Best Pocket Knives for Camping and Everyday Use

Whether at the camp or at home a pocket knife is a really valuable tool to have always with you. They can do your life easier in many ways and are so useful that they can even save your life! You think that I am exaggerating, that I have watched MacGyver one too many times. If so, watch the video of Rescue 911 “Swiss army knife” at the bottom of the page, in which a couple of doctors operate a passenger during a flight to Texas using one of these little tools. Of course, that was an exceptional case, and I hope that nobody has to face a similar situation again. With luck, we will be only using one of these knives for cutting bread, tightening a recalcitrant screw, or (me probably) for uncorking a bottle of red wine :) However, it is good to know that whatever the situation may be, these handy multi-tools are going to be there helping us.

Now, there are hundreds of pocket knives to pick from, so many that you are almost overwhelming by them. So, which ones of them are the best? Or, let me put it in another way: which ones of them are the most useful, most durable and less bulky to carry around?

Don’t worry, and don’t spend hours searching the web. Adding together my large experience as a camper to an exhaustive research. And After consulting with my personal knife guru, to finally ask Saint John the Baptist for enlightenment. Now, I am able to put the ultimate list of pocket knives in the market, only the most useful an reliable pocket knives you can buy.

It is not that hard actually. Victorinox has been for many years the leading company in the market for pocket knives and multi-tools. The Swiss Army Knives have a quality design far superior to every thing else in the market, they are manufactured with excellent materials to last, and they are back up by a lifetime warranty. So, the logic choice is to pick from them. But, even though you really can not go wrong buying a Victorinox, plainly some models are better than others.

The Five Best Pocket Knives:

I choose the Swiss Army Classic as number one because I think that it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. This Knife has been for more than a hundred years one of the most useful pocket knives out there. And I think that it will continue to be one of the best for a lot more years to come. It is not a large pocket knife, just 2-1/4 inches long and almost Spartan in design. It has a knife blade, tweezers, scissors, nail file with screwdriver tip, and a toothpick. It has the perfect size for a keyring and you can carry it easily in your pocket. Nowadays, they sell it in many colours, even pink! However, I prefer the always sensible black or the smart cobalt blue. Considering the discount at Amazon, they are without doubt an excellent buy.

This is my favorite pocket knife so far. It is longer and heavier than the previous one, but not so bulky to prevent carrying it in your pocket. The closed length is 3 1/2 inch. Say a medium size pocket knife with the perfect balance between size and number of tools. Disappointingly, the number of colors available is not as large as the previous one. Paraphrasing Mr. Ford "It is available in any color so long as it is red. For versatility and simplicity, you can not go wrong buying this one.

The Climber II is more compact than the Explorer, with fewer features but with almost the same length. In my opinion, it is a little heavy for use as a keyring but you can if you like. When I was doing this review I finally learnt for what is the hook that most of the Knives have: to carry stringed parcels, converting the knife into a comfortable carrying handle. Swiss guys really think in everything!

Not entirely for carry in your pocket because it measures 4-3/8 inches long, it is a good knife, though. An Excellent option for people who like a more real knife. This model includes a serrated locked blade that you can open with only one hand. So those of you with big hands that complain about how hard is opening the blade of a Victorinox, this is the model for you. There is also a non serrated version, check that the knife said NS if you prefer a non serrated blade. But for me it is better the serrated. Be aware that you must to be at least 18 years old to buy it.

Number five and last is the Swiss Army Champ: with 30 tools included this model is more a multi tool than a pocket knife. Definitively not for carrying in your pocket. It could be excellent for carrying in your car or in the backpack when travelling or in a sheath in your belt, though. If having pliers is no concert for you. Then it could be more interesting buying the Champion plus version because is heavily discounted nowadays at Amazon, a great deal!

If you don’t mind to be seen like a MacGyver wannabe, and the prospect of turning into the romantic fantasy of Marge Simpson’s sisters can’t scare the life out of you. Then, a Victorinox Swiss Army Pocket Knife is a must-have tool to carry with you, both for camping and for daily tasks at home, and if not for you, for choosing as a gift.