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Brands of Tactical Survival and Backpacking Knives
“A good survival knife could save your life.”
These are not just empty words.
If you spend any time in the boonies, hunt, hike, or fish, having a good, reliable knife could spell the difference between success or failure, or survival, in an emergency.
Whether it’s cutting firewood, or making shelter, a good knife is essential.
5.11 Tactical Knives
Whether you’re on duty or not you could possibly have a good reason to use 5.11 Tactical Knives. Law
enforcement, EMS, and the fire department use 5.11 Tactical Knives
Steel blades, steel liners and lock liners are utilized to create very heavy duty knives which are readily easy to control, grip, and use.
High quality blades made for quick slices and cuts, sharp flat foot blades and other 5.11 Tactical Knife styles are suited for many on and off the job tasks.
5.11 Tactical Knives are quality made based on interviews with over 60 agencies and public safety personnel.
Because of this, 5.11 Tactical has created a line of tactical knives that are unequaled in the industry.
Whether you’re in Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire Department, or just a Tactical knife enthusiast, a 5.11 Tactical knife is a must have.
Becker Survival and Combat Knives
Becker Survival and Combat Knives are designed by Ethan Becker, editor of the famous cookbook “Joy of Cooking“.
Becker knives are now manufactured by Kabar. Becker knives are very sought after for their durability.
Once you grasp onto a Becker Survival knife you will know they are one of the best survival knives on the market.
With the thick high quality steel blades and tough handles of the Becker knives you can feel confident in any survival situation.
What’s more, Becker knives are very affordable when compared to other high end survival knives.
BlackHawk Fixed Blade Knives
BlackHawk fixed blade knives are well known for their reliability and durability. The blades on these knives extend into the handle (full tang) which gives the fixed blade knife more stability than their folding knife counterparts.
BlackHawk fixed blade knives are offered in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and lengths, allowing you to find the perfect knife you’re in search of.
Boker Fixed Blade Knives
The Boker knife company has been well known for producing high quality and durable fixed blade knives.
Boker knives can be traced back to the 1700’s in Remscheid, Germany. They are know located in Solingen, Germany.
Boker fixed blades are really not all that expensive to obtain.
The smaller Boker knives typically start around $40.
Boker also has some very high dollar products that are available such as limited edition collections and large knives with very intricate designs.
If you are an avid knife collector, price is probably not the deciding factor but rather the quality of the cutting tool.
Boker knives were designed and built to last a lifetime and in doing so create great value for the dollars spent.
If you’re looking for the best survival knife for the money, Boker has some very good options
Cold Steel Knives
Cold Steel knives, a California based company has a reputation for tough and very sharp knives.
When Cold Steel started their knife making business, they executed rigorous testing on their knives to prove their strength and effectiveness.
They then executed the same tests on the competition, and they failed miserably. These tests were published in some major knife journals and obviously caused quite an uproar.
Some of the Cold Steel knives tested were the Master Hunter, original Tanto, and the Trailmaster Bowie.
Cold Steel knives offer great quality and durability for the money.
Columbia River Knife and Tool Survival Knives
One of the purveyors of good knives is Columbia River Knife and Tool AKA CRKT, based in Tualatin, Oregon.
The company has an extensive line of cutting implements, including hunting/fishing knives, tactical knives, and survival knives.
These are innovative knives of the highest quality, created by some of the world’s leading knife designers, and are available at competitive prices.
For the survivalist, hunter, or woodsman, Columbia River’s range of survival knives is unparalleled.
They offer three basic types of survival knife:
• The traditional fixed-blade survival knife, such as the Elishewitz F.T.W.S. Tactical Fixed Blade, with Cordura/Zytel Sheath, which sells for about $160.00. This 6.3 inch blade knife with an overall length of 11.63 inches, weighs just 10.8 ounces. The blade is SK 5 carbon steel which is known for its strength and hardness.
• Small survival knives, like the Ritter RSK Mk5”, selling for $26.99, are designed to fit in small spaces like a survival kit, but are sturdy enough for most tasks in the boonies.
• Large survival knives. For cutting kindling or making shelters, the large fixed-blade knives like the Ultima 7” are a must-have tool.
These are but three of the many survival knives and other cutting tools available from CRKT.
Gerber Survival Knives
Gerber has been building high quality knives since the early part of the 20th century, first starting with the production of kitchen knives.
Eventually they transitioned into building survival knives as well as combat knives, multi-tools, and folding knives.
Originally an American owned company, it is now owned by Fiskars, which is based in Finland.
One of their most notable knives is the Gerber LMF II Aircrew Survival Egress Knife.
This particular knife made news when it was partly credited with saving the lives of a platoon on patrol in Iraq.
As the platoon took shelter in a building, insurgents turned the lights on, which would immediately expose the soldiers.
With some very fast thinking, SFC Dillard Johnson used his Gerber LMF II ASEK to cut the power, by cutting all the way through a 220 volt electrical line, which caused the lights to shut off immediately.
He was able to do this because of the Gerber knife’s superior handle, which is insulated against electrical shock.
Kershaw Survival and Combat Knives
Kershaw knives started in Portland, OR in 1974 by Pete Kershaw which at the time had left Gerber Legendary Blades sales.
Kershaw Knives is officially named KAI USA Ltd.
KAI USA Ltd currently has three knife product lines, the original Kershaw Knives name, Shun Cutlery, which is a kitchen knife line, and a new line of Combat knives called Zero Tolerance.
The Zero Tolerance line of Combat Knives involves a joint venture with custom knife maker Ken Onion, Tim Galyean, and Strider Knives.
Ken Onion is very well known and has won several design awards for his designs for Kershaw knives such as his SpeedSafe opening knife models.
Ontario Knife Company – Military Issue Survival Knife
The Ontario Knife Company (OKC) has been manufacturing quality knives for the U.S. Military for over 50 years.
By the name, one might think that the company is located in Ontario, Canada however it is actually located in Franklinville, NY and named after Ontario County, NY.
Over the years the Ontario Knife Co. has had contracts with the U.S Military to manufacture various knives and bayonets for various divisions of the U.S Armed Forces.
Every Ontario knife is made in accordance with U.S. Government specifications.
Ontario uses high quality components and materials and is second to none in craftsmanship.
When it comes to outfitting our soldiers with high quality military issue survival knives, Ontario Knife Company leads the way.
Emerson Knives
Emerson Knives Inc. is another company that manufactures high quality knives.
The company started from a humble beginning and now it is considered as one of the most well-known manufacturers of quality knives.
Emerson knives have been featured in films, books, and been even brought to space.
These knives are used not only in the U.S. military but also in other nations’ military forces.
Emerson knives are also in demand for knife collectors.
These knives are combat-ready and highly durable.
Ernest Emerson was born as a poor boy in Wisconsin. He was raised as a craftsman and farmer.
He became interested in a Filipino martial art involving the use of a knife. In 1978, he was able to create his own knife from scratch.
The knife was called “balisong,” this is used in the Filipino martial art that he is studying.
From then on, he has become so committed to making quality knives.
Emerson Knives Inc. was founded by Emerson and his wife, Mary, in February 1996.
They began to produce quality knives in a large scale. After a few years, their venture succeeded, and their products became so in demand for collectors and the U.S. military.
Emerson Knives manufactures mainly folding knives that are used in tactical operations.
These knives are designed especially to be used for combat operations. The most commonly used models of Emerson Knives include SARK, Karambit, CQC-7, SPEC War, and the Raven.
Most Emerson Knives feature the Wave: a hook found on the opposite of the blade. This allows the knife blade to open easily as the knife is drawn.
Other common models of Emerson Knives include La Griffe, dragger, and the Police Utility Knife.
These models are created with fixed blades. Emerson Knives Inc. also produces custom knives.
These knives usually contain the company logo, model number including the date and the serial number.
The materials used in manufacturing Emerson Knives are extremely durable.
These include titanium and steel. Military and police forces are the primary market of Emerson Knives Inc. Knife collectors are a secondary market.
There are a lot of options that you can choose from when it comes to Emerson Knives.
These knives are all of high quality and are proven to be extremely durable.
ESEE Knives
Some of the best survival knives to use for any military training are the ESEE knives.
These are the knives that usually being used by a lot of people when it comes to protecting themselves from suspicious people.
They are ideal for those who are involved in law enforcement, soldiers, jungle survival instructors, adventurers, and even for backpackers who just want to have a decent carry knife.
Due to their excellent functionality and quality, many of the ESEE knives available are already being used in combat zones in various countries as well as in special operations community.
What’s good about these knives is that they have met the performance standards set by various law enforcement agencies
The ESEE Knives experts check the materials used in creating these products, which have also undergone several tests to ensure that it can deliver the kind of performance and quality that the users expect.
This also ensures potential buyers and users that they can use the knives for many years.
ESEE knives are tough and reliable knives that can be used by a lot of people.
This kind of product is made with different types, designs, and sizes.
With all the options that ESEE offers, you can be sure to find one that specifically fits your needs.
These categories of ESEE knives are made with different functions and features that can truly suit the needs of people.
They are also made with unique and impressive designs that will also match the taste of potential buyers.
In addition, these ESEE knives also have excellent features that make them efficient and comprehensive protection tools.
A lot of people also use these ESEE knives for their adventures as well as for battle action.
You can also manage and carry them well due to their size and shape which is why people can store it in any part of their bag.
The ESEE knives usually offered at pretty reasonable prices so if you’re in the market for a great outdoor or survival knife for a great price, you should definitely look into the ESEE lines.
And they are available everywhere so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one to try out at your local knife shop.
No matter what your need is, survival, EMS, tactical, outdoors, etc, the ESEE knives are an excellent choice
Do you know of another survival knife brand that should be on our list? Let us know and we’ll be happy to do a write up about it!