Kershaw isn't even in the same class as either benchmade or spyderco.
I own 4 benchmades. I own 2 spydercos. I buy knives to use, unlike lights, I've never become fond enough of them to buy to look at, if I'm going to spend my hard earned cash on it, it better work. That having been said, I'll probably never buy another benchmade. I thought they were the best (somewhat reasonably price) knifes on the planet until one day my brother asked me if I wanted to buy a spare spyderco off him. I said 'a spare what?' and it was all down hill from there.
That day I acquired a partially serrated spyderco ladybug and its rode with me in my wallet since then. The quality on both benchmade and spyderco are excellent, however being so impressed with the ladybugs functionality, a few weeks later I picked up a native to replace my griptilian as an EDC.
To bottom line it, both benchmade and spyderco make classy, solid, pretty reasonably priced, quality knifes. Spyderco, however, leaves benchmade in the dust in ergonomics. some people argue that spydercos knifes are funny looking, and I agree, they don't look like a 'traditional' pocket knife, because they aren't, they're the next generation of form and function for cutting tools. From the way my native balances itself it my hand to how I can squeeze on the handle as hard as I can and not feel any pressure points digging into my hands, IMHO, spyderco has truly redefined how a knife should perform.
