I own every knife on this list. Not “tested samples” that got returned after a photo shoot. Not loaners from manufacturers hoping for a good review. Thirty pocket knives I bought with my own money, carried in my own pockets, and used until I understood exactly what each one does well and where it falls…
Most axes look good on a shelf. Only a few actually earn their keep once you start swinging. After testing everything from bargain hardware-store choppers to premium forged tools, I can say this: the right axe doesn’t make you work harder—it makes every swing count.
The Civivi Yonder has been getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason. It is not a hard use tank and it is not a gentleman’s folder. It lives in the sweet spot between those two worlds where most real cutting actually happens. It is the kind of knife you grab because you want something small enough not to notice but capable enough not to annoy you.
I bought the Oknife Duron because I wanted to see if it was good enough for my Best EDC Knives roundup. Plenty of knives look impressive until you start actually cutting with them. So I carried this one for weeks, used it harder than I normally would, and treated it like a tool instead of a collectible.
Gerber has been on a slow upward climb over the last few years and the Scout is one of the clearest examples of how close they are to making truly competitive knives again. The design is excellent. The feel in hand is fantastic. The lock and mechanics rival knives that cost twice the price. But all of that momentum hits a wall when you look at the blade steel. At around sixty dollars the Scout should have been a home run. Instead it lands squarely in the almost category good enough to use but not good enough to recommend without a major asterisk.
I’ll be honest I didn’t expect to like this watch as much as I do. I’d seen the usual chatter online about the Certina DS Action Diver, and one night while scrolling Amazon, I decided to roll the dice. I picked up the black dial version with gilt hands, and within seconds of opening the box, I was blown away. This thing is gorgeous in a way that photos just can’t capture real presence, real quality, and somehow still under a grand.
The Off Grid Stinger XL is one of those knives that could have gone very wrong. Any time a company builds a big, aggressive-looking folder with a spear point and “XL” in the name, there’s a real risk it turns into a pocket sword that looks cool on Instagram and collapses the moment you ask it to do actual work.
The Vosteed Psyop in Micarta and Elmax is one of those knives that proves why Vosteed is dominating the budget premium lane right now. They are in their rhythm, and the Psyop feels like the product of a company that knows exactly what makes a knife enjoyable day after day.
There’s a reason the Bahco Laplander keeps showing up in backpacks, bug-out bags, and glove boxes. It’s not because it’s the newest or fastest saw on the market. It’s because it just works. I bought mine years ago, mostly because I was tired of cheap folding saws that jammed, bent, or rattled themselves loose halfway…
This list leans Cold Steel heavy, and for good reason. Few companies have spent as much time perfecting the art of truly tough folding knives. When it comes to cutting, prying, digging, or anything else that would make a typical pocket knife quit, Cold Steel delivers tools you can trust to finish the job.
Watches come in every shape, size, and story imaginable. Some cost as much as a used truck, others cost less than a decent dinner, and truthfully, not all that separates them is quality. The watch world loves to throw around words like heritage and craftsmanship, but what really matters is whether the thing on your…
The CIVIVI Elementum Utility Knife feels like the gentleman’s take on a box cutter — slim, fidget-friendly, and well-built. It carries better than any $10 Home Depot utility blade, but the deal-breaker is obvious: blade swaps require a T8 driver. That one design choice turns an otherwise excellent tool into an “almost.”
Quick Take
I’ve tested more flashlights than I can count, and most of them fall into two camps: overpriced pocket jewelry or forgettable junk. The Lumintop Tool AA 3.0 sits right in the middle—not fancy, not collectible, just useful.
Quick Take
I wanted to love this knife. It looks great, feels fantastic in hand, and came wicked sharp. But the blade geometry kills it. The “cool factor” is undeniable, yet the design just doesn’t translate to real-world use. The bottom point where the two grind angles meet constantly catches and binds — right where your natural cut path should flow. That makes the Concept 22 a disappointment in actual cutting, no matter how sharp or stylish it is.
Quick Take
The Cold Steel SRK is proof that practicality still wins. The BladeHQ blue-handle exclusive doesn’t reinvent anything; it just gives a proven survival classic a splash of color that’s easier to spot in a pack. SK-5 steel, a solid Cray Ex grip, and a Secure Ex sheath make this an honest, workmanlike tool that goes from useful to outstanding after a quick touch-up.
Citizen is the easy choice when you want options—so many, it was actually hard to make this list. The brand does pretty much everything under the sun: automatics, Eco-Drive solar, quartz, dive, field, dress—you name it. And the best part? You can hardly go wrong with any Citizen; they’re reliable, great value, and built to be worn.
Kershaw has been hit or miss for the last few years. They have had some solid designs, but a lot of the budget lineup felt like it belonged in a gas station display case, not in an EDC rotation. Every now and then though, they remind you why they are still one of the big names in the knife world.
The PRX is slim, sharp, and easy to wear, with an eye catching blue waffle dial that feels like it belongs on a much more expensive watch. The bracelet fit quirks, weak lume, and plastic parts in the Powermatic 80 are real, but none of that has kept this watch from becoming a steady, reliable daily driver.