I would say the design idea came to fruition beautifully.
Now, I didnt hop on the bandwagon right away.
Fast forward a few years, and I wound up talking myself into buying a Bugout.
When spending time outdoors, the Benchmade Bugout makes for a great companion. It is lightweight and easy to carry, making it solid for hiking over long distances.
I used Benchmades interactive custom knife builder and ordered it straight from the source.
But, is it worth the price tag?
Lets take a closer look to help you decide for yourself.
Many of us carry knives daily for utility use. While Benchmade’s quality might seem to be overkill for such a common task, the Bugout handles opening boxes with ease.
Some have different handle materials, blade steel or hardware finishes.
The one were looking at today is a custom version of the standard 535 model.
It features a drop-point blade made out of S30V steel, that has a black Cerakote finish.
The deep-carry pocket clip on the Benchmade Bugout ensures the knife remains discreet when carried.
When it comes to knives, the steel used for the blade is extremely important.
S30V is regarded as one of the most versatile dollar-for-dollar steels out there.
One aspect of the blade itself Ive been extremely impressed with is theCerakote finish.
Benchmade uses a thumb stud and Axis Lock on the Bugout folding knife. Both of them are machined with steps to improve traction when used.
It shows barely any blemishes or scratches after the last couple of years use.
While they are durable and very lightweight, they do have a bit of flex to them.
Some people have complained that they are able to push them together in the center.
The scales of the Bugout are rather smooth with minimal checkering in the center of the faces.
I can attest that is true, but Ive never had it cause any issues.
Lastly, lets touch on the hardware.
BenchmadesAxis Lock systemis my favorite of any blade lock on the market.
The author easily sliced through Cat 5 ethernet cable with the Bugout knife. Cutting wire may not be the best use for a blade like this, but many of us have been in a pinch and needed to do it.
The mini deep-carry pocket clip is minimalistic and helps keep your knife discreetly tucked.
Its black oxide finish does show wear easily, but winds up developing a nice patina.
With that being said, Ive never run into an everyday task that it wasnt able to handle.
As delivered, the Benchmade knife sliced through paper easily. At the end of the testing, the author found the blade would still cut paper, though not quite as cleanly.
From electrical cords to boxes, zip-ties to meat and everything in between, its handled it all.
Ill admit, the edge on mine has seen much sharper days, but its still chugging along fine.
Glow Rhino makes tritrium thumb studs and lanyard plugs.
Even if you are not in a “bug out” situation, the author found the Benchmade knife is a good value for a range of uses.
Additionally, they are not as comfortable to carry.
I dont think youll be disappointed.
Go to forum thread
BenchmadeCustom Bugout
Glow RhinoGR Customs
