I mentioned a lot of my choices in a thread below, but here's a summary from my limited experience.<br><br>-As far as a fixed blade choice, I think the Cold Steel SRK is probably the best choice, and that's what I keep in the backpack kit. I live in a city where the biggest possibilty for a crisis event will be a major earthquake, where the density of automobiles per square mile is the largest of any US city, and where local government and social conditions are such that there is little real preparation for this eventuality. If you guessed that I live in San Francisco, you would be correct. <br><br>Anyways, my projected situation is survivng a major quake in an urban setting where my basic choices are to sit it out, or, if my home becomes unsafe, to bug out on foot, since everyone else will be in their cars, and so the streets will be clogged. <br><br>All of this means that while a fixed blade may be good to have on hand, it has to one which is fairly expendable and which can be moved easily from belt to your pack, or be ditched if necessary. It does not pay to be seen with a knife on your belt by certain people, and depending on the weather, you may have to wear a long coat for warmth, thus making any sheath knife you wear on your belt a concealed weapon, whether you intend it as such or not. Needless to say, being stopped by authorities in such a condition wastes both your time and theirs. <br><br>The SRK fits all of the requirements - it's relatively inexpensive, it's sensibly designed and very strong, and very sharp. The scabbard is kydex, rigid enough to stop the blade going through under virtually any impact and it won't rot. The belt loop opens quickly so you can dismount or ditch the knife quickly, yet is secured with both velcro and a metal snap, so it will stay on your belt as long as you want it to. Just about the only drawback to it is that you'll need to ensure the edge stays clean after use, as it's made from carbon steel.<br><br>The main knife of the kit- carried on the person at all times- is a Benchmade 710, a large folder that acts very much like a fixed blade knife in use. It also has a coated carbon steel blade, and while I wouldn't use it as a climbing stake or a prybar, I can use it for almost everything else. My only concerns with it is that while the Axis lock is very smooth and tight, I wonder if it's really as strong as a framelock. I also wonder how long it will take the Legislature to figure out that it could be construed to be a gravity knife. Also, it pays to have access to an even smaller bladed knife for certain tasks. Ever try gutting a mackerel with a 4 or 5 inch blade? <br><br>Which is why I bought a Mission MPF. This knife is probably the most well-thought out design of any large folder I have ever seen. It features a very natural grip shape, an a large choil in front of the handle, below the large ricasso. This means two things: one, you can use an alternative forward grip to use the knife in such a way you would a much smaller knife; and two, the thumb studs are completely clear of the blade area above the edge, which means you can use the entire edge for cutting deep into materials. Even the serrations are oriented on the right side of the blade rather than the left like most folders. This means that the serrations work even better for right-handed cutting. <br><br>The drawbacks to this knife, apart from its high price, are the peculiarities of its base material - it's 100% titanium. That means is proportionally bigger and thicker than the steel equivalent in some dimensions, and also, it dulls more quickly. On the other hand, it's easier to sharpen than a steel blade. <br><br>My EDC knife as of now is a Chris Reeve NICA Small Sebenza. It's as sharp as my carbon steel knives, and much easier to carry in most situations. The NICA Sebenza has a "Tanto"-style point which is very strong. Unlike most "Tanto"-style knives, the blade has a conventional double grind rather than a flat one-sided chisel grind. If I only had access to one knife, I would hope it's this one. <br><br><br><br><br><br>