Ever since I lost my Leatherman Skeletool (for the second time), I’ve been itching for a new everyday carry knife.  I hesitated to replace it for two reasons– Reason 1:  I loved the Skeletool.  The combination of pliers, knife, and screwdriver were my personal holy trinity of EDC tools.  I had already replaced the Skeletool after losing it the last time.  Admittedly, the belt clip on the Skeletool isn’t great.  I decided maybe it was time to check out a different EDC approach.  That’s when I found the Benchmade Bugout Black CF-Elite (535BK-2).

Now I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t know much about knifes.  But I do my homework.  I discovered that there’s a whole world of EDC knifes in all flavors, shapes and sizes out there.  It was overwhelming to know where to begin.  How does one choose a first EDC knife?  There are so many very cool looking (and functioning) knives out there.  I can easily see myself getting pulled into this EDC world of knives.  I start to immediately consider the justification of multiple knifes.  If my wife can call it “accessorizing” with multiple pairs of shoes, I might steal that word for coordinating EDC knifes to my outfit for the day.  But I digress…

PROS

I read countless reviews and watched numerous videos on different knives before landing on the Bugout as a first EDC knife.  Immediately after unboxing the think you’ll notice about the Bugout is the weight.  This was one of the common review talking points that led me to the Bugout in the first place.   At just 1.8 oz., you’ll barely notice it in your pocket.

The included deep-carry belt clip is reversible for left-side pocket carry.  The clip allows the Bugout to tuck nicely into your pocket with little exposure above the pocket line.

The second thing I took notice to was the materials.  The handle feels almost carbon fiber-like, though it’s not.  It’s rigid and has zero flex.  The handle feels ergonomic when holding it, and the axis release is positioned in a way that gives me complete confidence that I won’t accidentally release the blade while using it.

Let’s be honest.  The black is gorgeous.  It has a matte finish on both the blade and the handle.  All the hardware holding things together is black too.  Speaking of blade, it’s sharp out of the box and the CPM-S30V gives this knife a high end blade with excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance.  Time will tell how the finish holds up.

CONS

Overall, I think I’m really going to love this knife.  The only thing that I really don’t care for is the action.  Don’t get me wrong, the action is smooth.  But it’s very much a two-handed knife.  Even with dual thumb studs on the blade, it takes some effort to get it opened.  It can be done with one hand, but it’s not nearly as easy to flick open as I was hoping for.  Hopefully this will ease up a little with some use.  That said, the blade itself has no play when the closed or fully open.

UPDATE:
After using the knife for a week.  It really has gotten easier to flick open.  I discovered that flicking up with the thumb tab instead of out makes a big difference in the ease of single handed opening.  It almost feels assisted.  

Who is it for?

As I mentioned this was a first EDC knife for me.  It will mostly be used to support my Amazon problem.  If you’re looking for a lightweight knife with a small blade, then the Benchmade Bugout is a great starter knife.  It’s also available with a half Serrated Blade, though that’s not my preference.  It does run a little more pricey than other knives that are out there, but the build-quality here is pretty outstanding.  The knife also comes in a variety of styles and colors.  I really dig this CF-Elite Black.  The ranger green is also a fine looking specimen.  Whether you’re looking for a first EDC knife or you’re a veteran knife users, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Benchmade Bugout.