Light, compact camping knives

[jameso]

Not something I know anything about, after some tips.. I have a good pocket knife but very rarely use it and it's a bit chunky. Any recommendations for a really light, slim folding knife for food prep, cutting off zip ties, sharpening a sausage-stick, prepping a fish, that sort of thing? Have tended not to bother with any jobs needing a knife on past trips but becoming more aware of the food/campsite cooking options that involve using one.

Gerber Ultralight LST, 0.6oz, anything better than that? http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Gerber_Ultra ... ApM88P8HAQ

[FLV]

I take one of these on overnighters.

http://www.leatherman.co.uk/product/Freestyle

It has reasonably useful pliers, a very sharp lock blade knife, and that's it. Not too weighty and has been in occasional use for about 3 years.
I don't do much actual cooking but it opens things a chops onion and chorizo perfectly, along with getting stuck valves out and what not.

Yes, its a little grubby of me to use a tool to prep food but that doesn't phase me.

[atk]

Considered something similar but always end up going back to either Opinel or a SAK with alox scales. The latter being surprisingly thin, holds a decent edge and legal to carry/not intimidating, most importantly - it opens beer too... http://www.heinnie.com/victorinox-cadet-silver-alox

[chris n]

Some kind of small Swiss army knife like a Bantam (blade + bottle opener/screwdriver, only 6mm thick) or Waiter (adds corkscrew, toothpick, tweezers). Cheap and versatile.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I use a Baladeo ... all stainless construction, locking blade, very sharp and 22g in this size ( 15g and 24g also available). Had it a few years now, superb bit of kit. I recall I actually bought mine from Decathlon.

[FLV]

To add to my post, I know you said lightweight so we're into 20 ish grams but, I carry some sort of pliers anyway so I find the blade on there the best way to include a knife in the toolkit.

[jameso]

The Bantam looks ideal, adding a can/bottle opener is useful, does the can opener actually work though?

[chris n]

Not as well as the one on the Cadet, but it'll get you into the can eventually. Beats using a rock.

[HaYWiRe]

This is a subject I've been passionate about for years, given my collection, I think N+1 applies to my tools more than my bikes...

My main outdoor EDC is a Gerber Paraframe II, sleek, sexy, holds an edge and very useful for many tasks, but it is locking, something to remember depending on where you ride, but I'm sure we all know the law...

I also regularly use:

Gerber mini paraframe, just for the novelty
Gerber paracord fixed blade, for tough dirty jobs
Leatherman squirt ps4
Gerber Diesel multipliers
Humvee 2" with hello kitty sticker my neice put on
SAK classic custom print
Swisscard
SAS survival card
Custom compact box cutter from RT rutley
Brother 2xp embroidery snips

And that's just what I shift around my EDC

bear in mind I'm not a weight weenie with tools, but its nice not to lug around something you can kill an elephant with,
I'm a "right tool for the job" kinda person, and sometimes you just need a tiny blade, sometimes its worth carrying a military multitool

But more often than not, for food prep, the knife with folding cutlery sets is more than enough, and steel is worth its extra weight over TI....unless you actually enjoy eating off of TI.....*shudder*

[Zippy]

I take one of these on overnighters.

http://www.leatherman.co.uk/product/Freestyle

It has reasonably useful pliers, a very sharp lock blade knife, and that's it. Not too weighty and has been in occasional use for about 3 years.
I don't do much actual cooking but it opens things a chops onion and chorizo perfectly, along with getting stuck valves out and what not.

Yes, its a little grubby of me to use a tool to prep food but that doesn't phase me.

I have the skeletool, which also doubles up as the screwdriver bits and a bottle opener Whenever I've needed it, it's been ace.

Can't really comment massively on the food prep side of things though But pliers are an invaluable tool. I have a drawer in my toolbox full of them (and that's starting to overflow!)

[Ben98]

I too carry a freestyle which is great, but if I was after a really light knife I'd look at the spyderco grasshopper (http://www.heinnie.com/spydercograsshopper) as my mum has the smaller one and it is still razor sharp after years, and it weighs nothing. If it matters to you the quality is also second only to custom made blades.

[jameso]

Not as well as the one on the Cadet, but it'll get you into the can eventually. Beats using a rock.

It does .. I've ordered the Bantam Alox, seems like a useful compact option. Thanks for all the tips. The Gerber is 13g lighter / almost half the weight but it's nothing, may as well have the can opener, I have bought a large can of ravioli that was carried to a bivi spot before realising it had no ring-pull opening

[benp1]

I have a very healthily sized knife collection, but all my bikepacking needs are covered by a Leatherman Wave, I find the pliers handy, and a more useful size than a Leatherman PS4 or P4

The Wave, for bikepacking, is a better multitool than something smaller like a Leatherman Juice or Victorinox Handyman and something beefier like a Victorinox Swisstool - saw if you want to cut wood, scissors and knife, pliers, can opener, file, plus ability to take special tool bits so you can have things like hex, torx and phillips heads on it

It's fairly heavy though!

(I have all the tools listed above, plus a lot more )

[fatbikephil]

+1 for a leatherman - useful addition to a normal bike multi tool, and the pliers are well handy for bodging things plus the blade is razor sharp and holds its edge. Heavy but able to take alot of abuse

[Yorlin]

I use a Baladeo ... all stainless construction, locking blade, very sharp and 22g in this size ( 15g and 24g also available). Had it a few years now, superb bit of kit. I recall I actually bought mine from Decathlon.

The Baladeo looks pretty good for what I would use it for - only cutting food stuff then could be folded away. Do you have a link to get one? The amazon ones are not available!

If I'm going be doing 'proper' cooking I take one of the small kitchen knives with the plastic sheath... I got mine in a cookshop in Banchory.. this sort of thing http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colourworks-Mul ... B004RJ0ZV4 (if Im going to cook properly I like a decent knife! - if it's making cheese into lumps to go in supernoodles pretty much anything will do however :) )

[phillippephilloppe]

The Spyderco UKPK would be my recommendation.

It's a modern clasic amongst edge enthusiasts. It is light, affordable, uses a good quality steel that strikes a balance between holding an edge and ease of sharpening, is very safe in operation and a "legal uk carry". Its open construction allows for easier washing up if you are cleaning fish. One handed open and closing can be really useful when outside.

[benp1]

I don't think the UKPK is that great for bikepacking, it's overkill

The OHO isn't necessarily needed and you can justify a locker for a bikepacking trip if you wanted to.

Mine is sitting unloved and unused. For bikepacking I'd rather have something smaller and lighter, or something more robust

[benp1]

I rate the Bantam Alox, it's a brilliant SAK, and is only one backspring wide so it's pretty small

It's a very unobtrusive thing to carry

[phillippephilloppe]

Sure, horses for courses Ben.

[benp1]

Indeed mate, it would be boring if everyone thought the same

Cracking knife though