Tom, first welcome to the forum. Your comment about the expense is telling. Have you assembled a basic kit for your needs? People ( read "us guys") focus on knives to much ( heresy! heresy!) Who would ( name your favorite female celebrity) want to sit next to in the rain; Sylvester Stallone with that sword or Marty Feldman with a tent and a good hot soup brewing? There is a cornucopia of fine, moderately priced knives out there from $8 to $ $80 that will get the job done for you. Personally I would get something decent, complete my kit and then upgrade to suit my personal tastes.