Search the words “pocket knife” on the internet and you’ll be presented with hundreds of pages of images, articles and online shops. There is self-defense, multitool and every day carry. In this world saturated with endless varieties how do you know which one to pick?

While I do have a handful female friends who have a knife, they typically keep it in their purse, not in their pocket. Wearing even a basic pocket knife on your belt or in a pocket allows for easy access should you need it quickly in the case of self-defense. I can quickly cut tags off of kids’ toys or cut into a bag of snacks on the way to ball practice.  Carrying even a small pocket knife makes life’s little tasks that much easier. And, in a worst-case scenario, a swift action with an accessible pocket knife can be enough to distract an attacker; giving you a chance to run.

Without turning this into a statement on feminism, I frequently find that knife shopping can be intimidating for a woman. I know I am quickly dismissed and sometimes even ignored by male employees behind the knife counter. This dismissive attitude may be another reason many women avoid looking for a knife to purchase, which leads to fewer women carrying pocket knives.