I rarely only have one cutting tool on a trip, but if I had to pick just one, the TOPS Ontario XL Hunter would be it.
For me, a quality knife is essential for an overland trip, or really any adventure, and I place it right up there with a good pair of boots, a trusted water filter, and a map in terms of required equipment. With a good knife and some practice, I can start a fire, build an emergency shelter, make some camp improvements, and slice up some salami. While I always have an extra multitool or Swiss Army Knife floating around my pack and truck, a dedicated fixed blade can be trusted for tougher tasks in the wilderness.
Before we dive into the specifics, it’s worth taking a look at this knife’s unique history. The TOPS Ontario XL Hunter is based on the Old Hickory XL Hunter, which is commonly known as a butcher knife. This pattern has not only served generations in camp and in the kitchen, but it’s based on the trade knives cherished by frontiermen as a tool that could clean game, prepare meals, and be used defensively if the need arose.
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TOPS made minimal but impactful updates to this timeless knife in collaboration with Ontario. The XL Hunter measures 10.25 inches overall, with a 5.5-inch blade. The 1095 blade is 0.150 inches thick, so a bit thicker than the Old Hickory model it draws inspiration from, but it still maintains excellent cutting geometry. With 99% of the knives I own, I’ve modified the factory edge geometry in some way. Normally I remove the shoulder, the transition between the primary edge and the secondary angle, but the TOPS Ontario XL Hunter has performed so well that I haven’t considered anything beyond a strop session every couple of weeks. This example is cerakoted Sniper Grey, and it’s also offered in a nice Midnight Bronze. The original Old Hickory knives in this pattern used walnut scales, and moisture and food-prep residue could cause issues if they weren’t properly cleaned. The upgrade to micarta alleviates this while offering a grippy texture, moisture resistance, and just a bit of contour for indexing the knife. This package is rounded out with a quality leather sheath that’s well conditioned.
I first got the XL Hunter in hand at Overland Expo West. TOPS Knives had hundreds of models on display, but this one jumped out as a general-use camp knife that was large enough to handle camp tasks like splitting kindling, but still nimble enough to work as a camp kitchen blade. Since May, it’s been on hikes, used around the backyard fire pit, and pulled camp kitchen duty on a couple of trips. The first thing that jumped out to me is that the XL Hunter still looks new.
After testing the TOPS Ontario XL Hunter for the last couple of months, I have to say that if I had to choose just one knife for overlanding, this would probably be it. It excels at so many camp chores; it’s easy to consider this a one-tool option for almost anything you need to tackle in camp. Starting on the lighter side of the spectrum of cutting tasks while overlanding, it excels for camp kitchen duty. It chops and slices with ease, and thanks to the cerakoted blade, corrosion isn’t an issue. If you prefer to do things old-school, this knife is up to any firestarting task you can reasonably imagine. The blade is plenty strong enough for some light splitting when you need kindling, and the factory edge easily shaves off curls to get a fire going. If you’re looking to go extremely primitive in camp, there’s even a bowdrill divot in the handle to help you wow your camp companions with your firestarting skills.
Too many fixed blades are held back by lackluster sheathes. After all, you need a reliable and convenient way to carry the knife, and a good sheath protects you and the blade; a poor sheath makes carrying the knife a hassle. Fortunately, it still offers great retention and makes a great carry companion for this excellent cutting tool. Even after an unexpected rainstorm on a hike, the sheath still looks great and retains the knife perfectly.
Like the rest of the TOPS knife catalog, the XL Hunter is made in Eastern Idaho and backed by their lifetime warranty. While accidents happen, I think this knife has earned its place in my kit for years to come. I rarely only have one cutting tool on a trip, but if I had to pick just one, the TOPS Ontario XL Hunter would be it. The XL Hunter retails for $270.
