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Thread: Benchmade Mini Bugout vs Spyderco Para 3

  1. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Texas
    I have small to medium hands and love my Para 3 with aftermarket clip. Love it about equal to my Manix 2, but different roles.
    When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk. -Tuco
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday... -Miyamoto Musashi

  2. #12
    After owning and carrying a mini-bugout, bugout, para3, and para3lw I kept the regular bugout and para3lw. The bugout gets carried 90% of the time and now I only carry the para3lw when the bugout gets sent in to ben hands to be re-sharpened.

    I decided on the full size bugout due to it filling my hand better and it didn’t feel like it took up any more space in my pocket versus the mini-bugout. It’s so small and light weight that I don’t ever notice it and my front pocket has my wallet and the bugout.

    I’m also very partial to the lock on axis lock on bench are knives vs the compression locks. I’m quicker and more efficient with the axis lock and personally feel that they offer a tighter lock up. I don’t do anything too crazy with them, mostly opening packages and cutting plastic/rubber once in a while and used my bugout to help my friend skin a bear that he shot.

    I kept the para3lw over the regular para3 because of the weight. I prefer the g10 scales on the regular para3 but the light weight and deep carry pocket clip on the para3lw won me over.

    Long story short, out of those choices you presented, I’d go with the mini bugout.

  3. #13
    Bugout 100%.

    Sub 2 ounces and just disappears. The Spyderco is going to take up more pocket real estate because of their insistence on having a spydie hole making the blade much wider.

  4. #14
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Eastern NC, 500 feet and below
    Another Bugout vote. After literally going through over a hundred knives over the years, I’ve settled on the original Bugout for during the week and when I am wearing dress pants carry and it’s big brother, the Freek in black M4, for the weekend EDC. Some correctly state the Bugout handle flexes. After a couple of years of carrying it, it’s absolutely no factor. The S30V blade has a perfect shape, is thin and slicy, and made if a good enough material to be robust enough to handle any reasonable task. As thin and light as it is, I’m not sure what you get by going to the mini, but it’s great too. I have the Pacific Salt to check the Spyderco box and it’s light with the FRN handles. But, as stated above, a Spydie blade will always take more space laterally due to the hole.
    Last edited by TOTS; 10-02-2022 at 09:48 AM.

  5. #15
    I just got a Hogue Deka and would recommend that for price and quality.

    I think Spyderco quality has gone down while price has gone up. Benchmade has also had the same issue although my last couple Benchmades have been great. Still though, my Hogue Ritter (upgraded grip) and Hogue Deka (competes with bugout) are incredible quality for the money.

    My personal preference is to carry slightly bigger knives- such as full size grip, pm2, etc.
    Last edited by pastaslinger; 10-02-2022 at 10:38 AM.

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by pastaslinger View Post
    I just got a Hogue Deka and would recommend that for price and quality.

    I think Spyderco quality has gone down while price has gone up. Benchmade has also had the same issue although my last couple Benchmades have been great. Still though, my Hogue Ritter (upgraded grip) and Hogue Deka (competes with bugout) are incredible quality for the money.

    My personal preference is to carry slightly bigger knives- such as full size grip, pm2, etc.
    I have a Ritter by Hogue. Just sharpened it last night actually. I hadn’t seen the Deka before until you mentioned it. Looks awesome.

  7. #17
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Texas
    Quote Originally Posted by pastaslinger View Post
    I just got a Hogue Deka and would recommend that for price and quality.

    I think Spyderco quality has gone down while price has gone up. Benchmade has also had the same issue although my last couple Benchmades have been great. Still though, my Hogue Ritter (upgraded grip) and Hogue Deka (competes with bugout) are incredible quality for the money.

    My personal preference is to carry slightly bigger knives- such as full size grip, pm2, etc.
    What have you seen with Spyderco?
    When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk. -Tuco
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday... -Miyamoto Musashi

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by guymontag View Post
    What have you seen with Spyderco?
    I bought one of the $260 Shaman exclusives with s90v and micarta scales. The action was really bad and the blade was horribly off center. The grind was OK and the sharpening from the factory was also OK. I felt silly for paying that much for what I got so I returned it.

    Before that one, but also during this summer, I got one of the PM2 exclusives that was $180. The action was bad but not as bad as the Shaman. I kept it and changed the scales. The action is better after lots of fidgeting, but it is still definitely worse than my next most recent PM2 which was another exclusive from 2018.


    The knives I have recently been impressed by are all my Kizers of which I have bought 5+ in this same year, my new Benchmade griptilian exclusive with spydie hole, my Kunwu X Tao (probably best knife I own, especially for the money), and my ZT knives including the 0562ti, 0462cf, 0460ti, etc. I'm actually a big Kershaw and ZT fan, I think they just hurt themselves with their product lines, such as discontinuing the blackout. Oh yeah- my Hogue RSK blew me away and my Deka is awesome too. The RSK is a step above the griptilian, PM2, and Shaman which I consider to be it's closest competitors. It needs more steel options though. The deka is a little small for the size knife I like but I love it nonetheless.

  9. #19
    Site Supporter rob_s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    SE FL
    I really wish they could do a bugout with a spydie hole.
    Does the above offend? If you have paid to be here, you can click here to put it in context.

  10. #20
    Totally different styles of pocket knife. If you get the Para 3, you'll want an aftermarket clip. Para 3 is larger, heavier, and more capable. I prefer the full size Bugout over the mini because you don't notice the size difference in your pocket but you definitely notice the size difference in use. The Bugout handle feels flimsy due to half lined FRN scales so it's great for regular cutting/slicing tasks but not great for fighting, prying, or hammering. Axis vs compression lock is a toss up IMO. I have both and I enjoy both but I carry the Bugout more because you don't even notice it but it's there when you need it. Honestly, unless I feel like doing some spydie flicks, I carry the Microtech or Bugout 99% of the time.

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