I'd like to go less than that, but most of my gear is sturdy enough to survive temperatures well below 0 degrees and this knife has taken quite a beating during the last few winters. If I can get multiple seasons out of something for a little bit more money, I'll go for it. My cap is probably about $50.

I have always had good luck with Gerber knives and they are very reasonably priced. I suspect you're using yours in more extreme situations than I've used mine, but still worth checking out.

Eh, the weather is extreme but the usage really isn't. I use them for the same things anyone else would, primarily carving and cutting. It's just a little colder where I do it and most of the use it gets in a single year comes within a few weeks.

Gerber is a good brand. Their online catalogs are pricey but Amazon takes $20 off everything.

So, I respect that this is cheesy, and not everyone will agree. But in terms of utility, price, convenience, etc., I find the German Army Knife (from the Swiss Army Knife folks) to be an awesome option. As someone who used to run with a range of Gerbers, Kershaws, and so forth, this is what I've come to use almost exclusively.

I hate tools like the Leatherman, which try to be all things, and end up being shitty at each of them. But to me, this knife really strikes the right balance. I really like having the saw and the knife blade, and use these almost constantly. I've even felled an 8" tree with this (not recommended, but the point is it's doable). The other tools are all non-essential, but having a screwdriver, bottle opener, etc., does come in handy once in a while. And still the weight and pocket profile of the knife is totally reasonable. The one-handed opener works fine -- it's not as fully smooth as a good single-blade knife, but it gets the blade into action quickly enough for any practical purpose (it's not like I'm using it as a switchblade!).

I have used the knife extensively in cool, wet, and sandy environments, and a bit in the snow, but not so much in extreme cold. So I can't attest to its performance there. But this is essentially the same model as used by military forces where it is very cold and there's lots of snow, so my guess is it will hold up well.

There are several "flavors" of this knife around, but here's a link to one for reference:
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-One-Hand-Trekker-German-Multi-Tool/dp/B001B197RE

P.S., with some shopping around, this can be found for ~$30...

Victorinox are great, but if you're going to use a folding knife for real knife stuff, it really has to have a locking mechanism.

This is a locking blade...

Oh, well then great. I've never seen a Victorinox with a locking blade.

Yeah -- this isn't like a typical swiss army knife that we all remember from camp. It's a pretty rugged tool. The downside really is just that it's a multi-tool, so it's a bit heavier and bulkier than a single-blade knife. But the knife blade itself is totally up to snuff.

Beware that the saw blade (at least on mine, which is a slightly older model) doesn't lock. This is far less important than the knife blade, but bears noting.

So what puts it over a $9.99 SWA from Bass Pro Shops or something? Seems pretty comparable to me.

Strømeng Lappknife, it'll last you for years and years.

http://www.knife-heaven-shop.com/saami-knives.html?___from_store=german&___store=english&mode=list&price=1%2C1000

Those look nice and probably are but those are way too much.

If you're willing to drop a few more dollars for an assisted opening knife, I've had good luck with Smith & Wesson's M&P series of knives.

The French make the best knives. Opinel or nothing.

Putin is right on the Knife---Opinel are great