The 5 Best Hunting Knives Of 2022
A hunting knife is an essential tool to help a hunter field dress an animal and process and store the meat to be used for consumption. It is also used for skinning, and fur and hide preparation.
Some hunting knives are extremely durable and seemingly indestructible, while others perform with surgical precision where the blade is likely to break if bent at the wrong angle and force.
Some enable the user to not only process game and hides, but to chop through bone, cut rope/cordage, baton and split kindling, start fires, carve tools, build shelters, and of course, serve as a means of self-defense and security.
Depending on preference and taste, the hunter may choose to carry two hunting knives, one for the rough stuff and one for the more specialized and delicate work.
However, there are plenty of hunting knives out there that will do it all by themselves just fine. The beauty here is we have literally thousands of choices!
On the other hand, I guess that could be a curse, but that’s why we’re here to help you narrow things down a bit.
The thing to remember here is that we can certainly make things a lot more complicated than they really are, primarily because of ALL the choices we have these days. It can be a problem, but that’s a whole other article for another time.
Right now, lets just take a deep breath and be willing to narrow some choices, make some decisions, and consider each trip into the field a gear test.
Let’s start with some of the basics to understanding which hunting knife is best for you, the hunter. One thing is for sure, there is no knife on our list today that could ever be considered a bad decision.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD HUNTING KNIFE?
Type of Steel:
There are two types of steel in high quality hunting knives. High Carbon and Stainless.
High carbon steel is a popular choice because it is easier to sharpen, holds an edge better, and is less prone to corrosion than standard carbon steel.
Stainless steel blades, though harder to sharpen, remain the most popular choice because of their durability and low maintenance.
There is no wrong answer. It just depends
Tang: Full vs. Half
To ensure optimal safety and performance, every hunter when choosing a fixed blade hunting knife should without question make sure it is full-tang.
Full-tang means that the blade of the knife runs the entire length and width of the knife through the handle, all the way to the butt, uninterrupted. The steel is one continuous piece, the handle pins on each side around the steel, and it is by far the strongest of the tang styles.
Half tang knives can go the length of the knife handle, but only half the width of it (not always) and include Push, Rat Tail, and Encapsulated tang styles.
Hunting knives take a vigorous beating out in the field and we rely on them to get the job done safely and efficiently.
Anything less than full-tang is flirting with the possibility of the blade breaking off resulting in severe or fatal injury and, at a minimum, stopping whatever task you are trying to complete dead in its tracks.
Blade Style:
The most common blade styles on a hunting knife are drop point and clip point. Other styles include tanto, spear point and trailing point.
The gut-hook is a blade style that is commonly used to aid in field dressing game. It allows you to puncture, hook, and then pull out away from the animal and down the skin to open the carcass without puncturing the internal organs tainting the rest of the meat.
The drop point blade is most often used for hunting partly because it doubles as a tactical or survival knife. Characterized by a convex-shaped, sloping spine and a lowered point, it is especially useful for skinning and controlled cuts. In addition, drop point blades have very strong tips that resist breaking (within reason), which is crucial in survival situations.
Another one of the most popular knife blade styles is the clip point blade. The front half of a clip point looks like it has been clipped off, hence the name, and can be straight or concave. Much like the drop point blade, the tip created through this design makes for easily controlled cuts.
However, unlike the drop point blade, the clip point’s tip is much sharper and thinner. This makes it great for piercing objects, but this sharp tip also subjects the blade to easier breakage.
A popular version of this blade design is a Bowie knife, often used for hunting.
Handle:
First of all, if a knife has a hollow handle, it cannot be full-tang. So it is important to make sure that your handle, whatever it is made of, is solid.
One of the most important things about a handle, besides durability, is that it gives you a firm, non-slip grip in any conditions and while dealing with blood and mess you will encounter while processing an animal.
There are quite a few types of knife handles out there, but we are going to focus on a few for hunting.
Bone handles have been used to make knife handles as long as knives have existed.
Bone handles are regularly given a surface texture for a nicer appearance and better grip and are often dyed a variety of colors.
They are as much appreciated for their beauty as they are for being traditional.
Stag handles come from deer antlers. Stag is a popular choice not only because of its beauty, but because it is a natural material.
No two stag handle knives will ever be identical and it is aesthetically my personal favorite.
Wood is another traditional knife handle material. Wood handles are durable and attractive.
They can be made from a variety of different woods and have remained a popular choice for everything from heavy-duty fixed blades to stylish folding knives.
G-10 is a fiberglass resin laminate. Layers of fiberglass cloth are soaked in resin, compressed and then baked, resulting in a material that is tough, hard, lightweight, and strong.
This is a very popular handle choice. Checkering and other patterns add a texture to the handle, which makes for a solid, comfortable grip.
Micarta is made from resins layered with fiberglass, cork, linen cloth, cotton fibers, and other fabrics and can be manufactured in virtually any color.
It is strong and durable, and has become a favorite material for use in heavy-duty survival knives. It tolerates extremes of heat and cold, resists moisture, and doesn’t become brittle with age.
A micarta handle should stand up to anything a knife should be used for.
Pommel:
The pommel is the butt of the knife. Pommels are usually different on a hunting knife than the way they are designed on survival knives. Often on a hunting knife it is used for nothing more than to balance out the weight of the knife.
However, some hunting knives combine both, making the hunting knife also a survival knife with the pommel being a ram-type object designed for a blunt force tool, self defense or to break out a car window if needed.
Sheath:
Most hunting knives come with a sheath as part of the package. It is one of the most overlooked aspects of a knife is often treated like the skimpy little spare tire that comes with a car. Unfortunately, it can be an area where manufacturers see an opportunity to save on costs.
Sheaths are extremely important because they are not only a vessel for which you carry your knife, they also protect the blade from being exposed to the elements.
Even more important, a solid sheath protects YOU from your own blade. In the event of a slip or a fall, your sheath could be the only thing keeping YOU from being gutted!
Whether it is leather, kydex, or nylon, pick a durable sheath to protect yourself and your hunting knife on your next hunting adventure.
Now that we’ve covered the basics in what to look for in a good quality hunting knife, let’s get inside and see today’s top choices for The 5 Best Hunting Knives of 2022!
Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links, meaning: at no additional cost to you, we earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We only feature products that we believe in and use ourselves. Your support means the world to us and allows us to host this website. Thank you!
Top 5 knives for hunting 2022
Havalon Piranta Edge Blaze
The Havalon Piranta Edge comes with 12 replacement blades that look a bit like surgical blades (and just as sharp) and a sturdy nylon black holster.
The holster comes with two pockets, one for the knife itself, and the other for replacement blades. I find that you can fit one or two blades in the pocket and all of the rest slid down behind the knife.
This way you have all of your replacement blades on hand and this makes for a compact fit that sits snug on your belt for easy access. It also has a removable holster clip and open back construction for easier cleaning.
A little suggestion, each blade comes in its own sturdy foil packaging and that is exactly how I would store them until you are ready to switch one out, as they are remarkably sharp.
The handle is orange in color, which makes it easy to find in the bush, and is made of durable and stain resistant ABS plastic. It has rubber grips for safe handling in wet conditions and has ambidextrous thumb studs for right-handers and lefties.
It is compatible with two blades sizes (#60A and #60XT) and is one of the most light-weight hunting knives around for those who need to pack lightly for a long haul.
This knife makes for fast and easy skinning and field dressing of any kind of game, from moose to squirrel. It is Havalon’s best selling knife and it’s easy to see why.
Blade Length: 2-¾ inches
Overall Length: 7-¼ inches
Weight: 2.9 oz
When it comes to skinning an animal or taking meat off the bone, this knife is a champion.
With it’s stainless steel large applied blade radius and full tang construction, it will never let you down.
And, if somehow in hell it did (and the sky started falling), you can send it back as it has a lifetime guarantee.
As long as you buy from an authorized dealer, Benchmade will honor this lifetime warranty and they also offer what they call a LifeSharp service where they will sharpen and repair your knife at no charge. Now that’s what we call confidence and first-class service.
This is about all the knife a hunter would ever need to get the job done on any size game. It’s compact size and beautiful leather sheath that fits horizontally onto your belt makes for a super space saver and almost unnoticeable.
The only caveat, some hunters report that when removing the knife from the leather sheath they actually have cut the stitching and have had to do multiple repairs.
However, Benchmade offers a Kydex sheath (that also fits horizontally) with the Hidden Canyon Hunter that would quickly remedy that problem.
Blade Length: 2.67 inches
Overall Length: 6.32 inches
Weight: G-10 Handle - 3.53 oz and Sheath 1.38 oz
Dymondwood Handle - 3.19 oz and Sheath 1.06 oz
With blades crafted of S30V steel by the experts at Buck, knife performance has been redefined. It is a new standard by which all other knives will be measured.
Developed by Crucible Steel for the cutlery industry and known as the pinnacle of knife-making metals, S30V is composed of metallic powders fused together under intense pressure, heat-tempered, then cooled in a cryogenic freezer. The resulting metal delivers the absolute finest combination of edge retention (45% greater than 420HC), flexibility and hardness (59-61 Rockwell) while remaining easy to sharpen with conventional stones.
Its diamond-like carbon coating and high chromium content provide oxidation resistance. Field-testing and independent Cutlery Allied Trade Research Association (C.A.T.R.A.) tests prove these knives will outperform those crafted with other blade metals.
To top it all off, it has a beautiful and ergonomic rosewood handle and leather sheath.
The reputation of this knife is in a class of its own. Hunters have reported of their ability to field dress, quarter, and bone moose and very large bull elk without touching the blade to a stone from start to finish. After the job was completed, the blade was as sharp as when they started.
If you prefer a smaller profile hunting knife, consider the 279 Folding Alpha Hunter. It’s compact modern cutlery at its finest. The Folding Alpha is a breeze to carry and perfect for delicate work.
Blade length: 3-1/8".
Overall length: 7-1/4".
Weight: 5.2 oz.
The Ka-Bar Becker Companion BK2 wins the “all-around” award. Designed for all of those who camp, hunt, or spend time afield.
This knife has earned several nicknames like “The Warlord”, “The Beast”, and “The Tank”.
One satisfied outdoorsman referred to it as a “crowbar of a knife”. He went on to say “the blade is unbelievably thick and I watched my son in law actually try to break the thing....he drove it into a tree and stood on it with all of his 245lb weight........blade not only didnt break but remained perfectly straight!!! Holds an edge like you wouldn’t believe… it will blow your mind!”
Another proud owner boasted, “I have bet my life on this blade numerous times... I have split firewood with it, cracked coconuts, pried open a door, butchered small animals and broke a padlock with it.”
So I think it goes without saying that this knife will cut through bone or just about anything you want it to and can sure take a beating if batoning was so needed to finish the job, all the while holding it’s integrity.
This model is built with a 1095 Cro-Van steel blade in a black finish and a black zytel handle. The Companion offers a versatile design that excels at splitting kindling, skinning and field dressing game, camp cooking prep and just an all around outdoor knife. If you’re looking for a knife that you can beat the living hell out of and sharpen with ease this is the one for you.
Blade Length: 5-¼ inches
Overall Length: 10-¾ inches
Weight: 15.9 oz
A silent predator that commands respect, an alligator is the ultimate symbol of quiet strength and unrivaled power.
A best-seller for 25 years, the iconic Gator line has earned a place in Gerber’s storied history, drawing inspiration from the very animal that it was created to emulate.
The Gator Premium Fixed Gut Hook Blade is the elevated, first-class reincarnation of everything that made the original the best in its class.
Continuing a tradition of American made excellence, this knife offers unparalleled materials and innovative design for the modern hunter and knife enthusiast alike.
Boasting premium CPM-S30V steel in a full tang application, the 4-inch blade is a steady sidekick and the addition of the gut hook feature makes cleaning game easier than ever, tackling delicate and tough tasks alike.
Machine polished and semi-mirrored, the blade and bolster offer stylish protection against corrosion as well as an unrivaled aesthetic.
When you are out in the field, things can get messy and conditions can go from dry to wet and back again at a moment’s notice. Your grip needs to stand up to any task you ask of it – enter the rebirth of the Gator Grip.
Advanced technique couples with a grippy reptilian texture to deliver a stunningly reliable grip in any situation. First-class design and American made, this handsome tool is ready for the challenge.
Blade Length: 4 “
Overall Length: 9”
Weight: 8 oz
Overall Weight: 10.4 oz
“A well trained person needs only a knife to survive”
- Mors Kochanski
The best way to pick the right hunting knife for YOU is to do your own research.
Reading reviews and guides like this one can help you narrow your choices while staying in the realm of top-notch quality and performance without breaking the bank.
You can also browse forums where you can ask experienced hunters and knife owners direct questions and get direct answers. Most hunters love to talk about their gear, and if they’re participating in a forum, you can just about guarantee they would love to tell you about their experiences with hunting knives, good AND bad.
Or, there is the old fashioned way, our favorite way. Find the best local outdoor store in your area and talk with other outdoorsmen face to face. It’s quite enjoyable, when you happen upon the right company, to belly up over a counter full of outdoor gear and listen to stories from old timers. It’s a dying tradition, so if you can make that happen, that’s what we would do.
We all have our own unique style and preferences when it comes to choosing a knife of any type.
We hope that this guide has helped to nudge you in the right direction on your journey to finding your new favorite hunting knife.
Happy hunting!!
ABOUT
