Para 3 vs Bug Out

[HotRodColt]

A friend of mine is looking to buy a small lightweight folder for hiking. The new Benchmade Bug Out has peaked his interest. I suggested he looked at the Spyderco Para 3 because I think the blade geometry will be more conducive to LW knife related tasks on the trail. I’ve never had a Benchmade that just was that great of a slicer. However, the .09 thickness blade may just change that!

Anyone have both that they can compare them?

 

[danbot]

I don't have both, so I'm biased towards the Bugout. Great little knife that seems bigger than it is!

 

[cashville]

Bugout. I prefer the Native 5 LW over the Para 3. I feel like the PM2 is the perfect size between the Military and Para 3.

I don’t really notice any benefits of the Para 3 in terms of difference in weight or size in pocket over the PM2. I do notice the worse ergo (for me atleast) and shorter blade length of the Para 3

 

[Wowbagger]

A small decent fixed blade. Small meaning four inch. How's he going to make lunch with a little tiny girlyman knife? (No offense ladies)

 

[Wowbagger]

I mean this is an old terrible photo ( I wasn't very inspired) but . . . I mean is that hole in the Manix (top knife) a flavor savor or what ? It is going to get full of cheese and the Manix is just too short for the purpose (someone said take the Manix camping for food prep.
Slice cheese, cut up an apple, divide a bagel ? Fight grizzzz ?
Madness.
The next blade down is three and a half inches at the edge and the bottom knife is six inches plus.
. . . you see . . .

 

[Mo2]

I like both knives but the bugout is the lighter smaller knife. When I go jogging I'll take one of a few small knives I have... 940-1 in cf, Kershaw skyline (Mines in cf but g10 is fairly LW too), boos blades smoke, and a few others that are slim light weight and small.

The manix2 LW is light weight but large and wide so I'd only take that if I knew I was going to encounter a larger cutting job on the way.

my buddy has the bugout and it's even lighter than my 940-1 and it's also got a thinner slicing blade which is a welcome addition to the production knives world. He even got the aftermarket cf scales which adds stiffness and makes it slightly lighter iirc.

I recently got a para3 in maxamet and I enjoy it alot. I wanted a pm2 in maxamet but it seems they discontinued it atm. I thought the para3 would be too small but it was just right. Even more pocket friendly than my pm2. I plan to get some cf scales to lighten it even more so.

I would say the para3 will definitely work as a knife to take jogging but the bug out would be my choice over it for that task. It's just smaller in all dimensions, lighter and thinner.

If I were to need to use the knife in capacity or harder use, I'd probably want something bigger. I guess it depends on the tasks. For hiking with small tasks the bug out would be my choice.

 

[SharpieB]

The Para 3 isn’t for everyone as it is a strange size. I prefer the ergonomics of my Bugout over my P3. Same with the bigger Manix 2. I like mine but many do not.

I personally would pick my Bugout over my Manix 2LW or Para 3 for hiking every time.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Just got a bugout, so no real use yet, but I'd call it over the Para3. Not that the para3 has anything really wrong with it, but for a light weight hiker, the thickness and footprint of the bugout wins it. I'd team it with a saw equipped sak, or a small fixed blade that could take a little beating like a scaleless izula, or mora eldris if you thought you would need to do any wood cutting. But for just hiking, the woodwork will be a minimum, and anyone with half a skill could cut a walking stick or splint with a bugout.

 

[halden.doerge]

I vote Bugout, assuming we’re comparing the base models (I.e not the S110V or Maxamet versions which would obviously change the equation).

 

[DJC72]

I love the ergonomics on the Manix, so it gets my vote.

 

[colin.p]

The Para 3 isn’t for everyone as it is a strange size. I prefer the ergonomics of my Bugout over my P3. Same with the bigger Manix 2. I like mine but many do not.

I personally would pick my Bugout over my Manix 2LW or Para 3 for hiking every time.

I agree. For hiking, definitely the bugout as it's made just for that scenario. I love the Para 3 and it is a great knife, but for light weight for hiking? Not so much.

 

[sabre cat]

Size & weight.
Bugout, final answer.

 

[FullMetalJackass]

Bugout is light and very, very capable.

 

[Velitrius]

The Bugout is very light, very slim, has a deep carry clip... it disappears until you need it.

It is a very capable blade, and it slices very nicely with the ultra thin blade.

It gives you a quarter inch more blade than the Para3 at around half the weight.

You can get it in Ranger Green with the black blade now, too!

 

[miltmaldo]

The bugout got my vote on this one but they left out the Kershaw skyline in my opinion better knife than the bugout for the $

 

[017]

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[Mikel_24]

Hiking and not considering a fixed blade (which is what I would recommend as well)? Then I would get a Spyderco Centofante III. Lightweight, very thin, hollow ground and slim. That's what I take hiking when weight is a concern and I don't foresee being arround ropes (then it is Spyderco Rescue Wave time).

 

[abbazaba]

I love the Bugout, but voted Manix2 LW. There are few knives this light, capable, and versatile. This one lives in my backpack:

I'd take the PM2 over the Para3 any day for backpacking, BTW.

 

[Cscotttsss]

Bugout