Buck Summit Folding Knife designed by Peter Whittaker

One Handed w/ Liner Lock

Buck Summit Folding Knife designed by The Buck Summit Folder adds several useful tools to a standard one-hand opening clip knife -- without the clip. Designed by mountaineer Peter Whittaker and a team of climbing guides, the Summit includes only the essentials.

Instead of a stainless steel pocket clip, there's an extra large steel loop at the pommel for connection to carabiners or a lanyard. The 2.5-inch-long high carbon stainless steel blade pares and whittles with the forward plain cutting edge and quickly severs rope and cordage with the serrated section. The Summit is a good knife for situations where you may be holding on with one hand and working with the other -- the stud opens the blade with a flick of one thumb.

A simple but secure liner lock holds the 420HC blade open until a squeeze of the trigger notch releases the blade for careful one-handed closure. The build allows easy operation with either hand.

Looks like Whittaker's guides were more concerned with opening beverages than doing emergency repairs. The corkscrew, can, and bottle opener blades won't be especially useful for anything else. The only real tool besides the drop point blade is the stubby screwdriver, which doesn't lock back. The thermoplastic handle slabs pinned to an aluminum handle frame save weight but don't contribute much strength. The Summit is a lightweight climber's knife built for light chores and opening the champagne bottle at the top of the mountain. At 3.5 ounces, it's a good choice for climbers and hikers who want a basic pocket knife without excess weight.