Best Survival Knife: Top 6 Outdoors Knives

A good Survival Knife that you can count on whether you’re out facing the wild or facing a survival situation, is essential. It’s one of the most important tools in your gear! Here at BUDK.com, we take preparation seriously, so we offer a wide variety of survival knives that you can count on in a critical or life-threatening situation. Here are our top survival knives.

Rambo First Blood Knife

Who knows more about survival knives then movie icon, Rambo? That’s why the Rambo First Blood Knife is at the top of my list! This officially licensed survival knife is not only an awesome collectors’ item, but it walks like it talks. The fixed blade knife has a thick, powerful stainless steel blade with heavy sawback serrations and the cord-wrapped handle has a compass built into the butt cap. When you unscrew the butt cap from the handle, you’ll find a complete survival kit inside, containing fishing line, matches, hooks, sinkers, a small razor blade and pins. To keep it right at your side, ready when you need it, a top-grain leather belt sheath is included.
Key features:

• This survival knife is an officially licensed "Rambo: First Blood" reproduction.
• It has a rust-resistant stainless steel blade with sawback serrations for sawing branches and small limbs.
• The handle is wrapped in cord that can be used for a variety of survival tasks and a compass is built-in.
• Inside the handle is a survival kit including, fishing line, matches, hooks, sinkers, razor blade and pins.

Amazon Jungle Survival Knife

The Amazon Jungle Survival Knife is a fixed blade that keeps us busy restocking and restocking! It has so many integrated survival features that make it appealing to hard-core survivalists and avid outdoorsman alike. Starting with the beefy, corrosion-resistant stainless steel blade, you’re getting a double-duty slicing and sawing tool. The edge is razor-sharp from point to ricasso, giving you plenty of cutting real estate, and the rugged sawback spine will make quick work of small branches and limbs. The handle is wrapped in tough twine, giving it a comfortable grip but also giving it another survival tool that can be unwound and used. The pommel of the handle has a built-in compass and when you unscrew it, you’ll find a mini survival kit tucked inside. The kit has all the essentials including matches, fishing line, a hook, needles and thread, a safety pin, and striking paper. And if that’s not enough to give the Amazon Jungle Survival Knife a gold star, just check out the handguard with its two holes that allows you to turn the fixed blade into a survival spear by simply lashing it to a pole or a suitable branch!
Key features:

• The handguard has two holes, which allow you to turn it into a survival spear by lashing it to a pole.
• There is a compass integrated into the top of the pommel and the handle is wrapped in tough twine.
• A survival kit is included, and it has matches, fishing line, a hook, needles and thread and striking paper.
• The beefy, 8 1/2" corrosion-resistant stainless steel blade is a double-duty slicing and sawing tool.

Bushmaster Ultimate Survival Knife

When it comes to survival tools, the Bushmaster brand is at the top of my go-to list for tough equipment that will stand up to any environment or weather condition. The Bushmaster Ultimate Survival Knife will have you covered in any intense situation, whether you’re braving the Amazon or simply out on the hunting trail. This fixed blade also gives you double-duty use with its razor-sharp stainless steel blade edge and heavy-duty sawback spine. The cast metal handle has finger grooves and a knuckle guard so that you have complete control of the knife, especially, in wet conditions. As with the Jungle Survival Knife, this knife has a precision compass built into the pommel and a mini survival kit tucked inside the handle. The kit includes sewing needles, band-aids, matches, a surgical blade, magnifier, fish hooks with line and a sinker. It doesn’t stop there. The heavy-duty nylon sheath that it comes with also holds a can opener, sharpening stone, animal snare, snakebite kit, and a flashlight. From the powerful blade to the survival gear included, you can rest assure that all bases are covered with the Bushmaster Ultimate Survival Knife!
Key features:

• The nylon sheath holds a can opener, sharpening stone, animal snare, snakebite kit, and a flashlight.
• The cast metal handle has finger grooves and a knuckle guard for complete control of the knife.
• A precision compass is built into the pommel and a mini survival kit is stored inside the handle.
• This knife also gives you double-duty use with its sharp stainless steel blade edge and sawback spine.

BugOut Rescue Survival Knife

The BugOut Rescue Survival Knife from SOA is a knife you can always count on. belongs in your outdoor adventure gear, survival gear or bug-out bag. With its razor-sharp blade and aggressive partial serrations, the survival knife is capable of dealing with any emergency. The crosshatched, rubberized grip is contoured so that it fits securely in your palm and won’t slip if it’s wet. The ABS guard is angled toward your fingers and angled up as a thumb-rest. The pommel has a firestarter rod that pulls-out when you need to start a fire and there’s a lanyard hole if you want to add a wrist lanyard. The survival knife comes with a nylon belt sheath so that it can be easily carried at your side.
Key features:

• Reliable knife for combat or home, the sharp, stainless steel blade has partial serrations.
• A rubberized handle gives a slip-free grip and the pommel has a pull-out firestarter rod.
• The guard is angled up to serve as a thumb-rest.
• A reinforced nylon belt sheath houses this 12" overall survival knife.

KA-BAR Knife

When I think of a classic survival knife, the first thing that comes to mind is the KA-BAR. This battle-tested design has remained unchanged for decades and is still proudly made in the U.S.A. From its 1095 carbon steel blade to its 1095 carbon steel butt cap, the traditional military knife is all power and purpose. The stacked leather handle gives you a secure grip, even in wet conditions, which is why this knife has been used in combat for decades. If you need an all-purpose knife that will never let you down, this is the survival knife for you.
Key features:

• A tried-and-true, battle-tested design that’s been used in combat for decades and is made in the U.S.A.
• The knife has the iconic, stacked leather handle, which gives you a secure grip, even in wet conditions.
• The blade, handguard and butt cap are all crafted of 1095 carbon steel, making it ready for tough use.
• Included with the knife is a leather sheath that is embossed with "U.S. Army" and the official Army seal.

All-Terrain Survival Knife

What I like about the All-Terrain Survival Knife is that, even though it’s carrying extras, the aluminum handle makes it really lightweight. You’ll hardly notice that you’re carrying this fixed blade in your gear or at your side. So, starting with the aluminum handle, you’ll find that the grid-textured and ridged surface makes it almost impossible to lose a grip on and the hollow handle gives you a secure, waterproof place to store essentials like money, jewelry, important documents or even a mini survival kit. The screw-top butt-cap has an O-ring seal and there is a compass hidden underneath the cap. The handguard is also aluminum, keeping the overall weight down, and it features two lashing holes. The stainless steel clip point blade is as sharp as the get and it has the requisite sawback spine. You never know when you might need to hide some small but essential item and I can’t think of a better place than in your All-Terrain Survival Knife!
Key features:

• Even though, this knife carries a survival kit, it is extremely lightweight due to the aluminum handle.
• The handle holds the kit, and it has a compass hidden underneath the butt cap, which has an O-ring seal.
• The handguard is also of lightweight aluminum, to keep the weight down, and features lashing holes.
• The razor-sharp, stainless steel blade has a clip point and the classic, aggressive sawback spine.

What to look for in a quality survival knife

A survival knife is the most important piece of gear in any outdoorsman’s backpack, hunting gear or fishing tackle. It is also essential for every survival kit and bugout bag. The best survival knives have a comfortable, slip-free grip, and the ability to handle whatever cutting or chopping task you throw at it. Also look for knives that include survival necessities like survival kits, built-in compasses, and sawbacks. Here are the most important qualities and why:

• Blade

  When the spine of the blade has a sawback, it increases the usefulness of the fixed blade tremendously. Having both a saw and a razor-sharp slicing tool in your possession makes any cutting task possible.

• Handle

  The handle needs to be comfortable to grip and sufficiently textured or grooved, so that it won’t slip out of your hand in whatever environment or weather condition you’re using it in.

• Handguard

  Having a hefty handguard is really important so that it provides an ample barrier between your fingers and the blade. Survival knives are generally built for hard use, which means there’s more of a chance for accidents if you don’t have that extra measure of protection.

• Extras

  Look for a survival knife that has extras like a mini survival kit stored in the handle or includes a firestarter or sharpener. Also, a good sheath that keeps it comfortably at your side is important to look for.