Need help choosing an Esee

izula01.jpg
 
jcrain said:
In any case, I want something reasonably light, not something to chop wood with or anything, but something that will hold up to hard use.
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I'm not quite sure what this means. To me any hard use would be done in the effort to process wood. I say buy the Izula 2 and call it. It's small, light, and capable of doing anything you would need a knife to do while hiking. If you want something a little bigger then get the 3, 4, or laser strike. Whichever you like more. They're all capable. I personally prefer the Izula 2 out of all of them but YMMV.
 
I prefer both the Izula 2 & ESEE4 over the ESEE3.
since you say you have small hands, I doubt you would find the handle on a 5 very comfortable.
I have no handles the Laser Strike yet.
my $.02 is go with the 4 or the Izzy 2.
 
Great comparison pics, Godspeed :thumbup:

I love my Izzie and my 4. Between the 2, I'm pretty sure they can handle just about any task I throw at them.

I can't speak on the 6, but I did own the 5 for a bit, and I wasn't a fan. I actually preferred my BK2- even with its stock sheath and handles- over the 5. The fact that it was less than half the cost was just gravy. The 5 would be nice for cutting/smashing your way out of a downed aircraft, as it is intended for... but seeing as how a simple 4.5" knife was much more useful for my needs, I sold it, which is how I got my 4. Couldn't be happier with the decision.

If you're thinking about a 5, forget it. For the same cost, you can get an Izzie and a 4. I know the 5 looks like a pretty wicked knife in theory, but it's not as useful as you'd like it to be in practice.
 
Wow, thanks for all the great responses! I was all but set on the Esee 5, but now it looks like I'm ordering the Izula and Esee 4. Glad I came for for advice first, you guys know your stuff.
 
jcrain said:
Wow, thanks for all the great responses! I was all but set on the Esee 5, but now it looks like I'm ordering the Izula and Esee 4. Glad I came for for advice first, you guys know your stuff.
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Enjoy them! After I bought my 5, I definitely had buyer's regret. I love ESEE, but I just didn't like the 5. As soon as I opened the package, I was awed by its fit and finish, but then I tried to use it, and it was just unwieldy. The BK2 is infinitely more comfortable, plus you could hit its pommel with a baton if you're splitting wood (I thought the glass breaking pommel of the 5 was awesome until I tried doing this). And anyway, for heavier tasks, I'd prefer something along the lines of the 6, for lighter tasks, the 3 or the 4. As far as the Izula goes... no setup is complete without an Izzie, one of my absolute favorites, even compared to the Eskabar or Becker Necker :)

Believe me, you'll be very happy with those two. If not, well... the ESEE addiction may soon catch up with you :p
 
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No problem on the photos guy's I'm working on a review right now with more pics..... I will leak my new Piggyback sheath setup though... I just got the Candiru in so it's most likely going to replace the Izula I but you get the idea.


What it looks like:


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What's in it:

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Quick walk-around:

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Eli
 
"Bring Enough Knife" Springfield Armory, paraphrased

maybe I'm paranoid but I'm shorter than you and don't hike with less than a KaBar fighting knife + folder. more for threats (pig, or stupid asses on the trails) than anything else. will replace the folder with a fixed blade in the future because I've learned less than flattering info about the one I thought was the end all be all but that's another story. anyways, what I've noticed with the -5 is I wish had extra jimping down the spine because sometimes I grip it way back so my thumb ends up on top of the logo on the handle. it's an attempt at "lengthening" the blade. when somethings rustling in the bushes I need to stack the deck. don't want to ruin the finish so will try grip tape.

Eli I want one of those combo sheaths! when the goodies come in and I can decide what the new carry will be. Izula for sure. How's the retention? I ask because I took a tumble with my orange -5 in the stock sheath the other day and the blade fell out. I read there's a molle back for it with a strap. but I like your combo! so many options.
 
ESEE 3, Izula 1 or 2. It doesn't sound like you'd need more and they will excel at the smaller cutting chores than the rest.
 
Late to this but I agree the 4 is what you need and the Izula as a back-up is a great idea. The 5 is not a back-packing knife, it's made to cut through aircraft! That said, I take my 6 with me into the woods with my 3 as back-up, but I'm a big guy.
 
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