Street Bowie vs. Street Beat

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fivesense

Joined
Jun 5, 2017
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I'd wondered about this comparison for awhile, but I can now tell you now, both are a legitimate real life EDC consideration.

Both arrived to me today. Let me tell you- they are each GREAT. VG-10 is awesome. Ergos on both are great- for their respective roles.

The Street Beat is probably all you'd ever need in a defensive scenario. Full tang, comfortable in the hand, sharp edge with an even sharper tip for penetration.

The Street Bowie is everything the Street Beat is, but longer, more comfortable in the hand, even better balanced, with a sharp edge and an even sharper tip for penetration.

The choil is right at the point of balance.

The sheaths are both phenomenal.

So which is better? Depends on whether or not you want a shorter or longer knife. Both will handle tons of utility tasks, and either will handle whatever EDC defensive scenario you throw at it.

If I'm ever in a situation that requires me to defend myself with a Street Beat/Street Bowie, I'm probably just as safe pulling my Glock. But I can assure you I'll pull my Spyderco for many more tasks than I'm likely ever to need my Glock.

I can't say I'll return either, in choosing one over the other. For about $200 bucks, they both have a place. I'm really impressed.
 
I have a STREETBEAT model that I've had for quite some time. For a relatively small fixed blade it provides everything I desire. I would like to see more small fixed blades in it's size range and hopefully with newer/better blade steels at some point.

As far as the Street Bowie or even the original PERRIN model from the 2002/2003 era I liked both of them when I had them. But for a fixed blade to EDC the STREETBEAT is about perfect for what I would like. I've wanted to see a STREETBEAT in Spyderedge for some time now. As great as the TEMP 1 model was in SE I do hope they start to make more fixed blades in SE at some point. Right now there's just not that many to select from on the Spyderco main menu.
 
I'm going to take a look at the new Tops Rapid Strike as a comparison. I'm sure it will be pretty solid and I love its 154cm steel.

The "built in" choil guard of the Street Beat/Bowie really impresses me. Such a smart design.

Side question- are there imposter Beat/Bowies out there? I know its an issue with some of the Spyderco folders, so I assume it also happens with their fixed blades.
 
I've got them both but have never carried either.

If I did carry one for SD, it would be the Street Beat, simply because it's smaller and better suited for that purpose. I might carry the Street Bowie on camping/hiking trips but I have other knives (like a Buck 100 and 119 or even a Gerber Mark II) that are better suited for camping/hiking use IMO.
 
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sgt1372 said:
I've got them both but have never carried either.

If I did carry one of SD, it would be the Street Beat, simply because it's smaller and better suited for that purpose. I might carry the Street Bowie on camping/hiking trips but I have other knives (like a Buck 119 or even a Gerber Mark II) that are better suited for camping/hiking use IMO.
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For camping and hiking, I'd lean toward something else too. I'd wager the Street Bowie could handle quite a bit but I'd rather have a Mora or something more geared toward hard duty.

That said, I wouldn't feel "under-knived" with the Bowie while hiking or camping, as long as I didn't need to use it for serious bushcrafting type duties.
 
madcap_magician said:
I've been wishing for a sprint Street Beat with a steel upgrade for a long time, and I've bought several knives, both custom and production, that were similar in an effort to get something like it.
Wish i have never got rid of mine(the micarta one). But that would be an awesome knife for a sprint. Ill wish along with you. Mmmmm, Zdp brown canvas micarta.
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Don't know how my post got stuck in the quote lol. But regardless, the street beat is one of my favorite fixed blades.
 
I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing a Street Beat with the micarta scales before they were discontinued.
 
I have a Street Beat micarta, and I love it. It doesn't get a ton of carry anymore, but it is a perfect EDC fixed. I also got a custom CF sheath for it, which makes it that much better. The retention on my original sheath left something to be desired.
 
madcap_magician said:
I've been wishing for a sprint Street Beat with a steel upgrade for a long time, and I've bought several knives, both custom and production, that were similar in an effort to get something like it.
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Same here. I got the White River M1 Backpacker Pro, and it is very comparable, with S35VN. Not a massive steel upgrade, but I like it. Highly recommended.
 
jstn said:
Same here. I got the White River M1 Backpacker Pro, and it is very comparable, with S35VN. Not a massive steel upgrade, but I like it. Highly recommended.
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I have a Backpacker myself and bought it for much the same reason. The finish on them is fantastic. I wish the Backpacker Pro scales were more contoured like the Caper, which is, other than the scales, an identical knife. I believe White River Knives is upgrading all the Backpacker variants to S35VN, but they also run it kind of soft for such small knives, unfortunately.
 
After living with both the Beat and the Bowie for a few days, I've got some additional observations.

The Beat blade size is perfect for EDC, but the handle (for me) is ever so slightly too small. Workable? No question. But in comparison to the handle on the Bowie, it just doesn't feel as good. Plus, the Bowie has the added tactile enhancement of the injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle.

Everything about the Bowie feels nearly perfect. It's unusually lightweight, perfectly balanced, and I trust the 3/4 tang of the VG-10. It's a joy to handle and easy to carry in the sheath. I don't know if it's the best $100 fixed blade defensive-minded EDC, but it's certainly in the running.
 
No doubt, I'd prefer a different steel on the Street Bowie.

Steel aside, after handling the SB for a week, I can honestly say it's got some of the BEST ergos I've ever felt in a knife. The combination of light weight and balance is astounding. It's got me curious enough to start exploring heavier duty variations.
 
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