Thread: Knife Belt or no knife belt?

Hunting the weekend before Xmas I bloody left my knife at home, needless to say I spooked a hind walking in, first animal seen in the Kaimais for me and shes still there as a result of not double checking the gear (Realising no knife, I left my gun strapped to my pack instead of hunting my way in)
I usually will wear a belt and day pack if on day missions, but carry it in my pack when walking in easily accessible on top of my stuff.

2 knives on my belt, plastic bag with my lunch in it tucked down the front of me and I"m off for the day pig hunting. Similar when deer hunting as I usually only go for a few hour"s

I used to keep knives on my belt, after losing a couple in scrub I now keep them in the top pocket of my pack or in a bumbag if thats what I'm using.

Same with PLB, I understand the reasoning behind having a PLB on you instead of in your pack but I've never found a practical/comfortable way of carrying it while wearing a pack.

I'm a bumbag guy also for day hunts. Multiday it is clipped onto a pack, so if I'm based from one spot I can leave the big pack in camp. Has knife on the bumbag strap and a spare folder inside. Carries as much as most smaller packs do. Great for carry outs and thick country. I've never lost a fixed blade on the belt ever but that comes down to a proper fitting sheath that holds the knife. That said shit happens and a small back up folder can be a life saver.

I've been thinking about this thread and why I wear stuff on my belt, and why some don't or never had.

I wonder if its sort of a reflection of the growing divide between town and country - a cultural thing.

I spent 25 years farming and shepherding and a knife and note book pouch was always on my belt. Both as a shepherd and as a farm owner. A sort of badge of honour as well as being totally practical. We even wore them in the pub. -

Then when I went meat hunting it was the same except it was a knife and ammo pouch. It didn't matter what background we came from - it was what we did - cullers were the same. A shared rural/land culture and because we didn't use any day packs or if we did it was a sugar back it was best to have our stuff easily accessible on our belt.

So even today (in my 70th year) I feel naked with out something on my belt when I go hunting. Inspite of spending the last 30 years as a professional in a city. For me, its embedded culture,

Nowadays though I expect that many hunters get kitted out by shiny arsed shop attendants or mates who have no rural connection. Their connection is with the internet and advertising and no rural connection at all. That's their embedded culture.

Its sort of like me feeling naked without my knife and my grandkids feeling naked without their iPad.

So having all of your shit in a modern day pack is probably quite sensible, and having it all dragging your pants down is probably a bit silly. But I prefer the latter because its embedded into my personal culture.

I have a knife on the belt. Carry it on the left side so it doesnt knock against the rifle stock. I dont carry a PLB on my belt of course because I'm not a fucking japanese schoolgirl.

I know what Tahr is saying, when I was a kid having a sheath knife on the belt meant you were a hunter.

Originally Posted by berg243

kids wanted a sheath knife for cutting down trees and digging holes and carving stuff and stabbing eels.

LOL thats exactly what I was doing when I was a kid. And throwing them at water rats, tying them on the end of sticks etc. Inheriting sheath knives from my grandfather and my father was entry level into bushstuff and hunting.
I was out with some hunters a while back and was amazed to find they didnt know how to make a spear for getting eels. I said what the fuck were you doing when you were a kid.

I wear a tacticool combat vest as my day pack. I may look like a dork, but the thing is super functional. It has a pocket on the back for my water bladder, big pockets for food and clothing, a nice flat accessible one for my map, and small ones for my folding knife and PLB. Best of all, I'm unlikely to take it off and go for a wander by accident.

I just wish it was designed with tall people in mind. Done up properly its more of a combat sports bra...

https://www.armyandoutdoors.co.nz/co...nt=36533030094

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Originally Posted by Solo

I wear a tacticool combat vest as my day pack. I may look like a dork, but the thing is super functional. It has a pocket on the back for my water bladder, big pockets for food and clothing, a nice flat accessible one for my map, and small ones for my folding knife and PLB. Best of all, I'm unlikely to take it off and go for a wander by accident.

I just wish it was designed with tall people in mind. Done up properly its more of a combat sports bra...

https://www.armyandoutdoors.co.nz/co...nt=36533030094

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Tried this idea and got sick of not being able to squeeze through gaps between trees and under bush lawyer where I thought I should fit!

@Tahr you're absolutly correct from my thinking. I grew up on the farm, knife was the tool of many uses. I too feel naked without my "kit" around the waist.
I posted this thread to get an idea of how our hunting culture differs from hunter to hunter and how our age & experience reflects on our beliefs.

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Originally Posted by 223nut

Tried this idea and got sick of not being able to squeeze through gaps between trees and under bush lawyer where I thought I should fit!

That's what my other knife is for


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I've always had a knife, on the belt, and a small NZFS canvas pouch, with a few bits and pieces,. ( first aid, small twin blade Swiss army knife, loose ammo, rope/twine, couple hooks, candle, rubber bike tube and matches/lighter) gets added, when hunting further than an hour or two from road end, I like a small day pack, in more open country, but the snag on everything in thick scrub.

A buck knife on my bum pack with other bits and sack pikau with extra gear, food, plb and I`m off.

Hmmm this thread has got me digging out a belt just for knife plb and a small pouch to make a bit more room in my day bag

Originally Posted by Tahr

I've been thinking about this thread and why I wear stuff on my belt, and why some don't or never had.

I wonder if its sort of a reflection of the growing divide between town and country - a cultural thing.

I spent 25 years farming and shepherding and a knife and note book pouch was always on my belt. Both as a shepherd and as a farm owner. A sort of badge of honour as well as being totally practical. We even wore them in the pub. -

Then when I went meat hunting it was the same except it was a knife and ammo pouch. It didn't matter what background we came from - it was what we did - cullers were the same. A shared rural/land culture and because we didn't use any day packs or if we did it was a sugar back it was best to have our stuff easily accessible on our belt.

So even today (in my 70th year) I feel naked with out something on my belt when I go hunting. Inspite of spending the last 30 years as a professional in a city. For me, its embedded culture,

Nowadays though I expect that many hunters get kitted out by shiny arsed shop attendants or mates who have no rural connection. Their connection is with the internet and advertising and no rural connection at all. That's their embedded culture.

Its sort of like me feeling naked without my knife and my grandkids feeling naked without their iPad.

So having all of your shit in a modern day pack is probably quite sensible, and having it all dragging your pants down is probably a bit silly. But I prefer the latter because its embedded into my personal culture.

Classic. Presumably you swaggered into the Pongoroa boozer with your Green River on your hip and told the barman to stack up the beers as blood dripped off your swanny.