Should you carry a knife when you climb?

I have asked this a few times from various climbing partners and I can definitely see the utility in brining a knife along for multi-day climbs in the wilderness, but less so in single pitch sport climbs next to the car. However, I have also known a few climbers who refuse to lead any roped route without one on their harness. I am curious to see the general opinion.

Do you bring a knife when you climb? If so, why and what type?

I think its a good idea to have something to cut the rope with in an absolute worst case scenario. However, I'm not a fan of knives that have the potential of cutting me should they fall. Folding knives can pretty easily open mid-drop, so I don't like my climbing partner to have something like that. But a functional rope cutter is never a bad idea

Depends on the climb. They are a necessity on some multi-pitch trad and alpine climbs. Sometimes you need one to clean up a tat anchor and/or add new webbing or chord to one.

Sport climbing not so much, but its nice to have one in your climbing pack.

I don't go much of anywhere without at least a small locking folder. The Spyderco Dragonfly. Don't see why climbing should be an exception. It was one time and I could have used it to remove a crappy old rap sling that was in very poor condition.

Knives can be very useful when you need to cut tat/strengthen anchors. I carry a small petzl spatha with me most of the time. However it's always a bit unnerving to pull out a sharp knife in the presence of weighted nylon because it cuts through that stuff like butter. Wouldn't want to slip up and cut through a rope/harness/anchor.

A SAR guy once recommended carrying a folding set of scissors (the kind that come in a first aid kit) instead of a knife for this very reason. I keep meaning to switch over.

Never carried a knife while climbing. Nice to have in my pack so I can cut the tape off my hands at the end of the day.

Joshua Hunt wrote:Tape a razor blade inside your helmet

+1

Unless you know there is old wedding you're going to need to replace just leave the knife in your pack or car. The times you're going to actually need to cut the rope are very limited; ergo, it will be much more convenient to have that little razor blade taped to the inside of your helmet for those rare instances when you actually need it.

Also the razor blade could come in useful for chopping some lines to keep you going at the end of those big link-ups.

youtube.com/watch?v=uxtg7ra…

Sometimes you gotta make the tough decisions.

Not an argument against carrying a knife, but you can cut a rope with a dyneema runner or a cordlette in a pinch by sawing it back and forth. It's a good trick to know, and yes it does work. Try it.

A Spatha/Trango Pirhana type knife with a ring to clip into a carabiner is perfect to put on a locker with some other rescue/anchor items like a prussik cord/Tibloc ascender, some extra bail cord, v-threader, etc.

A knife is also good for various wilderness medicine scenarios such as cutting clothing and improvising gear.

I always bring it, along with a headlamp.

To fend off savages, yes.

I have a trango as well, nice and compact, fits inside the chalk bag pocket. A wrench may be more useful though

I keep a quick link with a tibloc and this small Swiss Army knife on my haul loop: swissarmy.com/us/product/Sw…

I used the knife several times this ice season. When I am ice climbing, I usually keep 7mm bail cord on the quick link also. Small, light, compact and a good thing to have on your harness.

Always carry a small knife with a short serrated edge for cutting chord or runners if I need to on all climbs. I dumbie chord it to my harness so it doesn't fall, open up and land on someone if it falls.

I got a small knife on my trad "emergency" gear along with the 20ft of tubular webbing. I mean it's pretty key for cutting things. haha

What about for the gym? Is a gear loop sufficient to clip to? Its not full strength...

John Usry wrote:I think its a good idea to have something to cut the rope with in an absolute worst case scenario. However, I'm not a fan of knives that have the potential of cutting me should they fall. Folding knives can pretty easily open mid-drop, so I don't like my climbing partner to have something like that. But a functional rope cutter is never a bad idea

Agreed. The first time I climbed outdoors (just single pitch sport) I hired a guide, and as he was climbing his pocket knife opened blade down as it fell out his pocket, and stabbed the ground right next to me. What if it stabbed me in the face? Scary. I tipped him anyway.

I keep a razor blade taped to the inside of my helmet for emergencies. I haven't had to use it yet, but it's nice to know that it's there.

how else will you cut the summer sausage for your triscuits?

1) pick up small rock at rap station

2) smash at crusty old sun dried webbing til it disintegrates

• no knife needed

Old Teton pro tip, best for obscurer alpine routes, less so on prettier, cleaner pieces of rock.

If I ever really needed to cut some nylon rope or webbing on a climb, I would saw through it with my nut tool's lanyard or a shoelace.

" However, I have also known a few climbers who refuse to lead any roped route without one on their harness. "

Interesting. Even on a single pitch sport climb? Just out of curiosity, have you heard of scenarios when a knife would have been useful during a single pitch sport route?