Benchmade - Bugout 535 EDC, Made in USA, Drop-Point Blade Knife

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Trav - Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018

Purty, functional, lightweight.

If you can get over such a thin blade, and no liners, in a knife just north of $100, you can find a lot to appreciate here. I've carried it for one week now, just returned from a rather snowy overnighter last night, and the Bugout performs on par with any other knife in it's class. I think some people over think these things way too much. As someone who often finds a lot of stuff in my pockets at the end of the day, a sub 2 oz. folding knife is definitely a welcome addition. Compared to my Buck Vantage Force also in s30v steel, the Bugout comes in at 1/3 of the weight. Perfectly sized between the Griptilian and Mini-Griptilian, with a shorter, but deep carry pocket clip. Never any "flimsyness" issues, just a great low profile, aesthetically pleasing addition to the Benchmade catalog. I haven't bought a new Benchmade in years, but I'm seriously impressed with this one.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Amazon Customer - Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2018

What's in a name?

It is strange that people are dinging this knife a star over its name. Seems petty. My work bag functions as a mini bug out bag that is full of lightweight bugout gear in a discreet Ogio backpack. It travels with me every day, so I want it as light and discreet as possible. The Bugout's light weight and subdued appearance make it a perfect addition. The knife doesn't look scary, tactical or stabby like my PM2, making it ideal for office use. It has no 50/50 choil, so unlike the smaller Spydercos, you get maximum blade length in a smaller knife. The deep carry clip and coated blade add to the stealthiness. Speaking of the deep carry clip, it is one of the best I've seen on a production knife. It is short and deep with no distinguishing markings. Its a nice touch that the color matches the blade. Many other knives at this price point need a $30 aftermarket clip to equal this knife. The deep carry clips BM sent me for my Mini Grip and Barrage are not nearly as discreet. I factor this clip into the Bugout's overall value. I'm fine with the price of this knife because you get good s30v steel, a great clip, great ergonomics, and the spectacular Axis lock. It has a minimal liner much like the pricier BM 940. IMO, the BM Axis lock and Spydie compression lock are the best locks for flipping and one handed operation, and most knives with this type of lock are pricey. Personally, I have a harder time justifying paying over $50 for a liner/frame/back lock folder when knives like the Ontario Rat 2 and QSP Parrot exist. Mine came with a perfectly centered blade that is sharp enough to push cut and curve cut copy paper. Impressive. The blade has zero play, but it was a little tight and didnt swing freely out of the box. I loosened the pivot screw slightly, and it now opens and closes by gravity with much less blade play than my other BMs. Though I was hesitant to buy this knife due to some sketchy and disingenuous reviews, it has far exceeded my expectations and I'm thinking about buying another. Love it. Update: Dyed my green Bugout and QSP with RIT Scarlet to give them less military/ tactical appearances. Very pleased with how they turned out. Mixed 1/2 packet powders RIT with a quart of water and a pint of white vinegar. Simmered in a coffee can on the bbq grill so I didn't stain any pans or stink up the house. Took 2 minutes to get the Bugout color I wanted, and 10 to dye the G10 scales on the Parrot.

1.0 out of 5 stars

By Jeannie Ruberg - Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019

Great knife, but come on...

Love this knife, it's my first benchmade and I used to carry it everyday. After hearing the news about Benchmade, I cannot recommend that anyone buy it.. The CEO's "apology" was more of a slap in the face. I still like the knife, not going to lie, but won't ever buy a benchmade again.

1.0 out of 5 stars

By jeff - Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2019

Overhyped knife company in my opinion

Handle is flimsy feeling, I prefer my Kershaws for a fraction of the price. I don’t see the hype with this knife company.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Steve - Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017

Excellent knife

Excellent knife. Extremely light weight, feels solid in hand, hair popping sharp right out of the box, perfectly centered. The blade shape is very similar to the Doug Ritter Griptilian. I've bought about 10 Benchmade knives on Amazon and I have been extremely satisfied with them all. Don't hesitate to buy this knife.

4.0 out of 5 stars

By I Like Stuff - Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2017

The Last EDC Knife You Need

This is an excellent EDC knife and maybe the best one I’ve used. The only problem is the name. For most the idea of a bugout knife is the knife they would keep in a bugout bag that would serve as an all purpose knife. While I don’t have a bugout bag if I was packing one, I’d very likely have a good fixed survival blade instead of a light weight light use folding knife. While I might carry a folding knife as well it would probably be something a little sturdier like a titanium frame lock knife. This knife should have been called “The EDC.” For something I carry every day I don’t want something big and heavy that I can chop wood with, I want a smaller pocket friendly knife that uses a good steel. That is essentially what this knife is. Due to the small steel liners and lightweight scales this knife is very lightweight and it is easy to forget you even have it in your pocket. Also while it is very slim, it holds a really nice sized S30V blade. S30V may have aged a bit but it is still an excellent steel that holds a very nice edge for a long time and is very resistant to corrosion. I’m not a great blade sharpener and so it does take me a while to put a good edge on it but that’s mostly due to my lack of sharpening skills. The handle scales have a bit more flex than I’m used to but for light EDC use this is not a problem. The small liners and lightweight scales are what make this such a nice carry and for most EDC cutting it is more than sturdy enough to get the job done. If you want an all purpose survival knife or a work blade for more heavy duty use than this is not for you, but if you are looking for a light use EDC knife that disappears in the pocket and has excellent premium blade steel, I can’t think of any better option. [UPDATE] Updating the review with some pictures but also deducing a star because Benchmade has been sending poorly centered, grimy locked, poorly sharpened, blade playing knives for too long. The knife is still great and it gets 5 stars but the company needs to give the attention to detail that they used to 10 years ago that they don’t seem to anymore and especially for the price they ask.