I know you came here looking for the ‘best’ survival knife, but that really doesn’t exist.
Each knife on the market is made up with different material and designed for certain purposes.
I have created the top 10 best survival knives guide so that you can get an understanding of your different knife options and choose accordingly for what you plan on using the knife for.
Features of a Reliable Knife
There are many features to look for when shopping for a reliable survival knife.
Here are a few key features to look for as you shop around for your survival knife.
Size
- What size knife are you looking for?
- Bigger Knives are better for splitting and chopping.
- Smaller Knives are better for detailed carving and precision cutting.
- To have the best of both you will want to look for a knife that is 9 to 11 inches in length.
Fixed Blade or Not?
- A fixed blade is a knife where the blade is in a fixed position.
- A non fixed knife has the capability of the knife flipping or folding.
- Fixed blades are best for survival because they have fewer parts to worry about such as clasps or springs.
- Non fixed blades are great when you are looking for a more compact option. It is also better as an everyday pocket knife instead of as a survival knife.
Drop Point Tip
- Drop points knives are great for self defense.
- They perform very well in a survival situation due to how durable and sharp they are.
Other Features to Look For
- Full tang
- Survival knife not a tactical knife
- Solid handle with flat butt of the handle.
- Blade metal – carbon steel or stainless steel
- Blade design – straight edge is usually best.
- Blade thickness
- Durable sheath
Very Handy to Own
There are so many scenarios where a survival knife will come in handy.
From cutting wood to using as self defense, you never want to be caught without a survival knife.
You can defend yourself with your survival knife
Use it to clear a path
Can be useful in starting a fire
Helpful when hunting
Produce food
Use it to build a shelter
Chop wood for your fire
Use it as a hammer
The list could go on and on for why having one of the top 10 best survival knives will come in handy for you.
It may seem intimidating to carry a survival knife around, yet living in an environment that can turn hostile at a moment’s notice you will have peace of mind knowing you have your survival knife as a resource to help you in a variety of situations.
Top 10 Best Survival Knives
Here is my list of the top 10 best survival knives. There are a lot of great options out there, but these 10 knives beat the rest of them on the market.
- Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife: It has a serrated edge and is made of high carbon stainless steel. Read more about my review of this knife here.
- Morakniv Companion Spark Fixed Blade- Versatile fixed-blade outdoor knife and fire starter, with a 3.9-inch hardened Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade; ideal for carving, food prep, and cutting tinder. You can read my review of this knife by clicking here.
- Gerber Bear Grylls Serrated Edge Survival Knife- Ideal for edge retention and cutting rope. It is lightweight and made of military-grade material.
- Snake Eye Tactical Everyday Carry Pock Knife- Ideal for keeping in your purse, car, or pocket. Not only is it a knife, but it also has self defense capabilities.
- Cold Steel Recon 1 Tactical Knife- also great for self defense
- Schrade SCHF9 Extreme Blade- great for cutting and chopping and is made of high quality steel
- Mossy Oak Survival Knife- made of stainless steel and has a 15-inch fixed blade
- StatGear Survive Bowie Knife- includes a sheath, fire starter, sharpener & cord cutter
- RoverTac Pocket Knife Multitool- This knife is great for camping, fishing, and hiking. It includes a multitude of useful tools such as pliers, screwdrivers, bottle opener, and a safety lock. Read my review of this knife here
- KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife- This knife is famous for it’s high quality fixed blade.
Which One Suits Your Needs?
Survival Kit Knife- Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife:
Outdoor Adventure Knife- Gerber Bear Grylls Serrated Edge Survival Knife
Best Value- Morakniv Companion Spark Fixed Blade
Self Defense- Snake Eye Tactical Everyday Carry Pock Knife
Multitool Knife- RoverTac Pocket Knife Multitool
Best Military Grade Knife- KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife-
Finding the Right Knife for You
In the end you will have to decide which features of a knife you deem worthy and must have in your knife. You also need to consider which knife will best suit your need.
Anyone you choose will be great and puts you one step closer to successfully surviving in various situations.
Which knife of the top 10 best survival knives list do you like the best?
Do you already have a knife that you recommend?
Let's Stay Connected!
Thank you so much for sharing a good article to read to know more about the top 10 best survival knives. As we live in the country in Canada, we love to go for a walk and sometimes we might need to cut a branch, my husband was telling me about the need to get a survival knife that can be good for that purpose and we were wondering if there’s any survival knife foldable, your article helped me to know more about these knives, I will forward your website to my husband as he knows more about this topic and I’m sure he will also find your article very helpful
Hi Alejandra!
Thank you for sharing your perspective of why you would need to use a knife in Canada. Even going for a walk it would be SO useful to carry one of the knives on this survival knives list. There are many foldable knife options and I suggest you look for one that has durable springs as you do not want to springs to break as you are using the knife or folding/ unfolding it.
-Lily W.