Best Survival Knife - 3 Key Characteristics of the Best Survival Knife

A high quality survival knife is perhaps the most important piece of survival gear that you can own. In an emergency or survival situation - or even just camping or fishing or hunting - your knife will be used daily as a tool, utensil, and perhaps even as a weapon. Because this survival tool will get so much use, it is important to have one that is high quality, dependable, durable, and that has a high level of utility.

We have identified the 3 key characteristics that identify the best survival knife:

1. Durability: Your knife will get constant use. It will be abused daily. You will use it to hack undergrowth, saw through tree branches, skin and gut animals and fish, dig in the ground, and perhaps even as a weapon. Therefore, the best survival knife is one that is highly durable. Select a knife that is made of a hardened steel, so that it will hold its edge better and will be able to withstand that constant use and abuse you will put it through.

2. Utility: You will use your knife for more than slicing with the blade. You will use it as not only for cutting, but as a hammer, saw, axe, lever, guide, hole punch, fire starter, even as a level. The best survival knife is constructed in such a way it can be used for a variety of uses.

3. Usability: Many people think that the bigger the knife, the better it is (ala Crocodile Dundee). Others think that if a knife can't be easily concealed in their sneaker that it is too big. A knife should be big enough to be useful, but small enough that it can be wielded easily. The best knife has a blade that is approximately 7 to 10 inches in length, and 1/4 to 3/8 inches think. Any larger and it is more a sword than a knife. Any shorter and its use will be limited.

These are the top 3 characteristics used for identifying the best survival knife. There are other important features that you should consider as well. Your knife is the most important of all your survival gear - so take care as you select the perfect knife for you.

The best survival knife won't be prohibitively expensive either. In fact, the top rated knife can be purchased for less than $200 in many cases, as can be seen below.