One of the first things you need for camping or for a survival kit is a good fixed blade knife. The challenge is getting a good knife at a reasonable price. The Gerber Strongarm fixed blade knife is a good choice for most camping and survival needs.
A fixed blade knife needs to fit a purpose. Larger knives may work well in many bush craft situations but may not work well in skinning animals. In a survival situation, you may not be able to carry multiple knives. You will need to limit your supplies to the necessities.
It’s a good idea to have a knife that is large enough to preform most tasks and even use as a weapon if necessary and one that is small enough to allow you to perform more precise tasks such as preparing or cutting food.
The Gerber Strongarm is an excellent value and priced for the survival gear or for the camping kit. This knife has been through a lot since I first ordered it and it is still working great. It usually lives in one of my packs when not in use.
I really like how I can either carry it on my belt or lace it into the webbing on my pack depending on what I’m doing. I made a lanyard for mine from a piece of paracord. This gives me a slight advantage when chipping wood because it allows me to hold the very back of the handle when chopping wood for kindling without it flying out of my hand.
The Strongarm is a full tang knife which makes it very strong especially during hard use. The rubberized grip feels great in the hand and seems to hold up to abuse very well also.
It is the knife I use most often when camping or out in the woods.