Tactical-Knife Styles

Tactical knives are blades that are designed to be used in the military, and they’re made to be especially useful in close combat. Of course, most of us will never have to be in a combat situation, but combat knives’ utility extends well beyond their military applications. They’re also great as survival knives and hunting knives. On top of that, they’re just plain cool. Any time you’re going out into the wilderness, even if it’s just for an afternoon hike, it’s always nice to have a tactical knife in your pack or your boot. You may never have to use it, but then again you never know what’s going to happen out in the woods. The tactical knife provides a welcome sense of security.

If you’re considering purchasing a tactical knife, here are a few tactical knife styles to consider:

Boot knives

As the name implies, boot knives are specially designed to fit comfortably in your boot. There are a couple of advantages to this. First, boot knives are difficult for others to detect on sight. Second, a knife kept in the boot is easy to access. Of course, the one disadvantage of boot tactical knives is that they have to be relatively small, but the best boot knives pack a lot of punch inside the compact package.

Example: Tactical Boot Knife SWHRT1 By Smith & Wesson

Tactical pocket knives

The great advantage of pocket knives is that they can be folded, which makes them small and easy to carry. However, knives that are made to fold are almost invariably weaker than their straight-blade counterparts. That said, some manufacturers have come up with some brilliant designs to strengthen their pocket knives. A perfect example is the 4.5-Inch Tactical Pocket Knife by Trademark Global.

Tactical survival knives

Tactical and survival knives tend to have a lot of qualities in common. But while tactical knives are designed specifically for combat, survival knives are designed to be useful for a variety of purposes. A robust survival blade that doubles as a tactical knife is one of the best tools you can have in the wilderness. The only drawback is that these knives can be pretty heavy.

Example: Pathfinder Tactical Knife by United Cutlery

Law enforcement knives

Many police departments throughout the world arm their officers with an updated version of traditional tactical knives. These vary in size and shape, but most are designed to be relatively compact and lightweight. And since police officers have to be out in the public, most law enforcement knives are designed to attach to the belt in a secure manner so that no one other than the officer can remove them.

Example: TDI Law Enforcement Knife by Fox

Bayonet knives

These days, few people carry actual bayonets, but there are some very nice bayonet-inspired tactical knives that are characterized by their straight, sleek designs are quite formidable in combat situations. And if you invest in a nice, modern bayonet knife with serrated edges, it should be useful for plenty of other outdoor activities.

Example: CKTACBSD Tactical Serrated Drop Point Knife