Best Camping Knives (+Buying Guide!)

One of the most important items in your camping bag is a camping knife. You might need a camping or hiking knife for a number of different reasons but usually, it boils down to normal applications like cutting the cord, moleskin, blisters, and shaving woods for campfires. Whatever be the use-case, having the best camping knife is critical.

You would also need it for preparing food, so it becomes very important that you purchase absolutely the best camping knife possible. However, its easier said than done because there are plenty of things to consider like blade type, handle type, and weight as well.

But, I got your back. After compiling the best pocket knives list, below, I’ve listed the absolutely best camping knives that I’ve used over the year during my hiking trips.

7 Best Camping Knives of March, 2024

Below, take a look at the table below to compare a variety of camping knives against one another based on price, size, blade material and more:

ImageModelSteelBlade LengthCheck on Amazon
gerber camping knifeGerber blades big rock440A stainless steel4.5 inches Check Price
camping knife reviewsKershaw Ken Onion Blur 14C28N stainless steel7.88 inches Check Price
Cold-Steel-LeatherneckCold Steel 39LSF4116 Stainless Steel6.75 inches Check Price
benchmade-BushcrafterBush Crafter EODS30V stainless steel4.4 inches Check Price
zero tolerance camping knifeZero Tolerance ZT0350TSS30V stainless-steel3.25 inches Check Price
camping knifeFallkniven A1V-10 laminated steel6.375 inches Check Price
folding knifeZero Tolerance #0452CFS35VN steel5. inches Check Price

1. GERBER BLADES BIG ROCK

Gerber blades big rock is a fixed blade camping knife. This is a good size hunting knife with the following dimensions: Overall Length: 9.4″ – Length of the Blade: 4.5″ – Weight: 6.3 oz

Gerber big rock knife comes with a full point tang blade, and serrated in edge which makes it good for cutting trees (saplings), and the blade is consist of 440A stainless steel with a bead blasted finish

The blade is pretty sharp, but it doesn’t hold the edge because of 440A stainless steel which fits to the category of average steels. However, it’s extremely resistance to corrosion knives which makes it suitable for wet weather or Environment

Handle is  full tang, and comes with a glass-infused nylon along Soft grip rubber overlay, complete with a pistol-esque finger guard reminiscent which helps to make the heavy work easier. The handle makes a good grip in the hands, but a little beefy which guys might not like, but overall it’s a good camping knife under $30

  • Pros: Knife can be used for military, hunting, and camping purposes for sure. Cheap price.
  • Cons: Beefy Blade, and blade doesn’t hold a good edge

2. KERSHAW KEN ONION BLUR

The overall length of blade is 7.88 inches. It weighs 3.9 oz which makes it a light camping knife. The blade of this knife is constructed of Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel with Tungsten DLC black coating. It’s built quality is outstanding, opens quickly and easily, and quality of the steel is adequate.

Kershaw Ken Onion Blur
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The spring-assist opener has an astonishing deployment speed, flipping the blade open in a fraction of a second with comfort. However, we find thumb stud a bit awkward.

The handle is construed of 6061-T6 anodized aluminum with Trac-Tec inserts. The handle design is interesting and designed a bit rough which makes the grip better.

The handle is available in a variety of colors too, including the olive drab model as well as desert sand, red, and black. So, if you want a sexy design, then you should definitely look forward to it. It’s a good DIY camping knife under 60$.

  • Pros: Sharp blade with the excellent opening mechanism. This knife is a good value for the money.
  • Cons: Awkward thumb stud.

3. Cold Steel 39LSF Leatherneck SF

The Cold Steel Leatherneck SF—short for “Semper Fi, is big fixed blade camping knife. The knife has only one color, and it’s black. This full black knife can also fix in combat knife categories. It’s a super solid and best camping knife under 100$ .

The blade length is  6.75 inches, and overall length of the knife is 11.75 inches and weighs about 10.4 ounce. This is a big camping knife, no doubts.

The blade is razor-sharp out of the box and can be sharpened pretty easily which makes it an excellent knife for camping and hunting.

The blade is consist of SK-5 high German 4116 Stainless Steel whihc is a thick steel with double quillons that are turned slightly forward and provide excellent hand protection and minimal interference when performing utility tasks.

It’s a full tan big handle with an overall length of five inches. The handle is made of deeply checkered Kray-Ex material that makes the knife extra wide, The double layer quillions provides excellent gripping power through its palm hugging oval cross section.

With sturdy handle and fixed sharp blade, you can chop off any shit you want to chop. And, if you find yourself in close combat (that could actually be the case while camping), then this is the knife you need for protection.

  • Pros: Razor-Sharp Blade, Easy to sharpen, solid handle with comfy ergonomics
  • Cons: Blade is not that tough (good enough though)

4. Bushcrafter EOD

If you’re looking for benchmade camping knives, then this knife could be an excellent choice. It’s a heavy duty knife made by one of the best knife brands in the market.

The blade length of the knife is 4.4 inches which is a decent size for hunting and camping. The knife weighs about 7.7 ounces.

It’s a drop point blade and consist of S30V stainless steel (58-60HRC). The knife is especially intended for Tactical, Survival, or Outdoor use i.e., camping. It’s a thick and sharp blade, and can be used for cutting woods, and other heavy works.

The handle of the knife is constructed of G-10 material which is an awesome material a knife company can use to make the knife’s handle.

The handle thickness is 0.92″  & it is covered with grain brushed leather sheath with D-ring, The handle is very comfortable to hold and the drop point of the end of the handle makes the grip extra strong. Overall handle quality is good. It’s creamy color, and G-10 material worth all it’s money.

  • Pros: stainless steel, sharp knife, and G-10 handle.
  • Cons: plastic sheath.

5. Zero Tolerance

Zero tolerance is one of the popular editions in the knife industry. The 0350 is fully furnished with SpeedSafe for one-handed best assisted opening knives. Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud or blade protrusion.

zero tolerance
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The length of the blade is 3.25-inch, and overall length of the blade is 7.75-inches. The blade is constructed of S30V stainless-steel. The blade is extremely sharp and does most of the tasks easily. In simple words, the blade is quite Sharp and tough, and among the best blades for sure.

It’s a folding camping knife with non-serrated blade alongTiger Stripe finish. The S30V provides extreme durability to the blade and makes it easier to sharp the blade.

The handle of zero tolerance is constructed of G-10 handle and as we said earlier, Handle is consist with one of the best materials a knife can use to construct the handle.

Since the handle is constructed with G-10 material so once can’t doubt the grip and solidity of the knife’s handle. The knife uses speedsafe mechanism for easy one-handed opening and makes it easy to deploy the blade even while wearing tactical gloves

  • Pros: Sharp Blade, Good Opening Mechanism. Solid Handle.
  • Cons: Pocket Clip is a bit tight.

6. Fallkniven A1

Fallkniven A1 Survival Knife Fixed Blade Knife, 6.375in, Satin Spear Point Blade, Kraton Handle FN3K. And, if your budget is anywhere around 200$, then this is go-to camping knife under 200$.

Fallkniven A1
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It’s a satin spear point blade and a Fixed Blade Knife. The length of the blade is 6.375 inches, and overall length is 12 inches with weight about 12 ounces which might raise eyebrows of few of you.

It’s a plain edge blade and sandwiched shaped constructed at the top of the knife with two different layers of metal alloys, one is a soft  (stain-resistant) and the other is a more traditional, steady blade, capable of handling huge & heavy workload,

The A-1 blade is a convex grind, which provides an additional backbone to the cutting edge. The knife’s blade is constructed of laminated steel, enhanced with a 420J outer cladding and a VG10 core.

Knife comes with shaving sharp blade out of the box, and it is pretty easy to maintain. Sharpening might take a little practice if you’ve never had a knife with a convex grind, but once you get the hang of it its easy. We can’t say enough about the blade. This knife will cut, slice, slash and stab anything you could throw at it and ask for more.

The handle is consist of kraton material a medium-rubbery, high-density polymer. We all know that rubbery handles are always grippy, no matter what.

The handle fits into the hand awesomely and makes a good grip even in wet situation and also if you’re using gloves, it will hold good edge in any situation. The full tang blade with kraton material with a single lanyard hole makes the knife excellent for camping, hunting, and skinning. It will always get full marks for the excellent handle’s quality.

  • Pros: Excellent Handle, Shaving sharp blade, and available in ytel and leather sheath.
  • Cons: Might be a costlier camping knife for many people.

7. Zero Tolerance #0452CF

Notice: If you’re looking for a folding camping knife, then this knife is the best alternative to the FALLKNIVEN A1. This is an excellent camping knife under 250$.

zero tolerance #045CF
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The blade length is 4.1 Inches, Closed Length: 5.2 Inch ; Overall Length: 9.3 Inches. The blade is constructed of S35VN, stonewashed and satin finish is given to the blade.

S35VN steel makes the blade super sharp and makes it easier for the owner to resharpen the blade after the dull use. The deployment mechanism of knife really incredible. The blade flies open and very open very smoothly. A perfect blade for an automatic pocket knife in camping category.

The handle is constructed of carbon fiber and with a stonewashed titanium frame lock. The 0452CF opens as smooth as butter with the KVT ball-bearing opening system and built-in flipper.

The handle is very grippy it never slips from the hand. In addition, the handle is made with a lanyard hole, and a reversible, deep carry tip-up clip for securing and carrying the knife on either side.

  • Pros: Excellent Blade & Steel. Good Opening Mechanism, and sturdy handle.
  • Cons: You probably can’t afford it.

How to Choose Best Camping Knife: Things To Consider

To get a best camping knife, you need to consider various things which includes your planned needs, and a budget.

We are pointing out 3 must “to-follow” things when selecting a camping knife, so that you can make a good purchase.

1. Blade Design: What Blade You Need To Pick For Camping Knife?

When selecting the camping knife, blade design is probably the first thing you need to look for. Every blade has different functionality and made to perform the specific tasks.

You must be aware of the fact that there are indeed numerous different blade designs consisting of clip points, drop points, trailing points, spear points, Nessmuks, e.t.c, but, those best fitted for camping or survival purposes are the clip point, the drop point, and the spear point.

A camp knife is characterized as a medium-sized knife with lighter sturdy construction and a blade that ranges from 3 inches to 8 inches in length. Also, it should emphasize an ergonomic handle that enables the knife to be held in several different situations.

2. Blade Type: Fixed Blade or Folding Blade? Which is Good For Survival Situation?

A pocket knife is useful to have on hand when you need an excellent all-purpose knife you can carry every day. The fundamental obstacle with relying on a folding knife is that they have a break point that a fixed blade knife does not have.

You can’t force the knife to work for you when you hit that breaking point, and if you do, then get ready to pay some money for a new knife.

Thus it becomes a significant point to consider before you get into the tough survival situations because you may have to perform some hard tasks with your knife.

You need something that’s going to be unyielding that will help you to support the knife in just about every position and not crack under contact. You need a knife that can stand up in the extreme situation of survival.

A folding knife has its place in any survivalist’s stockpile; however, it should can’t replace a fixed blade knife as the primary resource that you use for ultimate situations. However, a folding knife is good enough for normal camping purposes.