Best Pocket & Folding Knives in 2022: Rugged-Ready

You’ve probably heard of Smith & Wesson — the venerable firearms manufacturer has been around for over 150 years. If you didn’t know they also make affordable, high-quality pocket knives, well — now you do!

We love the classic black styling on this thing. The clip-point blade is made of black oxide high-carbon stainless steel for a sharp edge that doesn’t reflect light. The black aluminum handle is sturdy but light and features ergonomic shaping for comfortable use. Cutouts in the handle further lighten the overall weight, bringing the entire knife into the 3.5 oz range — not bad for a knife with a 3.1-inch blade and an overall length of 7.1 inches. The blade is serrated at the bottom third. A pocket clip, liner lock, and ambidextrous thumb knobs round out the feature set and make deployment a snap.

For more quality blades like this, check out our selection of the best keychain knives.

The pocket knife tool on a lot of multi-tools is often an afterthought–hard to get at, small, and often without a locking feature. But makers of top pocket knives know that a sturdy, well-thought-out blade is a must. RoverTac brings the A-game with this unique take on a multi-tool. They use a design that puts the knife blade first but still includes all the handy utility you want in a multi-tool — including can opener, bottle opener, wire cutter, pliers, Philips screwdriver, slotted screwdriver, Torx bit, and more! And like most multi-tools, it even ships with a ballistic nylon pouch for easy belt storage.

RoverTac Multitool Pocket & Folding Knife blade is stainless steel and features a clip-point design and serration on the lower third near the handle. A locking mechanism keeps the blade in place, which is a good thing considering to what uses you’ll likely put this folding knife. On top of all that, we are big fans of the gold/yellow handle. This author has lost several neutral-colored pocket knives in the dim light of the woods, so having such a bright handle is a real win from a usefulness perspective–and it shows that these designers are considering the needs of users in the field.

A 3.42-inch, non-serrated drop-point blade is one of the most useful items you can include in your EDC kit. And if that knife is spring-assisted — even better! Grand Way provides just such a knife here, and the result is an EDC pocket knife that will handle everything you throw at it. Thumb studs and a liner lock add to the usefulness, as does the fact that if the spring wears out, you can still open and close this EDC knife just as you would a non-assisted model.

The black blade is made of 440 C stainless steel — a very common option for knives because it is durable, corrosion-resistant,  inexpensive, and easy to sharpen. If you are looking for a good all-around option that provides plenty of utility and durability, Grand Way Military Style Pocket & Folding Knife is a good choice. It even comes with an ebook full of survival skills and lifehacks.

If you like a clean, minimal look in your belongings, check out this top-rated pocket knife. There isn’t much to talk about with this option from Columbia River Knife and Tool, which is the whole point — this knife is made to be unobtrusive until you need it. Columbia River Knife & Tool Compact Pocket & Folding Knife was designed in Bend, Oregon, a famous outdoor destination.

Friction grooves on the bottom of the drop-point blade assist with grip, while a thumb stud and low-profile pocket clip provide utility. We love the stonewash finish–not only is it clean and classic, but it resists corrosion as well. The non-serrated blade is good for all kinds of tasks, and the entire package comes in at just 3.5 ounces. There’s also a lanyard hole for attaching this knife to a fob, keychain, or anything else you want to string it to. The blade length is 2.15 inches — about an inch shorter than many of the so-called tactical knives you occasionally see. And if you don’t like the silver finish, check out the black version.

If there’s a more iconic multi-tool brand than Leatherman, we invite you to fill us in. In the meantime, we’ll be over here drooling over the Leatherman Free K2 — another entry into the knife/multi-tool crossover category. It might be one of the more expensive items on our list, but this top pocket knife is top for a reason. The non-serrated blade features magnetic locking and a smooth, good-looking 3.3-inch drop-point blade design. That’s a good-sized blade for a folding knife, and an upshot is a tool that weighs nearly five ounces and measures 4.5 inches when closed.

Included in Leatherman Free K2 Pocket & Folding Knife are a pry tool, package opener, awl, bottle opener, Phillips screwdriver, medium screwdriver, and extra-small screwdriver. A removable pocket-clip and one-handed access to all the tools make this pocket knife especially useful. Bonus points: this Leatherman tool was made in Portland, Oregon, and has a 25-year warranty.

Benchmade is practically a household name among serious knife aficionados. It’s no wonder — they make all their blades in America and focus on functional, stylish designs. On top of that, every Benchmade pocket knife features a limited lifetime warranty and lifetime knife sharpening service. Nice!

Take this Benchmade Mini Griptilian Pocket & Folding Knife. It has a plain edge and a satin finish, with a black nylon handle and a 2.9-inch drop-point blade. Simple. Useful. Hard to beat. The blade is made from 154CM steel for edge retention, and the textured handle is easy to grip even when things get slippery. The axis locking mechanism and thumb knob make opening and closing a breeze, and we always like a lanyard hole because it opens up your carrying options.

A good pocket knife needs to be rugged, dependable, and easy to use. The Kershaw Chive Pocket & Folding Knife doesn’t disappoint. Kershaw has been making knives since 1974 and put all of that expertise to use in this deceptively simple drop-bladed, all stainless-steel example.

The 1.9-inch blade is made of 420HC steel and features a stone-washed finish. The handle is also stainless steel as well and has all of the durability you’d expect from that material. Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assisted opening, a frame lock, and a Tip-lock slider round out the features. That isn’t much, but you don’t need much, do you — you just need a knife that does the job and looks good doing it.

Our guide to the top gentleman’s knives offers more handy blades like this, so take a moment to check them out. 

The Opinel No. 08 Pocket & Folding Knife is one of the more unique options on our list, and for that reason alone is worth a serious look. Opinel is a French company that has been making pocketknives since the 1890s, and the No.08 carries that tradition forward with a beechwood handle, classic drop-point design, and a sliding locking mechanism.

The knife is 4.25 inches when closed, 7.5 inches when fully extended, and features a 3.25-inch blade. That’s the perfect size for the outdoorsman with a sense of style. Ignore the tacky faux-military options elsewhere in our list, and embrace understated and earthy elegance.

Outdoor adventures will love some of these cool camping knives from our list, as well.

Spyderco is another famous knife brand, represented here by the Para 3. Spyderco knives are known for their signature shape and the round hole near the base of the blade, and the Para 3 has these features of course. But it also features a blade made from CTS BD1N, nitrogen-enriched high-carbon steel for a superior blend of edge retention and durability.

The 2.9 inch-blade nestles comfortably into the fiberglass-reinforced nylon handle, and the whole thing has a low profile for comfortable pocket wear. A compression lock on the handle’s spine keeps things open during use, but also allows you to close the blade one-handed–something liner locks just can’t say. Spyderco Para 3 Pocket & Folding Knife is pricy, we know. But Spiderco’s reputation is well deserved. If you are looking for a knife that won’t let you down and is small enough to carry everywhere, look no further.

This option from Albatros goes beyond multi-tool into the realm of survival knife! Not many multi-tools have a magnesium firestarter and a waterproof LED flashlight, but this one does! It also has a hammer tail for bashing out windows if you get caught in your car, as well as a seatbelt cutter to assist in quick vehicle escape. You also get a bottle opener, pocket clip, carrying case, and a range of colors to choose from.

The blade itself is 3.5 inches long, with a combo smooth and serrated design for maximum versatility. Albatros Multi-Tool Pocket & Folding Knife is a great survival gift, and it’s inexpensive to boot!