A good knife is the most essential piece of kit any soldier or survivalist can carry and it will save lives as readily as dispatch them. By using a knife a person can hunt and kill food, cut and collect herbage, build a fire, cook; make camp, build shelter and protect themselves from close-quarter aggressors. It is truly a multi-purpose tool and intelligently used is invaluable. Soldiers carry knives for all these purposes and many more. Inevitably preferences emerge - concerning the feel and weight, quality of the blade and handle - a good knife becomes so much more than just a tool, it is a way of life. The tool needs to fit its intended purpose, whether it be for skinning a rabbit, for general survival purposes while climbing and camping, or for intended combat. Choice of knife becomes critical.
Anyone trekking and carrying all their goods needs a suitable, adaptable knife: one that is too small could prove as good as useless, while a knife that it too big can be heavy and cumbersome and more trouble than its worth. The differences between apparently similar knives are often very subtle and it takes a real exponent to immediately appreciate their inherent qualities. Choice of knife is a critical one and worthy of careful consideration.