Last Updated on August 5, 2023 by Dean Anderson
If you’re going to go camping, among the list of items that you will need to pack into your backpack is either a Swiss Army Knife or bushcraft knife. This is is an absolute must-have item.
An iconic tool carried by adventurers, travellers and army personnel. A Swiss Army Knife is a highly useful item to have and one that no camper should ever be without.
Are you still undecided about whether or not you should invest in a pocket knife? If you are, then you may want to have a read of this guide below, which discusses nine things on a Swiss Army Knife that you cannot do without. Especially when camping or out and about in nature.
- Knife
For any type of outdoor trip, having a knife to hand is vital. While you may not need to wrestle a wild animal in a fight for survival, you may require a portable knife for all manner or other tasks. From preparing food, such as fish you’ve caught or removing hooks, to shaving down kindling wood for the fire or even shaving your beard. A knife can be a lifesaver when on a camping trip or any kind of outdoor adventure.
Knife uses:
- Preparing and sourcing food
- Cutting wood
- Sharpening wood
- Shaving – with a sharp knife and a steady hand!
- Cutting rope
- Scissors
Whether you are cutting tent ropes to the right size, shortening fishing reel, or cutting a bandage for an injury, a pair of scissors is an essential item for a camping or fishing trip. Of course, you don’t want to be carrying a large pair of scissors with you, which is where a portable and safe Swiss Army Knife comes in.
Scissor uses:
- Cutting tent guide ropes to size
- Shortening fishing reel
- Cutting bandages
- File
It’s never wise to go anywhere without a nail file. Nail files can be incredibly useful when it comes to preventing nail-related injuries that can be sore and pose a risk of infection, which is why the nail file on your Swiss Army Knife is such a useful tool, especially for when you are out and about.
File uses:
- Filing down nails
- Reducing nail sharpness
- Preventing hangnails
- Corkscrew
If you plan on taking bottles of anything that has a cork in it on your next camping trip, from a bottle of wine or juices that have corks in, a corkscrew is a vital tool and one that you cannot be without. Every camping trip needs a little tipple, which is why having a corkscrew available is crucial.
Corkscrew uses:
- Removing the cork from bottles of wine or juice
- Toothpick
There is nothing more irritating than getting food stuck in your teeth and being unable to remove it. After a while, food that’s stuck can become painful and cause gum irritation, which is not something that you want to experience, which is where having a toothpick comes in handy.
Uses of toothpicks:
- Removing debris from teeth
- Pricking food or containers that needs pricking
- Tweezers
Tweezers are a vital tool for any camping trip or outdoor excursion. Whether you use them to remove a splinter or twist out a tick, tweezers are a vital tool that every camper should have. This makes them an important feature of the Swiss Army Knife to look out for.
Uses of tweezers:
- To remove splinters from the skin
- To twist ticks out of your skin or a pet
- Saw
Many fully featured Swiss Army knives come with a saw as well as a knife. For wilderness experiences, saws can be extremely important because they can be safely used to cut wood or even slice open meat or fish. They can also be used to cut any material that requires cutting, such as for a bandage.
Uses of saws:
- Cutting small pieces of wood
- Slicing meat or fish
- Cutting materials
- Can opener
What’s a camping trip without baked beans and tinned hot dogs? A can opener is a vital tool for any camping trip, which is why it’s so useful that most Swiss Army Knives include this tool. You can’t go camping without a can opener, as otherwise, you will be unable to access most of your camping-safe foods.
Uses of can opener:
- Opening tins of food
- Screwdriver
When it comes to camping, you never know what the wilderness will throw at you, which is why it’s important that you are always prepared. That’s why having a screwdriver to hand is always a must because you never know what might need tightening up. All but the most basic Swiss Army Knives come with a universal screwdriver. This is ideal for these kinds of trips where much of your gear is held together by screws that can work loose.
Uses of screwdriver:
- Tightening screws on pieces of kit like camping tables, fishing rods, and camping chairs
There we have 9 everyday things on a Swiss Army Knife that you likely won’t be able to do without. Many models have much more tools but if you can get one that incorporates this lot you won’t go far wrong. Check out our recent Swiss Army Knife review.
Eight years ago, I took a risk and left a miserable office job to follow a lifestyle career that involved my love for the great outdoors. I’ve taken my love for camping, hiking and travel to the next level by running my small campground with a friend near Portland, Oregon. It’s for way less money but this has truly been a dream come true and the running involves lots of family and friends.
The next evolution of that was to get online and start allcampingstuff.com. At our campground, I spend a lot of time setting up camping equipment for customers and disposing of the garbage products they leave behind. If I can help just a few people with advice on good camping gear, then this website venture will be worth it.
So, if you want to avoid the duds and spend your money wisely you’ve hopefully come to the right place.
