I don't want to hop on this "bugout killer" train- but as the collection grows, I've acquired quite a few knives that I think are very competitive if not superior- in the same use role. The bugout is a solid knife, but for $200+ msrp- for Grivory and S30v find you- there are so many better options out there, especially for the money.
Hogue Mysto Fire – Magnacut + Richlite + Anodized Titanium spacers and the best customer service I've experienced. – $179. 3.4", 2.7 ounces. Ultra smooth cross bar lock
Vosteed Raccoon (this particular one is the 2.0, but the now phased out crossbar lock version (Vosteed, reconsider that, please) also fits, + the porcupine, which I've also carried extensively). 14C28N + Micarta + Skeletonized full liners. – $65. 3.25" blade, 3.97 ounces (about pm2 weight). Top Liner Lock / Button Operated compression lock
Wixco Drax – Carbon Fiber + 14C28N. Very Smooth Cross Bar lock. -$89 3.23" Blade, 2.52 ounces.
Miguron Vakor – G10 + 14C28N. Very smooth cross bar lock. – $45. 3.15" blade. 2.046 ounces.
Kershaw Belair – Aluminum + Magnacut. Fantastic cross bar lock. -$135. 3.1" blade, 2.9 ounces. Top 10 all time design. Kershaw Iridium should also get a nod in here, one of the best sub $70 knives you can own.
Kizer Drop Bear – 154CM + Micarta. Fantastic Cross Bar lock. -$109/$89. 2.99" blade, 3.28 ounces. Top 5 all time design (for my uses).
There's quite a few more in this list, such as the OKnife Duron. Again, I've gotten experience using the bugout, it's a solid knife and definetly created a trend in the edc market, but in regards to value and performance, I'd reccomend all of these knives over the bugout. If we're not looking at comprable silhouettes, the pm2 and manix 2 are roughly the same price and blow the bugout out of the water in regards to performance- I even think my custom shop griptillians are a better value than the bugout.
Just wanted to throw some reccomendations out there after carrying a lot of alternatives.
by msantoro1298
3 Comments
I recently got s90v w/ cf scales for $150 on the swap. I love my bugouts and lifesharp services. I did try the belair, that really is a good knife for it’s price.
No argument here. I’ve got several of these knives as well as a Bugout. The days of Benchmade making knives worth a crap are **long gone** at this point. I have a Kershaw Bel Air Magnacut on the way right now actually. Should be cool.
In my head, there’s some sort of Golden Ratio that the Bugout got right (so did the Civivi Elementum, oddly enough) that most other knives get wrong.
The PM2 gets it right, and the Para 3 does not.
The Hogue Deka is pretty close.
The Bel Air misses it at the heel of the blade.
I’m sure if I charted it out, I’d find a ratio of blade length to broadness that is is ideal in my mind. Each one of the Bugout similars all have a blade that is more broad than looks right to me.
It’s purely a subjective an aesthetic thing, but it bugs me.