What knife do you carry backpacking?

Anyone used the Fallkniven U4? I've heard it weighs 22g and is sharp for forever… almost.

For trips of three days or less, i carry a Gerber LST (.5 oz.), and a Mora Mikki with custom leather sheath (5.0 oz)for trips lasting longer than 3 days.

I have not used the U4. I do have an F1 that is the finest knife I have ever owned but of course, 5oz.

+1 to the Mora variants. Sharp, easy to maintain, cheap, and light (by my standards). I feel comfortable carrying it, despite it's comparatively chunky 3.8oz weight. It's very handy fishing and dealing with campfire preparation, etc… It's ideal for my 10lb summer kit.

I personally carry on my belt a esse 3. It usually goes on my right or towards my back. And on my left I have a surveil kit. So far I haven't had to use it in a real situation but use it at camp to make fires and stuff.

I used to also carry an esee 6 with me but since I went light I only carry the 3 :)

I do agree that it is unnecessary weight when I'm not using it but I rather be prepared for anything. It's good to make it a habit I think.

Spyderco United Kingdom pen knife straight edge blade , FRN handle and it a slip lock knife. Easy to open and easy to close bought it just incase I am in country were lock back knives are against the law.
Terry

Gabriel- I don't have the Fallkniven U4 but I have the U2 and it has the same laminated powder steel as the U4 and a hardness of 62. It is one impressive blade. You can see them side by side in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_jY0nUYi60

OMG is this thread back up to the top?

You know bladesmithing is now my A#1 full time obsession right?

Don't get me started!

FWIW, TSS UL fixed blade to rival the Izula and my old fav the BN-2, available in the coming months.. ;)

Jeezus Javan, you sure are a jack of all trades…awesome stuff!!

"FWIW, TSS UL fixed blade to rival the Izula and my old fav the BN-2, available in the coming months.. ;)"

I know your design is probably going to make its rounds on bladeforum, knifeforum, USN, etc but don't forget about BPL's own GearDeals! By the looks of this thread, I'm sure you'll get a lot of interest. Goodluck…I'm super eager to see the results of your new craft.

Thanks Konrad! Don't worry, BPL will get first crack at them. First batch will likely be ground from 15N20, but I'll do custom hand-forged pieces in 5160, W2 or a special batch of W2/15N20 damascus I'm working on.

Titanium will come as soon as I can afford a very expensive piece of equipment I need to eliminate the edge-holding concerns associated with ti.

I usually carry my classic mora. Only a couple ounces. Thin, stick tang pukkos are the best way to go if you need a solid knife without the weight. And I do use it A LOT. Fishing, skinning animals, carving spoons and such for fun, carving stakes for my tarp every night, cutting up plants.

Or if you want to be really minimalist, carry just a small hatchet and no knife. I usually carry along a 1lb hatchet for any improvised shelter needs, cutting bows for ground insulation, or for an emergency, wet weather fire. But you can do everything you can do with a knife with an axe, but so much more. A hatchet is the tool that will unscrew you in so many situations and allow you to be extremely minimalist and still be safe/comfortable. And you kinda need something to pound in stakes so it's not as heavy as you think when you don't have to carry a mallet.

Justin, I don't think anyone on this forum carries a mallet to hammer in stakes. I tend to use rocks, or my foot.

Personally, I don't see the purpose of carrying a 1lb hatchet to make a shelter when shelters these days can easily be as light as a lb (full bug protection too). Yes, I understand people that bring along a 3-5oz knife around the neck for those SHTF situations (I do this often myself), but a 1lb hatchet? Unless you're wearing that 1lb hatchet around your neck like flavor flav, you're just as easily going to lose it in that river ford, or cliff fall, as you would your pack or shelter or whatever it is that would leave you in a precarious situation without it.

My stakes weigh 2 ounces total, and my puffy insulation weighs 6oz, I just don't see the purpose of bringing a 1lb hatchet to carve stakes, down wood for a fire, and make a lean to in some ineffecient attempt to save weight and stay warm and be minimalist. Now if you just enjoy making a fire for the hell of it…more power to you…but I think your approach is far from being extremely minimalist (in a weight sense, seeing as this is BPL). Not to be a jerk (well maybe) but I always look at your avatar and wonder "why doesn't he just put clothes on instead of going through all the efforts of making a small fire to stay warm" Like I said, if you have an inner pyro in you, cool! But once you really get into the mentality that is BPL, I don't think it's very credible to say that a hatchet will save you weight, make you a minimalist (either in terms of weight, LNT impact, or the effects on someone else's own camping experience), or keep you safer (again, It's my belief that a hatchet is just as easily lost as your tent/jacket etc).

Of course as always, my opinion only, and I'm open to be educated otherwise.

*If the zombie apocalypse were to happen tomorrow, I would gladly trade in my 1lb cuben fiber tent to tag along with you :D

Man, if money were no object, that U4 would be in my hands right now. Based on what I'm reading, it looks to give every usable sub-1oz folder a run for its money. 22g!? amazing. The last decent 22g knife I handled was the Baladeo 22g, and I really disliked it.

Javan, I can't wait to see what you have come up with. I love my Izula 2…but you now have me very interested.