Benchmade recently launched their popular Mini Bugout folding pocket knife in new colors.
In addition to the usual black and blue handles, the Benchmade Mini Bugout is now available with red, purple, and light blue handle scales.
Specifically, the new colors are Mesa Red, Alpine Glow, and Sea Foam.
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The Benchmade Bugout is a popular EDC knife that’s prized for its… well, I’m actually not sure why it’s so extremely bestselling. I have a Bugout, and it is a good knife, but I like the Mini Bugout better. I’d really prefer something in the middle.
The Mini Bugout has a 2.82″ blade length, 6.49″ open length, and 3.7″ closed length. It weighs 1.5 oz.
The CPM S30V stainless steel blade material is a premium powdered steel alloy, the handle is grippy and comfortable, and the Axis lock is as good as the Benchmade mini Griptilians I’ve owned for years.
It’s a very average knife. I’d prefer it with a thumb hole like my mini-Grip, but the thumb studs on both Bugout sizes are alright.
Maybe that’s why it’s so popular with others – the Bugout is a somewhat utilitarian design. Personally I think I’d prefer a little more flair for what it costs, which is something I don’t believe I’ve ever said about a folding knife before.
If you’ve been looking to buy a Bugout, more color options are always good.
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The full-size Bugout is available in different color options at KnivesShipFree and other dealers.
Steve
Not too different than a mini Griptilian, which is cheaper and has a more ergonomic grip.
Brad Clarkston
The Griptilian blade’s are made from common D2 steel while the Bugout blades are made from high grade CPM-S30V steel which is vastly superior – tougher, less wear, less need to sharpen.
I own both and other than there both knife shaped they have nothing in common. The price difference is about $30’ish so no reason to ever go with D2.
Stuart
The mini Grip blade was made from 154CM when I bought my first one, and CPM-20CV when they updated it a few years ago.
The current mini Grip has CPM-S30V blade steel, as per Benchmade’s website.
Charles Thomas Melchiorre
Thank you
MFC
If you could guesstimate, how many knives have you owned Stuart?
Stuart
That’s a trick question.
Stuart: under 10?
Gerber Paraframe (mini, I, II), the largest of which I have always regretted due to poor quality.
A Gerber from Walmart with solid handle and coated blade. (circa 2005-6)
Leatherman H503 that is atrocious and never used. (circa 2008)
Kershaw Leek in plain and serrated.
Spyderco Tenacious
Benchmade mini Griptilian
Spyderco Delica 4
Spyderco Native V EDC Forum special with glow scales
So that’s 11?
There were a coupe of steps. Gerber Paraframe series, then Kershaw Leek, Benchmade Mini Griptilian, Spyderco Tenacious, Spyderco Delica 4 (which was in the running against the Mini Grip).
Most of everything that came after was purchased for ToolGuyd and then by ToolGuyd. Maybe I would have purchased one or two more for personal use, it’s hard to say.
ToolGuyd: you don’t want to know. I haven’t counted and really don’t want to.
Joatman
My mini-Grip has thumb studs. Was my favorite knife until I got the Para3. Both great knives
Ryno
You can find these on popular chinese baba site and i’ve compared them to my legit one, and I can’t tell the difference at all; i think they ship em out of the back of the source factory. But anyway, good simple utility blade for EDC
TonyT
The Mini Bugout is made in USA. so there’s no way Chinese clones are coming out of the same factory.
AJS
I bought a Bugout off of Ebay. Looked legit, even had Benchmade logos on their store page. Says it shipped from the states. So I didn’t do any deeper dive into it until I saw a YouTube video showing counterfeit knockoffs. The company I actually got it from was out of Chima but their product was shipped from within the US. After watching the video I found out the torx screws on the scales and povots were different sizes than what Benchmade uses. Also the scales while looking exactly the same had more flexibility in them when squeezing them together than what the real Bugout has. Other than that it looked just like the real thing right down to the logo on the blade. Blade opening and closing was really smooth and nice. Oh and the box while really close was even slightly different. Blade says S30V, but can I really trust that is what it is? I still have the knife. I paid around $80, not $20 or $30 so while cheaper than what they normally go for I thought it seemed legit. PayPal made me go through the company first to try and resolve the issue. They offered me a $60 refund and said I did not need to send it back. So basically it ended up costing me about $20 for the knife which I thought it was probably worth that. I have not beat the hell out of it but it is holding up fine to normal everyday use. I need to figure out how to take the Benchmade logo off of it so if it ever gets passed on it doesn’t fool someone else down the road.
AJS
Oh and while the counterfeit Bigout shipped from within the US, I suspect it still came from China originally. Since the eBay store is based out of China.
Steve
I agree that I prefer the mini bugout Stuart. It has been my favorite knife since it came out but It was only in orange or white originally so I had to find black sides on Etsy, which made an overpriced knife kind’a stupid priced, but I bought a Chris Reeves once, so good sense isn’t always my forte. I know why I love it though. I’m left-handed and the axis lock is ambidextrous and easy to use one handed. I have had several Benchmades and this is my favorite.
A little rebut to Steve above. I had the mini Grip also and this is thinner, lighter, and fits my pocket better.
Jared
I love pocket knifes. I don’t think the Bugout’s popularity is a mystery. It’s thin, light, slicey and has finger-safe one-handed closing, a deep carry pocket clip and good steel. Those are all EDC-friendly characteristics.
Despite that, I’ve never owned one, so it must not appeal to me that strongly either. Maybe even for the same reason… it doesn’t “excite” me. I’d probably pick one up on sale, but it’s just not something I’d purposefully seek out (even in a new color).
My most recent knife purchases were the Boker Ovalmoon Swivel, Civivi Buttonlock Elementum (the first version) and a traditional Canadian-made Grohmann lockback with stag scales and brass bolsters. I REALLY like the look of the new Knife Center exclusive Boker Barlow flipper – I’d buy that right now, but it’s not available in Canada.
What’s everyone else buying?
Stuart
I’ve been meaning to try the button-lock Elementum, but was waiting for Father’s Day promos that never arrived.
Jared
I love mine. It’s the knife I EDC most often.
The Buttonlock II, which is a little smaller and has a flipper tab, seems to have more fans though.
Stuart
That’s the one I’ve been looking at, the II with 2.96″ blade.
Brad Clarkston
The point to the original Bugout was to be the perfect gray man knife. No flash, no tactical, but the highest quality drop point on the market with very little weight.
The pocket clip sets back so far the knife almost disappears but is easy to pull out with one thumb and finger. For me that’s exactly what I wanted in a EDC carry no fidget/flash/color/cutout anything.
I personally do not have any need or want for the new colors that’s just a market play to sell knives to people who primarily use it for opening amazon packages.
I own a mini but I carry the full size Bugout 99% of the time.
Bruce
It’s an excellent knife for when you want to keep weight/profile down. I tend to run beefier knives because I use them to death.
Lyle
I have a mini boost (I think that’s the name). It has assisted opening. The first knife that I’ve ever owned that had that feature. I love it. I can’t imagine not having that feature now.