Summer means more time outdoors, more travel, and more small jobs that a good blade or multitool can solve in seconds. The spring knife shows already dropped a fresh wave of releases, from a four-figure Spyderco anniversary piece to a sub-$40 steel pry tool you won’t baby. We pulled together eight new or newly refreshed picks that run from collector splurges to grab-and-go workhorses, so there’s something here for every pocket and every budget. Prices and specs below come from each maker’s own listings and should be confirmed before you buy, since stock on the limited runs moves fast.
Spyderco Native 5 50th Anniversary Amber Bone
Spyderco turns 50 this year, and the anniversary Native 5 is how it’s marking the moment. This sprint run pairs a 2.95-inch CPM S90V blade with polished amber bone scales and mosaic Damascus bolsters, all wrapped in a 4.6-ounce lockback frame that fits the hand like an old friend.
At $1,200 list it’s firmly a collector buy, not a beater, though it’s been selling closer to $900 at some dealers, and the steel and finish back up the ask. If you’ve wanted one heirloom-grade folder to carry on quieter days, this is the one to chase before the run sells out.
Price:$1,200 list (street from about $900)
Where to Buy: Spyderco | Amazon (previous version)
There’s plenty to love here. The premium CPM S90V steel holds an edge for ages, the polished amber bone scales look genuinely special, and the mosaic Damascus bolsters add custom-level detail. It’s USA-made with classic Native 5 ergonomics, and the limited sprint run helps protect its long-term value. The catch is the steep price for everyday use, plus limited stock that sells out fast.
Editor’s Take: A 50th-birthday folder you’ll admire more than abuse.
Benchmade Bugout Vapyr
Benchmade took the already-svelte Bugout and trimmed it further with the new Vapyr (534BK), a redesign that’s 33 percent thinner than the standard model. It pairs a 3.24-inch CPM MagnaCut drop-point blade in black Cerakote with a liner-less 6061-T6 aluminum chassis and the crossbar AXIS lock, and at just 1.72 ounces it vanishes in summer shorts.
Price: $375
Where to Buy: Benchmade
The wins stack up fast. It’s 33 percent thinner than the standard Bugout and featherweight at just 1.72 ounces, the CPM MagnaCut blade resists rust well, and the crossbar AXIS lock opens one-handed with the usual USA-made Benchmade fit and finish. The downsides are a premium price near $375 and a thin build that favors lighter tasks.
Editor’s Take: The Bugout went on a diet, and it works.
Buck 110 and 112 Slim Heritage Elite
Buck reworked its legendary 110 and 112 into Slim Heritage Elite versions, and the headline upgrade is BOS heat-treated CPM MagnaCut steel. The silhouette still reads as the classic clip-point lockback your grandfather carried, now about 0.25 inch slimmer through the frame, dressed in ebony scales with brass or nickel silver bolsters and a deep-carry pocket clip.
MagnaCut brings modern edge retention and rust resistance to a design from the 1960s, which is a rare and welcome glow-up. The full-size 110 runs a 3.75-inch blade at about $205, while the trimmer 112 carries a 3-inch blade closer to $185, so you can match the size to your pocket.
Price: ~$205 (110), ~$185 (112)
Where to Buy: Buck Knives
The appeal is easy to sum up. You get the iconic Buck 110 and 112 looks, now modernized, with CPM MagnaCut that resists rust and holds an edge, in a frame that’s slimmer and lighter than the originals. The heritage styling never goes stale, and the trusted lockback is built to last. On the downside, it’s pricier than the standard models, and the lockback is slower than modern flippers.
Editor’s Take: Grandpa’s knife, now with this decade’s steel.
Kizer Drop Bear Zero
The Drop Bear Zero took home Best Buy Factory Knife at Blade Show 2026, and the reasoning is easy to see. This Azo design pairs a 3.1-inch Elmax drop-point blade and hollow grind with a machined aluminum handle and Kizer’s smooth Button Liner Lock at just 3.43 ounces, all for around $120, which is wild money for a powder-metallurgy super steel in a show-award winner.
Price: $119.95
Where to Buy: Amazon
The strengths are obvious. It’s a Blade Show 2026 Best Buy winner with premium Elmax super steel for the money, a hollow-ground blade that slices very cleanly, smooth Button Liner Lock deployment, and a light 3.43-ounce machined aluminum build. The trade-offs are minor: the button lock divides some users, and the popular finishes are already selling out.
Editor’s Take: Super steel slicer that shames pricier folders on value.
Roxon Flex Titan
Roxon’s Flex Titan landed in February as the brand’s most modular multitool yet, and it earns the flagship slot here. It runs two swap systems at once, the FLEX implement rail and the new Phantom blade mount, so you can rebuild it into dozens of different tools by hand. The stock layout already covers 17 functions, from a D2 blade and pliers to scissors and a bit driver, all wrapped in textured G10 scales.
At $109.99 it’s priced like a premium tool, and the 11.08-ounce heft tells you it’s built for real work rather than featherweight carry. If your multitool jobs lean toward squeezing, swapping, and heavy use over slicing, the Flex Titan adapts further than anything else on this list.
Price: $109.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
The versatility is the whole point. Two modular systems let it swap dozens of tools, the loaded 17-tool layout works right out of the box, the D2 blade beats typical multitool steel, and the textured G10 scales grip sweaty hands while tool-free FLEX swaps take seconds. The catches are its heft at 11.08 ounces and a sliding action that takes practice.
Editor’s Take: One multitool that morphs into dozens when jobs change.
Blackhawk Mini EDC Pocket Tool
Blackhawk showed the Mini EDC Pocket Tool at SHOT Show in January, and it’s built to ride in a pocket instead of a belt sheath. The 3-inch stainless frame packs a 420 tanto blade, needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, a Phillips driver, a flat-head tip that doubles as a pry bar, anda seatbelt cutter. Zytel overlay scales keep your grip steady when hands turn sweaty or greasy, and the whole thing weighs about 4.5 ounces with a pocket clip. At $64.99 in tan or black, you’re paying for smart engineering rather than a big name.
Price: $64.99
Where to Buy: Bear & Son Cutlery
It nails the basics for pocket carry. It’s truly pocket-sized at 3 inches closed, a light 4.5-ounce build with a pocket clip, and it packs a tanto blade, pliers, and a pry bar onboard, with Zytel scales that grip sweaty or greasy hands and a smart feature stack under $65. The limits are a basic 420 stainless blade and a small size that struggles with heavy jobs.
Editor’s Take: A pocket-first multitool that skips the belt sheath.
Gerber Stakeout Drive
Gerber spun its camp-focused Stakeout into a more EDC-minded tool with the Stakeout Drive, out this March. The big change is a flip bit driver with onboard bit storage, so it trades the original’s tent-stake puller for fastener duty while keeping the handy carabiner-clip end. You still get butterfly-opening pliers, a plain-edge blade, scissors, wire cutters, a bottle opener, and a 3-grit file.
It opens to 6.3 inches, folds down to 4.6, and weighs 7.4 ounces in a stainless frame that’s ready for repairs around the car or campsite. At $80 in black or silver, it slots in below the Swiss-made competition while still covering the everyday fixes most people actually face.
Price: $80
Where to Buy: Gerber | Amazon
There’s a lot working in its favor. The new flip bit driver includes onboard storage, the butterfly-opening pliers deploy fast, and the ten tools cover everyday repairs, while the carabiner clip end eases carry and it’s priced below Swiss-made rivals. The trade-offs are a heavier 7.4-ounce build and the loss of the original tent puller.
Editor’s Take: A campsite favorite retooled for everyday fixes.
Boker Plus Grift
For ultra-minimalists, the Boker Plus Grift by Kopis Designs is a sub-$40 all-steel pry tool that weighs just 1.45 ounces. It looks like a tanto blade at a glance but works as a pocket pry bar, bottle opener, and flat driver with no moving parts to fail. It’s the kind of cheap, do-one-thing-well tool you toss on a keychain and forget about until you need it.
Price: $39.95 (street about $34)
Where to Buy: Boker USA
Simplicity is the selling point. It’s tiny at just 1.45 ounces, an all-steel build with no moving parts that doubles as a pry bar and opener, cheap enough to stash everywhere, and it slips onto a keychain easily. Just know it isn’t a cutting blade, and it’s basic 420 steel only.
Editor’s Take: A cheap steel sidekick you’ll never fear losing.
How to pick the right one for summer
If you want a do-everything tool for real work, the Roxon Flex Titan covers the most ground, swapping into dozens of configurations, while the Gerber Stakeout Drive handles everyday repairs for less. For pure knife duty, the Buck Slim Heritage Elite and Kizer Drop Bear Zero deliver modern steel at sane prices, while the Spyderco anniversary piece is the splurge to chase if you collect.
Traveling light this summer? The Blackhawk Mini EDC Pocket Tool and Boker Grift slip into a pocket and stay out of the way until a small job pops up. Whichever you pick, confirm current pricing and stock at the source before you buy, since the limited runs and show releases move quickly.
Gerber Gear Suspension 12-in-1 EDC Multi-Plier Multitool with Pocket Knife, Needle Nose Pliers, Wire Cutters and More, Gifts for Men, Camping and Survival, Grey
(as of June 25, 2026 18:58 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
