Gerber Gear LST Ultralight Pocket Knife

The media could not be loaded. I carry mine everyday (for the past 3 years) in the coin pocket of my jeans. It's the perfect size for that. And (I forgot to mention this in my video) the textured part at one end makes it easy to pull out of the pocket with a thumb. It's very lightweight (about the same as the USB flash drive I carry along side it in my coin pocket) but I haven't found the plastic handle to be a problem. For the scale of work you'll be doing with a knife this size, it's plenty strong. The price is reasonable, and I am happy with it.UPDATE 5/8/2013: I still have this knife, but it currently sits in the kitchen relegated to opening plastic food bags and poking holes in box dinners so they don't explode in the microwave. That's not to say that I like it any less than when I was carrying it daily, it's just that I found other things that I like even more (but they cost more too). I replaced this Gerber with a similarly sized Spyderco Ladybug, and the Ladybug is better in every way except price; it's better steel, seems to sharpen sharper, and stays sharp longer, the plastic handle is even grippier, it's easier to open one-handed due to the thumb hole, and it's available in at least a dozen different colors (I got the purple). But it was 2x the price of this Gerber (actually now it looks more like 3x). So the Gerber Ultralight LST is still a fantastic value, but if you can spare another fifteen or twenty dollars I'm almost certain you'll like the Spyderco Ladybug more.

I have been using the Gerber LST folding knives for well over a decade, and they are GREAT little knives. I keep the smallest version in my pocket at all times, especially at work. It's so small and light, you forget it's in there, but when you need it, it's ready. These little blades keep their edge for a ridiculously long time.The next size up is perfect when working outside, camping, fishing or hunting. It's just big enough to get most outdoor jobs done, but small enough not to get in the way or weigh you down. I have one in each of my backpacks, all my outdoor gear bags, one (maybe two) in my truck and one in my pocket if I'm outdoors. They're just too awesome, cheap and handy not to have them lying around.I use the biggest size for cleaning harvested animals and it is by far my favorite knife for the task. I have purchased dozens of specialty knives over the years that promise to make cleaning game a little easier, but every time, I go back to my little Gerber LST and knock it out. The drop point is perfect for removing the hide without puncturing it and it just fits well in the hand. One of the best things about the LST line is how long the edge lasts. I only need to sharpen and LST after cleaning two or three animals. Most other knives require several sharpenings per animal.It's handy, it's inexpensive, it's tough, it's light... why wouldn't you have this in your pocket? Get this little knife and prepare to purchase several more, you're going to love it.

As my youngest boy is growing up, we now have three of these knives in our family. I've found they are a perfect first knife for a kid. They are the perfect size for small hands, light, easy to open, and the lock isn't too difficult for little fingers to operate. Buck has a similar knife, but the lock is much too stiff for a child to press. I insist on a locking knife for a kid so they don't have to worry about the blade suddenly closing on their fingers. Grandpa's pocket folder is more suited to someone with more knife experience. The scales are grippy and the blade has decent edge retention for such an inexpensive knife. It sharpens fairly easily, which is good for a kid just learning to use a stone.The price is right, too, for a knife that might get lost by a first time knife owner.This is an excellent first knife for any kid.

I have several of these knives and always keep one in my pocket. They are not very big but quite sharp and lock-back and American made!