For knives, like so many other classes of consumer goods, there is a wide range of quality and prices, going from very low quality/low price to high quality/high price. It gets interesting in the middle of the continuum where you can often find very good quality coupled with a reasonably low price -i.e., "the bargain."

You can see this in Consumer Reports ratings. Frequently the highest ranked product, very highly priced, is followed in the ratings by an item just a few ratings points lower, but at a substantially lower price.

When it comes to knives, I would get a decent model, paying no more than about $50, and I would put the rest of the money in a good climbing rope and assorted accessories, things that have come in handy far more often than a knife. Frankly, I can't recall any situations where a knife made a crucial difference, but there have been many in my experience where a good fire making kit, or a good rope, really improved the outcome. Proper footgear, suited for the activity you are pursuing, is another area where it pays to spend....