Spyderco Vs. Benchmade: Best Folding Knives

Spyderco Tenacious Value Folding Knife

The Tenacious Value knife from Spyderco is one of the best value options you can get. It retails for some $50, which is an absolute bargain for such a high-quality knife. The stainless steel blade is leaf-shaped and flat, for consistent cutting performance. It’s one of Spyderco’s longer blades at 3.39”, so probably not the best option if you’re looking for something ultra-portable.

The handle of the Tenacious Value knife is made from G-10 fiberglass laminate and it features an ergonomic design. It feels comfortable in your hand and the durable material is easy to grip and allows for confident cutting. And it’s a non-slip handle, allowing for secure heavy-duty cutting even in wet weather.

Additionally, the length of the handle is 4.38”, which makes it a great option for those of you with bigger hands. If you want a heavy-duty knife, this is easily one of your best options. Especially with the mid-sized handle that allows for confident cutting in any situation.

This knife also features a pocket clip, allowing you to secure it to your belt. It’s a four-position clip, meaning that you can secure it to both the top and bottom of the handle on either side. There’s also a large hole on the blade itself, which you can use to secure the knife to your bag with a carabiner.

The Linerlock will ensure the knife stays folded even when stored, so you don’t have to worry about that.

Spyderco Siren Premium Folding Knife

The Siren knife is a premium option from Spyderco. It’s expensive compared to their other two knives I talked about here, but it also has some great features that justify that price. This knife boasts one of the best types of stainless steel that exist – LC200N. If you’re not familiar with all the different variants of stainless steel, I’m happy to explain why this is such a big deal!

First thing I want to get out of the way is that this type of stainless steel was originally supposed to be ball-bearing steel for NASA. It put an end to the necessity to choose between corrosion resistance and hardness/performance, making it one of the best options that exist. Because of all that, the Siren is easily one of the best knives you can get from Spyderco.

But we all know that knife is not just a blade, so let’s talk about the other components. The handle is a patterned G-10 handle for premium grip and confident cutting regardless of the weather. It’s non-slip, meaning you can use it safely and comfortably even in wet conditions.

Additionally, the simple wire pocket clip can be mounted to four different positions, allowing you to customize the knife to fit your needs best. And the stout locking mechanism is as safe and reliable as you expect from a $100+ knife, promising to keep that sharp blade folded until you decide it’s time to let it shine.

The locking mechanism is easy to use and you can open and close the knife with one hand.

Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight Folding Knife

The Para 3 folding knife from Spyderco is a great option if you want something compact and lightweight. It features a thin handle from fiberglass reinforced nylon with a rather simple pocket clip. The weight of the knife is reduced in every way possible, but without any sacrifices to the quality of the blade.

In fact, this military design knife boasts one of Spyderco’s toughest blades. It is made from nitrogen-enriched carbon chromium steel, which is a complicated way of saying it’s outstandingly tough and sharp. It can cut through pretty much anything – including flesh – so you should be very careful when using it.

The handle is comfortable and grippy, but it’s also not very long at 4.29”. It’s probably not the best option out there for people with big hands, so bear that in mind. It features a non-slip design and it’s made from fiberglass-reinforced nylon, for ultimate comfort and precision when cutting.

In addition to that, the Para 3 Spyderco knife has a Compression Lock in the handle’s spine. This is one of the brand’s best locks ever – it’s is perfectly reliable and easy to use, allowing you to securely open and close the knife with just one hand.

Also, you can reposition the pocket clip if you want, so you can really adjust the knife to guarantee the most comfortable cutting experience.

Benchmade - Bugout

The Benchmade Bugout is a lightweight folding knife with a great steel blade. It features the brand’s popular Axis locking mechanism that allows for effortless one-handed opening and closing of the knife. And it has a small hole near the edge of the handle that lets you put the knife on a lanyard, so you have plenty of convenient carry options.

This knife is made with CPM-S30V steel, which has excellent water and corrosion resistance. The performance is sacrificed somewhat, but unless you use it together with a much sharper knife you will hardly feel the difference. The Bugout still has a tough and sharp blade that performs extremely well and manages to be just as sturdy even in wet conditions.

The plain edge blade boasts a drop point shape that allows for perfect precision every time, making sure that this knife will perform well even in the toughest environments.

Another great thing about the handle is that it’s fully ambidextrous. The textured and ergonomic handle feels sturdy and comfortable regardless of which hand is holding it, allowing for confident and secure cutting.

Also, the knife has a two-position pocket clip, so you can choose which side it is mounted on, for the most comfortable experience.

In addition to that, I have to point out just how ridiculously lightweight this knife is. It weighs in at only 1.85 ounces, which is absolutely impressive. Compare that to Spyderco’s Para 3 Lightweight – that’s the lightest version of that model of the knife, and it’s still nearly an ounce heavier than this option from Benchmade!

Benchmade - 940 EDC Knife

The 940 EDC knife from Benchmade is one of their toughest options. It has a great blade that is sharp, tough, and corrosion-resistant, with a reverse tanto design. The knife performs well in all weather and environments thanks to such excellent design.

Also, this is the only knife feature here that boasts a tough aluminum handle. It’s incredibly strong and durable, but not as slip-resistant as the other textured blades. There’s very little texture on the handle and you might not find it as grippy in certain conditions.

The handle is ambidextrous and ergonomic, so it should feel quite comfortable in your hand. And it’s worth pointing out that the knife is available in options with a different type of handle, so you could always go for something with a little more texture.

Also, that handle is nearly 4.5” long, so it should be good enough even for people with big hands. This is generally quite a big knife for a foldable option – its open length is 7.87”, which makes it one of the largest foldable featured here.

And that will also make it one of the heavier options, especially with the aluminum handle. It weighs in at 2.9 ounces, which is near twice the weight of Benchmade’s Bugout knife!

You can get this exact same knife with a carbon fiber handle that’s the texture – it’s a bit gripper and about 0.5 ounces lighter, but it’s also a lot more expensive. Whether or not it’s worth the higher price point is entirely up to you.

Benchmade - Mini Griptilian 556 Knife

The Mini Griptilian is one of Benchmade’s most popular knife models. It’s actually a family of knives, with more colors, sizes, and shapes available than for any other knife the Benchmade makes. You can choose between the plain and serrated edge, but also between different finishes for the handle.

And no matter which handle/edge combo you go for, you can be certain that you’re getting a spectacular folding knife. The Mini Griptilian boasts a tough steel blade that has excellent water and corrosion resistance, just like their Bugout knife.

It’s a drop-point blade that promises extraordinary precision and performance even in some really tough conditions.

The name of the knife comes from the design of the handle. It features a lot more texture than most of Benchmade’s other knives, especially around the edges. This ensures you have a great grip on the knife even if you’re using it underwater, which is essential for secure and confident cutting.

Also, this knife features the brand’s popular Axis locking system that is familiar, reliable, and great. You can open and close the knife with one hand easily, and you don’t over have to worry about the knife opening when you don’t want it to.

The pocket clip is a two-position one – you can’t move it closer to the blade, but you can secure it to either side of the knife. There’s also a small hole near the clip that you can use to secure the knife to a lanyard, so you can easily carry the Griptilian in a way that’s most comfortable for you.