Kizer Drop Bear Review | GearJunkie Tested

Knives are seasonal for me. I tend to carry heavier, bulkier knives in the colder months and lighter knives in the spring and summer. This owes partly to the fact that 10 years ago, lightweight knives were generally meant for light duty.

But now with advances in materials and manufacturing, lightweight knives have become more capable than ever.

When I received the cult-favorite Kizer Drop Bear knife, it was the dead of winter. I loved the size and shape, but at 2.48 ounces, I didn’t think it would stand up to the shenanigans I get into in winter. So I put it to the side.

This is where I admit that, from time to time, I am wrong. In hindsight, with a name that has “bear” in it, I probably should have realized this would be one of those times right off the bat.

In short: Lightweight, well-made, and affordable, the Kizer Drop Bear is a universally useful knife that easily does the work of a knife twice as heavy. In a place in time where lightweight knives are trending, the Kizer Drop Bear punches above its weight class

Kizer Drop Bear Review

Design & Features

The Drop Bear is a mid-size, lightweight, ambidextrous pocket knife that excels in ergonomics and ease of use. Where other brands have tried to shed ounces and grams by thinning out a knife blade and handle profile, Kizer chose to keep the Drop Bear robust, which aids in its overall abilities.

The version of the Drop Bear I tested kept weight below 3 ounces, thanks to Mkuluti wood scales (Model #V3619A6). Other variants may exceed that weight.

All itinerations of the Drop Bear carry a drop-point blade with Nitro-V steel. For the uninitiated, Nitro-V is a value steel that is known for excellent toughness, abrasion, and corrosion resistance. It also has decent edge retention and is a breeze to sharpen.

On the Drop Bear, Kizer chose to add a false edge, or swedge, to the spine. This increases the knife’s ability to pierce, making it more well-rounded than the average drop-point blade.

Kizer has its own version of the crossbar lock known as the Clutch Lock. Unlike most other crossbar locks on the market, this version has a spring that can be adjusted.

Just like preferences between Coke and Pepsi, some people like different levels of tension on their knives. Out of the box, the opening of the Drop Bear is smooth. But thanks to the Gemini Adjust System, it can easily go from smooth to impressive — all the way to intimidating.

First Impressions

Not only was it the middle of winter when the Drop Bear arrived, but I was already testing its cousin, the OKNIFE Rubato 2. (Kizer makes knives for other brands; aside from OKNIFE, it works with the likes of Knafs.)

So it sat on the shelf until April, when at last the spring peepers sang and the crocuses popped through the soil. I reached for the Drop Bear box and the journey began.

It’s really hard to get over the weight of this knife. Looking at the bulky handles and full-size blade, it doesn’t look like a 2.48-ounce knife. Then you pick it up and are a bit surprised.

What’s the catch? Where did Kizer cut corners? But there was no catch, and no corners were cut. 

Additionally, there’s a level of precision you wouldn’t expect from a $70 knife. The addition of a swedge can throw off the geometry of a grind easily. However, on the Drop Bear, the grind lines are admirable. So, too, is the overall lack of flex and wobble that has become customary in some popular lightweight knives out there today.

One thing I’m curious about in the long term is how exposure to the elements, and the sweat and oils from my hands, will impact these Mkuluti wood scales. They’re still a little slick out of the box.

In the Field

Straightforward, full-bodied drop-point blades like the one on the Drop Bear are destined to tackle a lot of things. Considering the impressive edge Kizer put on the blade and the fact that Nitro-V has such a high corrosion-resistance rating, the knife outperformed my expectations.

Again, lightweight knives are touch and go in regard to how demanding you can be with them. The build quality, juxtaposed against the weight of the knife, makes it surprisingly effective while still being agile.

After a few days of working with it, the handle scales got nice and tacky, which improved the grip tenfold. The Drop Bear looks great, but if I couldn’t trust the overall grip, I wouldn’t have used it as much as I did.

That said, there’s no flex or play in the knife at all, or in the handle scales specifically. However, they do have a hollow feeling — which I believe is purely psychological, because the entirety of the handle has a stainless steel frame underneath it.

All in all, I really enjoyed using the Drop Bear for foraging flowers throughout the spring and digging tinder fungus out of trees for summer campfires. And when I wasn’t, it proved a nice, lightweight pocket carry.

Who’s It For?

The Drop Bear had so much hype around it that it was hard for me to avoid reading about it. I thought it was wild that people were so excited over a $70 knife, but having used it for the last couple of months, I totally get it.

What made me really fall for the Drop Bear was its chunky handle and equally chunky blade. I like things that are stout and fill my hand. In the case of the Drop Bear, size and weight create a wonderful balance that lets you use the knife for extended periods without your hands getting fatigued.

The Drop Bear has all the makings of a knife that will stop people — not just outdoorsy folks — in their search for a favorite knife.