There’s not a lot better than a small and compact pocket knife that can tackle a range of meaty tasks.
If that sounds like something you’re interested in, the Benchmade Bugout is a knife that has many fans. But unfortunately, it’s not for everyone. Whether you find the knife too big, too small, too heavy or too light, the good news is there’s a wide range of Benchmade Bugout alternatives on the market.
In this article, we’re going to pick out the best of those alternatives to give you 6 alternative options to the popular Bugout blade.
Let’s get started!
At a glance:
- American-made S30V with flipper tab: Gerber Fastball
- Best low-cost alternative – SOG Tactical FF25-CP
- Best compact size alternative – Zero Tolerance ZT 0022
- Best for blade quality – Benchmade Freek 560BK-1
Contents
- Why look for a Benchmade Bugout alternative?
- 7 Alternatives to the Benchmade Bugout
- Fast opening, American made – Gerber Fastball
- Best for power – Spyderco Paramilitary 2
- Best compact size alternative – Zero Tolerance ZT 0022
- Best low-cost alternative – SOG Tactical FF25-CP
- Best for bigger hands – Spyderco Tenacious C122GP
- Best light weight alternative – Boker Plus Urban Trapper
- Best for blade quality – Benchmade Freek 560BK-1
- Summary
Why look for a Benchmade Bugout alternative?
Finding the perfect knife is like finding the perfect pair of jeans. You’ll try a range of different knives, some of which will be too big, some too small, some too long, some too short, some too heavy or some too light.
Whilst the Benchmade Bugout is a popular all-rounder, it’s not suited to every hand size and it’s also quite expensive, making it unattainable for those that have a tighter knife budget.
The Bugout’s feather-light weight is a big selling point for some. But for those that need a knife with a bit more power, a heavier option may be better for them!
7 Alternatives to the Benchmade Bugout
Here we go then – if you’re looking for a Behcmade Bugout alternative for a range of different scenarios, here are our top 6 pocket knives!
Fast opening, American made – Gerber Fastball
What makes it a great alternative? – Same great S30V steel, American made, extremely fast ball-bearing deployment, lightweight (2.7oz), slightly cheaper
The Gerber Fastball is designed for a similar audience to the Bugout, providing a high quality lightweight EDC for a cheaper price.
They use ball-bearing technology to make sure the deployment is fast and slick, and a finger flipper tab makes opening even easier.
The Fastball uses the same quality steel (S30V) as the Bugout, and is similar in both overall length and blade length.
If ease of opening is high on your priority list, you’ll love this knife. The combination of the flipper tab and ball bearings makes it feel really nice to use.
Here’s how the Gerber Fastball matches up to the Bugout:
| Benchmade Bugout | Gerber Fastball | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 18 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 7.6 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Wharncliffe |
| Blade Material | S30V | S30v |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 76 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | Aluminium |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Liner Lock |
| Price ($) | $135 | $100 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Light Strong EDC |
Best for power – Spyderco Paramilitary 2
What makes it a great alternative? – Similar high-quality to the Bugout with a thicker, stronger blade for taking on tougher tasks
Jump onto any knife forum, ask around about the best pocket knife and the Spyderco PM2 will come up a hell of a lot. For those that find the Bugout a little bit light and thin, the PM2 delivers all the power you could need thanks to its 4mm thick blade and 111 grams of weight – both of those stats are double that of the Bugout in a similarly sized package.
A G10 handle, compression lock system and handy thumb-hole round off a knife that punches well above its weight and is the perfect companion for those that need to take on tough tasks day-to-day.
Here’s how the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 matches up to the Bugout:
| Benchmade Bugout | Spyderco PM 2 | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 21 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 12.2 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Drop Point, Leaf Shape |
| Blade Material | S30V | S45v |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 4 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 111 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | G10 |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Compression Lock |
| Price ($) | $135 | $150 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Powerful Pocket Knife |
Best compact size alternative – Zero Tolerance ZT 0022
What makes it a great alternative? – Very compact size with a very strong blade from a high-quality knife brand.
Maybe you look at the Bugout and think it’s just a little bit too big to be a true ‘pocket knife’. If so, you’ll love the ZT0022 by Zero Tolerance.
At a total length of just 12.4cm, it’s an ultra-compact knife that combines high-quality materials to deliver a mighty performance. It really is an awesome piece of engineering and it looks beautiful too!
A carbon fibre handle, 20CV steel and a KVT-ball bearing flipper make it an easy knife to use with its ‘2 finger hold’ and ergonomic handle shape.
Here’s how the specs match up to the Bugout:
| Benchmade Bugout | ZT 0022 | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 12.4 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 7.5 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 2.3 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Clip Point |
| Blade Material | S30V | 20CV |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 3 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 50 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | Carbon Fibre |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Frame Lock |
| Price ($) | $135 | $200 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Compact & Strong |
Best low-cost alternative – SOG Tactical FF25-CP
What makes it a great alternative? – Good quality pocket knife for those on a budget and can’t afford a Bugout.
A kay critisism of the Bugout is the price. At $135, it’s a serious investment for those that need a knife in their pocket for tackling small tasks. The Tactical from SOG offers a good level of performance for a fraction of the price.
The SOG is slightly bigger than the Bugout in most departments but means you get even more knife for your money. That difference in price is mainly felt in the blade material with the 9Cr18MoV much softer than the S30v of the Bugout.
For those that like tactical black designs, you’ll also like the Tactical in favour of the Bugout’s colourful look and feel.
Check out the key specs of the sleek looking SOG Tactical:
| Benchmade Bugout | SOG Tactical | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 20.8 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 12.2 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 8.6 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Clip Point |
| Blade Material | S30V | 9Cr18MoV |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 3.3 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 136 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | Anodized Aluminum |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Lockback |
| Price ($) | $135 | $55 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Strong & Cheap |
Best for bigger hands – Spyderco Tenacious C122GP
What makes it a great alternative? – Slightly larger knife with a wide G10 handle that easy to hold for larger hands.
If you struggle with smaller pocket knives because of your larger hands, you should have a look at the Tenacious model by Spyderco. It’s famed for its wide and easy to use handle that’s made from high-quality G10 and is moulded for extra finger support.
At 19.5m overall length, it’s slightly longer than the Bugout with the majority of that length heading into the handle. The knife itself is made from 8Cr13MoV steel which is slightly weaker than the Bugout, but the knife comes in at around half the price.
Here’s how the Tenacious specs line up vs the Bugout:
| Benchmade Bugout | Spyderco Tenacious | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 19.5 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 11 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 8.5 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Drop Point |
| Blade Material | S30V | 8Cr13MoV |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 3.1 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 117 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | G10 |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Liner Lock |
| Price ($) | $135 | $55 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Great Handle |
Best light weight alternative – Boker Plus Urban Trapper
What makes it a great alternative? – If you need something simple that’s truly lightweight, the Boker Plus is a great alternative to the Bugout for a fraction of the cost.
While the Bugout is known for its light weight, if you instead need something that’s super simple and even lighter, let us introduce you to the Urban Trapper by Boker Plus.
At just 45 grams, it’s one of the lighest pocket knives you’ll find on the market but still packs a punch thanks to its 7.4cm blade and 440C steel. The knife also comes in a range of handle options including G10, carbon fibre, Micarta and the cocobolo wood shown above.
Here’s the Urban Trapper’s stats:
| Benchmade Bugout | BP Urban Trapper | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 17.7 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 11.2 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 7.4 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Trailing Point |
| Blade Material | S30V | 440C |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 1.75 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 45 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | Cocobolo |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Slipjoint |
| Price ($) | $135 | $50 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Light & Simple |
Best for blade quality – Benchmade Freek 560BK-1
What makes it a great alternative? – Bigger, stronger knife with huge blade real estate – like the Bugout, but on steroids!
If you look at the Bugout and just want a bit more, another knife by Benchmade might be for you. The Benchmade Freek (actually known as the ‘Super Freek’) is the Bugout’s big brother and delivers all of the same components but just makes them bigger.
A massive 9.1cm CPM M4 blade is hidden within a smooth and click G10 handle that’s got loads of size to give you maximum power. Double thumb stud opening and Benchmade’s famous Axis lock round of a seriously beefy package that offers the best blade performance of all the knives we’ve seen.
Here’s how the Freek compares to its little brother:
| Benchmade Bugout | Benchmade Freek | |
| Full Length (cm) | 18.8 | 12.3 |
| Closed Length (cm) | 10.7 | 20.3 |
| Blade Length (cm) | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| Blade Shape | Drop Point | Drop Point |
| Blade Material | S30V | CPM M4 |
| Blade Thickness (mm) | 2.25 | 2.9 |
| Weight (g) | 55 | 120 |
| Handle Material | Grivory | G10 |
| Lock Type | Axis Lock | Axis Lock |
| Price ($) | $135 | $200 |
| Perfect For | Light All Rounder | Big Blade Pocket Knife |
Summary
The Benchmade Bugout is one of the most popular pocket knives on the market thanks to its mix of solid performance and light weight.
But as always when it comes to knives, there’s a range of factors that may not make it the perfect knife for you.
Luckily there are a range of great alternatives from the likes of Spyderco, Boker Plus, Zero Tolerance and even Benchmade themselves if you need something a little different.
We’ve just scratched the surface on the possible alternatives, so if none of the above are for you, we recommend you get shopping around!