Clip Point has a much thinner (and thus more easily penetrating point). Also it has a belly, which is far batter for slicing purposes.
Another underlying factor that makes the SRK better is it's flat ground blade, which is a better cutter and more flexible for use than the tanto.
Things a clip point can do that a tanto can't or can't do acceptably well:
Scrape out wood or bowls or such.
Whittle
Slice
Skin
Several others I can't think of (probably because it's so late.)
Some of it is in the design, too. Understand that the Clip Point was evolved and designed for exactly the kind of applications you are considering, basic hardcore utility. The Geometric Tanto (which is what the CS Recon Tanto is, not to be confused with a true japanese tanto) was designed with one purpose paramount to all others: a VERY strong tip, at this, the Geometric Tanto excels. However the prices are many in a Gemoetric tanto, you sacrifice Belly (which is very important for slicing/skinning), you sacrifice ease of pentration for greater tip strength, you sacrifice sharpness because of almost full thick grind. The reason I say a Tanto is a good choice for combat is because I fall into the school of thought that the most effective form of combat is stab-oriented, and geometric tantos (aswell as to a certain extent, Japanese Tantos) generate unusual "boxy" wounds which do not easily close up, thus causing greater skin disruption and shock (the thing that ends fights), additionally, a Tanto is FAR less prone to breakage if it hits a bone or something, this is a tip style that has frequently been sucessfully rammed SEVERAL times into car doors (I know for a fact the Buck Strider and Cold Steel Recon Tanto have been run through this test). But for those of us who don't need to discect a Buick everyday, Tanto isn't necessarily the way to go.
.
