I have both a long and short approach and think they are my most nimble to use one hand knives. I find the short a little small for my hand but I have big hands. I've had the bigger one for ten or so years, not been very nice to it and it is still as functional as the day I bought it.
I don't like the contracting out Buck does...that is my only complaint about these two; they are the only two knives I own that were not made in the US or Canada. It doesn't bug me that they are made in Taiwan except the for the reason: cheap labour.