The Best Neck Knives for 2022 – Top EDC Models Compared

First, let’s be clear: neck knives are not specifically designed self-defense knives meant to use against your enemy’s neck. Instead, they’re simply small and compact knives designed to be worn on a cord or chain around your neck. Of course, nothing is going to stop you from actually using this knife for self-defense to target a bad guy’s neck when he’s trying to kill you. But these special knives can be used for a much wider range of tasks than just protecting yourself.

While neck knives tend to come in various styles and designs, they do have a few features in common. Most importantly, they’re all compact and lightweight. Obviously, you don’t want a machete hanging on your neck.

Another benefit of best neck knives is that they are much easier to bring out to use than pocket knives. You don’t have to root around your tight jeans pocket to get them out, and you don’t have to unfold the blade of a neck knife either. To emphasize the quick readiness of these knives, they often come with fixed blades. You can just pull them out of their sheath and they’re ready to rock. However, some manufacturers do offer foldable neck knives to make sure you get a small knife.

Besides, there are times when you may not have a belt or a pocket at all. If you’re wearing swim trunks and you’re paddling around on a kayak, going fishing with pockets full of lures, or biking with Lycra shorts on, the neck knife is the way to go.

9 Best Neck Knives - Comparisons

 Best Neck Knives for 2020 - Reviews

Take a look at our recommendations and see for yourself just how you can benefit from a nice neck knife in your outdoor adventures and everyday life.

Let’s start with something simple and extremely affordable. If you’re new to knives in general or just to neck knives in particular, it’s usually a sensible choice to try out something that won’t bust your budget. You can then see how it goes, and you can find out which features you want to change in it so that you can get a much better upgrade later on.

However, you may not want to change at all from this one. Despite its low price, the quality of this knife is definitely not cheap at all. It’s a very compact model even though it has a fixed blade. Its overall length is just 4.75 inches, with the blade coming in at 2 inches in length and 2.8 mm in thickness.

The small size denotes that it’s meant for small jobs around the house and in the workplace, but it’s also great for tasks that you usually do with larger knives. It’s very well-constructed, with the drop-point blade showing a nice stonewashed finish. It’s also quite tough and durable. It comes with a full-tang design, and with the nicely molded G-10 handle it’s very easy to hold and control.

This knife comes with a nice Kydex sheath along with a ball chain. It’s ready to go when you get it, as the blade edge is sharp out of the box. 

Say hello to your Lil Friend from Boker. It’s also among the more affordable knives in the neck knife sector, yet you do get your money’s worth and more. This one is very compact with an overall length of only 3⅜ inches, and the blade is positively cute at only 1⅜ inches. Its weight is a measly 1.3 ounces.

The miniscule size is crucial for a neck knife, as it’s designed so that you can forget and disregard the knife hanging around your neck. But don’t let the size of the BokerMagnum fool you. You can use this versatile knife for many kinds of tasks around the house, such as cutting cords and opening packages.

What will really impress you is that despite the low price and the small size, its quality is undeniably high. The blade is made from 440 stainless steel. It offers acceptable resistance to corrosion and wear, and it’s extremely easy to sharpen.

This little guy also features a tan G-10 handle. It’s shaped nicely to fit your fingers, and it has a textured surface for a more secure grip. The quality of the blade is impeccable and it’s designed to last a long time. The package also includes a Kydex sheath and a chain.

For a bit more money, you can try this nifty neck knife from CRKT. The blade is made from 5Cr15MoV steel, which is a low-end type of steel that you may find in premium scissors. The blade is 2 inches long, and it’s good enough to cut through anything you may encounter in your day-to-day activities.

What sets this 5-inch long knife apart is the unusual design of its handle. It’s made of Micarta, and it offers 3 finger choils that make it resemble some sort of batarang that Batman might use. It certainly looks unique, and it’s actually quite easy to handle and comfortable to hold.
This comes with a Zytel sheath that’s been custom-fitted for the blade, and it has a braided fob as well as a neck paracord. With a total weight of just 1.6 ounces (which includes the weight of the sheath), this knife is designed for carrying all day. 

Also Read: Top 5 Best Boot Knives – List From A Self-Defence & Utility Expert

If you’re a big guy and you want something a bit more substantial, then this may suffice. The handle is 3 inches long, and unlike the earlier knives mentioned on this list, the blade on this one is even longer at 3.5 inches. At its widest point, it’s about 1⅛ inches. Yet it’s still lightweight, as it comes in at just 3.2 ounces including the weight of the sheath.

The full-tang blade is made from Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel and features a spear point design.The handle is made from textured G-10 and has 3 holes in it. It’s quite thin and flat. Finally, you also get a Secure-Ex sheath. 

Do you want a neck knife that’s good enough for cops to trust? If that’s the case, then this curved KA-BAR knife might be the one you want hanging around your neck. Sure, it’s among the more expensive knives on this list, but then the prices of our recommendations are much lower than premium regular knives anyway. Besides, why quibble over a knife that may someday save your life?

Designed for law enforcement officers, this one is a serious knife. After all, it was developed by John Benner, who founded and owns the Tactical Defense Institute. It’s really meant as a last resort for cops who can’t access their firearms. It’s just 5.63 inches long overall, while the blade is less than 3 inches long. It only weighs 3.2 ounces. 

This uses AUS 8A stainless steel for the blade, and it comes with a half-serrated edge, making it an efficient cutter for various types of cords. That’s especially true with the curved design that offers you the cutting leverage you need. The handle is nicely ergonomic, and it provides a secure grip that won’t slip in your hand. 

This knife comes in black and dark earth black colors and with the skull logo on the blade it may come off as somewhat intimidating. However, if you’re a girl (or are secure in your masculinity), you can even get it in an eye-catching purple. In fact, it even comes in pink, and in this color it’s a sight to behold. It’s a bit on the pricey side comparatively speaking, and the pink is actually the most expensive one among the models.

Despite its fun color options, this is a serious knife nonetheless. It has the smallest blade among the ESEE lineup, but that’s what makes it suitable as a neck carry knife. The blade is made from premium 1096 carbon steel with 55-57 Rockwell hardness, and its cutting edge is about 2 inches long. The handle is skeletonized, and the whole thing has a textured powder coat finish. 

This one is marketed as a hunting knife, and why not? This knife has been designed by Bear Grylls, and when your knife is designed by a famous wilderness expert you can certainly expect it to work well when you’re out hunting or camping. 

But who says you can’t carry this knife on your neck? It’s just 6.25 inches, and the blade comes in at 3.25 inches long. Its weight is only 4.5 ounces, just heavy enough to remind you that you have a knife to use without being uncomfortable. That’s why it comes with a paracord lanyard.

Out in the field, its small size is no impediment. With its full-tang construction and overall dimensions, this knife is quite useful. The fine edge blade is certainly long enough, and it’s also stout enough that you can use it to cut into a carcass if you’re a hunter.

The handle is equally good, with a molded-rubber ergonomic design that’s easy to control and comfortable to hold. The feel of the knife is quite balanced, with a bolster and textured thumb rise on the spine for added grip security. 

At first, the minimalist design and compact dimensions of this knife may lull you into thinking that this is a rather simple knife with limited use. That’s not exactly the case. It’s actually versatile in many different ways.

Yes, it can be carried around the neck, which is why it’s part of this list. After all, the blade is only 2.2 inches long and the whole knife measures just 4.3 inches. With a weight of 1.9 ounces, you won’t exactly notice it a lot around your neck. However, the design and the sheath allow for reversible belt carry, or even for placement in your boot.

The skeletonized handle with the large holes allow you to hold this knife in a variety of hand positions. You can grasp the handle with your hand wholly around it, or you can poke your finger right through the hole.
The blade is made from 9Cr18MoV steel, while the handle uses stainless steel. The sheath is made from hard molded nylon. Taken together, it’s a heck of an EDC knife you can carry all day around your neck. 

This is a great knife for soldiers or law enforcement officers. After all, it’s labeled as a tactical knife, and even the Kydex sheath is compatible with Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment.

But for those of us who want a convenient outdoors knife that we can carry around the neck, this one will do just fine. It features a 3-inch modified Tanto blade, and it even comes with a non-reflective Zirblast finish. It uses 420HC stainless steel and has a nice balance of toughness, resistance to rust, and edge retention. It’s also extremely easy to sharpen.

The handle is skeletonized, and it comes with built-in grip points. It measures 6.75 inches overall, and the weight is extremely low at just 1.7 ounces. 

Final Verdict

So which neck knife you are you going to get? That’s entirely up to you. It depends on your needs as well as your preferences. However, we did compile this handy list of the best neck knives to help you make your final choice. All of these recommendations are excellent, and we’ve carefully chosen a wide variety of designs and price ranges.

Whether you want a knife for EDC, camping, hunting, or self-defense, you can find the best neck knives on this list! 

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