The true heroes of camping equipment are great values, and that does not necessarily equate to expensive. The function, form, utility, reliability, durability, versatility, and lifespan of the equipment all fit into the "great value" evaluation. The perfect balance of these attributes will depend on your specific needs and camping style. If you're a casual camper who takes weekend trips, you might prioritize affordability over ultralight backpacking features.
1. Fixed-Blade Camp-Size Knife
A fixed-blade camp-size knife is an important tool for the camper. A fixed-blade knife has many uses in camp, from making a fuzz stick, to splitting smaller logs, to cutting rope, to food preparation, and more.
When camping, my fixed-blade knife is rarely on my belt, but rather stowed in a convenient location for quick access, which could be in my pack, in the vehicle door, inside the tent door, or at the cooking table.
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Many Buck Knives are Made in the USA by Americans. Buck produces quality, excellent-value knives that have never let me down when it comes to function. Of the three shown, the Buck Compadre (Red) is my most frequently selected camp knife.
A couple of Anza Knives fixed-blade knives have been added to my camp gear in the last few years, and I'm impressed with them and their value. Anza Knives are Made in the USA (El Cajon, CA) by Americans. Interestingly, Anza has a connection to Buck Knives in that the owner of Anza, Charlie Davis, worked for Buck Knives for many years.
2. Folding Knife
A folding blade knife is an important tool for the camper, and can probably handle 80% of camp tasks, with the benefit of a high level of portability. A folding knife has many uses in camp, from making a fuzz stick, to cutting rope, to food preparation, and more.
When camping, my folding knife is always with me, usually in a front pocket. My preference is towards locking blade folding knives, but I sometimes carry a slip-joint such as a Barlow style knife.
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The Buck Marksman shown above is in my Top 10 favorite EDC knives. The Buck Marksman is a manual-open EDC yet deploys faster and safer than most automatic knives, and the Marksman locks securely open. The S30V steel has the Buck BOS Heat Treat and is perfect for my EDC and camp use. The Marksman is Made in the USA by Americans.
3. Camp Hatchet
A camp hatchet is an important tool for the camper. A camp hatchet has many uses in camp, from chopping wood for a fire, to splitting small logs, to pounding tent stakes, breaking down large game, and more.
My camp hatchet is rarely carried on my person, but rather, is kept stowed until needed.
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Estwing Sportsman Hatchets (Estwing calls them an axe) feature a forged steel, one-piece design with a stacked leather grip that creates a nice balance of strength and user comfort. The poll is sufficient for pounding tent stakes and adding heft, but not so large to make the hatchet unwieldy. The Hatchet can be had today for under $50 and with reasonable care will last a lifetime.
4. 550 Paracord
Paracord is an inexpensive, readily available lightweight rope, developed by the United States military in World War II, where it was used for parachute suspension lines to attach a parachute canopy to the parachute harness. It was also used to attach equipment to harnesses, secure equipment together or onto vehicles, securing camouflage nets to trees or vehicles, and a wide variety of other “tying” and “binding” applications. Paracord boasts of a truly remarkable breaking strength, sometimes in excess of 550 pounds, especially relative to its small diameter, which is typically around 1/8th or 5/32nd of an inch.
Paracord, also referred to as “Parachute Cord, “Paracord 550,” “550 Paracord,” “Military cord,” “Survival Cord,” or even “550 Cord” is a type of braided rope. Paracord is made up of an inner core of typically twisted nylon or polyester fibers, and a braided outer sheath also typically made up of nylon or polyester. The outer sheath encloses and protects the inner core.
Not all paracord products are created equally.
“Mil-Spec” paracord – made from 100% nylon, is stronger and more reliable than “commercial” paracord because it is manufactured to the very tightly defined requirements in the nineteen-page Military Specification C-5440H.
“Commercial” paracord – made from nylon, polyester, or a combination of the two, and not manufactured to any one particular manufacturing or quality control standard. Commercial paracord is often incorrectly represented to be, or suggested to be, “MilSpec Paracord,” “Real Paracord,” or “as good as” MilSpec Paracord.
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Mil Spec 550 Paracord is inexpensive and incredibly useful in camp, and it is very light and packable. Paracord can be used to hang a bear bag, tie off a tarp, tie out a tent, hang a lantern, secure items in a vehicle, secure items to a pack, lash poles together, lasso wild Zombies that invade camp, and more.
