I never really considered myself a knife person – I wasn’t sure why people spent $100 or more on a pocket knife, typically sticking to knifes that were $50 or less for my personal use. Then I received a couple of knives from BÖKER PLUS for testing & evaluation. My perspective on this all changed instantaneously!
Over the years BÖKER PLUS has worked closely with international designers to develop and test modern and stylish utility and ‘gentlemanly’ pocket knives as well as tactical knives focused on function.
Why Buy?
Several times per week, I need something to open a box or package. While keys can be used in a pinch to open a box, it doesn’t help much with something like blister/clamshell packaging. On the trail, knives are one of the 10 Essentials and are useful in first aid, food prep, and repairs.
In looking for a knife that can be used on the trail and carried everyday, two things I focus on are simplicity and a non-threatening appearance. Most of the knives geared towards outdoorsy people are overkill. Most EDC knives are threatening or tactical looking. Most all of these look out of place in a work-place setting. With this in mind, my initial goal was to review knives that don’t draw attention when clipped to my pocket or when they are in a closed position.
I saw BÖKER PLUS appear in several Google searches (gentleman’s pocket knife, gentlemanly knife, etc). After looking through the wide range of knives they offer, I narrowed my focus down to their Urban Trapper and Lancer 42.
Here are some specs:
- Price: $139.95
- Type: Pocket Knife
- Overall Length: 7,68 in
- Blade Length: 3,43 in
- Blade Thickness: 0,10 in
- Weight: 1,69 oz
- Designer: Brad Zinker
- Blade Material: VG-10
- Handle Material: Titanium
- Opener: Flipper
- Lock Type: Framelock
- Color: Grey
- Item Number: 01BO730
- Type: $104.95
- Type: Pocket Knife
- Overall Length: 7,05 in
- Blade Length: 2,99 in
- Blade Thickness: 0,12 in
- Weight: 2,43 oz
- Designer: Serge Panchenko
- Blade Material: 440C
- Handle Material: G10
- Opener: Thumb Hole
- Lock Type: Linerlock
- Color: Olive
- Item Number: 01BO064
Overall, both knives looked like a good match for what I wanted. After speaking with BÖKER PLUS about what I was looking for, both knives were soon on their way for testing and evaluation.
First Impressions
I’ve been carry the Urban Trapper Petite for a couple of weeks now, sometimes with another knife at the same time. I have not yet carried the Lancer 42 on a daily basis, but will start doing so soon. After I have a chance to form some opinions on it, I’ll post a dedicated review. Here are some thoughts on the Urban Trapper Petite:
- The Good
- Every time I pick the knife up, I am amazed at how light weight it is!
- Solid lock up – no play when when the linerlock is engaged
- Has held up and worked well with all of the EDC tasks I’ve thrown at it.
- Being a flipper knife, the knife can be very easily opened with one hand and can be done so very quickly. I’ve never owned a knife that was easier to open.
- With the deep carry clip and the overall thinness of the knife, it is barely noticeable when clipped to your pocket.
- With the texture on the handle and the cutouts for finger placement the knife handles well.
- The Bad
- The belt/pocket clip could be stiffer. While it is nice to be able to clip the knife to my pocket or belt with one hand, I wonder if it provides enough resistance to keep it from falling out of a pocket.
- The ergonomics of the knife work well for me since I have small hands – if you have large hands, you may want to take a close look at the specs.
- The Bottom Line
- My favorite knife by a wide margin. I love this thing.
Future Testing
- Durability – It’s likely that this is partially due to the light weight, but I wonder how well the knife will hold up under heavy use.
- Hiking tasks – I need to test it doing some hiking/survival type tasks (like making feather sticks) and see how well the knife holds an edge after some serious use. Out of the box it worked well for the feather stick I started (see pics).
