What type of knife do you take on trail rides?

[Emilia]

I asked for a knife for X-mas to take with me on trail rides, but when my husband asked what type of knife, I was not sure.

I had something like a Swiss knife on mind originally.

Then, I decided to come out here and ask you, who trail ride and take knives with you as a part of equipment.

So, what do you take, please? Does anyone use multipliers?

I used to trail ride out of the barn I boarded a couple of years ago, but would not even think of taking knife with me. Now, we have our own property in another state, I ride mini trails around the property, but, with finally getting trailer, I would like to start traveling to “real” trails.

Thank you in advance for your input.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=emilia;7304120]
I asked for a knife for X-mas to take with me on trail rides, but when my husband asked what type of knife, I was not sure.

I had something like a Swiss knife on mind originally.

Then, I decided to come out here and ask you, who trail ride and take knives with you as a part of equipment.

So, what do you take, please? Does anyone use multipliers?

I used to trail ride out of the barn I boarded a couple of years ago, but would not even think of taking knife with me. Now, we have our own property in another state, I ride mini trails around the property, but, with finally getting trailer, I would like to start traveling to “real” trails.

Thank you in advance for your input.[/QUOTE]

Why limit yourself to just one?!?!?!

In my pocket I carry Swiss Army Spartan. Small, convenient, and it has a bottle opener and a cork screw. You never know when you’ll run across a beer or a nice bottle of red!!!

It also has an awl, tweezers, can opener, etc. It’s a good general purpose knife.

On my belt I’ve got a Gerber Trail Rider (no long made). It’s got a blade, screw drivers, hoof pick, pliers, etc.

If going into really rough terrain I’ve also got a Bowie knife that I can carry on a web belt. If I’ve got the Bowie I’m probably also carrying a revolver.

Swiss Army makes an Equestrian knife:

http://www.swissarmy.com/us/app/product/Swiss-Army-Knives/Category/Do-It-Yourself/Equestrian/53611

If I was just going to carry one it would be this.

G.

[Beverley]

I use a Leatherman, snagged for peanuts at a silent auction, which goes on my belt. Knife plus pliers, screwdrivers, etc so more repair options. And as G noted, corkscrew and church key always handy.

I also have leather strings stored on one of the rings on my western saddle to be able to make small tack repairs. And baling twine in pocket, 1001 uses.

[ehwaz]

I carry at least two, both on me rather than the horse- a Gerber multi-tool with pliers, screwdriver, etc and a Buck 110(http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=product.detail&productID=3044). The buck is for having to cut something free NOW, as the little blade on the Gerber might not cut things quickly enough in an emergency. I also tend to carry a saw and I have a small pocket knife that lives on my saddle, just in case. I tend to ride on trails that are not often used and regularly run in to down trees and other things that need to be cleared, so if you are riding on maintained trails, you might not need to carry as much gear as I tend to. I also use easyboots, so the screw driver and pliers on the gerber come in handy for quick repairs. I would recommend that you carry at least one knife on you, not the horse, in case of emergency.

[jazzrider]

No knives, but I carry a set similar to this - http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-5-in-Bypass-Pruner-Folding-Saw-Set-95646966J/202256842?N=1z0yl7h#.UqvNZkko5Zc.

We do a lot of trail maintenance while riding, and it suits my needs and is compact enough to fit in my day pack.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=jazzrider;7310787]
No knives, but I carry a set similar to this - http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-5-in-Bypass-Pruner-Folding-Saw-Set-95646966J/202256842?N=1z0yl7h#.UqvNZkko5Zc.

We do a lot of trail maintenance while riding, and it suits my needs and is compact enough to fit in my day pack.[/QUOTE]

Thank you. This looks like a useful tool.

G.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I carry a 4" lock blade wherever I go. Or I used to, until those pesky guards at the courthouse started disarming me before they’d let me through. But on weekends, it’s always in my back pocket.

I don’t like those utility knives much. I find the tools too tiny and fiddly to be much good, and the blades inadequate. I just want a good stout knife.

[Emilia]

Wow, those are some nice tools, jazzrider!

Guilherme, Swissarmy does not seem to make the Equestrian knife anymore.

The only thing I found that, by name, resembled anything equestrian was Outrider.

I will have to look at Gerber, Ehwaz.

Thank you all for sharing.

[hosspuller]

When trail riding, any knife is better than no knife. I carry a 3 inch lock blade. It was free with some other product. Has served well for several years. Opened cans, pried a rock from a hoof, sharpened a stick for hotdog roasting, cut hay strings, letter opener, etc.
Don’t get hung up on the number of tools/blades. Something you’ll carry all the time is first requirement.

[Molly_Malone]

A leatherman. I also carry a handsaw, a hoof pick, some baling twine, and half a dozen cable ties. Covers most bases and I figure if I can’t get out of trouble with what I’ve got, then I’m probably in the sort of trouble that makes the 6 o’clock news anyway.

[airhorse]

I carry one of these at all times. I prefer the blunt edge around animals. Not cheap, but it will last a long time. Locking blade is a must have also.

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-916-Triage-ComboEdge-Handles/dp/B007D1GCX8/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1387118704&sr=1-2&keywords=benchmade+916

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=emilia;7312228]
Wow, those are some nice tools, jazzrider!

Guilherme, Swissarmy does not seem to make the Equestrian knife anymore.

The only thing I found that, by name, resembled anything equestrian was Outrider.

I will have to look at Gerber, Ehwaz.

Thank you all for sharing.[/QUOTE]

They may not be made anymore but I found some on both Ebay and Amazon.

G.

[Emilia]

Thank you for the tip, Guilherme. I will pass it to my husband.

[arlosmine]

When I was trail riding in an area where there was the pssibilty of semi-buried wire (sometimes smooth, sometimes barbed), I carried a small bolt cutter. I took some barbed wire to the hardware store and found the smallest tool that my strength could get through barbed wire. It fit in a trail pack behind my English saddle. I kept the knife on me.

[katarine]

leatherman

[cowboymom]

Leatherman Wave… I can flip out a blade with one hand in a half second. My husband carries a different kind of leatherman and would have to open the tool and select a knife… so he also carries a spyderco knife for one handed oh sh*t moments where he has to cut a rope fast. I can do the same thing with my Wave but I can’t keep it in my front jeans pocket.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=emilia;7312872]
Thank you for the tip, Guilherme. I will pass it to my husband. :)[/QUOTE]

You’re welcome!!!

G.

[Sentry_Chick]

This is ALWAYS in my pocket. Grandkids get a laugh out of how I always have the knife in my pocket when Grandpa doesn’t. LOL. The problem with this knife is that if you have change in your pocket, the coins will fall into it and damage the blade. Lesson learned on my first, bigger knife. My son is the one who buys these for me for my birthday.

http://www.gerbergear.com/Essentials/Knives/Ripstop-I-Knife_22-41614

[The_Equestrian_Vagab]

A Gerber is great, in case you also have to cut wire, particularly barbed wire if you’re in the West. and like Beverly said, also carry baling twine! good for just about everything else.

[wildlifer]

The dull one I found in a parking lot, LOL. Just because it lives in my saddlebags so I never forget it.

If I was better at not forgetting things, I would definitely take my Gerber multitool, I do have two. Both are older and most similar to this (although they both have scissors in addition to the pictured tools, wonder why they took those away, I use them a LOT):

http://www.gerbergear.com/Outdoor/Tools/Octane-Multi-Plier_31-000441

On my older ones, the pliers part slides out, which I love because once it’s broken in, you can flick it with one hand. I wore that thing every day for a year when I worked on a wildlife refuge, it cut hardware cloth with the knife blade, repaired barbwire fences, opened tuna cans on the fireline, and any number of things. The blade still cuts, amazingly enough and it is AWESOME. You can cut ANYTHING.

My new one (gift) has a springloaded pliers that shoots out when you push a button. Frankly, I’m kind of afraid of it because they went a little overboard with the spring and when it shoots out, it will literally chip concrete. The button has a lock, but it is easy to accidentally unlock. Still a great tool though, as long as I don’t get stabbed by the SuperPowerPlierShooter.