Put together a knife from the finest materials, using the finest design, and you have to have something good. Kershaw’s Avalanche, a design by knife maker Ken Onion, is today’s technology simplified to the point of good sense.
Starting with the 3 1/8″ blade, you get a dark Tungsten coated high carbon stainless steel. This particular knife has a plain edge, good enough for everything so long as you know a little about sharpening. The Speed Safe thumb stud system allows easy one-handed opening; fully open, the blade securely locks for safe fixed blade style use.
The G-10 handle construction, virtually unbreakable, has the added advantage of high insulation value. On a cold day that’s easy to appreciate; when metal handles will have sucked all the life from your fingers, you can still grip the Avalanche.
The removable steel clip is strong and secure, so much that some people complain it’s too hard to pull loose from your belt or pocket. I don’t think I’d complain about that; if it slips easily from your pocket, you won’t do much wilderness travel before it vanishes. With a closed length of 4 1/2″ it can even ride along for city use without being too conspicuous.
A simple but secure handle style and a wide hollow ground blade design just add more to the good side of this excellent knife. All the best of the techie knives without the hype.
