Bestech’s New Affordable EDC Folder Proves ‘Entry-Level’ Doesn’t Have to Mean ‘Sacrifice’

For such an inexpensive knife, the Noctar — short for “Nomadic Operative Concept/Total Action Reliability” is shockingly feature-rich.

Gray folding knife with textured blue handle resting on a camera lens cap labeled "E-mount.Bestech

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Designer Grzegorz Grabarski and Bestech keep rolling out hit after hit. Among them this year were a stunning futuristic gentleman’s knife (with a somewhat unfortunate name), a jaw-dropping folder inspired by the Fallout video game series and a blade far too pretty to be so inexpensive.

Turns out, the pair wanted to hit that budget-friendly sweet spot one last time before the year came to an end. And wouldn’t you know it: they’ve got another hit on their hands in the form of the Bestech Noctar.

Folding knife with a matte silver blade and textured light blue handle on a gray fabric surface.
It’s pretty difficult to believe that a knife this good-looking costs only $75 to $85.
Bestech

Quite a mouthful (and pocketful)

As it turns out, “Noctar” is actually an acronym, which stands for “Nomadic Operative Concept/Total Action Reliability.” Obviously, that’s a hell of a mouthful, so we’re gonna stick with Noctar for the rest of this article.

That said, the name does hint at what this knife is designed for: easy traveling and dependable functionality — both very high on the list of what anyone should want out of an everyday carry knife. Interestingly, it also shares some elements in common with its affordable Mothus siblings (beyond their shared designer and brand).

Black folding knife with textured handle and clip on a gray fabric surface.
Thanks to its reversible pocket clip, crossbar lock, and thumb hole deployment, this knife is fully ambidextrous.
Bestech

The Noctar’s handle, for instance, is crafted from G-10 and supports an ambidextrous crossbar lock, just like the Mothus. Similarly, the blade is crafted from affordable yet reliable 14C28N steel.

However, that’s where their paths begin to diverge, as the rest of their details don’t quite line up. Their deployments, silhouettes and sizes are pretty disparate from one another.

Three closed folding knives with textured handles in blue, black, and olive green, laid on a dark fabric surface.
Because the pocket clip is set into the handle, it remains impressively low-profile.
Bestech

All in the family

Speaking of deployment, the Noctar’s manual thumb hole serves multiple purposes (beyond its functionality related to extending the blade).

For starters, like the crossbar lock, it offers ambidexterity — making this knife friendly to both right-handed and left-handed users (especially when considering that its pocket clip is reversible). However, it also serves as a stylistic counterpoint to the crossbar lock, offering balance to the overall silhouette.

Eight folding knives with different colored handles (mint green, red, orange, blue, dark gray, black, olive, beige) arranged vertically on a black ribbed surface.
Here, you can see all the different versions of the Noctar, which all cost the same low price.
Bestech

While the handle scales material is the same as its sibling, the Mothus, the shape is a bit different. The Mothus is slimmer and more gentleman’s knife-like, but the Noctar has a wider bolster and large finger guard, making it a bit safer to use for tougher cuts. To further that point, the blade’s spine features jimping, allowing its user to exert greater pressure on the edge.

As far as sizing is concerned, the Noctar is a good deal larger than the Mothus, measuring 8.86 inches (instead of 8.05 inches) and has a 3.71-inch blade (as opposed to 3.47 inches). Despite their similarities in style and cost, the Noctar is definitely beefier.

Folding knife with a gray blade and blue textured handle resting on a camera lens with black and white rope in the background.
Designer Grzegorz Grabarski and Bestech keep rolling out hit after hit.
Bestech

Pricing and availability

When the Bestech Noctar launches on December 26 (this coming Friday), it will cost just $75 apiece. Once the preorder window closes, that price rises (just a bit) to $85.

You can also sign up for stock notifications on the brand’s site right now.

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