One of the first things people seem to get when putting together their emergency Bug Out kits is almost always a knife.

The reason is simple: no other tool is as fundamental to our survival. It's a primal decision that has been ingrained in us over countless generations of humans designing, building, and using cutting tools.

So a good, nay, an excellent knife is an extremely important thing for us to have and to understand how to use properly in a BOB.

But with costs ranging from $2 to $200, and tens-of-thousands of options how can you decide which is best?We'll make the decision(s) easier for you.

Let's take a look at the Ontario Rat Folding Knife.

A Great EDC Carry

As the adage says "one is none, and two is one" so having more than one knife in your Bug Out Bag is a smart idea. The trick is to not get carried away with it, as the weight of the knives can become substantial.

It's our feeling that 2 knives is probably the best for a BOB: one folding for pocket carry, and one full-tang blade 5" or larger.

We love ESEE Knives for our full-tang blades. In an INCH bag you could go for adding a Machete and/or Axe as well (depending mostly on where you live.)

In an EDC, a smaller blade is appropriate.

When it comes the the folding knife, you have to make a choice: go with a larger 3.5" blade like the Ontario RAT, or a smaller blade, like the 2.25" Spyderco Ambitious.

The choice can be made based on the size of your hand or the way you use the knife.

The wife prefers the smaller Spyderco, while I'm usually carrying the RAT.

It's a substantial blade. At 3.5" it's large enough for all but the most grueling of tasks and falls somewhere between a self-defense knife and a pocket utility knife.

It comes from the factory with a razor edge and is easy to clean and sharpen.

It's well balanced and comfortable to use. It is a heavier knife at 5 ounces but for the added weight you get a more substantial product with steel liner and liner lock inside the handle and a real thumb stud.

The lock is solid, and I haven't been concerned of it releasing the blade without my consent.

The clip is removable and can be attached in four different places on the handle for left hand or reverse carry.

It's location does ride a little higher in the pocket than other knives we have but that's not a problem for us, however if concealability is your thing then look elsewhere.

The handle is the right size for most male hands to grip firmly with all 5 fingers.

Dollar for dollar this is one of the best knives you can buy. It's made in Taiwan, and the quality is superb when compared to other knives twice the Ontario Rat's cost.

You can grab one for about $26 bucks from Amazon. And if you don't want to take my word for it, look at the reviews...641 with 84% being 5-Stars at the time of writing.

The only thing that would keep you from getting a knife like this could be if you opted for a Multitool.

If you had to choose between this and a full-tang knife I would go with a smaller full-tang like the ESEE-4 or Ontario RAT-3 as it offers more resilience in the blade itself, although the cost can be substantially higher.

BTW If you buy anything with the links we provide on this page we might get a small percentage of the sale. For more info click here.

Ontario RAT Folding Knife

Typical Price: $30

The Ontario RAT Model 1 folding knives feature an open post construction for easy cleaning.

The ergonomic nylon handles and spine jimping create a great design with great control.

This knife is complete with a 4-way position pocket clip and lanyard hole for a choice of carry options.

Liner Lock locking mechanism. Thumbstud for easy one-handed opening.

Satin finished, flat ground blade. Blade has a hardness of 55-56 HCR. Includes four-position pocket clip.

$30Blade HQ