What is best outdoors survival weapon: Multitool or Knives?

[harshit89]

The reason I am creating this thread is to know what can be the best survival weapon for outdoors. There is always a conflict between the views where some say that the multiools are best for EDC as they can be used for many applications and some say that the knives are better as they are revealed in no time in case of any emergency.

I usually go for outdoors camps but never had took any multiools or knives. But Now I feel that its very important to carry along with you the best self defence weapon for outdoors.

Please suggest me which is best: Multitool or Knives.

[essdee1972]

Weapon? For what? Or rather against what? If you really need a weapon, the sky can be the limit if you find yourself in a good enough wilderness! If you find yourself deep in some Amazonian jungle, carry a rifle (for jaguars / anacondas), a pistol (for smaller snakes), several knives, something to whack tarantulas with, and something to keep piranha off you!

Moreover, please see the thread on using knives for self-defense. In short, please don't!

As a tool, carry both. Not a huge weight anyway!

[Mark]

OK, I will write a confession here.......

If anyone has ever camped alone in the woods and said they were never ever frightened they are most likely lying to you!

So yes, logic and rationality can say that you do not need anything for self defense in the outdoors but when you are laying on the ground in the pitch black and start hearing some weird noise that seems to be crashing closer and closer in your direction logic and rationality can go out the window.

Anyway, the best thing to have is a stick about 40mm in diameter and about as tall as your shoulder. Then if you are attacked by a giant python you can whack it like a club and if you are attacked by a jaguar you can stab it like a spear. If that sounds silly to you, you should realize how ineffective any sort of EDC tool will be, unless it has a saw to cut your stick with!

[mercury]

a forked stick ...with the required length ; is great to keep snakes and rabid dogs at length,....given you have the courage !! But it has been done. and I talk through experience having worked in such an environment.

Weapons are great outdoor survival weapons....BUT ...you need the time to react and you have to have it in you !! If you do not have it in you ....nothing will help.

I have spent along time in jungles...no boast here ; I was scared shirtless.......

Its all in the HEAD...its all about NOT reaction...But INSTINCT.

[nagarifle]

in the greatoutdoors, in my little experience one never had the need to use a screwdriver etc. as i have not found any screws to undo, only nuts. a strong knife is good to have as it will do most small camp jobs. a flexable folding chain is a good idea if need to brings down great trees.

[AnandNair]

KUKHRI

[TC]

COURAGE


TC

PS On a serious note, God forbid, If I suddenly found myself alone in the middle of nowhere I would think of a fixed blade knife with a full tang blade heavy enough to chop. What will you unscrew with a multi-tool when you are screwed quite bad yourself

[pistolero]

[youtube][/youtube]

take a look

[harshit89]

Weapon? For what? Or rather against what? If you really need a weapon, the sky can be the limit if you find yourself in a good enough wilderness! If you find yourself deep in some Amazonian jungle, carry a rifle (for jaguars / anacondas), a pistol (for smaller snakes), several knives, something to whack tarantulas with, and something to keep piranha off you!

Moreover, please see the thread on using knives for self-defense. In short, please don't!

As a tool, carry both. Not a huge weight anyway!

Thanks for the reply,
But I really don't prefer to use and carry any ammunitions for EDC and outdoors.
I just really want to know what best fit as outdoors survival weapon: multitool or knives.

[harshit89]

take a look

The link you gave doesn't seem to be helping me to decide whether the best outdoors survival weapon is knives or mutltiools.
Relating to this youtube video, I have seen the self defence expandable batons which works almost like it.

[ckkalyan]

OK, I will write a confession here.......

If anyone has ever camped alone in the woods and said they were never ever frightened they are most likely lying to you!

So yes, logic and rationality can say that you do not need anything for self defense in the outdoors but when you are laying on the ground in the pitch black and start hearing some weird noise that seems to be crashing closer and closer in your direction logic and rationality can go out the window.

Anyway, the best thing to have is a stick about 40mm in diameter and about as tall as your shoulder. Then if you are attacked by a giant python you can whack it like a club and if you are attacked by a jaguar you can stab it like a spear. If that sounds silly to you, you should realize how ineffective any sort of EDC tool will be, unless it has a saw to cut your stick with!

in the greatoutdoors, in my little experience one never had the need to use a screwdriver etc. as i have not found any screws to undo, only nuts. a strong knife is good to have as it will do most small camp jobs.

Very well said Mark, nagarifle, - lovely!

harshit89 - this recalls to mind - Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan and how he survived in the jungle. He did acquire a knife later on when he found his parent's cabin.

Quote from ERB: Among other things he found a sharp hunting knife, on the keen blade of which he immediately proceeded to cut his finger. Undaunted he continued his experiments, finding that he could hack and hew splinters of wood from the table and chairs with this new toy.

This enabled him to achieve supremacy amongst the powerful apes and fashion his other requirements such as a bow and arrows with considerable ease.

So, if given a choice - a good stout knife is all I would need!

[timmy]

I believe you are best off with a good pocket knife. Back in 1870, a man named Everts was exploring Yellowstone National Park with the Washburn Expedition. He was lost when his horse ran away from him, and therefore had no food, guns, or any other supplies except what he had on his person. He wandered for weeks before he was found. He couldn't kill any game -- he had no gun -- and there were no maize or wheat fields there from which food could be obtained.

Everts survived by using his pocket knife to cut off thistle plants, and ate the stem. If you ever go to Yellowstone National Park, you can try this. The thistle stems taste like okra.

When he was found, Everts was practically starved to death. The men who found him poured a large quantity of bear grease down his throat, in order to get his system "moving" again. I should imagine that the result of this was a short time rival to Yellowstone's massive thunderstorms and bubbling mud pots.

Based on Evert's experience then, I recommend a pocket knife. You won't be able to harvest anything but thistles and you will get plugged up, but at least you will survive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_C._Everts

[brihacharan]

nagarifle wrote:
In the greatoutdoors, in my little experience one never had the need to use a screwdriver etc. as i have not found any screws to undo, only nuts. a strong knife is good to have as it will do most small camp jobs

Briha

[Vikram]

I believe you are best off with a good pocket knife. Back in 1870, a man named Everts was exploring Yellowstone National Park with the Washburn Expedition. He was lost when his horse ran away from him, and therefore had no food, guns, or any other supplies except what he had on his person. He wandered for weeks before he was found. He couldn't kill any game -- he had no gun -- and there were no maize or wheat fields there from which food could be obtained.

Everts survived by using his pocket knife to cut off thistle plants, and ate the stem. If you ever go to Yellowstone National Park, you can try this. The thistle stems taste like okra.

When he was found, Everts was practically starved to death. The men who found him poured a large quantity of bear grease down his throat, in order to get his system "moving" again. I should imagine that the result of this was a short time rival to Yellowstone's massive thunderstorms and bubbling mud pots.

Based on Evert's experience then, I recommend a pocket knife. You won't be able to harvest anything but thistles and you will get plugged up, but at least you will survive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_C._Everts

Timmy,

[TC]

I believe you are best off with a good pocket knife. Back in 1870, a man named Everts was exploring Yellowstone National Park with the Washburn Expedition. He was lost when his horse ran away from him, and therefore had no food, guns, or any other supplies except what he had on his person. He wandered for weeks before he was found. He couldn't kill any game -- he had no gun -- and there were no maize or wheat fields there from which food could be obtained.

Everts survived by using his pocket knife to cut off thistle plants, and ate the stem. If you ever go to Yellowstone National Park, you can try this. The thistle stems taste like okra.

When he was found, Everts was practically starved to death. The men who found him poured a large quantity of bear grease down his throat, in order to get his system "moving" again. I should imagine that the result of this was a short time rival to Yellowstone's massive thunderstorms and bubbling mud pots.

Based on Evert's experience then, I recommend a pocket knife. You won't be able to harvest anything but thistles and you will get plugged up, but at least you will survive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_C._Everts

Timmy,

TC