Best Survival and Hunting Knives for the Outdoors

Get ready for the Great Outdoors when you pick up one of the top survival knives at your local Midwest Arms Collector Gun and Knife Show. From hunting knives that help you clean and prepare game to outdoor knives that give you the tools to survive in a pinch, there’s a blade for everyone. Knives are some of the most important survival tools you can own. They’re compact, lightweight, and readily available from the hundreds of vendors who travel to communities near you for a weekend of buying, selling, and trading.

What Makes a Knife a “Survival Knife”

Knives have been around for millions of years, and in that time, there’s been a lot of evolution. Modern knives are made with better steel (or other materials), engineered based on generations of user feedback, and benefit from the geographical barriers to getting a good knife having virtually disappeared. This has led to a broad range of specialized knives that many of our ancestors would be jealous of. Instead of a few precious “do everything” blades, we have knives for vegetables, meat, and grains. There are knives for building and tearing down structures. Novelty knives, pen knives, combat knives, purse knives, pocket knives….the list goes on.

Survival knives are a different breed entirely. These blades are built tough and meant to survive the elements. They can help you bring down or skin game almost as well as hunting knives. They can tear through vegetation, peel the bark from a tree, or saw through tree limbs. In short, they’re built to help you survive any outdoor adventure, come hell, high water, or anything in between. There are many different twists on the survival knife, but many share a few key traits:

• Thick, Strong Blade – The primary requirement for a survival knife is a strong blade that can stand up to a versatile and rugged set of potential conditions that would leave other knives chipped, dulled, or outright broken in the wild. Survival knives could be called on to do anything from digging and prying to chopping and cutting, and that takes good steel to hold an edge and the thickness to not bend or break.
•  Needs to Hold an Edge – With respect to the multitude of pocket-sized sharpening stones, sticks, and steels on the market, a blade that can hold a good edge is vital. You may not always have time to hone your knife in the field before use, and in some cases, that’s just one more piece of equipment that can be lost. The ability to keep an edge helps ensure your blade is ready to go when you need it the most.
• Functional Versatility – What does an outdoor knife need to do to help you survive? Who knows? That’s why most survival knives are built with the ability to offer more flexible use. From lashing it to a stick to make a spear to cunningly machined features that help it provide more leverage or saw through a tree, these babies have plenty of surprises under the hood.
• Rugged Design and Material – Survival knives need to withstand the elements and rough handling under conditions when proper use, maintenance, and upkeep could be a secondary consideration, at best. That means they have to be built tough and made to last. Rust and corrosion-resistant metals, strong fasteners, and grip material that won’t split, crack, or break are baseline qualities to look for. If they go beyond that baseline in terms of materials, so much the better.

Our Survival Knife Suggestions

What you won’t find on this list is the gimmicky survival knives from the early ‘80s. You remember them. They had a cheap blade, a hollow handle, and a compass on the end cap. Inside the handle were a few matches, needles, a wire saw, and some string, while the outside of the cheap vinyl pleather sheath had a pouch for the roughest “sharpening stone” known to man. Instead, you’ll find tough, solidly built outdoor knives to help keep you alive in a survival situation.

Ka-Bar EK Model 5

The Ek Model 5 has a lot going on for it, not the least of which is a beautifully efficient appearance. Like the combat knives it has evolved from, it has a full-tang design, a modified fighting cross guard, and a Bowie-style drop point blade. The 1055 Cro-Van steel blade is Parkerized for elemental resistance, and the grip is made from glass-filled nylon. The Celcon thermoplastic sheath has the characteristic wealth of tie-down points and a durable retaining strap to keep it in place.

This knife may not be the cheapest entry into survival knives, but it ticks a lot of boxes on the list of ideal qualities. The blade is strong enough to be used for a variety of purposes, holds an edge, and stands up to the elements. It’s easy to carry and use under adverse conditions with a no-nonsense design that doesn’t reinvent the wheel.  

The Woodsman’s Pal

The Woodsman’s Pal has been keeping people alive in the outdoors since World War II. In fact, it comes with reprints of the original 1940’s manuals for both survival and fighting. Part knife, part machete, and part brush axe, this multi-faceted survival knife has earned its place in history and on your belt the next time you hit the field. 

The Woodsman’s Pal comes with either a leather or wooden handle in a full-tang 1075 CRSS blade that’s a full ⅛” thick. The front of the blade is a single straight edge that terminates before the tip to keep an errant swing from removing a toe. The back of the blade has a curved “flat” with a handguard for leverage and a bladed hook beyond that hand guard for pull-cuts and vines. This may not be the prettiest or “knifiest” blade on the list, but it can easily tear through wood and brush or help you butcher a meal in the wild.

Tops Backpacker’s Bowie

The Backpack Bowie is purpose-built for long walks in the rough. It’s one of the best survival knives we’ve seen, and that’s in part because this outdoor knife has the features needed to make it a top-tier sidekick for rucking, camping, bouldering, and even as a pretty passable hunting knife in a pinch. 

The four-inch blade has the long, gentle curve of most Bowies, so it can skin game or kindling equally effectively. The spine has a versatile notch for tearing down vines, breaking wire, or moving a pot from the fire, and the swedge can be sharpened or left blunt for leverage. You can get a good grip thanks to the hefty handle, and the included Kydex sheath has a rotating clip so you can choose the carry location and position that’s best for you.

Schrade Frontier Full Tang

If you’re looking for survival knives that won’t give you sticker shock, the Schrade Frontier Full Tang is an economical choice with plenty of utility. No fancy gimmicks or doo-dads. It’s a strong, full-tang 1095 high-carbon steel blade with a textured TPE grip and a rugged polyester sheath. Cut, pry, or prep game, this blade leaves versatility in the hands of the owner.

Morakniv Kansbol Survival Kit

The Morakniv Kansbol with Survival Kit won’t break the bank, but it does come with a few added features. It’s got a thick blade made from Swedish stainless steel, a thich TPE-ribber handle, and comes in a bright orange cover that’s easy to find in a cluttered pack or if dropped in the brush. The polymer sheath keeps the knife protected and can be worn on either side, giving Lefties a friendly survival knife option. The survival kit that attaches to the sheath has a small diamond sharpener, a firestarter stick, and a reflective paracord, giving you several handy survival tools all in one.

This is a great knife that blends the practicality and cost-effectiveness of the Schrade with the dedicated features of more expensive knives. The lightweight design means less fatigue while carrying, and the entire package rides the belt easily without feeling bulky. All in all, this is an all-around good choice for anyone looking for their first outdoor knife.

Get Your Gun and Knife Show Tickets Online

There’s a show near you coming soon. Visit our Gun Show Calendar and find your chance for a weekend of gun and knife shopping unlike any other. Order your tickets online to your next local MAC Shows Gun Show today.