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Folding Knives

The best folding knives, reviewed and curated by the Trailspace community. The latest review was added on June 8, 2023. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily.

user rating: 5 of 5 (5)
Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife
$10 - $19
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (4)
Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife
$14
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (6)
Buck 110 Folding Hunter
$36 - $99
user rating: 4 of 5 (2)
Benchmade 940/943 Osborne Family
$192 - $315
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Benchmade Barrage Family
$207
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (3)
Opinel No. 9 Folding Knife
$19
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Spyderco Tenacious
$65 - $69
user rating: 4 of 5 (10)
Gerber EVO Jr.
$25
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Buck 112 Ranger
$30 - $64
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (3)
Spyderco Delica 4
$95 - $228
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Spyderco Manix 2
$150
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Petzl Spatha
$30 - $39
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Spyderco Endura
$102 - $124
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Benchmade Mini Bugout
$153 - $288
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Kershaw Scallion
$75
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
Benchmade Bugout
$163 - $297
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Spyderco Bug
$24
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Benchmade B535BK-4 BUGOUT
$270
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Cold Steel Recon 1 Clip Point
$107 - $126
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Benchmade 530/531 Family
$144
user rating: 4 of 5 (4)
Gerber Paraframe I
$15 - $43
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Kershaw Brawler
$45 - $54
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Spyderco Atlantic Salt
$120
user rating: 3 of 5 (2)
Gerber FAST Draw
$45 - $53
user rating: 3.5 of 5 (2)
Gerber Paraframe Mini
$8 - $17
user rating: 3 of 5 (1)
Gerber Ripstop I
$21 - $29
user rating: 2 of 5 (2)
Gerber Remix
$34 - $53
user rating: 5 of 5 (6)
Benchmade Mini Griptilian Family
$100 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (6)
Kershaw Leek
$85 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (4)
Gerber Profile Fixed Drop Point
$25 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Kershaw Freefall
$40 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Buck CSAR-T Knife
$192 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Olfa Touch Knife
user rating: 5 of 5 (3)
Benchmade Griptilian Family
$110 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Ontario Knife Company RAT I
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Coghlan's Camp Knife
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Kershaw Chill
$35 MSRP
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
Opinel No. 12 Explore
$49 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Fällkniven PXLwh
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
SOG Flashback
$100 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Gerber Mini Covert FAST
$69 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Gerber Outrigger Mini
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Emerson Knives Mini-Commander
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
SOG Flash II
$75 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Gerber Gator Serrater
$44 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Spyderco UK Penknife
$70 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (2)
Gerber Obsidian
$38 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Buck Mini Buck

Recent Folding Knife Reviews

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
Benchmade B535BK-4 BUGOUT

Relatively lightweight, strong, beautiful.             Knives and camping are two things in my mind that are simply intertwined. I carry a knife wherever I go. There are so many to choose from and over the years I have ended up with a collection. This 535BK-4 BUGOUT though is the one I always carry now. I can depend on it to be sharp and do exactly what I need.  I have not sharpened the blade since I got it about 2 years ago now. It's not surgical razor sharp any longer but sharp enough… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Everything you need in a folding pocketknife. I have had a size 6 Opinel pocketknife for just about ever which lived in my backpack waist belt pocket until leaving Hobart, Tasmania, airport. An extremely zealous security lady took exception to its presence and confiscated it along with my wife's nailfile. On return to New Zealand I purchased a new one. For backpacking, day walks, fishing, or biking this little knife does everything one could ask for; everything from gutting a fish to opening a ready… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife

Pretty hard to beat for backpacking. These are famous for a reason. Sharp, cheap, very light, locks well, long enough to get to the bottom of a peanut butter jar. Just let it darken but scrape off any obvious rust.  Note: this is not some Finnish survival fixed blade. It's a lightweight backpacker's knife. Doesn't mean you can't skin a deer with it, but be realistic. Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Lightweight with a well designed blade shape for camp kitchen preparing food. My first Opinel knife I acquired I think was a number 7 from from REI in 1975. It had a pear wood handle and was a great tool. I lost it some 10 years later...  Last year my wife signed me up with Bespoke and in one of the boxes showed up a number 8. A good knife too for the same uses. Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

I was introduced to Opinel knives in 1991, and I have been using them ever since—on three continents. Great addition to the pack—alongside my Swiss Army knife of course. Great addition to a well-equipped backpack. Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Light, small, tough, and available. The blade you may find you need, at a price you definitely can afford. A simple design—one sharp, thin (1mm), pointy blade, which folds into a thinly finished beech handle. A chromed, spring steel lock ring, at the riveted pivot point, is a wonderful low-tech way to keep the knife open-or closed—until you change your mind. Available in many lengths; the seven centimetre blade works, for me. It weighs a negligible 27 grammes . If your daily life involves building… Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Opinel No. 9 Folding Knife

Size matters. A hand-sized handle with a longer blade to retain its edge with usage. Been using a #8 stainless steel and a #7 carbon for well on 40 years. I purchased the #9 carbon because I wanted the bigger handle and the better edge holding of the carbon. The extra length in the handle and blade makes this a field knife, and I do not need to carry another knife backpacking. Full review

rated 5 of 5 stars
Buck 112 Ranger

The smaller version of the classic, 110 Hunter. Shorter blade, same quality and reputation. Brass bolsters, Ebony scales, 420HC stainless steel. If you like a relatively meaty, clip pointed lock knife and plan on leaving it to a relative, in your will, this one should be under consideration. This size suits me better, than the larger, Hunter model. The handle fits my size-nine hand snugly and a three-inch blade works very well, for the stuff I do with a knife. I can strip bark from my next walking… Full review

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
Lansky Small Lockback Pocket Knife

A low cost EDC folding pocket knife of outstanding quality for the price. This wee gem replaced a knife confiscated by airport security last year and though very cheap proved to be a very good buy. Having had it for a year it has done all the things one would use a pocket knife for both on and off trail: cutting cordage, tape, opening packets and meal bags, sharpening tent pegs, making tinder, general camp chores etc. and so far it has not had to be sharpened. The blade is 2.25 inches, overall 5.5… Full review

Other Types of Knives

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Fixed-Blade Knives

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