My vote is for the Buck Vantage series. I have three of them; 340 and 345 Select, and 347 Pro. The one I carry and use most is the Select 345, especially during yard work seasons or any activities that involve cutting stuff. After working them a while, they all flip reliably, cut great and are easy to resharpen. I favor the 345 because it's a bit lighter, and the edge lasts long enough, especially with stropping. When out and around, the smaller 340 comes along for casual purposes. However, the 347 would make a great gift, and there are custom versions of the Vantage line you might want to look at, all under $100 (I think).