Is the Benchmade Bugout the best knife ever?

A co-worker loaned me a mini grip to check out for a few days. I really liked it. when I returned it I wanted my own. So I went to the closest BM dealer to buy one last week. I ended up leaving with a bugout instead.
I would hesitate to say it's the best knife ever but I'm happy with it so far. Other than still wanting that mini grip...
 
halden.doerge said:
Hey, looky there! That's my Bugout! :D

And I will say, even though of course I agree with subjective, your mileage may vary, personal needs differ, yadayadayada... this year I've been tracking how much I carry which knives, and the Bugout is vastly, by far the winner. It's not what I would pick as my "favorite" knife, and definitely not my "if you could only have one" knife. But, for whatever it means, it IS the knife that finds its way into my pocket more than any other overall. That definitely says something.

And was it in my pocket today, you ask? Why yes, yes it was. Go figure.

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Well said I agree it's not my favorite knife per say or if I could only take one I just think it's all around one of the best edc blades
 
Quiet said:
It would seem to me that the Bugout is a knife that seems nice when you first get it, but the love affair wears off quickly if the Exchange is any indicator. People post Bugouts for quick sale virtually every day. I personally have fondled a few and found them entirely mediocre in virtually every respect.
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I will definitely do an update review once I've carried it for some time. It could be true what your saying I hope not tho thanks for replying.
 
Bugout is a great carry for shorts during the summer.

I picked up a Bugout with aftermarket titanium scales. It is a difference maker.

If Benchmade put out a Bugout with Ti scales and m390/s90v/or the like it would be a huge seller.
 
eisman said:
Let me know when they sell as many of that pattern as they have standard Stockman patterns. Until then the answer is "NO".
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I wouldn't base greatness on how much something has sold. How many CRKT M-16's are there out there?

No-name gas station knives with SURGICAL STAINLESS?
 
eisman said:
Let me know when they sell as many of that pattern as they have standard Stockman patterns. Until then the answer is "NO".
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Rykjeklut said:
I wouldn't base greatness on how much something has sold. How many CRKT M-16's are there out there?

No-name gas station knives with SURGICAL STAINLESS?
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Yup. If best means volume of sales, some sort of victorinox (probably the classic) is going to be the best knife ever.
 
I can understand the ops sentiment.
Many times , especially after using a well designed knife, I feel the same way.
I have about 8 BM knives, and to me the discontinued Bone Collector folder is one of their best designs.
 
halden.doerge said:
Hey, looky there! That's my Bugout! :D

And I will say, even though of course I agree with subjective, your mileage may vary, personal needs differ, yadayadayada... this year I've been tracking how much I carry which knives, and the Bugout is vastly, by far the winner. It's not what I would pick as my "favorite" knife, and definitely not my "if you could only have one" knife. But, for whatever it means, it IS the knife that finds its way into my pocket more than any other overall. That definitely says something.

And was it in my pocket today, you ask? Why yes, yes it was. Go figure.

C5Iy17K.jpg
Click to expand...
I don't know about best or even one of the best knives as this is pretty subjective to the user's experience. I like this post and the experience. I don't own a Bugout. The BM I carry the most is the Mini Presidio II which is a manual opening axis lock knife in small to medium size. It works for me. Would I give the Bugout a try? Sure, if I am in a knife store and itching to buy "something" I don't already own and might like. But I simply don't need it. Right now I have been trying to cut down my knife purchase numbers and hesitate to add a Bugout.

I carry a small SAK all the time and I feel sure the Bugout would work perfectly well for me as does the BM Mini Presidio II. (The Mini Presidio II was the first metal handled knife in years that I like. I am generally anti-metal handles which the bugout is not.) The second knife often gets left at home as I simply don't need two knives "on me" most of the time and the little SAK cuts most of what I need to cut every single day. I have been gravitating in the direction of the knives my father would have chosen.... what goes around, comes around. Slip joints are good too.
 
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I like the little Bugout, and it is a good EDC, but it's not going to replace my 940-2.
 
Rykjeklut said:
I wouldn't base greatness on how much something has sold.
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No? What would your criteria be?

Enduring design? The basic Stockman pattern has been unchanged for over 120 years. The French kitchen knife pattern has (at least) double that. The Fin Pukka is running several hundred years without change also, as are a number of other old, useful, patterns.

Sales? I don't think most people can grasp how many knives are made and sold, and were made and sold, just in the USA, going back hundreds of years. Camillus used to sell over 1,000,000 knives a year in the 1800's. So did Russell, and several dozen other American companies, and they were fighting import competition from England and Germany.

Use? I can't see how any pattern that has less than 10 years acceptance can possibly be judged against a pattern that's remained the same, and has been manufactured by every major (and many minor) brand, for over 100 years, could possible be judged more useful.

You like it? Oh goody, obviously you're one of the major influencers of modern marketing and we'll all rush over to Amazon and order one now. Or not...
 
eisman said:
No? What would your criteria be?

Enduring design? The basic Stockman pattern has been unchanged for over 120 years. The French kitchen knife pattern has (at least) double that. The Fin Pukka is running several hundred years without change also, as are a number of other old, useful, patterns.

Sales? I don't think most people can grasp how many knives are made and sold, and were made and sold, just in the USA, going back hundreds of years. Camillus used to sell over 1,000,000 knives a year in the 1800's. So did Russell, and several dozen other American companies, and they were fighting import competition from England and Germany.

Use? I can't see how any pattern that has less than 10 years acceptance can possibly be judged against a pattern that's remained the same, and has been manufactured by every major (and many minor) brand, for over 100 years, could possible be judged more useful.

You like it? Oh goody, obviously you're one of the major influencers of modern marketing and we'll all rush over to Amazon and order one now. Or not...
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The greatest knife is a subjective thing. Not one thing you mentioned makes a knife, objectively the best. It's a dumb argument no one can win.

But since you seem hell bent on proving a point completely off topic, let's give it a quick rundown...

Enduring design. Just because it's old doesn't make it better.

Sales. There has been a lot of stuff sold for a long time. That doesn't make it better.

Use. It seems with this argument you have reverted back to the old stuff is better argument. See above.

You like it. That is really the only damn thing that matters in the "best knife argument". I'm not sure what going off on someone, calling them an influencer has to do with anything. Are you a stockman influencer?

The bugout is not the best knife ever in my opinion, but not for any of the reasons you mentioned.
 
eisman said:
No? What would your criteria be?

Enduring design? The basic Stockman pattern has been unchanged for over 120 years. The French kitchen knife pattern has (at least) double that. The Fin Pukka is running several hundred years without change also, as are a number of other old, useful, patterns.

Sales? I don't think most people can grasp how many knives are made and sold, and were made and sold, just in the USA, going back hundreds of years. Camillus used to sell over 1,000,000 knives a year in the 1800's. So did Russell, and several dozen other American companies, and they were fighting import competition from England and Germany.

Use? I can't see how any pattern that has less than 10 years acceptance can possibly be judged against a pattern that's remained the same, and has been manufactured by every major (and many minor) brand, for over 100 years, could possible be judged more useful.

You like it? Oh goody, obviously you're one of the major influencers of modern marketing and we'll all rush over to Amazon and order one now. Or not...
Click to expand...
So you like the stockman pattern, and have conviced yourself that popular equals good. Good for you. I'm not having this argument, but you are wrong on everything, especially the last part.
And I've already said I don't really like the Bugout.

craytab said:
You like it. That is really the only damn thing that matters in the "best knife argument".
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Because ^ that is the truth.
 
eisman said:
No? What would your criteria be?

Enduring design? The basic Stockman pattern has been unchanged for over 120 years. The French kitchen knife pattern has (at least) double that. The Fin Pukka is running several hundred years without change also, as are a number of other old, useful, patterns.

Sales? I don't think most people can grasp how many knives are made and sold, and were made and sold, just in the USA, going back hundreds of years. Camillus used to sell over 1,000,000 knives a year in the 1800's. So did Russell, and several dozen other American companies, and they were fighting import competition from England and Germany.

Use? I can't see how any pattern that has less than 10 years acceptance can possibly be judged against a pattern that's remained the same, and has been manufactured by every major (and many minor) brand, for over 100 years, could possible be judged more useful.

You like it? Oh goody, obviously you're one of the major influencers of modern marketing and we'll all rush over to Amazon and order one now. Or not...
Click to expand...

Hi Uncle Randy!!
 
I'm not sure of the actual marketing term, but the Bugout is a classic example of it. Imho it's like fashion where people want to do the opposite of the current trend. Eg. Skinny jeans vs Baggy jeans.

In the knife market there's a lot of "over built" knives out there. So when a knife that imho is "under built" like the Bugout, came along people were jumping on the band wagon just because it was different then the going trend.

Bugout is really just avg in every way.
 
The Old Hickory line have sold for years. Are they the best for kitchen use?

Anyway, who cares really? If you like the Bugout, use and enjoy it.
 
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