This question is more out of curiosity than anything else. I recently got a flight suit and was curious as to what kind of knife RealMil pilots carry in the thigh pouch. I've tried getting my USAF survival knife to fit, but there's no way it's going in there.

The hook blade knife is what is what is supposed to go in there. I carried a mini mag lite in mine.
People who wear G-Suits don't put anything in it and usually cut the pocket off since it creates a "hot spot" under the G-Suit.

My Leatherman PST goes in there, with a lanyard, which is what my Load-Toad buddy who gave me the knife wore in his flightbags as well.

Being unfamiliar with the term "PST" I just looked it up. I found it rather hilarious that Leatherman has a PDF for how to use a multi-tool.

Specifically, this knife, with the main blade stowed and the hook deployed:



As knives go, it's a piece of crap, but the hook blade is adequate for its intended purpose of cutting the shroud lines of one's parachute if hung up in foliage, etc. The main blade deploys automatically with the press of a button, making it technically a switchblade and thus illegal for civilians to own. Like many pieces of military hardware, there are better civilian alternatives out there, such as this:



Personally, I carry the knife below in that pocket: the Camillus Rescue Heat, which is an assisted-opening knife designed specifically for cutting harnesses/seat belts:



Camillus recently went out of business so this knife is becoming more difficult to find, but Botach Tactical has them for $19.95 on clearance.

I'm pretty sure this is a botched design, as I would think it should be the hook-blade that opens one-handed via the button, not the knife-blade. That's also how it was explained to me at SERE school when I first got one and was like "WTH?". Though, those things have been issued since forever, so who knows. I had one issued to me back when I started flying, but never ever carried it. I tried stowing a multitool in that little thigh pocket for a while, but it's such a pain in the butt to pull out, I just left it empty or stuffed my frags in there.

The knive was designed to fit in the pocket with the hook already open, ready to use.

And the key to storing/retrieving anything from that pocket: a lanyard.

I carry a Leatherman attached to the lanyard.

I carry a flashlight in that pocket, Inova X5. I carry a Cold Steel Counter Tac I boot knife on the interior side of my left boot.

In G-suits (which have that same pocket), that orange knife Mustang posted is standard. If I asked for one, I could probably get one from my life support dudes, but it is a cheap knife and I am not at all convinced it would work on the straps in my airplane. I would rather have a more versatile defensive knife further away from my body armor (or attached to it).

Most guys in my unit fly with a folder (typically a Benchmade) clipped into a pocket, and either nothing or a flashlight in that knife pocket. I don't do that because I find it messes up the clip and messes up the pocket, and it is usually covered by the body armor. Some guys carry a "J-knife" like the Gerber LMF II, usually mounted on the little velcro waist strap of the flightsuit. That makes sense if you are a loadmaster, but not for very many others.

An insulin pen fits wonderfully in that pocket.

I always went with trauama shears and stuck a lockblade in the lower leg pocket...but I am a medic so

a nice alternative to the "switchblade" hook is the houdini by benchmade
http://www.benchmade.com/products/30200

I keep one in my water rescue/dive gear

mk

Just try throwing knife or any knife that best fit for you..

There's nothing wrong with not putting anything in there too. It's a personal decision.

Maybe they carry a special ops knife.

Wow, you went to all the trouble of registering just for that little bit of spam?

Admins, boot this clown.