Looking to get a medium sized fixed blade, stuck between Becker BK 7 and the Gerber Silver Trident.  Is the Silver Trident really worth the money?  I looked at it in a shop, and it feels nice but wonder if its really worth the money, or would the becker do just as well.  This will be deploying to Baghdad  in January, so I really dont want crap.  Any advice will be helpful.  Also, I am left handed, and both are ambidextrous as far as sheaths are concerned.  That is a big issue.

You'd be even better off with a Swamp Rat Camp Tramp for $130.  As close to an industructable (yet good cutting) knife as it gets.  The Becker BK-7 would be second. I like to rough up the handles on my Beckers for better grip with 60 grit sandpaper.  I also remove most of one of the protrusions to the side of the "birds beak" on the end of the handle with a file, which makes it much more confortable.  The handle is a big complaint area on the Beckers, but after doing my mods I really like the handle.  Beckers are really good knives.  The main drawback I've seen (based on much feedback expressed at Bladeforums.com) is that they are a bit brittle and can break under extreme abuse.  But they still beat most save for Swamp Rats, Busses, Striders,  Simonich, Ferhman and other highend big user knives

The Gerber is unproven, expensive, and CM-154 is brittle in a large knife.  I wouldn't think it could match the performance of the O1 steel of the Becker.  See here also www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310114&highlight=silver+trident.  

Also, in particular note what Cliff Stamp (expert knife wrecker/tester says here).  Maybe the Gerber in 154CM is not so bad.  Get it if you like it.  I hear some Blackwater guys are carrying them:  www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312466&highlight=silver+trident