The Best? What You Have

Obviously, the knife you have with you when you need it is far better than any knife you don’t have with you. That should go without saying…despite how many people insist upon saying it.

 

My standard recommendation is to always purchase the best quality that fits within your budget. For some reason, there are people who take that statement to mean I’m a gear snob. I mean exactly what I said, buy the best you can afford. Few people have an unlimited budget, so purchases need to be made carefully.

 

Here’s an example. I and many others recommend the Mora Companion as a great low budget option. It will do pretty much anything you need a knife to do. However, there’s a reason why the knife costs so little. It isn’t perfect for a lot of folks. Some people prefer a higher quality steel, or an actual full tang construction, or a better sheath.

With the Mora, I sometimes see people suggest buying them simply because they are cheap. “If it breaks, you can just buy another one.” While that plan works just fine if you’re in your backyard when the blade snaps, it might not be quite as easy for Amazon to deliver if you’re way off in the boonies, four days into a two-week off-grid excursion.

 

Again, I’m not slamming the Mora, not at all. I recommend the knife myself. But, any gear you buy will have limitations, and the more inexpensive it is, the more limitations it might have. Any purchase of gear that’s intended to help keep you alive in some way should be researched so you understand what it will and what it will not do.

Some people prefer to go as inexpensive as they can on a knife and sink more money into a high-quality pack. Or boots. Or a coat. Or a firearm. Quite often, not always but often, people will have one category of gear where they are willing to spend a little more, even if it means cutting the budget a bit on other things.

 

However, the only time you should worry about what someone else spends their money on is if it directly impacts your own wallet.

 

Yes, the “best” is what you have with you when you need it, but you can certainly up your odds of success by ensuring that what you have is the best you can afford.

About author Jim Cobb

Jim Cobb is a well known freelance author on survival and other topics.

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