Best Survival Knife Under $100: Ka-Bar Turok 

5:05.....that little wood thief!!!!!!!!

Linked this video in my new one. Just got the Choppa (Hate the name but I'm digging the knife), which has reignited my interest in Ka-Bar. I'll be grabbing one of these next.

I picked up a Turok in December of 2017 and I absolutely love it!!!! Great blade!

That sneaky stick stealing at 5:02 hahaha

I own one and it’s the best knife I ever owned. The sheath is perfect as well, very comfortable to wear.

I appreciate your thorough review, I just purchased mine due in large part to your input. I was not dissapointed.

So glad you finally did a review on this blade, I have been holding off on it to see how it compared to some of the other knives out there.

Great video review about Ka-bar Turok, I have waited this video so badly. Thank you to Gideostactical for showing the true potential of this awesome blade 👍

Picked one up when I first came across it, another great add . My first KA-BAR has been with me since 1972 .

Just picked one up a few days ago, saw your video today (much to my relief you picked this one up for review). I'll be honest, I was on the fence buying this one and I'm not sure why but like you regret waiting on it. My first impressions is your dead on, the level quality of both the knife and sheath are almost un-conveyable. Great job on the video and look forward to taking it out for a walk for a few days.

I just picked on up today! I can't wait to try it out!

Thanks for the vid, I bought this knife after reviewing your vids and love it. Can’t wait to take it out.

The Turok is a criminally overlooked knife even if it was the same price as their more popular knives. At $40+ cheaper than a BK2 or whatever else it's a steal. I picked one up for $78 last year. Wanted a do everything field knife that could also double as a fighting knife. There are several that look the part but this really does that. Im guessing the tactical label and the blade profile are part of people overlooking it. That's a shame. It performs as good as it looks. And to this day that's one of the best production sheaths ever. Top 3 easy. If you spent $40-60 on the sheath alone you'd be happy.

Named after a marine!? You mean it wasn't named after the dinosaur hunter!?

I like seeing you cut thru that rubber floor mat material in your knife reviews. That stuff is tougher than toe fungus.

Very impressed with this knife. It's on my, to-buy, list. Thanks for the the review.

I absolutely love this design. Great job Jarosz Knives. It looks like there are some smart people at Ka-Bar that recognized how great this design is too. Love the saber grind and swedge, and really like how the swedge/clip taper has a nice subtle radius to the point. I like the tip profile better than my esee for drilling holes for hand drill sets. I'm a huge fisherman, as well and like the taper at tip allowing me to clean a fish easier. Yet it has plenty of strength to filed dress that deer, yet still has the stength and enough weight to make a quick sturdy pole to help aid me in packing out those elk in the back country. Absolutely the best retention sheath too, as I either always have my knife in horizontal or upside down carry positions for quick access. I like how it fits with a tek-lok as well. I bought two, one for me and my Son.

Enjoyed your review, well done. Thank you!

great blade/sheath combo for a great price. added to the wish list. Thank you for the review

Love the way you do your reviews. Keep it up.

Thanks for this review, I've found what I want now, you made a great point vs the BK7, Thanks for another great review.

And this will be my first mans knife 🔪 can’t wait ... great review !

Nice knife. Can't wait to see your reviews on the new Steel Wills now that they're becoming available

I finally got this review! I am stoked as hell, man! Now I just have to wait for the steel will Roamer to come out so you can review that. Keep up the good work!

Just got my Turok and I love it! I am a Top's guy @ heart but love my K-Bars! I have the BK-7, the mark 1, the WW2 fighting knife. I have been blessed with my collection, the one I use most often is the war bowie by Prather and Tops. I live in a temperate rain forest with a lot of wild life and mountains so I need something as formidable as the terrain, the Turok will be @ home in! Thrive not survive! Cheers for the review!

Looks awesome!!

Great blade. I got one when it came out.

Got this one. It’s my favorite.

Ka-bar does a fine job with the 1095 CV steel!!! Right there you're getting value plus dependability, and they have the Q/C to reliably follow thru on a well-finished production (having the all important attention to details). To me, this is an up-scaled rendition of a tactical knife tossing in some field-knife hybridization w/ mainly the overall combinations of blade/handle/overall geometry. The blade appears to be a 'high-flats - saber-grind'. Looks like a swedged clip point, yet has spear inclinations. Handle is slightly bushcrafty, however more military in that the first finger would be relatively far back from blade and guarded. Sheath material is a good choice in my opinion for this knife. Food for thought or bit of historical perspectives... Handle material is similar composition to the old Remington Nylon 66 and the ol' indestructible hair combs... while sheath is very similar thermoplastic 'grouping' to the handle scales on an old Schrade Sharpfinger. Many knife offerings/companies might in other words do this the other way around as in a POM therm.-plastic for handle and reinforced therm-plastic sheath.

Ka-Bar knives are fantastic I've personally bought one over Ontario Knife Company which is a high-quality Navy SEAL knife but I've been really happy with the Becker knives 16

Love this knife! I want one. Thanks for info.

I'm liking this knife too, just picked up a bk 6 a few months ago. I'm replacing air conditioners in my condo this month for six hundred plus change a piece, so I'm kind of strapped but I did put it in my cart. Like you say for that price and after your review, it seems like a good all around knife. I really go to you for a lot of my advice. I'll pick it up in a few months if the price doesn't skyrocket, thx again and have a great day.

great looking knife and works great!!

Great work on your video m8

I just bought this knife from your review. It's awesome.

The Turok appears to be a well-thought-out, well engineered knife--and at a great price. I plan to get one of these eventually. I was about to get one when I noticed the Benchmade Nimravus family and their blades of 154CM steel and lifetime warranty. I will still probably get a Turok, because it just looks like a great survival knife and is made by Ka-Bar. I think Ka-Bar needs to step up and offer a lifetime warranty--and it would not bother me if ALL the knife makers denied any warranty claims resulting from "batoning," which I think is the most ridiculous thing ever to put a knife through. It seems these "batoners" have forgotten what an axe is for. If I'm going deep into the woods, I will have an axe with me. This practice has been fostered by reviewers on RU-vid, and in my over half-century plus of camping, hunting and fishing, I have never ever seen anyone baton a knife, much less done it myself. "Use the right tool" for the job was taught to me a long time ago. Batoning is like planning to start your camp fire with a bow and drill, when you could just as easily slip a Bic lighter into your pocket. Anyway, the Turok looks like a winner--and I am sure I will pick one up eventually--and might have already if Ka-Bar would substitute milled Micarta handles for those plastic ones.

I think its one of the coolest lookers, too.

I got some micarta scales made for mine, it feels great!

Exelente video amigo

Great review Seriously considering this knife

You're a man after my own heart I agree with you 100% rock urbanomics on the handle you're absolutely right

I will be ordering a Turok after watching the review. Love my bk2 and bk9. This actually looks nicer. Also love my Utica UTK s-4 (my hometown) all great knives

great job bro!

wow, great knife, but what a sheath, too! Just excellent.

Great review! I've been really curious about the Ka-Bar Jarosz knives and there aren't many reviews on them out. Can you check out the Choppa next? I'm currently tossing up between that and the BK9.

A knife, in my personal view, covers all aspects of tactics, combat, culinary, survival, bushcraft, this man smoked something when creating this tool, it covers all aspects, the fineness of the daughter on the spine makes it easy for a knife to penetrate. for all the tasks in my opinion

Not sure if you keep up with some of these old vids but just in case. As I posted a couple months ago I bought the Turok and used it throughout the summer paired with a hatchet, loved it. Winters coming, I am in northern Ontario and generally I like to take the BK2 but am considering the Turok. Have you had this in cold weather or know of anyone? Concerned about sheath action stiffness mostly with that retention clip. Your enthusiasm for this knife and my summer are probably the only two reasons why I'm considering this. LOL Thanks again man, I know it's been awhile but I'm still watching.

buying this. Amazing profile, good sheath, not too big, not too bulky. wss gonna go bk7, but getting this instead... Plus i love N64 haha.

This is a fine military deployment blade. Would excel in a combat role *and* utility role. I think of it as an improved Buck Nighthawk. Ultramid is a tough nylon.

Vary nice review! Just subscribed! May get one!

Great review and great knife 😉👍🇵🇹🇺🇸😎💪

I was a big fan of Turok Son of Stone back in the 60's, and it looks like a great knife, but I'll stick with my BK7, crummy sheath and all thank you!

I made G10 scales and put a nice swell to them and a small swell for the pinky! Now it feels more tactical. Going to make kydex sheath..

believe it or not.. i kept this and returned Esee 6. great knife... feels amazing in my hands.

Kabar just came out with the jarasz camp turok a couple of days ago, which is the same handle as this knife but with a 8 inch blade.

Love your videos. You are definitely my go to guy when it comes to blade reviews. I'm in the market for a new pack and hatchet. Any reviews coming up on either in the near future?

I don't know Gideon, of all your reviews the ESEE 6 still seems to be the best budget blade when considering the quality to price ratio. I know it's over a hondo , but not much, and you get the assurance of quality in every blade. Recently picked one up for around 130 shipped, and I can't stop playing with it....it really is the perfect size and feel combined with assurance of quality materials. Love your vids ...keep it up!

Great review.

People keep calling it a survival knife, it is a tactical knife. The main difference between a tactical and survival knife is that a tactical knife is optimized for “battlefield” tasks like fighting, breaking glass, slicing through flat, flexible fabrics like webbing and sometimes cutting wire using its sheath. A strong tip is emphasized for piercing. A survival knife is optimized for tasks like shaving, chopping, batoning, and pounding, sometimes with a saw-tooth spine or compartment for survival supplies. A strong spine and edge are emphasized to survive the rigors of processing wood.

Aaron, hey brother. I'm on the hunt for a new backpacking/survival/camp knife and I've narrowed it down to a couple choices. The condor crotalus, the turok and humdinger. I know they've each got their pros and cons but if you had to pick one, which one would you take. I'm never more than a few miles from home and always have a chopping tool. So I don't need it for any heavy chopping Thanks for taking the time to read this and get back to me. I appreciate it. And love your videos.

Big thanks. I bought it today.

Excellent review. In your opinion, can the flat bottoms of the the handles of the BK-10 or BK-22 serve a good purpose? From a utilitarian standpoint, it would seem that you could do some light hammering with them, etc. Any thoughts? Thanks!

New to your channel, great video I’m going to buy this knife.

This particular model reminds me of the Tops Dawn Warrior. Pretty interesting name for a knife as well. "Turok" means stab (or something similar) in the Filipino language. Another good review. Mabuhay my friend!

Hi Aaron, you definitely my favorite go to guy for knife and outdoor gadgets. I'd like to see a video on how it compares one on one with the Esee6...I'm in the market for a knife and I'm caught between the Kabar Jarozs Turok and the Esee6. Thanks

Great honest review Aaron. If you had to rate the other 3 in terms of what your next choice would be?? Thanks in advance and ATB from Canada

Carroll custom knife scales. Elwood Nebraska. Does tan micarta replacement scales for these.. On ebay

I passed on those Utica knives. Might have to check out that Turok! Thanks for the video.

The knife sounds great and I may have to look them up online and see about ordering one and I have the BK-2 which I love but don't want to use it regularly as I want it to last a lifetime like my others.

Sounds good.

Glad they remembered lefties!

Looks Good! What does it Weigh? Also I agree that Turok the comic book character was what first came to my Mind! I read quite a few of those!

The Steel Will Roamer knives are gonna compete really well with these.

Like it guessing u can replace those handles with some micarta that’s what I would want like the bk2✌️

TheTurok reminds me of the Schrade schf 38. Looks like a better match than the other three knives. Oranges and apples comparisons of odd balls.

turok is the best sub 100 knife i have...i have cheap to expensive stuff and this is a great knife

I like it!

Thanks for the good review as always Aaron. You said something that made me wonder though - the comment about stainless steels chipping. How would you rate something like the Cold Steel SRK or the Steel Will Argonaut? The SRK is notoriously indestructible, and you rated the SRK as comparable, if not an improvement.

fyi, physics wise, the swedge helps splitting because it creates a gap between where the swedge starts at the blade body to the top. reduced friction means better splitting!

I just got my Turok. I purchased it much because of your video here, Aaron. I wasn't sure if I would have liked it, but was willing to give it a chance. And you know? I DO really like this knife. The ergo is awesome in the hand. The weight and handle just feels really good. A solid knife. I am really having a hard time as to which knife I like more...my new Turok or my old Becker BK7. Choices, choices. LOL. If it wasn't for the tapered spine on the Turok, the Turok would win hands down. I'm not that crazy about tapered spines (BK5, BK15, and this Turok). It just serves no purpose for me and tears up batons. But beside that....I really, really like this knife. I think if Jessie Jarosz or KaBar would come up with a new knife that is a Turok sans tapered spine, I'd certainly try to snatch one up. In that case, it would possibly beat out my BK7. Also, since I am a big fan for Micarta handles, I'd really like to see that be made available in the future for this knife, as well as for the Globetrotter and Choppa.

What a great knife. For deployed soldiers, a coyote brown sheath would be fantastic for the sandbox.

I ended up buying this knife with this video being a huge influence. First time I took it out of the box, I knew exactly what you meant by it feeling good in your hands. I don't knwo what it is, but it does feel like a great knife--almost like an extension of my hand. I haven't had the chance to "test it out" yet, but after over a year from posting this video, how is your turok holding up?

No regrets...... should be a classic someday.

I sold my ESEE 6 also and bought this knife. I like this one way more. Especially the handle.

you got me at lefty

I've ordered this and the Choppa and watched this video four times and I only just noticed your doggy stealing a piece of batonned wood at 5:00 😀

Witch would you carry for a bug out senario turok or gi Tonto

Awesome👍

that definitely seems like a nice knife! Aaron, you ever tried the Condor Moonshiner? I bet if you did, you wouldn't be disappointed!

Now that's a knife. Now I'm definitely probably gonna pick this up. Was probably going to get the Schrade SCHF3N or 9N. But I'd rather spend a little more cop this one.

Does the sheath scratch the coating off in spots? Had that problem with kabar before

Can't decide between this, or the OKC TAK-1. Opinions? Will be doing a fair amount of chopping and batoning

So glad to see this review! It seems to have been flying under everyone's radar for the past year since it was introduced, and it truly is a great knife. I'm sure your review will help garner more attention for this blade, and more handle options will become available (as you mentioned). Even just color options in the same material from Ka-Bar would be great (orange and green would be great choices), but G10 and Micarta would be AWESOME. Just take my money now. Any plans to review the Globetrotter? (And Jesse...if you're watching...how 'bout getting Ka-Bar to release a production version of your Turok-Mid size!!!)

any good aftermarket handle scales for the turok?

I'm torn between this one and the cold steel gi tonto wut do you think

how would you compare the Turok against the ESEE 6? thanks!

I bought a BK7 at a pawn shop and it had a smooth coating and a nylon sheath that matched the blade's shape (not a rectangle like the one you show) does that just mean it's old or is the sheath aftermarket?

I bought this knife and a tec lock and I carry it scout style in my small of back

As an overall survival knife, price point and sheath aside, how does this compare to the Esee 6?

Would you recommend this rather than the Ka-bar Fighting knife?