No matter what kind of camping you do, camping knives are an important part. To go camping is to disconnect from society, which is one of the most freeing feelings in the world, but it has its drawbacks. Society has comfortable buildings, electric heating, commercial food service, and a division of labor. When you’re camping, it’s just you and your group. Shelter, heat, food, entertainment, and every other facet of life rests squarely on your shoulders. If you want to disconnect from society and enjoy it, you’ll need a proper camping knife. So, to help you get one, I’ve broken down the best camping knives available at BladeHQ.com!
Best All-Around Camp Knife: Gerber Strongarm Camp
The original Gerber Strongarm made waves as a potent, USA-made tactical blade. But even though it was designed for the battlefield, a lot of people used it as a camp knife. Then, in 2024, Gerber introduced the Strongarm Camp, and if you’ve been holding out, this is the Strongarm for you. Like its older brother, it has a versatile sheath, a tough 420 blade, and is made in the USA. But unlike the original, the Strongarm Camp has a thinner blade, a more woods-friendly handle shape, and a tall, slicey flat grind. It’s a great knife for any campout!
Best Budget Camping Knife: Mora Basic 511
If anyone says that they can’t afford a good camping knife, I beg to differ. For less than the price of a fast-food lunch, you can get the Mora Basic 511. This thing is inexpensive, but it’s way better than its price would make you think! Its zero-edge Scandi grind carves like nothing else and its handle is broad and contoured for long cutting sessions. This knife has everything you need and nothing you don’t, and you can’t go wrong with it!
Best High-End Camping Knife: Fallkniven S1X
If you’re the kind of person who needs to have the fanciest of the fancy, the Fallkniven S1X is perfect. This knife uses a laminated cobalt steel to provide unmatched edge retention and toughness. That blade has a precise convex grind for insane slicing performance and edge stability. This is the kind of knife that expert bushcrafters gravitate toward! If I could only get one knife on this list, it would be this one!
Best Compact Camping Knife: Benchmade Hidden Canyon
The Hidden Canyon was made for hunters, but it excels for campers too. The knife is super small and light, great to throw in a backpack or on a belt. Its deep, curved edge makes quick work of meat and vegetables, and its section of straight edge near the handle is helpful for firemaking. It’s not huge, but it packs a lot of cutting power!
Best Oversize Camping Knife: Ka-Bar Becker BK2
If you need a big knife, the BK2 is the one. It’s a quarter-inch thick, so it can chop, split, and pry its way through just about any camp task without any trouble. Be warned, this is not a light knife. It tips the scales at almost a pound. That means it’s no fun for backpacking, but it’s excellent as a one-tool camp option. It can do the work of a knife, but also much of the work of a hatchet!
Best Classic Camping Knife: ESEE JG5
Survival expert James Gibson designed the JG5 after the iconic Nessmuk design. George Washington Sears, also known as Nessmuk, was a writer for Forest and Stream magazine in the mid-19th century. His writings told of adventures from the comfort of town deep into the forests and waterways of the Adriondack. He pioneered the concept of recreational camping! Nessmuk designed a knife with a distinctive bulbous drop point, perfect for skinning, carving, food and fire prep, and more. The JG5 takes this iconic design to the 21st century, with a 1095 blade and Micarta handle. If you like to keep it old-school, grab a JG5!
Best Folding Camping Knife: Cold Steel AD-10
Camping cutting tasks can be hard, so if you choose a folder, you’ll want something with a really strong lock. It doesn’t get much stronger than the Cold Steel AD-10 with its Tri-Ad Lock. This Andrew Demko design was made to be used and abused and keep coming back for more. It’s like a folding survival knife, but when its folded, it slips away into a pocket. I can’t recommend this one enough!
Best Backpacking Knife: Ontario RAT-1
Backpackers have a special list of cutting jobs to do. Instead of splitting firewood and crafting luxury meals, backpackers open freeze-dried meals and scrape ticks. They don’t need as much cutting power, and they really don’t need the extra weight. Enter the Ontario RAT-1, a sturdy and capable knife that can handle all the tasks the average backpacker encounters, but it’s small, fairly light, and economical. Just what every backpacker needs!
Best Camp Cooking Knife: Spyderco Bow River
If you’re the camp chef, you need a knife that can go from fire tending to slicing food and back in a flash. The Bow River is just that. Its stainless steel blade resembles a classic boning knife, but has a bit more blade thickness for the harder jobs. Whether you’re carving a chuck roast or a chess piece, the Bow River will make it easy!
Best Low-Profile Camping Knife: Bradford Guardian3
Sometimes, you don’t want a giant fixed blade while camping. Maybe you’re in a big group campsite, camping with young children, or just want to fly under the radar. If this describes you, the Bradford Guardian3 is exactly what you need. It’s about the size of an open folder, but when not in use, it stows easily into a horizontal belt sheath. That sheath vanishes under your shirt, so nobody will know you’re carrying a premium cutting tool!
Get Out and Go Camping!
With a good knife in your hand, camping goes from being a filthy alternative to daily life to a grand adventure and learning experience. With a bit of practice, you’ll learn to turn chunks of firewood in collectible figurines, coolers of groceries into five-star meals, and long afternoons into priceless memories. If you’ve got a camping trip coming up and you’re dreading the hours around a fire in a camp chair, get a knife. I promise you the campout will be infinitely more fun!
