Posted in Buying Guides Climbing

Best Climbing Knife 2021

Author Grant Smith Estimated read time 4 min read

Carrying a knife while climbing might seem strange, even unsafe. But there are many reasons for having a knife, especially on multi-pitch or alpine routes. Some common uses include cutting old webbing from existing rappel stations, cutting new webbing for rappel stations, first aid, cutting a stuck or damaged section of rope, or even just for cutting meat and cheese for lunch. While many of these scenarios might not happen very often, when you need it, it’s critically important. For this reason, pretty much every professional climbing guide considers a knife an indispensable part of their climbing kit. There are lots of options out there for climbing knives. Here’s our list of the top climbing knife options on the market, sorted by category, to help you find the very best climbing knife for you.

KnifePriceWeight (grams)Buy Now
Petzl Spatha$3043Amazon
Backcountry
Trango Piranha$2020Trango
Edelrid Rope Tooth$2048Backcountry
Amazon
CRKT Jettison Climbing Knife$4017Amazon
Trango Barracuda$2582Amazon
Spyderco Snap-It Salt$9268Amazon
Gerber Remix $3462Amazon
Leatherman Squirt PS4$3957REI
Amazon
Razor Blade$15The Different Types of Climbing Explained

Best All-Around Climbing Knife

Petzl Spatha

Best Climbing Knife: Peztl Spatha

Price: $30

Weight: 43 grams

Blade length: 2.75 inches

What we like:

  • It’s combination straight and serrated long 2.75 inch blade makes it useful for any scenario you might encounter.
  • Notch in the blade helps you open it with bare hands while the textured wheel allows you to open it with gloves on.
  • A good balance of weight and blade length with a reasonable price makes this our all-around best climbing knife.

Buy Now: Backcountry Ι Amazon

Read more: Best Approach Shoes 2021

Best Lightweight Budget Option

Trango Piranha

Best climbing knife: Trango Piranha

Price: $20

Weight: 20 grams

Blade Length: 1 inch

What we like:

  • 440c Stainless steel serrated blade is incredibly strong.
  • At 20 grams, you’ll barely noticed the Piranha is there, until you need it.
  • At $20, it’s an obvious choice for our best climbing knife for those on a budget.

Buy Now: Trango Ι Amazon

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Best Budget Option with a Longer Blade

Edelrid Rope Tooth Knife

Best climbing knife: Edelrid Rope Tooth

Price: $20

Weight: 48 grams

Blade Length: ~3 inches

What we like:

  • Half straight/half serrated blade is nearly 3 inches long, making it useful for more scenarios than many of the shorter knives on this list.
  • Blade locks into place when opened, but can be closed one-handed.
  • Large attachment hole allows for easy attachment with a carabiner to a harness or backpack.

Buy Now: Amazon Ι Backcountry

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More Long Blade Climbing Knife Options

Spyderco Snap-It Salt

Best Climbing Knife: Spyderco Snap-It Salt

Price: $92

Weight: 68 grams

Blade Length: 2.96

What we like:

  • Built in carabiner clip allows for easy attachment to your backpack, harness, or belt loop.
  • Great choice for climbers looking for an everyday knife they can also take climbing.
  • Long, heavy-duty blade with fiberglass, nylon, and rubber handle makes for a great long-lasting knife for multiple uses.

Buy Now: Amazon

RELATED: What’s Trad Climbing? A Brief Explanation

CRKT Jettison

CRKT long blade knife

Price: $40

Weight: 127 grams

Blade Length: 3.26

What we like:

  • Titanium handle means it is extremely strong but still lightweight.
  • Loop can fit small cord to keep it attached to your harness.
  • Frame Lock keeps the knife secure when folded.

Buy Now: Amazon

Check out: Best Climbing Ropes 2021

Gerber Remix

Price: $34

Weight: 119 grams

Blade Length: 2.9

What we like:

  • Large circular ring for easy handling and clipping into a carabiner.
  • Aluminum handle for strength and corrosion resistance.
  • Half serrated blade for versatility.

Buy Now: Amazon

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Best Multitool for Climbing

Leatherman Squirt PS4

Best Climbing Knife: Leatherman Squirt PS4

Price: $39

Weight: 57 grams

Blade Length: 1.6 inches

What we like:

  • Lighter than many of the knife options on this list, yet comes with nine different tools–including screwdrivers, scissors, knife blade, and pliers.
  • Key ring attachment makes it easy to carry on a harness, in a pack, or on your belt.
  • Great for use during longer alpine climbing trips where you might need multiple tools.

Buy Now: Amazon Ι REI

Looking for other climbing gear? How to Choose Rock Climbing Shoes

Bargain Hunter’s Favorite

Razorblade

Best Climbing Knife: Razorblade

Price: ~$1

Weight: ~5 grams

Blade Length: 1.5 inches

What we like:

  • Maybe the best climbing knife isn’t a knife at all, but a razorblade. Create your own climbing tape pouch (make sure its thick and holds the razorblade snugly) and store it in your chalk bag, climbing pack, or even in your helmet.
  • Super cheap and lightweight it’s a no brainer for those on the fence about even carrying a knife.
  • Easy to set up and forget about until you really need something that can cut.

Buy razor blades on Amazon Ι Buy climbing tape at REI

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