I have been a long time fan of Spyderco knives, but they are rapidly pricing themselves out of my market. I have been looking for alternatives in the $30 price range and Benchmade is producing a decent substitute.

This represents the low end of the Benchmade product line. Though it is made in China, it is a pretty good value compared to similar offerings from other manufacturers. I purchased a couple of these recently. One has held up quite well, but the other lost the screws that attach the clip.

Other than the problem with that one knife, I have found them to be perfectly serviceable. The do seem a little on the small side, so if you have larger hands manipulating the knife may prove problematic.

Assets

• Low Cost
• Light weight
• Opening Hole
• Lock back design
• Reversible Clips

Liabilities

• Default clip configuration is tip-down carry.
• Screws tend to loosen on the clip.

Update
After more than a couple of months of use I feel that these knives hold up well, but the clips are a little flimsy. I would suggest that you locktite the screws down once you have the clips oriented in the proper direction.