The Best Outdoor Knives of 2021
I will not lie, I am a bit of a self-confessed knife addict.
It all started with a Swiss knife I got as a gift when I was a kid and continued growing over the years, to the point where I now have one with me on all our outdoor trips.
Every year, when the weather starts to improve and the trekking and camping season begins, I immediately start looking for new knives to take and try out on our adventures in the Great Outdoors!
So, if youโre also on the look out for a new companion to take with you on the trail, I have listed all of my favourite large, medium and small knives of 2021!
So, letโs get started!
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Fallkniven A1
This was the very first large knife I bought, and after years of use it has never disappointed!
So, how does it hold up against the competition in 2021?
Specs:
Blade Length: 15.8 cm
Blade Thickness: 6 mm
Weight: 314g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Convex
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: Stainless (laminated VG10)
Handle Material: Thermorun rubber
Pros:
This knife is an absolute dream when it comes to heavy duty tasks. The convex blade works like an axe, easily biting and chopping through wood, and is more than sharp enough for fine work such as preparing tinder.
The rubber handle offers a great grip even when soaking wet, and combining that with a stainless steel blade makes for a knife that is suited for any sort of environment and temperature!
The laminated VG10 steel offers amazing rust resistance and is tough as nails, razor sharp and holds a good edge even after hard use.
Cons:
At 314g, itโs a heavy knife. The weight severely limits it as an option for long distance treks, as youโll have to probably leave some other piece of gear at home. It also will eventually put a strain on your muscles when doing fine work, but I honestly havenโt had too many issues in that regard.
The A1โs convex grind also requires some skill to sharpen, even though it does hold a good edge for a very long time.
The biggest issue is that the sheath is very underwhelming, especially when considering the already very high price. The design has sort of been improved with the latest model (the A1x), but mine was ugly and didnโt hold the knife properly, causing it to rattle against the edges. I honestly recommend that you either do like me and make your own, or just buy an aftermarket sheath.
All in all, the Fallkniven A1 is a knife made by outdoor experts for outdoor lovers.
If youโre looking for the ultimate survival knife that will probably end up outliving you, this might be it!
KA-BAR Becker BK2
The Becker BK2 from KA-BAR is not a knife, itโs a tank.
Itโs the heaviest knife on the list, and functions pretty much like a sharpened pry-bar!
Specs:
Blade Length: 13.2 cm
Blade Thickness: 6.6 mm
Weight: 422g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Saber
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: High carbon ( 1095 )
Handle Material: Zytel plastic
Pros:
The Becker BK2 is close to indestructible, and that is its main characteristic.
The huge width of the blade means it will chop and baton pretty much anything you put up against it without a fuss. In terms of performance, it is very similar to a Fallkniven A1 on steroids!
The edge of the 1095 high carbon steel is extremely sharp and a piece of cake to maintain. That, and the relatively affordable price, makes this one of the best large knives for amateurs and beginners!
Cons:
If you thought the Fallkniven A1 was heavy, take a look at this. The Becker weighs 422g, making it a big no no for long distance hiking where you need to monitor the weight of your gear. This also means that it wonโt be ideal for fine work, as holding almost half a kilo of steel in your hand for prolonged period of times is sure to tire you out.
The handle of this knife is ok, but nothing special. There is, however, a huge aftermarket for handle scales, and they are very easy to swap out!
Another disadvantage is that the high carbon steel is very sensitive to humidity and will rust in a heartbeat if not taken care of regularly! Luckily the knife comes with a protective coating, but it will eventually wear off with heavy use and wonโt protect the edge of the blade.
The Becker BK2 has been one of my favourites for as long as I can remember, and narrowly lost to the A1 as my first large knife!
If what you want is a purely practical and indestructible knife, without any fancy bells and whistles, the BK2 is the one for you.
The ESEE Model 6 is an amazing survival knife, ideal for multiple uses.
Specs:
Blade Length: 16.5 cm
Blade Thickness: 4.3 mm
Weight: 335g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Saber
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: High carbon ( 1095 )
Handle Material: Micarta
Pros:
This knife is thinner and longer than the other models we have seen. Because of this, it is extremely effective when cutting, slicing and doing fine work. However, despite the reduced width of the blade, it will still chop through wood like if it was cake!
The micarta handle makes it a very ergonomic knife, comfortable to hold for prolonged periods of time.
The 1095 high carbon steel is extremely durable, easy to sharpen and will hold a good edge!
Cons:
As with the others, this knife is heavy. This makes it unpractical to carry for long distances, unless you adjust the weight of your backpack.
The high carbon steel is also very sensitive to humidity but, like the BK2, the blade is protected by a rust resistant coating. This layer will eventually wear off, so remember to take good care of your knife.
Not really a con, but something to be careful about is that some versions of this knife are sold without a sheath.
All in all, the ESEE 6 is the best choice for someone looking for a relatively affordable and easy to maintain high-end survival knife!
TOPS Fieldcraft 3.5 Mini BROS
Ever since I saw a TOPS Tom Brown Tracker in the movie โThe Huntedโ, Iโve been in love with this brand.
Unfortunately, Iโve never actually got my hands on a TOPS knife because their prices are way beyond my budget. Enter the Fieldcraft 3.5 Mini BROS.
Specs:
Blade Length: 9.4 cm
Blade Thickness: 4 mm
Weight: 155g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Scandi + convex towards the top
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: High carbon ( 1095 )
Handle Material: Micarta
Pros:
This beauty is perfect for bushcraft and camp chores. The high carbon steel is extremely sharp and the scandi / convex grind is ideal for processing wood. Because of the thickness it can even take on some chopping and batoning tasks, but those are of course limited by the length of the blade.
Along with the grippy micarta scales and its light weight, the BROS is effective in all weather conditions!
Cons:
The 1095 high carbon steel will rust if not taken care of. The spine of the blade has a protective coating that should last a long time, but the edge is exposed and needs to be kept clean!
The sheath this knife comes with does what itโs supposed to but is nothing special.
The BROS is perfect for anyone who wants a bushcraft knife that is just ..more!
Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner (2021 Version)
What do you get when one of best brands in the world decides to make a hunting knife?
Specs:
Blade Length: 10.5 cm
Blade Thickness: 3.1 mm
Weight: 120g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Saber
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: Stainless (CPM-S90V)
Handle Material: Richlite / G10
Pros:
This knife is extremely light, to the point that the first time I carried it on my belt I felt the need to constantly check if it was still there!
The design of this knife is directed primarily towards hunting. The CPM-S90V is an improvement over the old CPM-S30V, and it comes razor sharp right out of the box. It holds an incredible edge for a very, very long time and the saber grind and thickness of the blade allow it to cut through meat like butter. Plus itโs stainless steel, so you wonโt have to worry too much about water and maintenance.
I am not a hunter, but I find that it performs just as well when it comes to bushcraft and camp chores. The blade is a touch too thin for batoning and chopping, but is perfect for making tinder and working through wood!
The Richlite / G10 handle offers a great and comfortable hold, even in wet conditions, and the kydex sheath is durable and allows for multiple carry methods.
Cons:
From a purely aesthetic point of view, I much preferred the stabilised wood handle and the leather sheath that came with the previous version, and Iโm not a huge fan of the bright orange kydex sheath that it is paired with now.
For the rest, I honestly donโt have anything bad to say about this knife.
The Saddle Mountain Skinner comes pretty close to perfection.
The blade is durable and sharp, the design is beautiful and it can take on most camp chores without a sweat.
I still prefer the looks of the old version, but I canโt deny that the new model outperforms it when it comes to steel quality!
Morakniv Garberg
The Morakniv Garberg is nothing short of iconic, and continues that trend in 2021!
Specs:
Blade Length: 10.8 cm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Weight: 169g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Scandi
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: Stainless (Sandvik 14c28n) or high carbon
Handle Material: Polyamide
Pros:
If youโre looking for something simple and effective, this is it. The Garberg is a sharp, light and extremely durable knife, all in a very affordable package.
The scandi grind makes it the perfect choice for fine wood work, and the stainless steel blade is very easy to resharpen. This knife is also available with a carbon steel blade, but I personally prefer the stainless version, as I find that it performs just as well and with the added bonus of weather resistance.
The polyamide plastic handle is comfortable and very grippy.
Cons:
The Garberg really doesnโt have anything going against it from a technical point of view.
The only downside is just that itโs not the most beautiful design out there, but that was also never the point of this knife.
The Garberg doesnโt have any fancy accessories or sheaths because it doesnโt need to.
Itโs a simple and effective work-horse and everything it does, it does perfectly!
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ESEE Izula II
If an ESEE Model 6 is too big for you, perhaps the Izula might interest you!
Specs:
Blade Length: 6.7 cm
Blade Thickness: 4.1 mm
Weight: 95g
Tang: Full tang
Grind: Flat
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: High carbon ( 1095 )
Handle Material: Micarta
Pros:
When it comes to camp chores, this knife does everything itโs supposed to. Itโs small and light, and comes with an awesome flat grind that is extremely easy to resharpen!
The micarta handle is great in all weather conditions, and the plastic sheath can be modified for ambidextrous and scout carry.
Cons:
The only real con is that the 1095 high carbon steel will rust extremely fast when not taken care of, even though the knife has a protective coating.
The ESEE Izula does everything you should expect from a knife of this size, and is perfect for everyday-carry or as a companion to a larger blade when out in the field!
Morakniv Eldris LightDuty
The Eldris is the smallest knife on the list, but donโt let that fool you!
Specs:
Blade Length: 5.3 cm
Blade Thickness: 2 mm
Weight: 60g
Tang: Half-tang
Grind: Scandi
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: Stainless (Sandvik 14c28n)
Handle Material: Polyamide
Pros:
Despite its small size, the Eldris goes through wood just as well as a knife twice its size. The scandi grind is extremely effective when carving and doing fine work, and the stainless steel is perfect for all weather conditions.
The plastic handle is large and comfortable, which really helps with handling the small blade.
This knife also comes in a different version, the standard Eldris. This model has a compound grind and is not fully scandi. For a knife this size I find that a compound grind is sort of useless, so I would recommend the full scandi for a more effective carving ability.
Cons:
The only con is that the knife is really tiny. Then again, you should know that before you buy it, so itโs not really a fault with the knife itself. Just donโt expect it to do too much heavy work, it can only do so much before the length of the blade becomes limiting.
The Eldris LightDuty is extremely cheap, tiny and effective.
Itโs the perfect knife to throw in your backpack and take with you anywhere you go!
Ka-Bar Wrench Knife
From KA-BAR comes a "Made in the USAโ interpretation of a homemade knife!
Specs:
Blade Length: 8.1 cm
Blade Thickness: 5 mm
Weight: 90g
Tang: Full
Grind: Flat
Profile: Drop point
Type of Steel: Stainless (425)
Handle Material: Steel
Pros:
This knife is all about the rustic forged look. Itโs supposed to imitate a homemade knife forged from a wrench and, with its steel handle and ring at the bottom, it definitely achieves that goal!
As far as the steel is concerned, 425 is a lower end steel compared to the others weโve seen before, but it is stainless and easy to sharpen, and will hold a good edge.
The knife is 5 mm thick, which is pretty insane considering the length of the blade. This thickness will help it take some blows when out on the trail, so you can definitely use it to split some small pieces of wood!
Cons:
The main disadvantage of this knife is that the handle is made out entirely of steel. This means that not only it will not be very comfortable, it can be risky to use at very low temperatures, as it will likely cause some frostbite.
For safety and comfort, I would recommend wrapping the handle in paracord. It will be much more stylish and ergonomic!
What can I say, I love this knife!
Even though it is not as technically impressive as the others, it gets extra points for creativity and design!
And that concludes the list of my favourite knives of 2021!
There are many more that I would have loved to include, but I would have had to write a whole book instead of a post.
Iโm curious to know, which knives have you been checking out this year?
Be sure to post a comment below or to send us a message!
๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ ?
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ด๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ญ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ต๐ช๐ฑ๐ด !
See you on the trail and until next time this is Luca, signing off.
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