The knife: A foundational tool of human civilization. In its simplest form, a knife is just a sharp edge with a place to safely hold it. Avid Field Mag readers know we tend to believe a less-is-more approach to outdoor gear design is often the best path to success, but when it comes to knives—particularly, survival knives—sometimes more is more.
When venturing into nature, carrying a trustworthy pocket knife is highly recommended—it is one of the 10 essentials, after all. A Swiss Army Knife will do for most lightweight backpacking needs. A multi-tool is great for car camping. Your dad’s old folding Buck knife oughta work well enough in most casual situations, too.
So what makes a knife a survival knife? Well, as unhelpful as it sounds, a survival knife is any knife you’ve suddenly become dependent on to survive. This could, in theory, be the simple pen knife you keep on a keychain if the situation is dire enough. For our purposes, let’s say you’re a little more prepared than that, and you’ve gotten a specific knife to help you survive, or practice surviving. Or rather, you're looking for one.
This is where we come in. Our list has been expertly curated to cover as many bases and survival scenarios as possible—including everyday surival—so read on for the full rundown of what to look for in a survival knife, our picks for the best survival knives, and more. (Sorry Team Zombie Apocalypse Survivalists, no carbon steel machetes on this list.)
Field Mag's Top Picks:
- Best Overall Survival Knife: Morakniv Garberg Carbon Steel
- Best Full Tang Survival Knife: Gerber Ultimate
- Best Bushcraft Knife: Helle Nord
- Best Hunting Knife: Benchmade Steep Country
- Best Budget Knife: Morakniv Companion
- Most Lightweight Full Knife: SOG Field Knife
- Best Folding Survival Knife: Helle Nipa
- Best Everyday Carry Knife: Gerber Assert
- Best Multi-Tool for Survival: Leatherman Signal
- Best Tactical Knife: Ka-Bar Straight Edge
- Best Survival Knife with Emergency Whistle: Opinel No.8 Outdoor
A few of our top picks
What should I look for in a survival knife?
The two most important elements in most survival situations are fire and shelter. You’ll need some ingenuity and know-how to achieve both, but a good knife will make the job a lot easier. The following are three key cutlery ingredients to keep in mind when hunting for the knife that's right for you.
Knife Design
Building a shelter and making fire both involve the manipulation of wood, so you’ll need a strong knife that will hold its edge. And because sturdiness is so important—a knife won't help you survive if it breaks during hard use—we generally recommend a fixed-blade (as in, not folding) survival knife with a full-tang construction, meaning the steel of the blade extends all the way through the handle. Full-tang knives are ideal for practicing bushcraft techniques, too. If you just want a reliable knife to keep in your glove box, purse, or pocket, then a folding knife will work fine.
