Wenger has been building a reputation with some truly amazing athletes lately in some amazing sports- from the Alinghi Racing Team to the Patagonian Expedition to Mike Horn, and now to Ueli Steck.  Rather than pretend I know all about this world class climber, it's probably better if you just check out his personal web page.

These new models are very interesting, not just because of the titanium scales.  In this instance, the titanium isn't for aesthetics or pointlessly increasing price like many other manufacturers do- instead it's for weight reduction, which you can imagine is important when hanging off the side of a mountain!


For many, these knives appear odd, especially to those used to a more classic looking SAK, but the design allows the wrenches to be incorporated into an existing piece rather than having something added to the knife, increasing it's size and weight.  And, the holes also allow the blade to function as a one handed opener, again, a big benefit when hanging off the side of a mountain.


While it looks reminiscent of the old ALOX Standard Issue knife, these titanium knives actually have more in common with the New Ranger series- for example, the 1/4" slot in the side of the handle is a very useful feature that I wish would find its way onto a lot more knives- including the tactical variety.


The other thing these knives share with the New Ranger is the liner lock system for the blade.  The lock engages automatically, and is released by pressing the shield in.