The CHAMP
My first SAK was a Huntsman, a Christmas gift when I was 14. I cut myself with it within 15 minutes. Since then, I've had a SAK with me everyday or just about. About 7 years ago when I was in college, I got a MiniChamp. And boy that was perfect, fit in the little pocket on jeans, had a pen, and a surprisingly great selection of tools that I found myself reaching for several times a day. Had that one until Christmas 2024 when my now-wife got me another MiniChamp as the old one was really showing its age. The pen had run out of ink, cracked and chipped scales, the inlaid logo even wore thin and fell away somewhere. The new one lasted until a couple weeks ago. I used the cuticle tool thingy to loosen some knots on my car's bike rack and think I left it on the trunk before driving off. Despite my going back several times trying to find it, it had vanished. I lost my emotional support knife as my wife puts it, and I found myself reaching for the Champ, however mini, and being dejected to rediscover each time it was gone.
Now, since that first Huntsman at 14, I had my eye on the Swisschamp. It was cool, it was big, it was a little pricey. But I never got it bc I was happy with the one (ones) I had. But with the ghost of Christmas Champs haunting my now empty pockets, I resolved to get one I would feel missing before it ever really went missing. And so I made the adult purchase I had been putting since being a child and got the champ. When it arrived, I was shocked at how manageable it was, how not-big, how not-bulky it really was. Sure, heavier than I had been used to, but great. It dropped to the bottom of my pocket, it was definitely noticeable. But man if you put the pocket clip on it you barely know it's there until you need it. I suppose that kinda kills the whole notion of getting a knife I'd notice is missing. But man this thing is great.
The MiniChamp is dead, long live the Champ.