What do Eli, Jason Voorhees, and Isador Cortez have in common? If you answered machetes then you know your movies.
Machetes are one of the favorite weapons in many action and horror flicks. You’ve seen Jason use it in the Friday the 13th film franchise, and Denzel Washington’s character in the apocalyptic film, The Book of Eli. There’s even a movie called Machete starring ex-con and real life tough guy Danny Trejo as Cortez. As you guessed, Trejo’s character uses a badass machete to get his revenge on the people who wronged him.
As scary as machetes seem, they are actually a great weapon and tool to have, especially if you like spending going on adventures in the wild. It’s actually the perfect survival tool. You can use machetes to chop wood for fire, which you need to cook food, boil water, keep warm and send signals. Machetes are also useful in cutting through brush and clearing a trail, especially if you have to stay off an existing trail. It’s also useful in preparing meals and building shelters. Most importantly, machetes can help you defend yourself.
Below are ten of the top machetes in the market right now.
Gerber Gator Machete Jr
The Gerber Gator Machete Jr. is a logical choice if you’re skimping out a bit but still want quality for your money. The Gator Jr is shorter than most machetes. Its high carbon steel blade measures 10.75 inches while the overall length is only 18.75 inches. It’s also lighter than other machetes at 14.30 ounces. Because of these features, the Gator Jr is great for back country travel. It’s also perfect for people who doesn’t want to or can’t lug around a huge blade.
The Gerber Gator Machete Jr is available for $25 on Amazon. The full-sized version measures 25.7 inches, weighs 18 ounces and sells for around $30, also on Amazon. Both Gators come with a nylon sheath.
Fiskars 29 Inch Machete Axe
The Finnish company, Fiskars, is known for its innovatively designed machetes and its 29-inch Machete Axe is no different. You’d also expect quality from a company that’s been around since 1649. The Fiskars Machete Axe sports an 18-inch blade that resembles an axe. It’s particularly designed for difficult tasks that needs to be done quickly. That makes it the perfect tool your overgrown garden.
The Machete Axe comes with a nylon sheath. It weighs 2.62 pounds and costs $25 on Amazon.
Cold Steel 97KMS Kukri Machete
A Kukri is a type of curved knife, which originated in Nepal. It’s similar to a machete so we’re including the Cold Steel Kukri in this list since it’s one of the better machetes in the market right now.
This kukri sports a 13-inch steel blade that’s 2.75 mm thick. It also boasts of a polypropylene handle and a Cor-Ex sheath. It has the weight-forward balance feature common in Cold Steel’s high-end machetes. The Cold Steel Kukri measures 18 inches in total and weighs 16 ounces.
The Cold Steel 97KMS Kukri is available on Amazon only $29.93, a reasonable price from a company known for its high quality machetes.
SOG SOGfari Kukri Machete MC11-N
The SOGfari Kukri by SOG is one of its most portable and affordable machetes in its stable. It sports a 12-inch 3C313 high carbon steel blade with double ground teeth at the back for sawing. It also has a Kraton rubber handle for a comfortable grip that helps make brush clearing and trail blazing such easy tasks. Like other machetes, the SOGfari Kukri is also used for preparing meals, chopping wood, and self-defense.
The SOG SOGfari Kukri measures 18 inches in total, weighs 15 ounces and sells for $32.99 on Amazon at the moment.
SOG SOGFari 18” Machete MC02-N
Among the machetes in this short list, the SOG SOGfari is perhaps the best tool to have in a survival situation. The 18-inch long and 0.8-inch thick blade comes with a serrated edge at the back of the blade, which is perfect for sawing. The straight edge side of this multi-purpose tool is useful in clearing brush, chopping wood, slicing food, and building your shelter. There’s also a spiked tang on the back of the handle, which you can use for pounding and scraping.
The black powder coated blade of the SOGfari is made of 3CR13 stainless steel. The handle, meanwhile, is made of Kraton and features holes for lanyards. This machete measures a total of 24 inches and weighs 15.7 ounces.
The SOG SOGfari Machete is available on Amazon for around $35 per piece.
Ontario 9001143 18″ Military Machete
The Ontario Knife Company Military Machete is named such because it follows military specifications. In fact, the company has been making these quality machetes for the U.S. military since the Second World War.
The 1095 carbon steel blade measures 18 inches while the overall length is 24 inches. It also weighs 24 ounces. The Ontario Military Machete sports a riveted plastic handle that’s molded into a more comfortable grip.
The full tang machete can be used in cutting down thick branches. It’s a bit on the heavy side so a full day of hacking may take its toll on your arm. It’s also serviceable when it comes to gardening tasks such as cutting yard bushes and even weeds, though there may be better options for these particular chores.
The Ontario Military Machete costs $35.76 on Amazon.
Gerber Bear Grylls Parang Machete
Machetes named after a popular celebrity survivalist should not only look and feel good but also perform well outdoors. Fortunately, the Gerber Bear Grylls Parang Machete does not disappoint.
When you’re lost in the jungle, this Gerber Parang is a good tool to have. Its full tang high carbon steel angled blade is heavy and sturdy enough for hacking branches and clearing brush. It also features an ergonomic textured rubber grip and comes with a lightweight and mildew-resistant nylon sheath that fits military specifications. As a bonus, it comes with survival tips courtesy of Grylls.
The Gerber Bear Grylls Parang Machete measures 19.5 inches overall while the blade is 13.5 inches long. It weighs 19.4 ounces and comes with a price tag of around $42 on Amazon.
Ka-Bar 2-1249-9 Kukri
The Ka-Bar company has a lot of history on its side. It’s been making quality knives for quite some time now. In fact, it was a popular knife brand during World War II. Ka-Bar continues its tradition of quality with the Kukri, a full tang machete with 11.5 inches of 1085 carbon steel blade perfect for cutting and chopping in the wild. The fixed blade comes in a gorgeous black epoxy powder coating while the handle is made of ergonomic Kragon G thermoplastic elastomer material. It measures 17 inches overall and comes with a sheath made of black leather and Cordura.
The Ka-Bar 2-1249-9 Kukri retails for around $68 on Amazon.
Kershaw Camp 18 Machete
The Kershaw Camp Series are some of the top machetes in the market right now. The Camp 18 machete, for example, boasts of an 18-inch 65MN steel blade that’s built to last. The stunning black powder coated blade is capable of a variety of tasks from blazing trails to cutting down thick branches to splitting zombie heads in two. The handle looks tough and pretty at the same time thanks to its textured rubber layer over solid polymer.
The Kershaw Camp 18 measures 24 inches, weighs 23.1 pounds and can be yours for a reasonable $70 on Amazon.
Ka-Bar KA1249-BRK Machete Cutlass
Another quality product from Ka-Bar, the Machete Cutlass is one of the best machetes so far this year. As the name implies this Ka-Bar machete utilizes a cutlass style or design. The blade is made of 1085 carbon steel and coated in black epoxy powder. The 11-inch blade curves at a 20-degree angle and comes with a hollow grind. The handle, meanwhile, is Kraton G thermoplastic elastomer. It also comes with a leather and Condura sheath.
The Ka-Bar is 16.5-inches long, weighs 1.12 pounds and costs around $77 on Amazon right now.
Machetes are a must-have for everyone who values their lives and those of their loved ones. Surviving disasters and other emergencies is not just about stocking up on food and water. It’s also about having the right gear and knowing how to use them in different ways. Machetes are some of the survival tools that are perfect for your outdoors adventures and prepping needs as they do a lot of tasks and make you look cool while doing them.
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