Do you practice with the knife you carry every day?
9 times out of 10 I use a fixed blade while I’m outdoors. However, in my everyday life, I EDC a folding knife. So, recently, I thought it’d be fun to only bring folding knives into the field and see how the different models worked out. After all, this is the type of knife that is on my person at all times, right?
In the case of the Cold Steel Recon 1 S35VN, it performed phenomenally. This is a very strong knife that can handle a lot more abuse than most other folding knives. The tanto blade shape was honestly pretty fun to work with, which was a surprise to me as it’s not designed for outdoorsy tasks.
Cold Steel Recon 1 S35VN
The Cold Steel Recon 1 S35VN is built like a tank and would be up for any task that I could ask of it. To prove that, I did not baby this knife at all. I experimented with it as a one-tool-option for batoning, feather sticks, carving and everything else. No blade play or lock failures to speak of here.
As much as I love fixed blades, I really enjoy a high-quality folder too. In fact, there are a lot of times I would rather use my folding knives around camp because of how convenient they are.
So…A Folding Knife for Outdoors?
All in all, this exercise made me think a little deeper about the tool I carry every day. Especially since I’m surrounded by the outdoors and woods in my little rural town. And to give my answer to the question above, I encourage you to try your folding knives in the outdoors. Don’t expect them to perform like a dedicated bushcraft fixed blade. But, you might be surprised (for the good or bad) by the knife that’s in your pocket.
Some folding knives, like the Cold Steel Recon 1, are fantastic in the outdoors. While others…Eh, they should stick to opening packages and light EDC Chores.
Cold Steel Recon 1 EDC
Often times on these quick day hikes or jaunts in the outdoors, I’ll only carry a couple of pocketable tools to keep things lightweight, but give me some capabilities.
Along with the Recon 1, here are some of my recent favorite items:
- Cold Steel Recon 1 S35VN:
As I’ve already mentioned, this is a tank of a knife and I’m a big fan of it! - ExoTac ripSPOOL:
This tool is my new go-to for repairs & overall tinkering. It provides you with the capability to sew, make repairs, stow a fishing kit away, perform first aid, make fires and more. For me, it’s a no-brainer to carry along. - Paracord:
Who can’t find a purpose for paracord?! There are hundreds 😉
Have questions about the Cold Steel Recon 1 or anything else in this article? Drop me a comment below!
Ready to buy: Cold Steel Recon 1 S35VN
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