Generally, "survival knife" or "wilderness knife" conjures up a fairly long Ramboesque short sword, typically used for combat - the sort of sturdy, tough knife issued to troops in the field. For civilian purposes, such a knife is just unnecessary weight. Today, nearly everyone venturing into wilderness does so on purpose, perhaps with the exception of plane crash survivors (I believe we had a hearty discussion about whether such was even possible). People going into the woods don't do empty handed these days.

Certainly when I have been in wilderness, either the formally designated areas or the de facto kind, I have equipped myself with selected items that take care of basic needs for the duration. Those items have always included a knife-like object that most of the time has been a SAK, but which is now a Leatherman, usually. Occasionally I have supplemented such with a 4" fixed blade like the CRKT Stiff Kiss (minimum weight).

Looking back on numerous trips, have I ever said - "Oh, my! I wish I had a bigger, badder knife!" Well, no. The SAK has done just fine. Remember Aron Ralston? He self amputated his arm with a cheap-o multitool which would meet with utter disdain by nearly all of us here on ETS (me included). A sharp blade is handy and useful. but if worse comes to worse, a substitute can often be improvised, like everything else in a grim survival situation.

Knives are fun and makers today, both factory and custom, turn out some really fine pieces, and folks are willing to buy them, which is fine. But you can get by very well with something far less expensive and spectacular. Most "survival" knives are overblown, overpriced, and overhyped. Moras would appear to be the exception.

And there is too great a chance the survival knife will be sitting in the drawer when you need it and you will be fending off doom with your sturdy SAK. So, CM, your are right - the knife you have with you is the best survival knife.

End of rant......