Behold: The Best-Looking Multi-Deploying $50 EDC Knife Yet

Its inspiration may be prehistoric, but its form and function are as modern and multi-faceted as you can get.

Black textured folding knife handle with a clip, held upright against a blurred outdoor background.

Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published March 13, 2026

·

Updated March 15, 2026

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Going down product rabbit holes can be fun even when they lead only to more rabbit holes, but when you land on a real diamond in the rough, it’s especially rewarding.

That was my experience the other day when I spotted a great-looking new knife on Böker’s Instagram page, the Kirke by Hydra Design.

Black folding knife with textured handle and tanto-style blade on a dark surface. — My favorite Trilobite, this badass blacked-out edition, is blissfully one of the $49 base models.

A few clicks later, I was admiring a new Damascus steel and carbon fiber beauty, and then learning it was the latest treatment of a Hydra Design stunner that costs just $49.

That would be the Petrified Fish Trilobite, which packs a combination of aesthetics, functionality and price that can’t be beat.

Superlative silhouette

Quick back story: Hydra Design is the label with which Italian artisan Alessandra De Santis brings her eye-popping creations to life.

The holder of a master’s degree in industrial chemistry of polymeric materials, De Santis began following her true passion in 2017 and has been on a tear since, with more than a dozen designs produced by such standout brands as Böker, Petrified Fish and We Knife.

Even so, the Trilobite stands out.

Black folding knife with textured handle standing blade-down on a log near a lake. — The pure primordial beauty of the knife can’t help but emerge even as it merges with natural surroundings.

The business end is a 3.03-inch reverse tanto blade typically made of stonewashed or black stonewashed Sandvik 14C28N steel, which offers respectable edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness while keeping the price low.

The standard handle is made of grippy, ergonomically shaped blue, black or khaki G10, with a trio of angular grooves across its middle recalling the shell of the prehistoric beast for which it is named.

Five closed folding knives with textured handles in blue, translucent amber, black patterned, solid black, and beige, arranged side by side on a black surface. — In its closed form with the handle grooves on full display, the trilobite vibes really come to life.

For $25 more, you can upgrade to an Ultem handle, which brings a bit of yellow-hued transparency to the proceedings, divisive as it may be.

For $56 more, you can get the new version I mentioned in the intro, a darkly dazzling beast that probably most resembles a fossilized trilobite.

With the base models, however, you score a trait that’s fairly rare at the sub-$50 level: three distinct, totally legit deployment methods.

Two folding knives with partially open blades, one with a brown handle and the other with a blue handle, shown from the side on a black surface. — The button lock is simultaneously simple, smooth and strong.

There’s a big, jimped rear flipper for super-snappy action, plus a thumb slot and the increasingly trendy button lock, which you can also use to retract the blade with one hand.

Everything moves smoothly thanks to a ceramic ball bearing, while a lanyard hole and reversible stainless steel clip make pocket carry just as user-friendly.

Five folding knives with different handle colors and blade finishes arranged vertically on a black surface. — The Ultem-handled version (top) costs $74, while the carbon fiber and Damascus one (middle) costs $107. The three others go for just $49 apiece.

All told, you could reasonably argue the Trilobite is the best sub-$50 Italian knife, the best sub-$50 woman-designed knife and the best sub-$50 multi-deploying knife.

But even without all that language, it’s just a fantastico flipper that won’t break the bank, no debate necessary.

Availability and pricing

The Petrified Fish Trilobite is available now in five different variants starting at $49.

Folding knife with black and gray Damascus steel patterned blade and handle, featuring a thumb hole and clip.

Petrified Fish Trilobite

Starts at $49

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.