Best hunting knives are a must-have for any outdoor adventure. A dependable blade can make all the difference when field dressing or processing game. That’s why the experts at Hunt Alaska magazine have handpicked the finest options. From skinning to butchering, we’ve got the perfect hunting knives for your next excursion.
Best Hunting Knives
MKC Meat Church Chef Knife
This is a heck of a chef’s knife. Made with MagnaCut stainless steel, it retains an edge and also is corrosion resistant. Publisher Marcus Weiner worked it over hard in the kitchen and liked the size, weight, and heft of the knife for everyday chopping and dicing tasks, as well as meat trimming and post-butchering meat breakdown in preparation for cooking. The full-tang handle is made from G-10, the knife weighs 6.29 ounces with a 5-7/8” blade and 10-5/8” overall length. The Meat Church is available in 3 handle colors: black, red, and orange & black.
Gerber DoubleDown Folding Machete
“I never really saw the need for a machete in Alaska, until I made the climb through the rainforest jungle to the alpine on Baranof Island,” said George Krumm. Recommended by a friend, George got one thinking it would probably never leave his pack, but it proved incredibly helpful. Since it folds, it is fairly compact. The DoubleDown can easily stow in a pack, on a belt, or attached to MOLLE.
The unique design allows the user 3 distinct functions in one compact package: chop, cut, and baton. A patent-pending 4-lock system engages in 3 positions to ensure safe operation under varying levels of stress. It’s 15” long when opened and weighs 18 ounces. 18 ounces seems like a lot, but George found it definitely worth its weight. This may seem heavy, but when you’re hacking your way through a temperate rainforest jungle, you won’t think it’s heavy. The DoubleDown is also useful for clearing brush to make a wilderness campsite or for prepping firewood. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty and is made in the USA.
Spyderco Native Chief Lightweight Salt CPM MagnaCut
Publisher Marcus Weiner has long been a fan of Spyderco knives. He had this to say, “I carry a Spyderco folding knife with me everyday, and continue to be impressed with the variety, quality and consistency in their blades. I have been carrying the Native Chief Lightweight Salt for the last 6+ months. It’s lightweight, which I especially appreciate, supremely sharp, and will not rust. I really like the finger choil for control, and the full-flat-ground edge. These are all terrific qualities.” The blade is made from CPM MagnaCut, which is blade steel that combines corrosion repulsion with edge retention. It’s available in both PlainEdge and fully serrated SpyderEdge formats; Marcus chose the PlainEdge model. The non-slip handle and pocket clip, which provides 4 carry options, complement this excellent blade.
Benchmade Mini Crooked River 15085-2
The handle on this folder is made of gray, anodized aluminum bolsters with an attractive “eye” accent and attractive, dark-brown stabilized wood. The clip-point blade is made of stonewashed CPM-S30V steel and is 3.4” long. The knife weighs 3.29 ounces and is 4.5” long when closed. The knife features the AXIS Lock mechanism which locks the blade in the fully open position. The knife is designed for tip-up carry. This knife has a traditional look and feel, but with 21st century materials and craftsmanship. Editor George Krumm used this knife to field-dress and quarter a Montana mule deer last fall. While he might prefer the Taggedout for weight, The Mini Crooked River is just as capable with a similar mechanism and similar blade geometry. Lifetime warranty. Free sharpening for life. Made in the USA.
Benchmade Altitude
If you are a hunter that considers every ounce that goes into your pack, then this knife is right for you. The knife and sheath combined weigh less than 3 ounces. The handle is made from carbon fiber, the drop-point blade is Cerakote finished, has a 3.08” length, and is made from S90V stainless steel. Publisher Marcus Weiner used it on moose and deer hunts in 2025, and it held an edge nicely and took a new edge easily. He likes the orange-colored blade as it makes it much easier to find when you put it down while field-butchering an animal.
Gerber Strongarm Camp Knife
The knife is beefy enough for camp tasks like cutting paracord, whittling kindling, or chopping off small tree branches to clear space for you to pitch your tent. But it’s also refined enough to use as a skinning knife as shown here. Charles Weiner shot a blacktail buck and used this knife to skin the deer, and then again to remove the quarters for deboning. The Strongarm has a handle with rubberized diamond texture, and that provides good purchase even when the knife is wet or bloody.
Benchmade Taggedout 15535OR-01 Carbon Fiber
The clip-point blade of this incredibly light, stylish folder is made of CPM-MagnaCut stainless steel with an orange Cerakote finish. The scales are stylish, laminated carbon fiber. This is a beautiful knife with some very strong features for hunters. The knife weighs just 2.44 ounces yet is big enough for field-dressing big-game animals. The blade is about 3.5” long, and the closed length of the knife is 4.69”. The orange Cerakoted blade stands out so you’re less likely to accidentally lose it or overlook it. It comes with a Mini Deep Carry pocket clip for tip-up carry.
The knife has the AXIS Lock mechanism which works to lock the blade in the fully open position. We used this knife to dress and quarter a Sitka blacktail, as well as skin the skull for a Euro mount. The MagnaCut blade stayed sharp through it all. Our tester comments he could hardly tell he’d used the knife after cleaning it up. Whether you’re going on a 10-day backcountry sheep hunt where ounces matter, or simply hunting from a 4-wheeler or base camp, the Taggedout is light enough to carry, but tough enough to do the job. Lifetime warranty. Free sharpening for life. Made in the USA.
Benchmade Meatcrafter Maple Valley Richlite
This knife wears several hats. We took it with us into the field for butchering tasks, and then brought it back into the kitchen for more refined processing and meat preparation. At first blush, you’ll notice the beautiful handle, which gives it an heirloom feel. Next, you’ll appreciate the razor-sharp, trailing-point, 6-inch blade which is made from CPM-154 stainless steel. Housed in a Benchmade sheath, the knife weighs 5.13 ounces, a comfortable weight providing both feel and heft. Benchmade provides lifetime, free sharpening service and a lifetime warranty on the knife, both impressive additions to an already superior product.