PrepPro Recon, Zulu & Warden — Field Test
Three affordable fixed-blade knives put through their paces
When it comes to survival and bushcraft gear, I'm not particularly interested in knives that only look good sitting in a display case.
A survival knife needs to be useful. It needs to be comfortable in the hand, capable of taking some abuse and, particularly here in Western Australia, able to cope with an environment where moisture and salt can be a constant problem.
The guys at PrepPro Australia sent me three of their fixed-blade knives to test: the Recon, Zulu and Warden.
All three are designed with outdoor use in mind, but they're quite different knives.
So rather than simply looking at the specifications, I put them through some hands-on testing to see how they actually felt and performed.
PrepPro Recon
The first knife I tested was the PrepPro Recon.
The Recon uses a full-tang construction, meaning the blade steel runs through the handle rather than stopping where the handle begins.
The knife I tested had a substantial feel to it straight away.
It's made from 5Cr15 stainless steel and has an ABS handle. The current specifications list a 5 mm blade, with a blade length of approximately 98 mm and an overall length of approximately 250 mm.
One of the features I particularly like is the 90-degree section on the spine.
That gives you a good edge for striking a ferro rod and can also be useful for shaving tinder.
Putting the Recon to work
This is where the Recon impressed me.
It's a hefty little knife, and the weight gives it a solid feel in the hand.
I deliberately put it through some fairly rough testing, including using it in a way that puts considerable stress through the blade.
The result?
No visible damage to the blade.
There were no obvious nicks or marks left from my testing, and the edge remained sharp.
Now, I'm not suggesting that you should use a knife as a pry bar. That's not what knives are designed for.
But when I'm looking at survival equipment, I do want to know how it behaves when things don't go perfectly — and the Recon certainly felt like it could handle some punishment.
Recon — my impressions
The Recon feels like a straightforward, hard-working outdoor knife.
It isn't trying to be delicate or overly complicated. It's a solid full-tang knife with a good weight behind it, corrosion-resistant steel and a useful 90-degree spine.
For someone wanting a general-purpose survival knife that can take some abuse, the Recon is an interesting option.
PrepPro Zulu
Next up was the PrepPro Zulu.
The Zulu is another full-tang 5Cr15 stainless-steel knife, but it takes a very different approach to the handle and blade design.
The model I tested was the Tanto version, with a 4 mm-thick blade.
The feature that immediately stands out is the ring grip at the rear of the handle.
And this isn't just there to make the knife look different.
The design gives you a very secure way of holding onto the knife, particularly when your hands are wet or you're working in slippery conditions.
That's something I can appreciate in a bushcraft or survival environment.
The unusual spine
One thing you'll notice about the Zulu is that it doesn't have the same obvious jimping you'd find on many outdoor knives.
At first, that might seem like a disadvantage.
But while testing it, I actually found an interesting benefit.
Because the spine is relatively flat, I could place the knife against another object and use that surface in a way that wouldn't be as practical with aggressive jimping.
It's a small detail, but it's exactly the sort of thing you only really notice when you use a knife rather than simply look at it.
Toughness
Like the Recon, the Zulu has a substantial feel.
The blade is thick and the full-tang construction gives it plenty of confidence when you're putting some force through it.
I put the Zulu through some fairly aggressive testing and, again, I wasn't able to produce any obvious damage to the blade.
Zulu — my impressions
The Zulu is the most distinctive of the three.
The ring grip isn't going to appeal to everyone, but I can see the logic behind it.
If you're working in wet conditions or simply want a knife that gives you a very secure grip, the design has some genuine advantages.
The Tanto blade also gives it a very different character from the Recon and Warden.
PrepPro Warden
Finally, we have the PrepPro Warden.
Of the three knives, this was the one that felt the most substantial in my hand.
The Warden uses a full-tang blade and, unlike the Recon and Zulu, uses D2 steel.
PrepPro currently describes the blade as D2 stainless steel and markets it for outdoor and field use. D2 is a high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel commonly regarded as semi-stainless rather than fully stainless, so I wouldn't treat it as completely immune to corrosion.
That's particularly worth considering if, like me, you spend a lot of time around the coast.
The Warden I tested had a 4 mm-thick blade and a 90-degree section on the spine for striking a ferro rod.
I also converted the sheath to scout carry and attached it to the side of my pack.
That worked well for the way I wanted to carry it.
The Warden in the field
The Warden has a very solid feel.
It feels like a knife designed to be used rather than admired.
Again, I put it through some fairly heavy testing, and the blade came through without visible damage.
More importantly, the edge was still razor sharp after the testing.
That gave me a lot of confidence in it as a bushcraft-style knife.
The combination of the thicker blade, full-tang construction and substantial feel makes the Warden the one of the three that I would naturally gravitate towards for heavier bushcraft tasks.
Recon vs Zulu vs Warden
These three knives are similar enough to compare, but different enough that I don't think there's a single answer for everyone.
Recon
The Recon is the straightforward all-rounder.
It's substantial, simple and tough, with a useful 90-degree spine and a good balance of size and weight.
Zulu
The Zulu is the specialist of the three.
The ring grip gives it a distinctive advantage when grip and control are particularly important, and the Tanto design gives it a different cutting profile from the other two.
Warden
The Warden is the most substantial-feeling knife of the three.
The D2 blade and heavier construction make it particularly interesting for someone looking for a more serious bushcraft/outdoor knife.
What I liked about the range
Full-tang construction
All three knives use full-tang construction.
For an outdoor knife that's going to see hard use, that's something I like to see.
Substantial construction
These aren't lightweight little knives designed purely for carrying around.
All three have some weight behind them, and that gives them a reassuring feel when you're working with them.
Stainless/ corrosion-resistant steel options
The Recon and Zulu use 5Cr15 stainless steel, while the Warden uses D2.
For Australian outdoor use, particularly in coastal environments, corrosion resistance is something I consider important.
That doesn't mean you can neglect maintenance. Any carbon-rich or tool steel should still be cleaned and dried after exposure to moisture or salt.
Useful sheaths
All three came with moulded plastic sheaths with adjustable belt mounting.
I particularly liked the ability to change the orientation of the mounting system, allowing options such as scout carry.
What I'd consider before buying
These aren't lightweight Scandinavian-style bushcraft knives.
They're relatively substantial fixed blades, and that's both part of their appeal and something to consider.
If you're trying to shave every gram from a hiking pack, there are lighter options available.
But if you're building a vehicle kit, survival kit or bushcraft setup where durability is more important than saving every gram, the weight becomes less of an issue.
I'd also choose between them based on how you intend to use the knife, rather than simply choosing the one with the biggest blade or hardest steel.
My field assessment
After putting all three through their paces, I came away impressed with the overall construction.
I'm not particularly gentle with my knives. I use them hard, and living in a coastal environment means they're going to see moisture and salt during their lifetime.
All three survived my testing without obvious blade damage, and all three retained a usable edge.
For me, that's the important part.
They're not pretending to be ultra-lightweight knives for someone counting every gram.
They're working knives.
The Recon gives you a solid general-purpose option.
The Zulu offers something different with its ring grip and Tanto design.
And the Warden feels like the most substantial bushcraft-oriented option of the three.
At the time I tested them, I was looking at three knives that were available for under $100 each. Pricing has since changed, with the current PrepPro listings placing the Recon and Zulu at around the $95 mark and the Warden above $100, so check the current price before purchasing.
For the money, these are knives I'd be comfortable putting into an outdoor or survival kit.
Just remember that no knife is indestructible. A good survival knife should be treated as a cutting tool first — not a substitute for an axe, pry bar or other purpose-built tool.
Recon — Pros
Full-tang construction
5Cr15 stainless steel
Substantial feel
90-degree spine
Good general-purpose design
Tough in my testing
Zulu — Pros
Full-tang construction
5Cr15 stainless steel
Secure ring grip
Tanto blade option
Excellent grip when wet
Substantial construction
Warden — Pros
Full-tang construction
D2 blade
Thick, substantial construction
90-degree spine
Comfortable in the hand
Strong bushcraft potential
Scout-carry option
Final thoughts
PrepPro Recon, Zulu and Warden
Three different approaches to the same basic problem: making a knife that can survive being used outdoors.
I tested all three pretty hard, and none of them gave me any reason to doubt their ability to handle the sort of abuse I expect from an outdoor knife.
Which one I'd carry would ultimately come down to the job.
And that's probably the biggest takeaway from testing them — don't choose a survival knife because it looks tough. Choose one that suits the work you're actually going to make it do.
Comments