Kizer has expanded its popular Begleiter line this May 2026 with the Begleiter 2.9, a shorter-bladed version of the value-priced EDC folder that helped build Kizer’s reputation. The new model trims the blade to 2.97 inches, comfortably under the 3-inch threshold many U.S. workplaces, schools, and local blade-length ordinances enforce, while keeping the Azo-designed drop-point silhouette and ergonomics that made the original a fan favorite.
Price: $69.96
Where to Buy: Amazon
The Begleiter 2.9 is available now at Kizer’s online store in multiple configurations, with pricing from $70 to $120, and several configurations are already listed as low-stock or sold out on Kizer’s site.
Key Specs
The Begleiter 2.9 carries a 2.97-inch (75.48 mm) drop-point blade measuring 0.10 inches (2.5 mm) thick, on a knife that opens to an overall length of 7.03 inches (178.53 mm). The Vanguard BD1N model uses a flat grind, while the KizerB S35VN aluminum builds run a hollow grind. Kizer offers the blade in three steel options: BD1N on most Vanguard models, a Damascus blade on one Vanguard Clutch Lock configuration, and CPM-S35VN on the premium KizerB models.
Handle options span Vortex Pattern Micarta, Norplex UltreX Micarta, and machined aluminum, including the new Topo pattern. Lockup duties are handled by Kizer’s Button Liner Lock, used here on the Begleiter line for the first time, with a Clutch Lock variant also offered, and deployment is by ambidextrous thumb studs. Depending on the chosen scales, the knife weighs roughly 2.58 ounces in the Micarta-handled Vanguard build and about 2.82 ounces in the aluminum-handled KizerB build, and every model ships with a reversible deep-carry pocket clip. The line was designed by Azo and is priced from $70 to $120 across multiple configurations.
What’s New vs. the Original Begleiter
The first Begleiter, German for “companion,” launched as a roughly 3.6-inch VG-10 / G10 workhorse in Kizer’s Vanguard value line for around $60. According to Kizer’s product pages and retailer listings, the 2.9 update brings several notable changes. The headline difference is the new sub-3-inch blade, sized at 2.97 inches and comfortably under the 3-inch limits enforced by many U.S. workplaces, schools, and municipal blade-length ordinances.
Kizer has also upgraded the steel across the line, moving the Vanguard tier to the fine-grained BD1N stainless and reserving CPM-S35VN for the higher-end KizerB tier. The refresh also brings Kizer’s Button Liner Lock to the Begleiter line for the first time; the mechanism, already used on Kizer models like the Sheepdog Utility Knives and Drop Bear Zero, keeps a conventional liner-lock bar but swaps the side-push release for a top-mounted button, letting users close the blade one-handed without putting fingers in the edge’s path. A Clutch Lock variant is offered alongside it. Handle materials and patterns have expanded as well, with new Vortex Pattern Micarta, Norplex UltreX Micarta, and machined aluminum scales (including the Topo pattern) joining the lineup.
Pricing and Availability
The Begleiter 2.9 is available now at kizerknives.com and through authorized dealers including KnifeCenter, Blade HQ, and Amazon. The Vanguard model in BD1N with a Micarta handle starts at $69.96, the KizerB version in CPM-S35VN with an aluminum handle lands around $109.96, and the Clutch Lock variant in S35VN with a DLC-coated blade tops the lineup at roughly $119.96. Several configurations are already listed as low-stock or backordered on Kizer’s site.
Why It Matters
The launch lands in a market where sub-3-inch folders are increasingly the default for daily carry, driven by tightening blade-length policies in workplaces and schools and a steady stream of compact, premium-steel competitors. The closest direct peer is the Civivi Elementum II Button Lock, which packs a 2.96-inch Nitro-V drop-point blade into a similar 7.06-inch open length with G10 or aluminum scales for around $90. The CJRB Pyrite sits just above the 3-inch line with a button lock, AR-RPM9 steel, and a wide handle catalog, typically in the same $60–$80 budget tier.
Price: $69.96
Where to Buy: Amazon
Kizer’s update plants the Begleiter squarely in that segment: it matches the Elementum II’s sub-3-inch footprint at 2.97 inches, undercuts it on price with the $69.96 Vortex Micarta build, and brings the brand’s premium KizerB tier into play with CPM-S35VN for buyers willing to step up to roughly $110.
By porting the proven Begleiter ergonomics onto the smaller blade and keeping the entry price below $70, Kizer is betting that long-time fans of the original will upgrade and that newer EDC buyers cross-shopping the Pyrite and Elementum II will find a familiar name with a more aggressive spec sheet.
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(as of May 25, 2026 10:32 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.)
