CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS

The Mini Bugout relies on its Grivory handle scales and, for structure, two well-placed, anodized stand-offs, as well as two stainless steel plates around the pivot screw. This keeps with the “minimalist” concept and is surprisingly sufficient for use and abuse. The CPM-S30V blade steel is a nice touch – especially if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to spend their free time honing a fresh edge on their knife.

EASE OF USE

For someone with a bear paw for a hand, I tend to stay away from smaller knives for my EDC – but I found that the Mini Bugout fit perfectly into my hand and the thumb stud was ample enough for excellent deployment – every time. Par for the course with Benchmade, their Axis lock is wonderfully reliable and their factory sharpness is second to none.

STEEL QUALITY/EDGE RETENTION

CPM-S30V is a premium knife steel that has come down in price – considerably – as it’s been widely adopted by companies like Benchmade in their EDC offerings. It’s highly corrosion resistant and will maintain its factory sharp edge for an extended length of time. That said, when it comes time to sharpening – be patient.

DURABILITY

The Benchmade Mini Bugout isn’t the knife that you want to baton with or pry up deck boards with – but between the Grivory handles, reinforced pivot, and the premium CPM-S30V blade steel, it will be a true companion in terms of a knife you can rely on day in and day out for years to come.