I think if you are going to use the word ergonomics regarding a folding knife I think you have to not only include the comfort of the grip but also things like can you open the blade with out repositioning your hand too much and how much you have to reposition your hand to operate the lock and how easy the pocket clip works going in and out of the pocket. It's more about not just comfort but also convenience and efficiency. So I think I would agree more with Seth on this one.
Such a good point, not to mention one that feels like a missed opportunity after they spoke about the lock and (to lesser extent) deployment quite heavily when discussing the Griptillian, except that by then they'd already talked about almost every other knife on the table without mentioning those factors.
So in short how uncoplicated it is to use combined with comfort. I would agree. My prime example is the access of the tweezers of a leatherman style PS and the ones of a SAK. (The ones in my style PS are for sure never going to get lost, but i almost need the flathead of a SAK to get them out. The ones on a SAK on the other hand are easy and uncomplicated to get out and in. Other examples i would bring: A one handed opening knife which has a gritty or uncomfortable opening mechanism i would rate less ergonomic than a Slipjoint that needs two hands but opens smooth and without too much force to overcome.
Yes, ergonomics takes into Factor many points such as ease of operation of deployment and redeployment of the knife, convenience and simplicity of the locking mechanism comfort in the hand, ability to quickly deploy the knife blade safely, so safe safety is an important aspect of a knife, as well as other items such as corrosion resistance and grip of the knife itself so that it can be used properly. And then of course there are something called the therblings, which are the number of movements required to achieve the end result in terms of specific uses of the knife. The term "therbling" is an industrial engineering term looking at Time study and motion of use of a particular tool and ergonomic experts utilize such analysis to determine efficiency, ease of use, safety, comfort and a wide range of other factors. How do I know these things? Because I spent a lot of money and time including many tests in this regard. Engineering is the practical application of science, among other things. But the bottom line here is that I agree with your points because ergonomic is a general term which encompasses many, many facets of a particular tool and its use buy a human.
Working in a butcher shop or slaughterhouse knives typically have hand filling handles. One slaughterhouse I went to was a chicken factory and they had two different size handles for men and women. Cattle slaughterhouse had a big selection of sizes of cutting tools and bigger handles depending on the cutting station. What messes me up on most of my folders is the doggone pocket clip.
I prefer not having deep carry clips on my folders these days, I find the standard clips are much less noticeable in hand. The folded over deep carry clips almost bother me.
I always take the pocket clips off my pocket knives, I just carry them by slipping him underneath my belt and threw a belt loop. It works pretty well, I've been doing that for years and haven't dropped a knife once.
@@MountainFisher The standard Benchmade clip like on the Griptilian in the video is one of the most comfortable clips there is. I've been trying to get all my BM deep carry clips switched over to those.
@@etherealicer taking notes. I think I've personally moved away from Satin as my preference, but I need to remember there are lots of folks that like it. What's your favorite handle color?
●Buck Vantage (US) ●Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter (Tiawan) ●Cold Steel AD-10 (Tiawan) ●Benchmade Griptilian (US) ●SOG Aegis (Tiawan) ANOTHER great topic. Thank you very much. Your knife videos are the BEST!
One key distinction: SPECIALIST vs GENERALIST (EDC knives, especially if you only carry one, lean heavily toward generalist applications - they work reasonably well at, and are reasonably comfortable in, a wide variety of common tasks, but rarely ever as well as the specialized tool for a specific task.)
Specialist knives are generally fixed bladed knives anyway. Chefs for example use many different knives but all are fixed blade. Mora make a lot of fixed blades for tradesmen like plumbers' knives, electrical fitters' knives etc. as well as outdoors knives.
One aspect of an ergonomic design is the feel of the knife grip in the hand, BUT... Equally important is the feeling of the knife in the pocket. One factor that determines comfort is :- can you slide your hand into your knife pocket with the knife clipped to the pocket? Does the pocket knife take up too much room in your pocket and can you still grab loose change or whatever from your pocket. The most comfortable handle on a knife would be determined by squeezing some clay in your hand and then using that mold to fashion the knife handle, but this design would not be functional for a pocket knife (though it might work for a fixed blade) and would only be comfortable in one grip position. So the moral of the story is...ergonomics depends on use...there is no "one size fits all".
After owning many of the knives mentioned, I've found the CS Ultimate Hunter to be one of the best compromises for a general use folder, it's one weakness possibly is the large amount of belly and slightly blunter tip. Another heavier duty option would be the CS Bush Ranger but slicing geometry is worse and the handle pushes your hand away from the edge making some bushcraft work harder. Thankfully, since both handles are just G-10 you can sand them to your liking with minimal equipment.
if the cold steel ultimate hunter had liners, it would be the best hard use knife for the money imo. but since it doesn’t i personally think the code 4 is a better choice, but it’s all down to if you want strength or comfort, and if you need a real pointy tip or not
As somebody whose job often deals with semantics and pushing back on people with miniscule- yet important- perception differences, I thought this was an excellent video. Well done, gents!
Love the discussion… I have 2 that feel great in hand … For the large it is my Micarta Shaman … For the small it is my Ti We Banter … Zero hot spots that don’t beat up the hand no matter how much I use them.
To my understanding, an "ergonomic" handle or design comes from the idea that it adapts to the human body. Ex: an ergonomic pillow, an ergonomic chair, an ergonomic handle. When it comes to knife scales for instance, you can have scales that are comfortable for some people, but not necessarily ergonomic, versus, you can have "ergonomically" thought out handle scales that are perhaps not comfortable for everybody, but were thought out to be "ergonomic" in principle at least.
Gentlemen…another excellent video. As a long-in-the-tooth KCI customer, spending countless hours in the outdoors hunting, fishing and camping, most often using the same knife in the process…well, y’all overlooked one important, iconic knife - the Buck 110.
I agree with Seth when it comes to Spyderco knives in the sense that they do seem to be made to fit the human hand. maybe not as hand filling as the griptilian, but definitely intentionally designed for comfortable use in many grips
The Ultimate Hunter is the most under rated knife ever made. One of my best folders, with a level of quality you simply wouldn't expect from the price point.
I’m an old bush Jarhead and have carried a bunch of different blades. I’m left handed and five six so the search goes on. For folding now I like the Rajah II and for the rest I have a 1951 USN Ka-Bar my father’s from Korea War. Now my son carries it in the bush.
I think the Spyderco tenacious is built perfectly for my hand, IMO it's one of those "beat the icon" knives. It's been around for a while and still going strong. Even the newer lightweight versions are even better. Also the pocket clip feels like the buck vantage, non obtrusive in my hand. There you go DCA, tenacious episode for "beat the icon". Thanks
Seth has truly great hair - glad to see him rockin' it and being more comfortable on camera. This is to me a more important topic than steel, thanks for the discussion guys
I have a couple really fancy knives and I if I could only keep one I would keep my stretch 2. Some kind of voodoo went into making that design, it’s awesome :-)
i absolutely love my gerber auto propel i got from u guys a short while ago, & i love the agressive g10 scales, ur fingers Will NOT Slip off this handle, & after carrying a crkt m16 for years, while its a great knife, the handels just seemed like they got more slippery as it wore over the years, so that really aggressive grippy g10 on the gerber was a huge "ergonomic" selling point for me & truly sold me on that perticular knife as my next edc... great conversation, always enjoys the videos... thank u gentlemen
Holds nicely in the hand 3:10 , showing a hammer grip , before switching back to a normal grip. I don’t hammer grip my knives. , it’s mostly a RU-vid comfort display grip
You know I'm big on automatic knives. From the old Italian stiletto, all the way up to the newest microtech. But AC, I'm going to have to agree with you. When it comes to a button lock or an axis lock, they are hard to beat. There is quick or quicker than an automatic. And a lot more reliable because you don't have to worry about a spring breaking. Good video guys!
I’ve been all about the contoured or rounded handles lately (surprised not to see a shaman on the table). But I recently picked up a fixed blade with a very rectangular shaped handle and was blown away by how well it fit in my hand. I took it out and carved some notches… it totally changed my perspective about ergos.
ergonomics can be understood as "human objects" interaction , efficiency and development, performance of the human use of a device by design and pre-thought building/shaping an artificial thing, that more organically work with the human body architecture, making it "ergonomic".
GREAT discussion! I gotta say I lean toward Seth's idea of what ergonomics encompasses. Raw comfort is certainly part of it, but to me, if it's comfortable enough, then other factors start to play more significant roles. For instance, and especially for pocket knives, pocketability is very important once a certain comfort threshold is reached. How easily it goes in and out of the pocket, how easily I can slide my hand past my knife to access other items in my pocket, and how invisible it is in the pocket are all a big part of the ergonomics to me. Many Spydercos and Ferrum Forges have that nice angle to the top of the knife that add a lot of "ergo-ness" in the pocket, IMO. For these reasons, my CF Sage 5 is a good candidate for my most ergo pocket knife. That, and I really like the feel of CF. I also really like "little big knives" because they seem to fit my "slightly smaller than average" hands perfectly. For that reason, my Fox Suru, Ace Riv, and even my Lil Native are also good candidates for my most ergo knife. I also really like the feel of aluminum knives with well-tuned, fidgety deployment. For those reasons, I'd consider my Bailout and Kizer Original as highly ergonomic, even though they might fall a little lower on the raw comfort scale. Good stuff!
I do love the fact that the Benchmade does such a great job with the detent via the axis lock too… longevity is better than a liner or frame lock detent
If you go by Seth's definition, I would include comfort in the pocket and deployment speed as ergonomic. By that definition, super small / flat knives like the Baby Banter or Dragonfly get some points for being ergonomic in the pocket. HOWEVER, since the goal of ergonomics is efficiency, I would also have to give points for blade performance. With all that considered, i have to agree with Seth's choice of the Stretch XL as being one of the most ergonomic pocket knives. I personally carry a Police 4 with a wave opener, and it really sings as an efficient tool.
My micarta M4 Shaman is a pleasure to hold and I get excellent control in many different grips. The blade shape works well for many tasks and the micarta is comfortable whether wet or dry. In the kitchen, I’m always using my Spydiechef. The flat scales let me hold the knife however I need to depending on what I’m cutting. And even though it’s sand washed titanium it’s still comfortable with the nice chamfered edges and I can maintain a great grip, even when wet.
The handle on the Griptilian does not require any milling. It is injection molded -- the handle material is forced under pressure into the mold and gets shaped very quickly according to the contours built into the mold. I just ordered one on the Knife Day special!
For the most part I never worry about how comfortable a knife is going to be unless I’m picking out a knife to do bush craft for hours on end. If I’m just gonna be cutting a box once in a while, the only thing that really matters to me a whole lot is what it looks like, even the opening mechanism doesn’t matter that much unless you use it to fidget around with because if you’re only opening it once a day or maybe a couple times a day, even the opening mechanism doesn’t matter that much. Usually the overall aesthetic is what attracts me to a particular knife .
Bought a boker Kalashnikov from a friend at work over 2 years ago, he ordered too many knives and I got a bargain. I've worn the green of the handle and most of the black off the pocket clip. Remarkably comfortable and versatile. May have to step up to the Griptillion if I wear out the Kalashnikov.
The Recon 1 is my perfect ergo with 4" blade, strongest lock, thumb stud opening never fails, scales are no. 1 choice. The build quality is best. For 100 dollars new i can't beat it
Great info. Ergonomics usually doesn't get the detailed attention it needs. For collectables ergos may not be a priority but for users it really is important. For me ergos have two key aspects 1) The obvious - handle design. eg. no hotspots, not too thick or thin, not slippery etc... AND 2) The not so obvious - blade presentation. What do I mean? Do you need to move your fingers, hand or arms into an uncomfortable position to use the knife properly. eg. no good having a nice handle if you have to kink your wrist to use the blade properly due to blade angle - that will cause pain in no time. Using a knife outside its intended purpose is a common cause of this problem.
The word "ergo" means something along the lines of "because of", and most subjects that has this word in it focuses on the logistics of things. The qoute “amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics” comes to mind, not because im saying anyone is an amateur, but it highlights the difference between tactics (how to do something at all) and logistics (how to do a thing most efficiently). So I had an accident that required me to learn to walk again, and part of that was doing physical therapy and ergo therapy. The ergo therapy part focuses alot on functionality and logistics, and thats kinda stuck with me as the definition of ergonomics as well. You already know how to get a cup out of the cupboard, but what is the most efficient, easiest and/or least discomforting way to do so when you lost a body part? So in this context, a knife that is designed in way that is clunky to use, is not ergonomic. A knife that is uncomfortable to use is not ergonomic. A knife with a sharp pocket clip that prevents you squeezing as hard as you need to, is not ergonomic. Even a knife that is dull could be considered not ergonomic, because ergonomics focus so much on functionality and efficiency. It is also very much determined by the task you are trying to achieve. If a knife is super comfortable for 10 minutes and thats enough to get what you need done, then it is ergonomic. If the same knife is comfortable at first, but causes your hand to cramp after 2 hours, and your job is to use it for 6 hours, then it is not ergonomic. The task changed the tool in this case. In a way both of you are correct about the definition of ergonomics, you are just talking about different aspects under the same umbrella term. Kinda like if one of you thinks the engine is the most important piece of a car, and the other thinks the tires are most important, you are both still talking about a car.
Great job y'all. Thank you for this. This was one of my favorite videos you guys have done. So insightful and thought provoking. fantastic. Also, personally I really enjoy the Falkniven PXL as far as "ergonomics" goes. After this video, I still think that the PXL is quite "ergonomic." :)
Love the conversation. One aspect that I think may have been overlooked is how a knife’s ambidextrous qualities can improve the ergos in way. I’m a righty but as I understand it, for a lefty if a knife is mostly or completely ambidextrous then the ergos of said knife are better. For example the Spyderco Stretch 2 is 100% ambidextrous, the Spyderco Shaman is considered extremely comfortable in hand. However the compression lock for the Shaman is right hand biased. Therefore I’d suspect there are those that because the lockback is ambidextrous they’d find the ergos of the stretch more appealing.
Please consider some type of installment pay. Klarna, shop pay, sezzle, something. I love you guys store. Love the prices and love the personality the comes with your employees. And I can honestly say it would promote more purchases and more higher costing knives. I just bought my first microtech but the only way I could do it is with an installment payment method. Thanks
To this day, the Manix 2 XL is still one of my favorites. I have a Shaman, and the contouring of the scales is neat, but it's just not as comfortable for me, and I find the compression lock gets in the way with pinch grips which I use frequently. I'd REALLY like to know why it's so tempting for designers to make liner locks with proud liners. It just seems to make handles less comfortable without much of a benefit that I can glean. Is it for visual aesthetics, or a "poor man's" contouring of the handle?
Les George VECP is an incredibly comfortable flat-scaled folder. Even with polished titanium scales I feel totally locked in and can use it for a long time for all sorts of tasks. (I'm still relying on small fixed blades for almost any EDC tasks beyond opening packages or slicing fruit) The Spyderco Police 4 is another really comfortable user that has recently been living on my kitchen counter as the go-to fruit and veg slicer. At first I just wanted to get that patina looking good on the K390, but after a few days I realized it was outstanding for dealing with general kitchen duty. It is a fun topic, and I appreciate the way you two approach these videos with some thought beforehand but a nice unscripted banter between you.
In my opinion, a criminally underrated knife is the kershaw clash by Ken Onion. I have not encountered another knife designed around accepting so many different kinds of holds and grips. If you have one at the knife center, please overlook the spring assist and pick it up.
I absolutely stand by the Kershaw Clash. I've put mine through all kinds of hell, and for a budget-ish knife, it has pulled through with flying colors. It's one of the few knives I can thoroughly recommend the serrated model on. The serrations are extremely aggressive and bite into tougher materials *very* well.
Great list, the griptilian is/was a masterpiece design. I would add in the spyderco carribbean, was super impressed with the feel of that handle and blade ergos in a folder.
One of the most enjoyable KC videos for me yet. Maybe a little disappointed the "divergence in thought" didn't culminate in a knife combat but still, great video. Given the actual definition of ergonomics, I have to agree with Seth. P.S. Is that Medeski Martin and Wood with the outtro music?
Glad to see the AD10 mentioned. I finally gave in and bought one this year. Now that I have it. I wish I would have purchased one sooner. Out of all of my folders. (Every major brand.) It is easily the most comfortable knife I own. It fits my hand perfectly, and the clip just disappears in hand like magic for me. Which seems impossible because of how large it is. I don’t know how the Ultimate Hunter could top it. But it seems that I am going to have to find out for myself. Looks like I will be buying another Cold Steel sooner than later. I can’t recommend the AD10 enough honestly. Especially if it fits your intended uses. Oh, I wear size Xl gloves if that helps anyone interested in this knife.
The 2 most ergonomic knives I own are the CJRB Feldspar large in D2, and the KaBar Dozier Folding Hunter. That Dozier has some voodoo working - it just proves that simple is the opposite of easy. Getting simple right is hard. There's no place for a mediocre design to hide. And the rounded handles on the D2 versions of the Feldspar make it so comfortable. I did have to switch the clip out with a standard Civivi, which fit perfect. That removed the only hotspot I had.
I enjoy Ferrum Forge designs as well. The Odium is my favorite small knife. It works in different grips. It's comfortable in my large hands. Great design
I work at a manufacturing plant and we talk about ergonomics all the time. They aim to improve efficiency primarily by reducing repetitave motion injuries. A truly ergonomic knife is one that you can use all day, every day. If you cant use your tool for 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, then it isnt really ergonomic. If there are hot spots or other forms of discomfort, it can eventually lead to things like tendon or nerve damage, if you use it as often as a professional would. So a lot of edc knives shoot to be "ergonomic enough" so that you can use them for a fair amount of time on a pretty common basis, but not like its your full time job. As long as you can cut cardboard or make notches for 5-20 hours per week without injury, then the knife should be considered ergonimic enough for this discussion.
Mini Griptilian from REI was my gateway knife about 10 years ago. Followed by the full size Griptilian. This was followed by all sizes of Forge De Laguiole knives, Spyderco, Otter MKM, multiple Benchmade, etc. Shout out to fixed blades Bradford and Giant Mouse. Giant Mouse please do a large version of the GMF1 at 3.5 to 4 inches long. Right now I am down the rabbit hole of Scandinavian fixed blades. Helle Eggan is the most comfortable and beautiful knife I have owned. Outdoors knife, not a kitchen slicer. Awesome. Helle Nying most unusual and unexpectedly great. Please do video on full range of Scandinavian knives. Fascinating history and current small factories that do great work. Thanks
Ergonomics of a tool or item or area, is that items ability to keep the worker producing efficiently! Comfort is def a key point, also weight, sharpness, dependability, all come in to play.
Great video guys. I gotta say though- I would elect one more. The Benchmade Boost. I have the pry tip version (I know, it’s sadly discontinued) and while it doesn’t look like much, it’s a VERY comfortable knife to use and I’ve used it for various home projects- opening paint cans, stripping wires, snapping the tension clips on window blinds, unscrewing and removing outlet covers….So any Boost, I’m sure, feels just as comfortable as the next. That knife is amazing. But I like your picks too. Got my eye on a couple of them that, hopefully , I can pick up in the near future. Last thing- I could see this video being the first of two or maybe even 3… ::cough:: just sayin’….
Ergonomics. How comfortable is it to hold it? (material, shape, size) is it slippery when wet? Is there a risk you hand glides from the grip and touches the sharp edge? How easy is it to open and close the knife and can it be done one-handed? Is the locking mechanism easy to unlock but also safe and reliable? How big and heavy is it? Is the pocket clip practical while not spoiling the comfortable grip?
I would LOVE to see the topic applied to fixed blades handles! It seems like most of the aren’t, especially compared to their use. Hence, in the last months I’ve become quite a fan of the slightly flattened “broomstick” handles on some bushcraft oriented knives!
I think y’all missed by not including the Buck 110. Especially the new sport. The whole concept of the 110 was a folding fixed blade. So overall it’s super neutral and it’s ideally comfortable
Just ordered the knife center exclusive griptilians.. most comfortable ergonomics to me so far are falkniven A1, buck 110 auto elite, Endure 4 is a little thin but nice, Emerson Elvia
Favorite ergonomic knives: Spyderco native 5. Fullsize griptilian. It's hard to believe, but the griptilian got even more ergonomic with deathgripscales slimcut g10. Civivi praxis is another one. Manix 2 is a good one and the king daddy of ergonomics the morakniv companion (and companion hd).
Tools and methods that make accomplish a task/job easier/safer. I first heard the term when factories started to incorporate cranes/monorails to help lift heavy items and reduce physical injuries. Also repetitive task injury. Changing table/shelf height. Basically design to reduce stress, strain and injury. This would be in the 90’s.
It looks like all those folders are stainless steel. When Benchmade and others start using high carbon non stainless steel like 1086 then I'll get interested. I own several of these hard to sharpen stainless folders of S30V and 154CM. Just so you know, I have put those all away and I have started carrying an Opinel 8 Carbone. I filed the wood handle to fit my taste and love it. I love it.
See’s video on ergonomics: Grabs my Manix 2 out of my work uniform to hold as I watch. Ergonomics becomes more important as you appreciate knives more. My preference is Manix 2 for work. Works ergonomically in all grip positions and blade shape works well in all types of cuts. General purpose perfection. I want a Cru-Carta version. Only knife I have two of. One for work and a LW for my summer shorts out of the workplace. I would gladly get another in Micarta though. Linerless Micarta would appeal greatly.
The Manix 2 LW became my all time favorite summer carry after a reblade, regrind, jimping removal, and a rounding of all the sharp edges. But none of that was possible without first removing those damned rivets. Once the screwed-together Manix 2 LW drops, we're going to see a whole new world of aftermarket possibilities for the platform. Skinny Manix 2 LW scales made from Terotuf? Sign me up!
I've been waiting on my backordered Blurple Manix 2 for months, but if they dropped a Crucarta version I'd snap it up in a heartbeat despite not having handled a Manix yet.
@@arrowheadguys7637 the non-LW Manix 2 is a clashing design in my opinion. The full liners and jimping everywhere says hard use bruiser, but the 0.125" blade stock says medium duty EDC. It's a mismatch. However the LW, after the overzealous jimping is sanded off, and all the sharp edges are knocked down, is a spectacular lightweight, medium duty EDC. Add a killer steel and a regrind, and it's an unbeatable summer EDC. All that said, I know a bit about what you like in knives, and you might be happiest with a Manix 2 XL. It's a serious bruiser in every way, with a little more handle real estate for big hands.
@@ZPositive If they made a Blurple version I likely would have ordered the XL. Wanted to try out the Manix AND the S110V, two birds, one stone. The S30V and black combo just didn't quite appeal to me on the XL, despite its size being more in my wheelhouse. BTW, finally broke down and ordered a MG AD20s in ELMAX off the secondary market, should arrive in a few days. Pretty stocked for that bad boy.
Great conversation! What a tough topic to cover, everyone has different size hands, different preferences, and different application needs. I definitely agree with everything said about the Fox Karambit, it is a great knife but can be kind of awkward to hold in different positions - that being said a Karambit isn't really designed to be used every day, just for a short period of time as needed lol. The Benchmade Griptilian is sweet, love my red KnifeCenter exclusive. I also agree with everything said about the WE Banter. Now I want to buy a Sog Aegis and Cold Steel AG-10, can't wait until pay day 🙂 Here are some of my picks: I just bought a Fox Jesper Voxnaes Core Flipper from KnifeCenter, this knife feels so great, has the wire pocket clip that was mentioned quite a bit in your video, and has a great blade for many applications. DCA - you need to feature more Fox knives in your videos - they are some of the best IMO. Spyderco... can't go wrong with Para3, Paramilitary 2, or Manix (in G10) - they conform to your hand so well and the raised section on the blade/jimping is fantastic. One of my latest favorites is the Benchmade Adamas and Mini Adamas, quite possibly one of the most versatile and comfortable knife out there, not the lightest/smallest EDC though. Hoque Deka is in my opinion a better knife than the Bugout in many ways (price, 20CV, handle material) but also is much more comfortable in the hand. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Bugout because of it being so light and thin to carry, but it doesn't do well in the Ergonomic department. For a Karambit - it doesn't get much better than the CRKT Provoke, all the talk about pocket clips, well this pocket clip is recessed and you won't feel it at all. Civivi Elementum is an honorable mention, great knife in many ways that feels pretty good in the hand. I also think the OKC RAT 1 is another knife that is build around ergonomics and functionality over EDC features.
Wire pocket clips, never was fond of them they look cheap and flimsy, and yet, are probably the most comfortable clip a folder can have. Funny how that works. "The Big Squeeze" LOL! Nice throw back to Dragnet:)
Place you in the best possible position to reduce or remove unnecessary stress in activity based on how it is believed the body currently is designed to operate. Sometimes something might feel more comfortable to us based on habbit but may cause additional stress / injury over time.
If it's for camping: I found that I use my knife almost entirely for opening packaging, or food prep. Not for woodwork! For that I need a thin blade with a long cutting edge. Opening speed or hand ergonomics are not very important at all.
My top ergonomic knife is probably the GiantMouse Ace Biblio in contoured carbon fiber. And for aftermarket products, the Flytanium Crossfade scales add a lot to the bugout.
As you indicated, efficient and comfortable for the task. However, I would add; for REPETITIVE tasks. And comfort isn’t necessarily designed for the short term but for the long term; long term meaning day in, day out, every week, every month and so on. Many things that are very comfortable for the hour, are terrible ergonomically and cause all kinds of ailments over the long term.
