I am getting an Maxpedition E.D.C. Pocket Organizer for my glove box. Which Victorinox knife is most useful to survive in the woods? One with just the right tools.

Thanks for the help.

That's a pretty open ended question! I don't consider a SAK to be ultimate survival knife but any decent knife would be of use in a pinch. The Farmer is pretty sweet and under $30.

The essential answer, IMO, is: any one with a saw. The very excellent Vic saws amplify the power of these tools a hundredfold.

The oversize Soldier/Trekker series can do a great deal of practical work. Great saw, decent locking blade with thumbhole (one-handed open, or open with heavy mitts), and an oversize screwdriver that takes a lot of the prybar abuse away from the blade. Plus the usual suspects, all of which work quite well. My only bug is that I don't find the shape comfortable for pocket carry; a sheath is best.

I would also seriously consider the Farmer (or its cousin with the extra pruning blade [Pioneer Harvester]). These are much stronger than the standard-size, nylon-handled SAK. The blades don't lock, but the springs are quite strong (locks are useful, but absolute trust in them is naive). They have the oversize screwdriver/prybar and a highly functional awl. And of course, both have that wonderful saw.

The one hand Trekker or the New Soldier.

the end opening awl that can actually be used on the Farmer is a good option...if money and weight is not a prime consideration, I'd suggest an upgrade to a Swiss Tool...I tend to use the scissors and pliers more than the saw

It all depends upon your situation and your circumstances. For instance, a saw, while very useful when in forests, is not nearly so worthwhile above timberline. I carried a Tinker for many years, and found it quite adequate, although now I usually tote a much heavier Leatherman Wave-I really like having needlenose pliers handy (mostly because they are useful for opening jammed locking carabiners).

Any sharp knife is better than a dull blade - maintain whatever you carry.

The Farmer is a good knife in that size, but the SAK saw really gets useful when you go to the larger lockblade SAK knives such as the Trekker, Rucksack, and my fav the Outrider et al.

$.02 There is no right answer...

I always take a multitool on the road, in the car. I carry a SAK Farmer because it is stronger than most of the standard Swiss Army Knives and it is lighter by quite a bit than the locking blade, larger models. I own a few of the lockers but very seldom carry any of them. I prefer the bombproof Farmer.

I don't EDC any knife but keep the Countycomm Victorinox SAK in my glove box, http://countycomm.com/germanissueknife.html. I would look first to a locking blade and maybe a saw blade, but imho any SAK without a cork screw is missing its best and primary purpose in life.

For my money, a tool like the Wenger Ranger 78 is the best Swiss Army knife for the woods - the one-hand-opening, locking, plain edge blade & saw being the most important features in my mind (I like a model with the least amount of tools, but including these).



If you were looking for the standard-size models I'd go for the Wenger Evolution S13 (but the model with the Phillips instead of the corkscrew). This is the standard size SAK, with pretty much the same tool-set as the Ranger 78 including a locking main blade.



I have both of these knives (my Ranger is an older model, but same tool-set) and I think they have the best selection of tools for the woods; everything I'd need and little I don't. The Ranger is more of a belt carry sized tool, so I got the smaller SAK to pocket carry along side my fixed blade (my son is now using the Ranger).

Looking at the Victorinox line-up, it seems that the One-Hand Trekker NS and the Hiker are pretty much the equivalent to the above Wenger knives (except the Hiker doesn't have a locking blade and it has a small blade in the place of the Wenger's nail file).