Wenger Ueli Steck Special Edition Knife

www.wengerna.com,  four ounces
We love products that are built with input from of hardcore outdoor athletes. Not because our skill levels are equal to theirs, but because their insight into what makes something perfect means the product will never fail us. So when Wenger announced a partnership with alpine climber, Ueli Steck, we took notice. The result? Pretty damn impressive. Wenger’s Special Edition Knife is built to Steck’s rigorous specifics—which makes it more of a tool that just another knife.  The titanium blade is 50 percent thicker than standard blades, making it one of the strongest available. The 65 mm blade is partially serrated near the base, which adds to the cutting power. The knife boasts a long metal file, regular head screwdriver/bottle opener, a can opener/wire stripper, and a variety of hex keys (7, 10, and 13 mm) that slide into the grooves of the knife blade for loads of torque.  The soft pouch also carries a quarter-inch bit adapter as well as the flat- and Philips-head screwdriver bit, making it one of the most versatile tools on the market, even with a modest 2.3-inch length (when closed).   The handle even has a nice Ueli Steck graphic—it won’t make you climb the Eiger in under three hours, but it’ll perform admirably whenever you need it. We do wish the blade was easier to unfold one-handed; your thumb fits into the large hex in the knife blade, which allows you to flick it open—but we’ve seen other models that perform this action more smoothly for on-the-go, quick access.