The Best Survival Knives in 2018 – REVIEWS AND COMPARISON
Handy as it is, a survival knife could be considered to be one of the most important pieces of the survival gear. With a proper training and a good knife, you can obtain or make whatever you want if you find yourself in a survival scenario. But the biggest problem about this is the fact that it isn’t really easy to find a good survival knife, especially the one that will stay sharp and won’t overload the user with some useless gimmicks. This could be especially hard for people who do not have a great knowledge about knives in general.
And that is why we’re here – our team is made up of survival enthusiasts who know a lot about these handy blades, so we’ve decided to test out the models that are currently the most popular on the market and see which one of them is the best. Read on and find out!
The Best Survival Knives in 2018 – REVIEWS AND COMPARISON
Handy as it is, a survival knife could be considered to be one of the most important pieces of the survival gear. With a proper training and a good knife, you can obtain or make whatever you want if you find yourself in a survival scenario. But the biggest problem about this is the fact that it isn’t really easy to find a good survival knife, especially the one that will stay sharp and won’t overload the user with some useless gimmicks. This could be especially hard for people who do not have a great knowledge about knives in general.
And that is why we’re here – our team is made up of survival enthusiasts who know a lot about these handy blades, so we’ve decided to test out the models that are currently the most popular on the market and see which one of them is the best. Read on and find out!
3 Top Quality Knives of Our Choice
Gerber StrongArm Fixed Blade Knife
CDS-Survival MOVA-58 Stainless Steel
Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife
Gerber StrongArm Fixed Blade Knife – Built for Combat and Survival
- Quality 94%
- Design 95%
- Blade 90%
- Price 85%
FEATURE:
When it comes to overall look and feel, we can certainly say that the StrongArm looks and feels just like a military knife. From the multi-mount sheath to the coyote brown handle, it sports that tough, military look, which just might be the thing that you were looking for. For such a big and thick knife, it is exceptionally light, and we can say that it feels very balanced when it’s in the hand, with the weight falling to the blade’s tip. Furthermore, the extra grippy feel is guaranteed by the presence of the diamond-pattern rubber on the blade. Also, we have to give praise to the matching guard that’s present on the both sides of the handle, which is there to protect your index finger and give a resting place to your thumb. The blade of this survival knife is made out of 420HC stainless steel and is partially serrated and very sharp.
During our testing period, the fixed blade performed very well – it sliced and sawed the corrugated cardboard without any issues, and the same could be said about the pull and plunge cuts. Along with the StrongArm knife, you’re also getting the multi-mount sheath, which is a bit complicated for our taste but comes with a very useful instruction manual. The sheath consists of five components, allowing the user to mount it in a variety of different ways – it can be, for example, mounted vertically on the backpack or horizontally on your belt.
All in all, we were very pleased with the look, feel, and the features of this excellent survival knife. It’s no wonder that the members of the US Army are equipped with the Gerber knives – the StrongArm is something that can come in very handy in all sorts of survival situations.
DOWNSIDE:
The only thing that we didn’t like about this model is the fact that the multi-mount sheath can be really confusing, especially if you’re a novice in the world of survival knives. Fortunately, there’s an instruction manual to solve this problem, but Gerber should take more care about these things in the future.
CDS-Survival MOVA-58 Stainless Steel – Product of Our Choice
- Quality 98%
- Design 97%
- Blade 99%
- Price 75%
FEATURE:
As the name of the knife suggests, its blade is made out of stainless steel – it is corrosion resistant and has a very, very sharp edge. This can, of course, cause unwanted self-inflicted wounds, but the technology with which it was made prevents the fungal and bacterial infections in such cases. The fixed blade is 5.70 inches long, putting it into the category of the medium-sized blades. It proved to be very efficient during our testing period – both the piercing and slicing are easily done with the CDS-Survival MOVA-58. The handle, on the other hand, is made out of the quality cocobolo wood, ensuring a firm grip and feeling very nicely in the hand. It can also withstand all sorts of cracks, splits, and chips, which is always a big plus in our book. The screws on the handle are, fortunately, removable, which means that, if the need arises, you can easily replace the whole thing.
One thing that we really liked here is that the MOVA-58 comes with a very handy sharpener stone, which will give you the comfort of sharpening your own blade in the tent – you won’t need to visit the sharpening specialist. We were also very pleased with the beautiful sheath that comes in the package, made from genuine leather and looking very expensive and elegant. There is also a lifetime warranty for the product, which was something that we definitely expected due to the knife’s higher price.
The CDS-Survival MOVA-58 has many pros – it’s a sharp, multipurpose knife that looks excellent and feels great in hand. We really liked the cocobolo handle, the non-corrosive blade, as well as the elegant sheath and the portable stone sharpener. The lifetime warranty is another thing that should make you consider this wonderful knife for purchase – it’s the product of our choice and surely deserves a recommendation.
DOWNSIDE:
On the other hand, we didn’t like how the thumb studs could gouge the user’s thumb once he opens the blade, and the fact that the pocket clip could have been a bit deeper – it prevents the knife from staying completely hidden in the pocket.
Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife – Lightweight, Sharp and Practical Tool
- Quality 90%
- Design 92%
- Blade 89%
- Price 86%
FEATURE:
The fixed blade of this knife is serrated and comes with a full tang, which means that it runs the full length of the whole model, not stopping at the handle. This, of course, means that it’s much harder to break it, adding to the overall durability of the whole model. The blade is 4.8″ long and 1/4″ thick, made out of high carbon stainless steel which is known for its hardness and the good edges. It is also resistant to rust, which is really important if you plan to use it in areas with high moisture in the air. The handle of the Geber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife has an ergonomic shape and feels very nicely in hand, coming with a double guard and having a sticky rubber grip with the necessary texture. We liked the elements of the orange color that are present on the handle, although some people might find them to be too gimmicky.
The Gerber Bear Grylls knife has a wide range of uses, thanks to the add-ons that come with the sheath and the lanyard. The sheath has a knife sharpener, a fire starter (very nice), as well as the handy little survival guide booklet. The lanyard, on the other hand, has a whistle, which can certainly come in handy if you get lost in the wilderness. Another interesting addition would be the presence of the two holes on the handle, which allow you to lash the knife to a stick and make a spear.
As you can see, this knife, with all its additions, can come in very handy in the wilderness. We really liked the presence of a whistle, the survival guide, and the fire starter, while the knife itself has a quality blade and a grippy handle. We don’t think that buying the Gerber Bear Grylls knife can turn out as a mistake.
DOWNSIDE:
You can get knives with higher quality blades and handles for this money – but this one comes with its own little survival kit.
Top Rated Folding EDC Knives
Morakniv Companion Outdoor Knife
Schrade SCHF9 Extreme Survival
MTech USA MT-086 Series Hunting Knife
9″ Navy SEALs Combat Knife
MTech USA MT-20-12 Hunting Knife
Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife – Stainless Steel Blade
- Quality 85%
- Design 87%
- Blade 84%
- Price 71%
FEATURE:
The first thing to notice about this knife is definitely the blade – it looks sharp and shiny, and a newbie could certainly think that it belongs to some more expensive model. It is four inches long and has a thickness of 0.1″, and is made out of stainless steel that contains high amounts of carbon. This means that the blade is durable and easy to sharpen, which is pretty nice considering the low price of the whole model.
The sheath is made out of plastic and can be bought in seven different colors – although we don’t think that anyone would like to have a survival knife with a pink sheath. The handle of the Morakniv Companion is also made out of plastic, which is this time a bit sturdier but still contributes to the low weight of the whole model. It has an ergonomic design, and we liked the feeling of holding it in hand.
If you’re looking for a cheap solution to your backpacking adventures, the Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife is a good choice. It has everything that a simple survival knife needs to have, and we have to give it our honest recommendation.
DOWNSIDE:
The main problem with this knife is the high-carbon blade that’s not really rust resistant – if you like backpacking in the moist, wet areas, we’d advise you to check out some other survival knives. Also this blade is not quite resistant to rust, and that’s why the package includes a handy sheath.
Schrade SCHF9 Extreme – Perfect Survival Tool
- Quality 92%
- Design 83%
- Blade 88%
- Price 79%
FEATURE:
One of the best things about the Schrade SCHF9 is certainly its blade – 6.4 inches long and made out of high carbon steel, it has a plain edge, a blunted tip, and a full-flat grind. In our opinion, the full-flat grind is an essential characteristic of every large knife, as it gives a tougher edge and is an excellent tool for chopping. It is 6mm thick at its widest point, making the whole model very hatchet-like, which can certainly help with the wood-chopping deep in the wilderness.
Even though it’s durable, the high-carbon steel that the blade is made out of is prone to rust, which mains that you will have to give it some proper maintenance now and then – just keep it dry and oil it regularly. The handle of SCHF9 is ergonomic and offers an excellent grip, while the sheath has a large pocket that provides some extra storage space.
The Schrade SCHF9 is one of the best large survival knives we’ve tested so far – it excels in almost every field, and we have to pay particular praise to its big blade that can even replace a small hatchet.
DOWNSIDE:
This survival knife is almost flawless – the only thing that we didn’t like is the fact that the plain edge isn’t at least partially serrated, as the serrations can come in handy in certain situations.
MTech USA MT-086 Series Fixed Blade – We Recommend
- Quality 85%
- Design 96%
- Blade 87%
- Price 68%
FEATURE:
You can get this knife in two versions – there are the full-black and the digital camo variants, both of which look pretty nice. We had the black version on the testing and really liked its design and the overall look and feel. The length of the whole model stands at 12.2 inches, with the blade featuring the familiar drop point shape and being made out of 440C stainless steel.
This means that the blade is highly durable, which should be quite important to every serious camping enthusiast. It is 5mm thick at the widest point and also very sharp, and has proven to be efficient during the entire testing period. The handle of MTech USA MT-086 is made out of rubber and has a glass breaker on its butt, as well as the ergonomic design that feels great in hand. The sturdy sheath is made out of nylon and can work really well when combined with a belt loop and a popper fastener.
As you can see, this simple survival knife doesn’t have a lot of gimmicky features and works very well – its blade is sharp and efficiently cut all the materials that we tested it on, and there’s nothing particularly bad to say about its handle and the sheath. It has our recommendation!
DOWNSIDE:
The MTech USA MT-086 survival knife isn’t the greatest choice if you’re planning to do some carving with it, as its blade is a bit too thick and you won’t be able to carve any details with it.
9″ Navy SEALs Tactical Combat Bowie Knife – Military Fixed Blade Survival
- Quality 91%
- Design 92%
- Blade 79%
- Price 69%
FEATURE:
This cheap but capable knife has an overall length of 9″, with the blade being 3.55mm thick and five inches long. Like many other survival knives that we have reviewed, this one also has a blade made out of stainless steel, guaranteeing durability and resistance to corrosion. The blade (which also has a serrated edge on the top) is fixed to the plastic handle that feels great in hand, thanks to the simple but efficient textures that give a good grip.
The whole package also includes a nice nylon-made sheath, which is something that we didn’t expect at such a reasonable price. The moment you get it out of the box, you will notice that the Navy SEALs Tactical Combat Bowie Knife is already pretty sharp, so you won’t have to do any sharpening in a long time. We should also mention that the knife is surprisingly heavy, as well as that it has small but functional finger guards.
All in all, the Navy SEALs Tactical Combat Bowie Knife is a small but very useful survival blade. It can be purchased for a reasonable price and brings the user a sharp edge, a grippy handle, and a convenient nylon sheath. What more could one want for this price?
DOWNSIDE:
On the other hand, the serrated edge of this knife could have been a lot better, as it has a pretty rough finish. Also, the knife looks a lot bigger on the pictures – those 9 inches refer to the overall length, making it an actually pretty small knife.
MTech USA MT-20-12 Fixed Blade Hunting Knife – Ideal for Camping or Survival Training
- Quality 86%
- Design 94%
- Blade 87%
- Price 68%
FEATURE:
The shape of this knife might be quite odd to some people, but we found it to look pleasing. The overall length of the model is 10 inches, with the blade taking just a bit more than the half of it. The blade itself looks very good and has a thickness of 3mm, and a serrated edge on the top, which is quite useful in some survival scenarios. The material used for the blade is 440 Stainless Steel, which is something we’re used to and consider it to be an excellent choice for the blade material.
The handle of this survival knife is made out of synthetic materials and has the finger grooves for some additional comfort, as well as the lanyard hole at the back end. There is also a black sheath made out of nylon fiber, and it has a belt clip for easier carrying. We think that the MT-20-12 is an ideal choice for camping, and it could be even used for some serious survival training.
In conclusion, the MTech USA MT-20-12 has a lot to offer for its low price. It is a 10″ long survival blade with an odd but pleasing look, capable of piercing and slicing all sorts of materials. And since it’s so affordable, we don’t think that you can make a mistake by purchasing it.
DOWNSIDE:
When you get it out of the box, you will notice that this knife’s blade isn’t particularly sharp, which means that it requires some immediate sharpening or you won’t be able to use it properly.
Fixed Blade Survival Knives – Quick Comparison
Those were the best survival knives that are currently on the market – we checked out their features, tested their capabilities, and had a look at their advantages and flaws. All that you have to do now is to compare them and decide which model is the right one for you.
| Image | Name | Impression | Rating | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
GERBER STRONGARM FIXED BLADE KNIFE | BUILT FOR COMBAT AND SURVIVAL | 4.9/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
CDS-SURVIVAL MOVA-58 STAINLESS STEEL | PRODUCT OF OUR CHOICE | 4.2/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
GERBER BEAR GRYLLS ULTIMATE KNIFE | LIGHTWEIGHT, SHARP AND PRACTICAL TOOL | 4.6/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
MORAKNIV COMPANION FIXED BLADE OUTDOOR KNIFE | STAINLESS STEEL BLADE | 4.4/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
SCHRADE SCHF9 EXTREME | PERFECT SURVIVAL TOOL | 3.9/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
MTECH USA MT-086 SERIES FIXED BLADE | WE RECOMMEND | 4.0/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
9″ NAVY SEALS TACTICAL COMBAT BOWIE KNIFE | MILITARY FIXED BLADE SURVIVAL | 3.8/5 | Fetch Best Price |
|
MTECH USA MT-20-12 FIXED BLADE HUNTING KNIFE | IDEAL FOR CAMPING OR SURVIVAL TRAINING | 4.1/5 | Fetch Best Price |
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Survival Knife
The Blade
Even though the pocket knife, with a folding mechanism, can be much easier to carry around on a daily basis, a knife that has a fixed blade is much more convenient in all sorts of survival situations. Remember that all folding knives consist of two pieces which are joined by a hinge, which means that chances of breaking them are a lot bigger than with the knives that have fixed blades. The fixed blades are just much more convenient tools to have around.
The Size
It’s crucial to choose a model that has the right size for both you and your situation. If you purchase a knife that’s too large and heavy, it will get in your way, be cumbersome for carrying, and even slow you down. On the other hand, the knives that are too small will probably be very inconvenient for the demanding tasks, such as batoning or chopping pieces of wood. In our opinion, the best size of a survival knife is around 10 inches in the overall length.
The Tang
The term “tang” is there to describe how far your blade extends into the knife’s handle. You should know that the partial tangs are much weaker than the full tangs, as they can cause the blade part to become loose and break off. The full tang, on the other hand, will let you exert a bigger force on the material, and will also make the knife more balanced. We would definitely advise you to, if possible, purchase a survival knife that has a full tang.
The Blade Material
Most of the modern survival knives are made from either stainless steel or carbon steel. The carbon steel is stronger, which makes blades made out of it more suitable for cutting and chopping wood, but it’s also prone to rust. The stainless steel, on the other hand, is rust resistant but isn’t as tough as the carbon steel and it can be more difficult to sharpen it. Both materials have their advantages and flaws – choose the one that suits your needs the best.
The Edge
In our opinion, the straight (plain) edge is a much better choice than the serrated edge, and for a number of reasons – it’s much better for carving and batoning, it’s easier to sharpen, and can be more versatile than the serrated edge. Even though the knife with a serrated edge can be quite convenient for operations such as rope cutting, we think that the straight edge can serve the user better. Some knives, of course, come with the blades that are only partially serrated, but such knives usually don’t have enough serration to be really useful, and they only reduce the amount of the plain edge that’s available to the user.
If you’re, for example, doing some wood carving, you will use your thumb as the leverage against the blade’s back edge, while the sharp edge will be the one doing the carving. This is quite difficult to do with a knife whose blade is serrated, as the part of the blade that’s serrated and close to the handle isn’t good for carving.
Conclusion
CDS-Survival MOVA-58
- Overall Impression 99%
A modern survival knife is a must-have item for everyone who likes backpacking – it’s just necessary to have one in certain situations. We have tried to cover as many of the currently popular models as possible, bringing you information about their functions, design, perks and flaws. We hope that you’ll find a blade that suits your budget and the needs the best, but we can also safely say that you won’t make a big mistake by purchasing any of the models that we’ve reviewed.
In our opinion, the best survival knife that the money can buy is definitely the CDS-Survival MOVA-58. It’s expensive, yes, but it has everything that a proper survival knife should have – a sharp blade, a quality handle, and an excellent sheath. Some of our other favorites would be the new Gerber StrongArm knife, the Schrade SCHF9, and even the popular Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife. All of these models are almost flawless and could mean the difference between the life and death if you find yourself in an unpleasant situation deep in the wilderness.
Choose a model that you like the most, and your next backpacking adventure will be a lot easier to handle!