck knives and boot knives. They avoid the complexity and weight of folding knives and are very convenient to access, but you must be cautious as their unique carrying methods may lead to loss in complex outdoor environments.
III: Dagger
A suitable outdoor dagger has some chopping capability, though limited, but cutting ability is essential. Compared to a machete, it’s easier to carry; compared to a folding knife, it’s more lethal. Therefore, in many cases, carrying just a dagger is a good idea, especially when self-defense is a priority—after all, it’s the most suitable for combat, even if in practice it mainly provides psychological reassurance in the wild. Since you want it to be a powerful knife, the right length and weight, sturdiness, a blood groove, and an ergonomic handle are essential. Anything else is superfluous. A typical example is the CAMILLUS 5684mk, which features a leather-wrapped handle that resists slipping, the right balance of length and weight, durability, a blood groove, and serrated edges for rope cutting. Its phosphated blade is much more durable than common coatings, and the handle end can double as a hammer. The convenient leather sheath is more suitable for sandy or dusty environments and more wear-resistant than nylon sheaths. There are two other typical dagger representatives on the market—the M9 series and the Jungle King series. The former tends to be overly heavy, somewhat negating the dagger’s portability advantage, while the latter tries to do too much. It lacks the chopping power of a machete, the convenience of a folding knife, the flexibility and lethality of a regular dagger, and isn’t structurally very sturdy. Personally, I find it the most impractical and flashy knife for outdoor use.
IV: Combination
As mentioned earlier, for casual camping, a small folding knife is enough. For more hazardous mountain trekking or crossings—especially team activities—the following knife configurations are recommended. Take crossing jungle areas that may have small predators as an example: for a solo traveler, it’s advisable to bring both a machete and a folding knife. For a pair, one person carries a machete and the other a dagger. For a six-person team, one person carries a machete, two carry daggers, and the other three carry folding knives. Of course, knife combinations can be flexible depending on different environments and situations. My point is that selecting outdoor knives from a team perspective is generally more reasonable.
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