Top 25 Pocket Knives that are Indispensable: #25 Microtech Ultratech

TOP 25 POCKET KNIVES THAT ARE INDISPENSABLE: #25 Microtech Ultratech
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In June, we took a survey to learn which pocket knives our readers believe should never be discontinued. Respondents were asked to name as many or as few pocket knife models as they wanted, and no brands or blades were off-limits. 404 respondents named a total of 268 models and the average respondent named 4.1 pocket knives.

Only one automatic knife made the Top 25 list. And it came as no surprise that it was the Microtech Ultratech. 14 out of 404 respondents said the Microtech Ultratech should never be discontinued.

The Ultratech is Microtech’s best-seller, the most popular knife from a company that makes a lot of very popular knives. Microtech struck gold when it released the first Ultratechs in 1999. Smaller than the HALO, yet still big enough for both utility and self-defense; the Ultratech’s slim profile, standard-setting dual-action, and ready-for-anything ruggedness offer the perfect combination of tactical and practical.

A dual-action automatic is a knife that both deploys and retracts automatically. They are tricky to build well, and even more of a challenge to build at a price that most would-be users can afford. With the Ultratech, not only did Microtech establish the benchmark for dual-action automatic performance, they also set a standard for value. While nobody would call the Ultratech a budget-friendly knife, with a starting price under $300 it was and remains one of the most reasonably-priced quality dual-action automatics on the market.

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The Ultratech comes in a dizzying array of styles and colors. Whether you’re looking for serrations, bayonet-style or double-edged blades, or a particular color of anodization, there’s probably an Ultratech out there for you. There are lots of special editions and limited runs, including the recent Bounty Hunter edition. No surprise that the secondary and collectors’ markets for Ultratechs are huge. The following for this iconic, American-made OTF knife continues to grow.

Like other classic, longstanding designs on this list, the Ultratech benefits from advances and refinements over the years. In 2015, Microtech released the newest iteration of this beloved knife. Key changes include new Tri-Grip texturing on the handle, triangle hardware, and a tweaked thumb slide button design.

Visit KnifeNews tomorrow to find out which model is #24 on our list of the Top 25 Pocket Knives that are Indispensable.


Knife featured in image: Microtech Ultratech


#25 Microtech Ultratech 14/404
#24 Emerson CQC-7 15/404
#23 Victorinox Cadet 18/404
#22 Benchmade Adamas 20/404
#21 Zero Tolerance 0562 21/404
#20 Cold Steel Ti-Lite 24/404
#19 Opinel No. 8 25/404 
#18 Zero Tolerance 0350 28/404
#17 Cold Steel Voyager 30/404
#16 Case Trapper 41/404
#15 Ontario RAT Model 1 43/404
#14 Benchmade Mini Griptilian 53/404
#13 Spyderco Manix 2 54/404
#12 CRKT M16 57/404
#11 Kershaw Skyline 58/404
#10 Kershaw Blur 62/404
#09 Cold Steel Recon 1 63/404
#08 Spyderco Endura 4 70/404
#07 Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 21 75/404
#06 Kershaw Leek 76/404
#05 Benchmade 940 78/404
#04 Spyderco Delica 4 79/404
#03 Benchmade Griptilian 81/404
#02 Buck 110 Folding Hunter 90/404
#01 Spyderco Paramilitary 2 94/404