What is your go to camp knife?

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • 66chevelle

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    25   0   0
    Jun 16, 2008
    741
    43
    greenfield
    My family and I are going to start camping more and I am looking to buy a better knife. I am not looking to buy 5 or 6 for each task but I am looking for one that will work for most of my needs. I was looking at the EESE 3 but wasn't sure if a 4 or 5 would be better. Give me your thoughts. If I am completely wrong on my idea let me know what you use and why. Thanks
     

    MCgrease08

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    37   0   0
    Mar 14, 2013
    14,373
    149
    Earth
    Esse 4. Big enough for chopping and batoning. Small enough for more delicate tasks. One of the most well rounded knives out there.
     

    hammerd13

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 20, 2015
    350
    63
    Hamilton County
    I own an Esee 3, 4, and a couple 6s. The 4 gets used the most, and (as MCgrease08 indicated) is a very handy/versatile size. Esee is hard to beat, from a cost/quality/warranty standpoint. Some additional features might want to consider are...

    1) Do you want a coated blade or not? I lean towards uncoated blades, as with use the coating wears off anyway.
    2) Carbon steel or stainless? Generally, I prefer carbon steel for bushcraft and camping. If I was in a marine environment or wanted something that wouldn't be used/maintained very often, I'd look at stainless steel. I've got a Fallkniven F1 in stainless and it's an amazing blade (another one you should look at).
    3) Do you want a 90 degree ground spine (to strike ferro rods). Sometimes called a sharpened spine. You can sharpen the spine on your own, but if you want it...buy it that way off the bat.
    4) What kind of blade grind do you want? E.g. scandi, convex, sabre, full flat, etc. This should be dictated by your primary intended use. Scandi is great for detailed bushcraft work but doesn't work as well as sabre for batoning. Convex typically has a very durable edge and can be easy to sharpen by hand with a little practice.
    5) Full tang? I would accept nothing less than a full-tang knife for your intended use. Mora now has a full-tang option, if that interests you.

    Many of these options are available from Esee and manufacturers. Esee also just released some new handle/scale options (3D) that are very comfortable in the hand.

    Good luck with your search!
     
    Last edited:

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    That Esse looks cool.

    Not really a knife per se, but I take my Leatherman. Has a decent blade plus some other tools. Great for fishing use.

    However, I do also carry a filet knife (cleaning fish) and a camp saw for cutting firewood. The Leatherman is the only thing that is on my belt. I did at one time carry a boot knife but it proved to be unnecessary. I think I took my Kabar once too.

    For reference, I am primarily a canoe camper so we travel light...but not as light as a backpacker.:)
     

    KG1

    Forgotten Man
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    66   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
    25,631
    149
    Can't go wrong with an Esse. One knife that I've used for the task is a Mora. Although not quite as stout as an Esse per se it has been more than capable of doing the task as an all around camping knife.
     

    obijohn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 24, 2008
    3,504
    63
    Terre Haute
    i'll second the mora for general camp use. There are better tools for chopping, etc, but the Mora is very slicey and does most tasks around camp well.
     

    66chevelle

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    25   0   0
    Jun 16, 2008
    741
    43
    greenfield
    Thank you all for the help. Like I said we rarely camp now but my kids are really getting into it. My wife grew up in California and her family did a lot of camping in big bear but I have only camped in Indiana. We will not be building our own shelter to sleep in so I am not looking for knives that I can beat on all day long for weeks on end. We will be in a tent and we want to teach our kids some of the camping stuff we know. I understand the concept of having a bunch of knives for every task but I also understand that just because people carry 10 knives camping they may still only use one or 2. My dad is a mechanic and has a draw full of probably close to 100 screw drivers but he grabs the same one every time. I have seen this man spend 20 minutes trying to find the one that his grandkid left out instead of getting a different one. Down the road I will probably pick up more but right now I will be spending a bunch of money on new gear so I am looking to spend around $100 to cover my needs. Maybe I should just buy 2 or 3 Mora knives for now and see which one I grab for most uses.
     

    lonehoosier

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    May 3, 2011
    8,012
    63
    NWI
    ESEE 4 It is also my EDC knife too. I use the kydex sheath that comes with it and put soft belt loops on it so I can carry it IWB.
     

    KG1

    Forgotten Man
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    66   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
    25,631
    149
    Thank you all for the help. Like I said we rarely camp now but my kids are really getting into it. My wife grew up in California and her family did a lot of camping in big bear but I have only camped in Indiana. We will not be building our own shelter to sleep in so I am not looking for knives that I can beat on all day long for weeks on end. We will be in a tent and we want to teach our kids some of the camping stuff we know. I understand the concept of having a bunch of knives for every task but I also understand that just because people carry 10 knives camping they may still only use one or 2. My dad is a mechanic and has a draw full of probably close to 100 screw drivers but he grabs the same one every time. I have seen this man spend 20 minutes trying to find the one that his grandkid left out instead of getting a different one. Down the road I will probably pick up more but right now I will be spending a bunch of money on new gear so I am looking to spend around $100 to cover my needs. Maybe I should just buy 2 or 3 Mora knives for now and see which one I grab for most uses.
    Mora would be a great choice for an all around camping knife. I have several myself. Never had an issue with them.
     

    Vigilant

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Jul 12, 2008
    11,659
    83
    Plainfield
    Thank you all for the help. Like I said we rarely camp now but my kids are really getting into it. My wife grew up in California and her family did a lot of camping in big bear but I have only camped in Indiana. We will not be building our own shelter to sleep in so I am not looking for knives that I can beat on all day long for weeks on end. We will be in a tent and we want to teach our kids some of the camping stuff we know. I understand the concept of having a bunch of knives for every task but I also understand that just because people carry 10 knives camping they may still only use one or 2. My dad is a mechanic and has a draw full of probably close to 100 screw drivers but he grabs the same one every time. I have seen this man spend 20 minutes trying to find the one that his grandkid left out instead of getting a different one. Down the road I will probably pick up more but right now I will be spending a bunch of money on new gear so I am looking to spend around $100 to cover my needs. Maybe I should just buy 2 or 3 Mora knives for now and see which one I grab for most uses.
    If you’re going to process any firewood of substance, the Mora just doesn’t have the guts, that’s why I recommended an ESEE6 and Mora Companion together. The 6 will process any wood up to and including large saplings, and the Mora will make quick work of any and all smaller tasks, including food prep. ESEE will run a little over $100 and the Mora in the $20 something range, and you won’t NEED any other knives, you’ll just WANT them.
     

    mwwilkew

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 26, 2010
    54
    6
    I bought a Benchmade Barrage 580 last year for camping and backpacking. Great little knife. Liked it enough that I bought another for my son-in-law for Christmas.
     
    Top Bottom