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Buck Bantam 284 vs 285: What’s The Difference? [2023]

Posted on July 19, 2021 Written by Joseph Stein

buck bantam 284 vs 285

Although Buck typically cater for a slightly higher budget, their Bantam products do a great job of delivering value for money at a lower cost.

They’re not fully made in the USA like most of Buck’s knives, but assembled there with products imported from China. That’s fine, and I think at this price point it’s really nothing to complain about.

But what’s the difference between the Buck Bantam 284 vs 285? I’ll answer as concisely as possible to help you make a decision.

Contents

  • What’s the difference between Buck’s Bantam 284 & 285?
  • 284 vs 285 Specs Overview
  • Price difference
  • Design options
    • Black
    • Orange
    • Country camo
    • Realtree Camo (284 only)
  • How do they compare to the other Buck Bantam knives?
  • That’s a wrap

What’s the difference between Buck’s Bantam 284 & 285?

The main difference between the Buck Bantam 284 vs 285, in a nutshell, is that the 285 is slightly larger and tougher. It has 20% extra blade thickness, 0.9oz extra weight, 3/8″ extra length.

Check 284 Price
Check 285 Price

It also comes with a pocket clip carry option (removable), whereas the 284 is pocket carry only (or, they both have a lanyard hole too). Lastly, there’s 1 more design option currently available for the 284 (4 options, vs 3 with the 285).

284 vs 285 Specs Overview

284 Bantam285 Bantam
284 bantam blackbuck 285 bantam
Blade thickness0.100″0.120″
Blade length2 3/4″3 1/8″
Length closed3 3/4″4 3/8″
Weight1.5oz2.4oz
Blade shapeDrop pointDrop point
ManufacturingUSA (with imported parts)USA (with imported parts)
CarryPocketPocket clip / pocket
Starting price$20.99$26.99
Design options43
See 284 Prices & Reviews
See 285 Prices & Reviews

Price difference

There’s not a lot in it in terms of price.

There’s just $6 difference in the starting prices, with the smaller knife (284) being the cheaper one, starting at $20.99 at the time of writing.

With such a small gap, honestly, just buy the one you like best. Whether that be for the size preference, or the design option.

Design options

Both the 284 and 285 have the standard black design, the ‘blaze camo’ (orange), and the ‘country camo’. The 284 has one extra, the ‘Realtree camo’.

You can find the 284 options here, and the 285 options here, but I’ll put them side-by-side for you now:

Black

buck bantam 284 & 285 in black side by side

Orange

buck bantam 284 & 285 in orange side by side

Country camo

buck bantam 284 & 285 in country camo side by side

Realtree Camo (284 only)

Check 284 Price
Check 285 Price

How do they compare to the other Buck Bantam knives?

Buck sell 4 knives in their Bantam range. It’s super straightforward:

  • The Nano Bantam 283 is the smallest
  • Next is the Bantam 284 BBW (bantamweight)
  • Then we have the Bantam 285 BLW (lightweight)
  • Lastly, there’s the Bantam 286 BHW (heavyweight)

It’s chronological, in size order. Simple as that! I think the 284 & 285 hit the sweet spot in terms of EDC popularity. The 283 and 286 are slightly too small or heavy, respectively. They have their place of course, but it’s a more specific need or use case.

That’s a wrap

That’s it regarding a comparison of the Buck 284 vs 285! This comparison is super straightforward. No need to waste your time with unnecessary tidbits of information.

The 284 is slightly smaller, lighter, and cheaper vs the 285.

Read More >>> Buck 110 vs Buck 112: The Difference Between Two Classic Folders

Filed Under: Comparisons

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