Best Survival Knives | Hands-On Testing
Knives are more than just a tool. They are the most versatile survival gear you can have. If you told ten seasoned survivalists that they could only pick one tool to have with them in a survival situation, every single one would choose their survival knife. Knives are a tool that humans have been slowly perfecting for thousands of years, and the best survival knife selection we have today is the culmination of what humanity has learned.
There are several options to consider when it comes to knives in survival situations: steel type, blade type, quality, etc. This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best survival knives and tested them, and now the results are in: the overall best, a budget option, an upgrade option, and other survival knives with specific features and uses. If you need to rely on a knife, one of our recommendations will keep your survival skills sharp.
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In this latest update of the best survival knives, we added more pictures, more test results, and adjusted prices. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»
Best Survival Knife
Gerber StrongArm
Strong, Versatile, and Effective
The quintessential survival knife that endures anything and requires very little maintenance.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at BladeHQ.
Gerber is one of the big US brands that used to have a chokehold on the knife and survival tool industry. With ups and downs over the years, they’ve had one constant: the US-made StrongArm featuring a whopping 420HC black-coated stainless drop point full-tang 1/5″ wide blade wrapped in a rubber handle. It was designed for military survival, so you can see elements of the KA-BAR and Fällkniven mixed in.
Specifications
- Blade: 4.875″ drop point, 420 steel, 0.19″ thickness
- Length: 9.75″
- Weight: 7.1 ounces
- Sheath: Polymer
- Manufactured: United States
There are a few colors to pick from, and a serrated blade option or a plain edge. Of course, we suggest the plain edge. Or, you can make it completely your own with Gerber customization, where you can laser engrave pictures and text and swap handle/blade colors for $20-$35 more. Whether you go stock or custom, it’ll hold up in the field.
It feels like a KA-BAR with a better grip- the drop point blade is similar enough to the USMC clip point, and the hilt and pommel naturally keep your hand from slipping off the textured handle. The included sheath lets you attach it anywhere- whether you opt to carry it on your belt, dropped on your leg, on a backpack strap, or attached to MOLLE.
The sharp pommel could be a drawback if you want to assist the knife in the rear with your off hand or hammer the pommel, but I’ve found the glass-breaker point useful and effective. (Check out our best glass breaker review)
With specs like these and very few drawbacks, it’s easy to see how the Gerber StrongArm Fixed Blade Knife is the best survival knife.
Budget Survival Knife
Cold Steel SRK
Sleek, Tough, and Inexpensive
This big beater is inexpensive enough that you can feel good about abusing the hell out of it.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Cold Steel can put out some beaters for a good price. Our budget pick is the Cold Steel SRK (Survival & Rescue Knife)- the non-compact model. It is half a pound of steel, close to a foot long, and 0.2″ thick with a sharp edge on it. For the price, you can’t beat it with a stick. But you can beat it with whatever is lying around.
Specifications
- Blade: 6.0″ clip point SK-5 steel with Tuff-Ex finish, 0.20″ thickness
- Length: 10.75″
- Weight: 8.2 ounces
- Sheath: Polymer
- Manufactured: Taiwan
I have no qualms about using this as a prybar, wedge, fire poker, or whatever other abuse we can dish out. It’ll keep up. The SK-5 steel is a proprietary name that is close to 1080 steel, which is known to be pretty tough.
This knife feels like a heavier, longer version of a Fällkniven F1 at a fraction of the price, back when you could get the Kraton handles and black blade finish. The SK-5 steel doesn’t hold a candle to the F1’s laminated VG-10, but I don’t expect it to for a fifth of the price. Plus, the SRK is easier to sharpen with a slightly lower blade hardness at 57 HRC.
Pick up a Cold Steel SRK Fixed Blade Knife for survival utility on a budget.
Upgrade Survival Knife
Toor Field 2.0
Premium Steel, High-Quality, and Durable
Edging out a wide field of top-tier survival knives is a knife perfected by experience.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
It feels a bit wrong to abuse such a beautiful knife in survival situations, but this premium knife can take it. It’s durable and balances the perfect edge between slicing and cutting tasks and heavy-duty survival tasks.
Specifications
- Blade: 4.5″ drop point CPM-154 steel, 0.18″ thickness
- Length: 8.75″
- Weight: 6.0 ounces
- Sheath: Kydex
- Manufactured: United States
The textured handle pattern gives a great grip, dry or wet. The knife holds an edge well but is still relatively easy to sharpen. The ebony wood handle accented with G-10 liner makes the knife stand out from the competition, giving it some character.
It handles a bit like the Benchmade Anonimus, but the blade is much, much thicker, and the handle feels closer to an ESEE PR4 (AKA Camp-Lore). Although the sculpting on the handle is subtle, it greatly enhances the grip, and it’s easy for your fingers to find a ‘home’.
One downside is that the included Kydex sheath doesn’t offer many attachment options. You can add one, but for a premium knife at a premium price, it would have been a bit nicer if a versatile option were included.
If you are looking for the best of the best, pick up the Toor Field 2.0 Survival Knife.
Best Neck Knife
ESEE Izula
Strong, Versatile, and Effective
A widely customizable survival knife that is small, effective, and carries easily on a neck lanyard.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at BladeHQ.
ESEE is a beloved survival knife company with an outstanding warranty, USA manufacturing, and solid quality.
Specifications
- Blade: 2.875″ drop point, 1095 steel, 0.16″ thickness
- Length: 6.25″
- Weight: 2.0 ounces
- Sheath: Polymer
- Manufactured: United States
ESEE’s Izula is arguably their most versatile knife, despite being one of their smallest. It comes as just a skeleton, available in a wide variety of color options. From there, you can let your customization journey begin by adding handle scales, upgrading the included sheath, or just getting creative with paracord.
See our full review of the ESEE Izula and the other neck knives we tested: Best Neck Knife for Survival & EDC.
If you are looking for the best neck knife for survival, pick up an ESEE Izula Neck Knife.
Best Bushcraft Knife
Morakniv Companion
Budget-Friendly, Tough, and Lightweight
The simple but effective Moras still rule the woods.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at BladeHQ.
Morakniv is a clear-cut value when it comes to knives designed for the outdoors, and the Companion is one of their less expensive models. Nonetheless, it is durable and effective, making it a great deal at its low price.
Specifications
- Blade: 4.1″ drop point, Sandvic 12C27 steel, 0.11″ thickness
- Length: 8.5″
- Weight: 3.1 ounces
- Sheath: Polymer
- Manufactured: Sweden
The price is simply unbeatable for the amount of functionality you get with a Morakniv Companion. I typically recommend the stainless steel version over the carbon steel, just for the upkeep simplicity with avoiding rust.
Check out our full review of the Morakniv Companion and other Moras and bushcraft knives: Best Bushcraft Knife for Wilderness Survival.
If you are looking to get into bushcraft, pick up the Morakniv Companion Stainless Steel Knife.
Best Folding Knife
Ontario Rat I
Survival-Focused, Thick, and Durable
Folders can do survival too when they are designed by survivalists.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at BladeHQ.
The OKC Rat has been around for a while, but continues to be the best folding option for survival.
Specifications
- Blade: 3.6″ drop point, AUS-8 steel, 0.11″ thickness
- Length: 8.6″
- Weight: 5.0 ounces
- Sheath: Folding
- Manufactured: Taiwan
It’s a bit heavier than other folding knives- but that’s by design. It’s meant to be chunky, reliable, and durable- perfect for survival situations where you really don’t want your folding knife to fail on you.
Check out our full review of the OKC Rat I folding knife and the other survival-oriented folders we’ve tested: Best Folding Survival Knife for EDC.
If you are looking for the best survival folding knife, pick up the Ontario Knife Company Rat Model 1 Folding Knife.
Comparison Table
| Survival Knife | Recommendation | Price* | Steel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerber Strongarm | Best Overall | $100 | 420 | 9.75″ |
| Cold Steel SRK | Best for Budgets | $60 | SK-5 | 10.75″ |
| Toor Field 2.0 | Best Premium Steel Knife | $325 | CPM-154 | 8.75″ |
| ESEE Izula | Best Neck Knife | $66 | 1095 | 6.25″ |
| Morakniv Companion | Best for Bushcraft | $21 | Sandvik 12C27 | 8.9″ |
| OKC Rat I | Best for EDC | $45 | AUS-8 | 8.6″ |
| Gerber Exo-Mod | $42 | 7Cr17MoV | 8.6″ | |
| Buck 119 | $75 | 420 | 10.5″ | |
| Kershaw Camp 5 | $83 | D2 | 9.1″ | |
| KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion | $111 | 1095 | 7.5″ | |
| KA-BAR Bowie USMC | $120 | 1095 | 11.9″ | |
| ESEE 4 | $138 | 1095 | 9″ | |
| Demko FreeReign | $150 | AUS-10A | 9.9″ | |
| ESEE 6 | $150 | 1095 | 11.75″ | |
| White River Firecraft Puuko | $200 | CPM-S35VN | 8″ | |
| Fallkniven S1x | $233 | Lam CoS | 11.4″ | |
| Reiff F4 | $345 | MagnaCut | 9″ | |
| Benchmade Bushcrafter | $400 | CPM-S30V | 9″ |
The Knives We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to several knives and brands that we tested: ESEE, Benchmade, Morakniv, Cold Steel, Gerber, KA-BAR, Kershaw, and more.
Unlike many of our tests, we did not use specialized equipment but solely relied on experience and practical performance in our local woods. We compared the weight, handle balance, handle grip, and feel (dry and wet), cutting edge out of the box, and performance with a wide range of bushcraft tasks, including feathering, batoning, and carving.
After putting the knives through the paces, we looked at edge retention and how well they sharpened back up using a Spyderco Tri-Angle sharpener.
You can see our full list of review criteria below in the What to Look For section, with an explanation for each.
We focused on fixed-blade knives, which are universally known to be superior to folding knives in survival situations. The survival knives we focused on tended to be thicker and full tang as well, to better handle the unknown that they are expected to deal with. We did not consider gimmicky ‘survival knives’ with hidden compartments in the handles or flashy tactical looks.
We’re always looking for new and better equipment, so if you have a survival knife that you swear by, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually, so we can always get it in the next roundup and see if it makes the cut.
What to Look For
The best survival knives have several important features to look for:
- Value
- Steel Type
- Blade Type
- Size & Weight
- Quality
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a survival knife that will cut through all of the bells and whistles that don’t matter. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the knives that truly set themselves apart.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on something like a survival knife shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. Don’t overspend or overdo it. If you only have $100 to get started in survival, going with a budget pick isn’t the end of the world. Budget according to your risk and your needs, rather than just spending lavishly.
On the flip side, you don’t want to go too cheap or just plain get the wrong thing. That ‘tactical knife’ that has the compass on the hilt and is made of junk steel is not what you need and isn’t a great deal at $20. Get the right tool for the job.
You never want to spend too much money on one resource, especially something like knives. I know it can be tough; many people (including myself) get into knife collecting. It’s better to diversify your preparedness gear to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios. There is a sweet spot where you get high value with not too high a price, which is where our top pick sits.
Steel Type
There are virtually unlimited types of steel, most of which differ in various carbon contents. ‘Premium steels’ are difficult to manufacture, and a few of them are better for survival.
When you are picking out steel for your survival knife, you don’t want to go too brittle or with a steel that is very difficult to sharpen. You also want to keep the steel you select in mind because some require more maintenance with sharpening, oiling, and cleaning.
This is why 1095, typically known to be a relatively cheaper high-carbon steel, can excel in survival situations. It is hard, but also easy to set an edge back on.
Blade Type
There are many blade shapes, but to narrow it down for you quickly, you’ll find that the best shape is the simple drop point. The other shapes you will find include:
- Clip Point (Bowie)
- Spear Point
- Tanto
- Reverse Tanto
- Standard
- Sheepsfoot
- Hawkbill
- Trailing Point
- Wharncliffe
- Recurve
- Kukri
- Nessmuk
- Dagger
- Chisel Tip
- Cleaver
- Leaf
- Needle Point
Plenty of blade types out there! The drop point is the easiest to sharpen, used for a wide range of survival skills (including batoning, drilling, and feathering), and is geometrically strong.
The other considerations are blade width, length, and serration. The ‘sweet spot’ for blade width on a survival knife is close to 0.18″. If you go much wider than that, it is difficult to keep a sharp edge on it. Serration should usually be avoided since a saw can cut with serration much better anyway. Let your knife be a knife, not a worse saw or axe. Pick up a folding survival saw or survival axe if you haven’t yet.
Size & Weight
While our top pick is as light as a feather, you don’t necessarily need or want your big beaters to be lightweight. Full-tang knives are typically heavier, but a full tang’s durability is very important.
Weight ranged from a few ounces with our top pick to close to a pound on some of the larger models we tested. Balance and feel in hand are equally as important as small profiles.
Quality
Shoddy quality isn’t what you need in a survival situation. ‘Mall ninja’ knives continue to sell like hotcakes on Amazon, but if you understand knives and what you are getting for that $20, you wouldn’t trust your life with a knife sporting a hollow handle and a compass on the hilt.
Many knife manufacturers have forgiving warranties, but none are quite at the level of ESEE. If you snap that ESEE in two, just ship it back and get a new one- and color us impressed.
How to Use a Knife for Survival
Your best survival knife is also your most versatile tool. It spans tactical urban environments to backwoods bushcraft and everything in between. You should be able to find unlimited uses for your knife, and you’ll want to keep it readily accessible so you can stay resourceful.
A few of the more common uses include:
- Self-defense – You hope you won’t use it for this, but posturing your knife to defend against people and animals is a part of survival.
- Bushcraft – You can baton, feather, notch, and carve your way to a whole life in the woods if you have the skills to match.
- Fire Starting – Most knives can assist a Ferro rod as a striker, but a few have even more features for fire starting (like our upgrade pick).
- Hunting – It may be difficult to get close, but you can also adapt a knife into a spear. Either way, it’s possible to hunt with a knife with a lot of skill and a bit of luck.
- Cooking and Food Prep – Field dress or open cans with your knife. You can use a knife as a utensil in a pinch, too.
- Digging – In my area of the woods, it’ll wear your knife edge out quickly, but you can dig with your knife if you really have to.
- First Aid – Removing splinters or cutting bandages are the main uses. In survival movies, you’ll see people heating and cauterizing wounds with knives, but we wouldn’t suggest that. Your knife won’t get hot enough in a campfire, and it’ll increase the risk of infection.
The list could continue, but the point is that knives are versatile and are essential in almost every survival kit.
Ranger Survival on YouTube has a good explanation of why small isn’t necessarily bad with survival knives, and how to use them:
Who Needs a Survival Knife?
Survival knives are just regular old knives that are engineered to be insanely tough and reliable. Everyone can make use of one of those, but they are especially important for survival kits.
A solid survival knife is essential for all of these kits:
While we typically recommend folders, you can also use a fixed-blade survival knife in:
When it comes down to it, a survival knife is useful anywhere a typical knife or folder would be; it is just tougher and sometimes bulkier.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best survival knife are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical military and prepping experience:
Bosmia, A., et al. (2015). Ritualistic Envenomation by Bullet Ants Among the Sateré-Mawé Indians in the Brazilian Amazon. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. Volume 26. Issue 2. Pages 271 – 273. (Source)
Davenport, G. (2006). Wilderness Survival. Stackpole Books; Mechanicsburg, PA. (Source)
Horsfall, I., et al. (2005). The effect of knife handle shape on stabbing performance. Applied Ergonomics. Volume 36. Issue 4. Pages 505 – 511. (Source)
Conclusion
A fixed-blade survival knife may be the most important tool you can have in an emergency. It is endlessly versatile and can help you with a huge range of survival tasks. It is typically worth the investment to have a reliable knife around every day, but you’ll be grateful when you rely on it solely for survival.
Here are a few other reads our subscribers have also found helpful:
- The Best Folding Survival Knife for EDC
- The Best Survival Knife Sharpener for Your Blades
- Bug Out Bag List | 44 Essentials
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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