The best camping knife is more than just a tool.
A good camping knife can make or break your trip. In that regard, it’s more like a team member or companion.
While there are many good camping knives, the best camping knives are reliable, versatile, and capable. They’ll outlast you and continue to help the next generation.
Our MKC Generations® program echoes this philosophy. If you return your blade to us at any point in its life, we’ll restore it to its original, unmatched working condition free of charge.
What Separates the Best Camping Knife From the Rest?
Knives are personal to the user. Blades feel and function differently based on how you use them and how they fit in your hand. It’s tough to pin down the best camping knife for everyone.
Yet, we can separate the wheat from the chaff through other filters. Quality is the most important metric. A quality knife always feels better, regardless of shape, size, and intended use.
Quality knives are also more durable. A good camping knife must withstand harsh conditions and frequent use. You don’t want your knife to rust, break, chip, or dull halfway through its first trip.
Handle and Blade
The best camping knife has a solid handle with a comfortable, ergonomic grip and a thick blade that’ll take some abuse. It needs to handle tough campsite-related tasks like splitting wood and tinder.
Of course, size and thickness come with weight, which is a problem if you’re hiking to a faraway campsite. The trick is finding a good balance between the two.
If you have a vehicle nearby, you can afford to bring a heavier knife (or multiple knives). If you’re hiking a long way, you may have to be more conservative with your choices. A six-inch knife usually provides all the capability needed for a standard camping trip.
Carry System
Accessibility is an important part of carrying a knife. Carrying one for self-defense is good, but it’s useless if you can’t grab it quickly in an emergency. Similarly, an insecure carry system could lead to accidents.
MKC’s holsters are secure, durable, and custom-fitted to each knife. They have multiple attachment points for clipping your pack, hip, shoulder, or lanyard. That way, you’ll always have a secure and handy blade for when the unexpected happens.
What Is the Best Camping Knife?
Finding the best camping knife that embodies all the qualities above is no small task. To help you get started, we’ve listed a few MKC knives that fit the bill.
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot is the best option if you need a simple blade that’s easy to carry on long trips.
We designed the Blackfoot to be the ultimate do-it-all blade. It’s lightweight and easy to pack on any hunt, durable enough to field dress large game, and capable of handling campsite tasks.
The Blackfoot has a 3.5″ blade and just under eight inches of overall length. Its Parkerized carbon steel offers an excellent mix of durability and weight. The 3.5″ blade is long enough to handle all but the largest bushcrafting tasks.
Super Cub
If you want a knife that’s a little bigger but still lightweight, go with the Super Cub. The Super Cub is the first MKC blade that “broke the mold.” It measures just under 10″ in total length, with a 5.4″ blade for even more capability.
The goal of the Super Cub was to create a hunting and camping blade that would still be “lightweight” but with more real estate than our usual fare. It has the same Parkerized carbon steel blade as the Blackfoot for durability and weight reduction.
Marshall Bushcraft
The Marshall Bushcraft knife is the ultimate tool for bushcraft.
Bushcraft and camping go hand in hand, and the Marshall embodies their commonalities. It pushes the size limits at over a foot long and just under ten ounces heavy. In exchange, you get a blade that does it all.
The Marshall handles any task you might throw at it. It digs holes, chops wood, pounds tent stakes, preps food, and even dresses game. And, of course, it protects you and your family from outside threats.
Bonus: Hellgate Hatchet
Our Hellgate Hatchet deserves a shout-out for its usefulness around any campsite.
MKC blades are designed to handle campsite tasks, but I felt there was an opening in our lineup for a camping-specific blade. It’s the ultimate tool for long treks out into the bush.
The Hellgate Hatchet is just over 10″ from tip to tail, with a 2.5″ cutting edge and under a pound of weight. It’s not suited for ultralight packers who want to shave away ounces, but it’s the perfect companion for serious destination campers.
It doubles as a hammer for tent stakes, a knife for gutting and dressing prey, and a wood chopper.
While the Hellgate Hatchet can stand alone, it’s ideal alongside a smaller blade for more delicate tasks.
The Best Camping Knife: Final Thoughts
A good camping knife can make or break a camping trip, but the best camping knife is the one that works best for you. It’s dependable and useful in all situations, and you’d trust it to save your child’s life if they were stranded.
Choosing the best camping knife today primes you and your family for a lifetime of positive camping memories. What could be better than that?
by Josh Smith, Master Bladesmith and Founder of Montana Knife Company
