Benchmade 535-3 Bugout – Super Steel and Ultra Light

The brand new Benchmade 535-3 Bugout ($300) is a brand new Bugout knife featuring S90V super steel and a carbon fiber handle. Coming in at 2 oz, this is the very light knife! Easily the lightest we have tested here at Engearment.

Benchmade 535-3 Bugout Review

I am a big fan of EDC knives. I always have one on me and it is my go-to gift for friends.  My first legit EDC knife was actually a Benchmade Griptilian that was gifted to me 15 years ago by my Uncle.

 

I still use that knife almost daily, to open up packages for testing.  To my surprise, I used that knife to open up the package containing this Benchmade 535-3 Bugout! Pretty serendipitous.

Benchmade makes very high-quality knives here in the USA.  Oregon to be more precise. You can read more about their story here.  My experience, and the experience of people I know and trust, is that Benchmade is a trusted knife company that produces durable and functional blades.

I asked my friend Luke to chime in on his experience using Benchmade knives in the field. First, here is Luke’s bio, so you can gain context on who he is, and how he has used the knives:

36-year-old outdoor enthusiast. I spent seven years in the Army as an infantryman, obtaining the rank of SSG. While in the Army I spent 27 months deployed to Iraq. Awarded bronze star for valor and Purple Heart. Post military life I attended the University of Central Oklahoma, graduating with a degree in industrial safety with a minor in criminal justice. I am currently a physical security consultant.

Moved to Colorado in 2016 where I took up mountaineering as well as rock and ice climbing, on top of my love for hunting which I have been involved in my entire life. Due to the military and my hobbies, I require my gear to stand up to a pretty rugged environment. This is why I spend a lot of time researching before I buy to ensure it’s best for my needs.

Luke used the Benchmade Stryker for the last 16 years, so that speaks volumes to its durability:

I’ve had the bench made Stryker for 16 years. It’s been through 27 months of deployment in Iraq carrying it every day on patrol and missions. It’s what I cart when I camp too. I’ve had to take it apart and clean the sand out of it. Other than that it’s been a great knife.

So, you get the picture that Benchmade makes legit knives.  Let’s get into the features of the new Bugout 535-3. This is a very light knife, coming in at 2.02oz.  Thanks to the carbon fiber handle and sleek design.  The blade is 3.24″ long, which is a bit longer than my usual EDC knife, and I appreciate that.

They used super steel called CPM-S90V. This metal is new to us and I am impressed.  If you want to get super nerdy and learn more about this metal, then check out this link. Or, you can carry on with the review, and believe me that it is next-level blade material.

Easy to carry

The mini deep carry clip carries the knife in your pocket very discreetly.  This is a smaller clip than I am used to, but I appreciate that it is very streamlined.  You can change the orientation of the clip as well.  I keep mine in my right pocket, so it was good to go out of the box.

Very good looking

The carbon fiber handle is attractive and the sutle blue highlights are a nice touch.  Everyone I have shown this knife too has been impressed with its looks, weight, and balance.


535-3 BUGOUT®

 

 

Expensive, but worth it

The price of this knife is $300.  But, when you look at the components, it is actually a good deal.  You can build your own knife on Benchmade’s website (which is super cool! link to that below) but you can not build this knife for less than $300.  So… if you are interested in any of the characteristics of this knife, it would make more sense to just get this Bugout and get on with it 🙂


Custom Knives Shop, Knife Builder Online & Lasermarking | Benchmade Knife Company