I think you’ll agree with me when i say….
Boot knives are the most concealed and lethal weapon you can carry …But finding a good quality and durable boot knife is pretty hard nowadays. Because there are so many options available in the market and it’s confusing.
So In this post I’ll review Top 10 Best boot knifes. And I’ll cover all the good and bad aspect in detail. So that you can finally decide which one to buy.
Best Boot Knife
In this article...
1. CRKT Shrill Double Edge Boot Knife
CRTK shrill is a fixed blade boot knife that to me, looks similar to a kunai blade from naruto (TV Show). This go-to knife’s blade is made up of 4.8 inches long ‘8Cr13MoV steel’ which is a Chinese copy of AUS8. It is almost the same as AUS8 but a little bit of lower quality in edge retention and corrosion resistance. But the bottom line is that it is a very capable stainless steel for a variety of uses.
The blade of the knife has a dual-edge design that came razor-sharp from the factory. We were able to pierce through a number of materials out of the box. The dual-edge blade is very capable when it comes to offense or defense. You stand a greater chance of landing a severe blow to vital organs. The blade is not only functional but also looks very good.
It has a titanium nitride blade finish that helps to resist corrosion. It also helps to avoid reflection and concealing its presence. Furthermore, it features a spear point blade shape that is very aggressive and perfect for stabbing or slashing.
Although, we haven’t tried to stab anyone but we have full confidence in its capabilities. The knife has a full tang blade construction with a polished and resin infused handle. The handle itself looks very low profile and fits perfectly with the design language of the rest of the knife. It is also very comfortable to hold and provides a very solid grip on the knife.
It did not fatigue our hand, even after a long practice session with the knife. However, the handle does not cover the whole tang of the blade. And this can be problematic for some people. The CRKT shrill comes with a very nice black leather sheath.
The knife fits perfectly inside the sheath and does not rattle whatsoever. A drain hole is provided at the bottom to avoid moisture buildup inside the sheath. It also consists of a boot clip to attach it to the boot thereby making it easy to carry.
2. Schrade Needle Boot Knife
Schrade needle is a thin and very lightweight boot knife. It is very durable and has an overall length of 12.7 inches with a blade length of 7.6 inches. It is a bit long for a boot knife but not something to overlook. It is made up of ‘7Cr17MoV High Carbon Steel’ Chinese stainless steel. The steel is mainly used in a wide variety of knives and scissors/medical products.
It is a good quality steel which is hard and corrosion-resistant. It is not difficult to sharpen it and noobs like us were able to do it quite easily. Although, it was not hair popping sharp but we were satisfied with the results. The blade of the knife is very thin and comes razor sharp out of the box. It features a dual-edge blade with serrations on both sides.
The combination of these two makes it a very capable weapon for defensive as well as offensive purposes. You can land a very lethal blow with it if you know how to use it effectively. The blade has a black powder coating on it to protect it against the corrosion.
The coating also helps to avoid reflection in order to make it less visible. Although, it is quite difficult to make it invisible due to its long blade. Moreover, the knife features a very thin spear point blade design that looks like a needle.
It not only looks very aggressive but also performs very aggressively in the field. The blade has a full tang construction with a thermoplastic elastomer handle on it. It is hard and has some texture on it. But the handle is very comfortable and the shape of the handle provides a good grip on the knife. Just like the blade, the handle is also thin but fairly long.
It has a finger guard at the front and pommel hole at the back. The knife comes with a good quality leather sheath that also consists of a boot clip. The clip makes it very easy and convenient to carry the knife around in a boot. The blade fits nicely inside the sheath and does not rattle at all.
3. SOG Snarl Boot Knife
The SOG snarl is a compact but very dangerous boot knife. It is an excellent hidden weapon, which is made up of 2.3 inches long 9CR18MOV stainless steel. The steel is a Chinese high-end steel that has great corrosion resistance properties.
It is hard, wear-resistant and retains its edge for a long time. However, due to its hardness, it is quite a difficult task to sharpen it. Also, it is not very tough when compared to other steel. The closest steel we could compare it to was 440C steel. Both have a very similar chemical composition and properties. The knife is very light and has a finger knife design.
It is specially designed to be stealthy and catch your opponent with a surprise. The blade comes razor-sharp out of the box and we were able to slice through some thick cardboard. Due to its size and weight, it is a very dangerous weapon that can deal lethal damage. Furthermore, the knife has a satin polish throughout its body to protect it from corrosion.
The finish makes the knife look very good but also makes it look shiny. This makes it prone to stand out if you don’t carry it properly. However, it is very easy to make it disappear without much effort. Apart from this, the knife has a full tang construction. The handle does not have padding on it but does not fatigue or hurt the hand in any way.
It is well designed but feels a bit uncomfortable to hold after some time. However, the grip is very nice and even with sweaty hands, we had a solid grip on it. Also, the finger choil, ring pommel, and jimping offers a variety of grip which makes it very versatile.
A small Kydex sheath is provided with the SOG snap to carry it around safely. The knife sits inside the sheath perfectly and does not come loose. The sheath also consists of a boot clip and neck knife chain. This makes it very convenient to mount it on the boot or carry it around the neck.
4. Kershaw Secret Agent
Kershaw secret agent is a well-designed boot knife with great performance and durability. The blade of the knife is 4.4 inches long and made of 8Cr13MoV high carbon stainless steel. The steel is pretty strong and has properties similar to Japanese AUS 8 stainless steel.
It is fairly tough and can take a heavy beating. However, it is a little lower in quality when it comes to edge retention and corrosion resistance compared to AUS8. Also, it is a bit hard to sharpen if you are a beginner. The blade features a spear point design which looks very aggressive.
The edge comes sharp but not super sharp. However, after some sharpening, we were cutting through a number of materials easily. We haven’t got a chance to use it in a real situation. But with all the testing, we do not have any doubts about its ability.
However, it has only one actual cutting edge on the blade, which was quite disappointing for us. A dual-edge would add the overall effectiveness of the blade. And makes it much more lethal in actual combat. The blade also features a black oxide coating that almost converts steel to magnetite. This not only boosts the appearance of the knife.
But also add a protective layer on the steel to resist corrosion. This also helps to avoid unwanted reflection that can make it stand out in the field. The knife has a full tang construction with a synthetic polymer handle. The handle is nicely designed and tapers down as it goes from bottom to the blade. It is very comfortable and feels very natural to hold.
The rubber grip over the handle adds to the overall handling of the knife. Even with the wet hand, it does not slip and perform as it should be. The handle also consists of a finger guard and a pommel with a lanyard hole. To carry the knife easily, it comes with a hard plastic sheath.
The knife fits inside securely and stays in its place. The sheath is very versatile and has a lot of sloths to mouth it according to your liking. It also consists of a boot clip to mouth it on the boot. We don’t know if it is a Kydex sheath or not. But the bottom line is that it is a very nice and functional sheath that perfectly suits the knife.
5. Buck Knives 0616BKS OPS BOOT Tactical Knife
Buck OPS is a tanto style boot knife that is completely made in the USA. The knife has a 3-inch long blade and made up of 154CM high-quality stainless steel. The steel is known for its hardness and rust-resistant properties. It is tough and holds its edge for a long period of time even under excessive use. However, due to its hardness, it is quite brittle and also took a good amount of effort to sharpen.
The blade of the knife has a tanto tip which is modified to make it more functional. It is durable and comes with a very sharp edge from the factory. It also has a pretty strong tip which makes it very capable to penetrate through a number of materials easily.
A combination of all this makes it an extremely reliable and deadly weapon for defense as well as for offense. Moreover, the blade does not have any kind of coating on it as it is stainless steel. However, we advise you to take good care of your knife to extend its overall life span. Also, we wish it to have some kind of coating on the blade to avoid any possible reflections.
The knife is very lightweight and sits at only 2.5 oz, which we absolutely love about it. Furthermore, the knife has a full tang construction which adds support for the heavy cutting applications. The handle is made of nylon G10 handle with the contoured grip and a finger groove.
It is very comfortable to hold and the grip feels very natural. We did not find any hotspot in our testing whatsoever. However, it is a bit small and people with big hands might find it uncomfortable. Now talking about the sheath, you have the option to pick from a plastic or a leather sheath. Both options are very versatile and offer a ton of different mounting styles according to your liking.
6. SOG Instinct Boot Knife
SOG instinct is a small and compact fixed blade boot knife. The blade of the knife is 1.9 inches long and has an overall length of 4.8 inches. It is made up of 5Cr15MoV stainless steel, which is a Chinese equivalent of 420hc steel. It is known for being affordable which makes sense. Because SOG instinct is quite an affordable knife. But it is a bit soft and dull rather quickly compared to other steel.
We had to sharpen it quite frequently after using it for some time. But the good thing is that it does not take much effort to do so. The knife has a clip point which is a versatile point design and perfect for a variety of tasks. The edge comes sharp out of the box and consists of a good belly. This allows for quick deep cuts which is perfect for EDC purposes like meat preparation.
Also, it is quite pointy making it very suitable for stabbing for defense as well as for offense application. The blade has a satin finish on it which helps to resist corrosion and make it look shiny. It also has a jimping on top near the handle to improve the handling.
Overall, it has a very simple design which is very easy to maintain. The knife has a full tang construction with G10 handle grips bolted on top of it. The handle is small and sharped nicely for a three-finger grip. It is just big enough to accommodate three fingers only.
The fit is comfortable though but after some time it gets painful and tiring. The grips are textured to provide a good grip over the knife and prevent your hands from sliding. However, the grips are not removable and you are stuck with them until they wear out.
The sheath of the knife is absolutely fantastic and made up of molded Kydex. It features many slots and eyelids to carry/mount it according to your liking. Also, it also consists of a boot clip to carry it inside the boot.
7. Cold Steel Kobun Fixed Blade AUS 8A Plain Boot Knife
Cold steel ‘kobun’ is a lightweight boot knife that looks like a miniature form of the Japanese katana blade. The knife has a 5.5 inches long blade with a hollow grind and made of Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel. The steel is renowned for its rust resistance and ease of sharpening. However, the edge dulls fairly easily and need frequent touch ups when compared to other hard steel.
Also, because it is not as hard, the blade will bend instead of breaking under extremely heavy load. The knife has a tanto blade design with a thick spine. The designers of the cold steel knives are really fond of tanto blades. They have at least fifteen tanto knives in their catalog.
Taking about the tanto blade, it is a great stabbing weapon. It is very capable of penetrating through laminated armor and kobun is not an exception. Kobun is an excellent combat knife with a reinforced tip which is almost impossible to snap off.
Whether it is defense or offense, it proves to be a very impressive combat knife. The blade comes razor sharp and was able to slice through paper right out of the box. But because of its design and edge angle. It was not as sharp as some of our other knives are.
The bottom line is that this blade is meant for stabbing and not for slicing. The knife has a rat-tail tang construction instead of the full tang. This does make it slightly weak but does affect its functionality. The handle of the knife is very comfortable and has slight palm swell. The texture on the handle provides a solid grip and secure it in the hand.
The handle is a bit thin but we had no problems with it. There is also a lanyard hole at the bottom of the handle. A black plastic/Kydex is provided with the knife. It has a boot clip and many holes to carry it according to your preferred way.
8. Old Timer 162OT Boot Knife 7.8in High Carbon S.S
The Schrade old timer is a fixed blade boot knife with a retro look. It is a kind of knife that people would carry in the cowboy days. The knife has an overall length of 7.8 inches with a blade length of 3.8 inches. The blade is made up of “7Cr17MoV High Carbon” Stainless Steel.
The steel is a Chinese steel that is used to make budget knives. But it is not a low quality steel in any way. It is known for its edge retention and wear resistance. It is also tough and very much resistant to corrosion. The blade features a spear point design with the flat grind.
It does not have the double-edged but a false swedged edge. This means that the edge has been sharpened for about ⅓ of total length back from the point. This configuration makes it almost impossible (at least for us) to use it for practical purposes.
But we really did not buy it for the kitchen or for bushcrafting. The main purpose of this knife is to be a reliable backup knife in survival or combat situations. And in this department, it absolutely nailed it. The knife is very suitable for stabbing and the edge comes razor-sharp from the factory. The tip is highly durable and aggressive enough for self-defense.
The knife has a full tang construction and consists of plastic handles slabs. The company calls it sawcut delrin handle slabs and it is nicely thick. It fits in the hand quite nicely and feels comfortable to hold. There are little to no hotspots on it and did not fatigue the hand in any way. Also, the grip has a light texturing on it. This provides a firm grip on the knife even if the handle is wet.
However, there is no lanyard hole or pommel available on the knife. As for the sheath is concerned, we really did not like the sheath at all. It is a pretty basic leather sheath with snap retention to hold the knife. There is no boot clip or bootstrap but only a belt loop. It is not as functional as some of the other sheath systems in the market. It comes in two colors red and brown if you can live with it.
9. Tactical Warrior Tanto Full Tang Emergency Outdoor Survival Gear Boot Knife
Tactical warrior is a full tang boot knife manufactured by a company named Armory replica. It is the cheapest boot knife that we have seen on amazon. The knife has an overall length of 6.75 inches with a 3 inches long blade. The blade is made up of good quality stainless steel.
There is not much information about the type of steel used. It is mostly durable and feels nice in the hand. However, it wobbles a bit and metal feels like it will snap under pressure. It does not snap on us but be mindful of that.
The blade has a black coating on it to prevent corrosion which can damage the knife. We did not find any problem with corrosion and it was perfectly fine during our usage. As far as the edge is concerned, it does not come with a super fine edge out the box.
It came dull and we had to sharpen it ourselves. But once you do that it performs perfectly fine. It will not last you a long time for daily use because the metal is kinda soft. However, for a boot knife it is absolutely okay. The knife has a tanto blade design which is great for stabbing anyone. It has a capability to penetrate through a lot of material without snapping its tip.
We tested it a lot and we were quite satisfied with its performance. It can be a very aggressive self-defense weapon if you know how to use it. The knife has a full tang construction and consists of a ABS plastic handle. The handle is comfortable to hold and fits nicely in the hand.
It also has a finger groove which provides a good grip on the knife. Also, a nice and aggressive jimping at the top of the blade to further improve the grip. Talking about the sheath, we did not find the sheath impressive at all. It is made of the same ABS plastic and feels a bit flimsy.
It is a bit hard to pull the knife out from the sheath. It is also a bit complicated to mount it to the boot with the included cord. However, it has a whistle on the sheath which was quite a feature to have. Additionally, it holds the knife very firmly and securely inside. And we did not have any issue with it in this regard.
10. Smith & Wesson Full Tang Boot knife
Smith & Wesson Full Tang Boot knife is an outdoor survival/tactical and EDC knife. The knife has an overall length of 8.6 inches with a blade length of 4.4 inches. It is fairly long for a boot knife but also quite capable as well. The blade is made up of reliable 8Cr13MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel. It is a Chinese copy of AUS 8 and fairly tough for heavy use.
However, it is a little lower in quality when it comes to edge retention and corrosion resistance compared to AUS8. Also, it is a bit hard to sharpen if you are a beginner. The blade has a dual-edge design and a spear point blade shape.
A combination of these two makes it a very deadly weapon that can pierce through anything. Also, the blade comes very sharp out of the box. And we were able to slice through the paper without much effort. Its aggressive nature makes it very capable for both offense and defense.
You stand a greater chance of hitting a severe injury. Moreover, the blade has a black coating on it which gives it a unique look. It does not only add to the appearance of the knife. But also plays an important role in resisting corrosion and avoiding reflection.
Furthermore, the knife features a full tang construction with a thermoplastic elastomer handle. The handle is thin for our liking but not uncomfortable. There are no textures on the grip but we did have any problem in gripping the knife.
The tang has slight jimping that helps to hold it in front as well as backhand grip. At the bottom, there is a ring pommel to make it more versatile. As for sheath, it is a pretty basic leather sheath with snap retention to hold the knife. It also consists of a boot clip for easy carry inside the boot.
Things to consider before buying Boot Knife[Buyer’s Guide]
What is a Boot Knife?
Boot knife is a small and razor-sharp fixed blade knife that is designed to be carried in boots. The purpose of carrying this knife is, it acts as a backup knife in survival or combat situations.
Knife Law Of Your Region
This is the first thing to consider before buying a knife. You should know about the laws of carrying a knife. You should research the knife laws, what type of knife is legal and what is illegal in your region.
This is the most important part because if you skip it or ignore it, you might end up paying fine or even go to jail (according to your police record).Read US Knife Laws
Design of the knife
This is another important thing to consider before buying a knife. You might be wondering, Ah design is not that important I can go buy as fancy or premium as possible. Since you’re buying a combat boot knife which will also act as a backup knife. So you need to make sure it is comfortable, easy to use and can land a lethal blow to your opponent. So choose a sleek, easy to handle and good designed knife.
Blade of the Knife
Choosing a good blade is essential because your end goal is to save yourself from being attacked or killed. And also make sure you can cut and pierce different things for survival. So straight edge blades are famous for landing good and lethal blows. But if you also want an EDC type knife which can do different stuff (i.e versatile nature) you can go for the mixture of two blades like “straight and serrated”. And also make sure to check the blade material, it’ll help in the longevity of the blade
Blade point design
Blade point design does not differ that much in combat or defense knives. There are mainly these six.
- Tanto point
- Drop point
- Clip point
- Spearpoint
- Trailing point
- Straight Back
Grip
Having a bad grip can affect your whole planning. Mostly in combat situations, sweaty hands are the most common problems and it can affect the whole fight. You need to make sure that the handle and the grip of the knife is good and stable even after sweating(wet). You can choose a good synthetic material handle. Nowadays most knives come with the synthetic handle so make sure to choose a good one.
