Time was, you had two choices when buying a knife for wilderness use: an 18-inch elk-guttin' Bowie that had you whistling "Dueling Banjos" every time you unsheathed it, or that penknife you got with your Knife Safety Badge, whose blade wobbled just cutting salami. But in recent years the outdoor industry has diversified way beyond the hook, bullet, and Boy Scout crowd, and Leatherman is no longer the only company to offer technical blades tailored to specialized activities. Although they vary widely in design, the knives we've tested use proven materials like stain-resistant steel blades and Zytel—a fiberglass-reinforced nylon that's perfect for lightweight, durable handles. From the through-hiker's multiblades to the kayaker's sheath knife, we've compiled five of the best.

1. THROUGH-HIKING While all multiblades can tackle basic camp chores, Coast's Ultimate Pocket Tool ($33; 800-426-5858) takes care of the most critical one—building a fire. With a refillable butane lighter housed in the knife's Zytel handle, the Ultimate Pocket Tool is the only knife on the market that combines a backcountry lighter with outback essentials like a partly serrated blade, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and a wood saw.
2. FLY-FISHING Fly-fishermen are notorious gadget junkies, a fact that should make the extravagant Anglers Image Fly Fishermans Knife ($75; Cortland Line Co., 607-756-2851) a best-seller by the end of spring runoff. The three-inch stainless steel pocketknife includes a two-inch blade, a hook sharpener, a split-shot opener, a slim awl for clearing hook eyes and picking apart tangled leaders, along with a knot-tying tool for rigging up nail knots. Clipped to the zinger on your fishing vest, the multiblade has everything you'll need—except a bottle opener for cracking a riverside brew.
3. SURVIVAL AND RESCUE The knife of choice of the self-described "action geeks" in the National Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Medicine Institute, the Spyderco Rescue ($69; 800-525-7770) is designed to cut clothing, backpacks, or climbing harnesses off backcountry accident victims. Using a menacing serrated edge, the 3 5/8-inch rounded "sheep's foot" blade can tear through ripstop synthetics such as a pack's shoulder strap or a skier's wind pants without gouging the skin below.
4. MULTI-PURPOSE Ginsu has nothing on Cold Steel's Voyager ($85; 800-255-4716). To create what may be the toughest folder on the market, Cold Steel tests the locking mechanism by putting the blade in a vice and dangling 100 pounds from the handle. The company also occasionally perforates car doors to assess blade strength. So it's no surprise that Cold Steel doesn't skimp on the essentials like a reinforced Zytel handle, a stainless steel pocket clip, a half-serrated four-inch blade, and a thumb stud for ambidextrous opening.
5. WHITEWATER Knives like Gerber's new River Guide I ($63; 503-639-6161) are critical gear in rapids. If you're trying to get free from tangled lines under an overturned raft or need to jettison a snagged flotation vest, the River Guide I's blunt tip lets you make adrenaline-soaked cuts with the 31/4-inch serrated blade. And the oversize rubber handle makes it easy to free the blade from its sheath—even with wet, cold hands. —WILL RIZZO

Photo: Clay Ellis