Spyderco Forums

First off, let me know if this post should be in another place since I'm comparing Spyderco to Benchmade.

I was set on my decision to buy a Chaparral LW...that is, until I saw that BM just announced a Bugout Mini in S30V. So I guess my question is, should I go for the Chap in CTS-XHP or the Mini Bug in S30V? They're almost the exact same dimensions. Both slim profiles that work well in an office environment (important to me). I know no one has gotten their hands on the BM yet since they just announced it, but I'm wondering if I should wait until some reviews come out. It's also hard to find a Chap LW for sale (back-ordered just about everywhere).

Help me out here!

Hmm a variant of my favorite Benchmade vs one of my favorite spydies. Assuming the grind/stock on the mini bugout the same as the full size, it won't be as slicey as the chaparral and the handle will have some flex but it will be lighter and the axis lock is fun. I actually prefer the bugout deep carry clip to the wire clip by a good margin (heresy I know). Ergos are good for both, but the chap had better texture. Tough choice.

I say tie goes to the cheaper knife so chap lw gets my vote.

What I want to see is a Spyderco that competes directly with the regular bugout. A lightweight slicer like the chaparral but with 3-3.25" of edge. A centofante with screw construction maybe?

I mean, it's the Spyderco forum so...

Buy all the knives!

dmcblade wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2020 8:50 am

It's also hard to find a Chap LW for sale (back-ordered just about everywhere).

Help me out here!

KnivesShipFree has them in stock.

My BM Bugout is one of the knives in my EDC rotation. About the only things I don't like about the Bugout are the scales & the steel. The weight distribution is too blade heavy on the Bugout compared to my BM 531 with G10 scales. It just throws the balance off a bit for me. S30V is not one of my favorite steels, just a personal thing. Other than that I love the knife and have contemplated getting aftermarket scales.

All that said, my Chaparral LW has been dominating my carry time at work. I'm not a fan of choils, but I like it on the Chaparral. I love CTS-XHP steel, and the thin blade of the Chaparral. About the only fault I can find with the Chaparral is the amount of pressure you need to exert to unlock the knife. Other than that I really like it a lot.

Axis lock in that size is pretty tempting. I'd love to see a Chap sized CBBL knife.

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2020 8:37 pm

Axis lock in that size is pretty tempting. I'd love to see a Chap sized CBBL knife.

^THIS!!!

Halfneck wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:37 pm

All that said, my Chaparral LW has been dominating my carry time at work. I'm not a fan of choils, but I like it on the Chaparral. I love CTS-XHP steel, and the thin blade of the Chaparral. About the only fault I can find with the Chaparral is the amount of pressure you need to exert to unlock the knife. Other than that I really like it a lot.

I don't want to derail this thread but that's easily fixable by moving the lock spring a tiny bit. It makes a noticeable difference.

OP, it's all a preference thing. They're comparable in size but otherwise they're two very different knives IMO. I'd get the one that calls to you the most and then save up and get the other one too. You know you want both anyway. :)

The Bugout never appealed to me, perhaps because of the early reviews that mentioned handle flex. I don't know if they have addressed this with the Mini Bugout. I have the Chaparral LW and it is very slicey knife and probably the smallest Spyderco that I am comfortable using.

Also, as Halfneck mentioned, the Chaparral LW is available at KnivesShipFree.

https://www.knivesshipfree.com/spyderco ... p-c152pgy/

BM quality is sometimes hit and miss. The Bugout has a lot of flex,which can be detrimental if you really need to use it hard. I prefer the Chaparral LW. The quality is there, the lock is simple and strong, it is very thin and slices well. No brainer.

First off, be warned: I am TOTALLY biased... :D

For me the Chaparral is the best small folder ever made, so keep that in mind!

Never had any interest in a Bugout (and obviously also not in a Mini bugout, though both might very well be great models!), so this can´t be a fair comparison, still some quick points / personal (!) thoughts:

- Steel: S30V is a great EDC steel (though I never had BMs S30V), but I like CTS XHP even better. To me concerning sharpenability and edge holding it feels like a "slightly better S30V" (but to be clear I don´t know a whole lot about steels)

- Opening hole vs thumb studs: I clearly prefer the former. While operating the lock, while cutting (through!) stuff, and cause my preferred grip is putting my thumb sideways on the opening hole when cutting

- Construction: I generally like linerless knives, but still the Chap is just perfect with its steel liners. For one, though objevtively it is really light, it still feels "heavy" / solid in a good way. Plus, I think a linerless FRN knife probably could not be made THAT thin (and thus be so low profile in the pocket)

- Ergos: When I got my Chap FRN it really blew me away how stable and comfortable it lies in the hand, how well my hand is locked in and my index finger supported by the choil - for comparison: Better than on a Native!
But be aware: Not all feel like this, many think the ergos of the thicker Native handle are better, so you´d have to try for yourself (for reference: I have L to XL hands, but probably rather slim than "fat" fingers)

- Lock: I personally prefer a good backlock by far over the axxis lock (or any lock that is). and the Chap has one of the best executed backlocks I am aware of. Sure, it can be stiff to operate in the beginning, but will break in eventually or can be modded to be easier to depress.
The axxis lock, while fun, also is the only lock that (twice) opened unnoticed in my pocket (on a Minigrip) so I did cut myself when reaching for the knife.

Good luck with your choice, and obviously if I were you I´d go with the Chap...

Those Mini Bugouts in orange and white with black blade and hardware look great. I’m tempted.

This is a very interesting comparison. I have many Chaparrals in different configurations and I'm waiting for the mini Bugout. In my eyes, mini bugout will not be better than or even close to Chaparral LW in terms of cutting performance and it won't feel as sturdy as Chaparral LW. But mini bugout will be significantly lighter and has a better fidget factor due to the Axis lock. In one word, these are two very different knives despite their similar sizes and which one is better totally depends on your preference and usage scenarios.

I often have called the Chaparral "pocket perfection", and I still think it is. However, the Bugout has continued to be one of my most carried knives since it dropped after adding Ti scales to it. It's easy to see why with it being so thin and light with the same sharpened edge as the PM2. The added rigidity of a scale upgrade cannot be understated, and I never thought I would say it, but the added weight feels right.

That said, I'm not sure I'd ever carry the Mini Bugout. Many 3" knives are just too small for my hand to be a go-to knife (the choil on the Chaparral helps with this). If there was a larger Bugout (not the Bailout) I would be interested, but not so much in the Mini. I often carry a 3.5" knife, but 3.25" works well for me and somehow feels a little more EDC friendly. When I have no actual planned use for a knife, the Bugout carries like its not there and is more than enough for mundane tasks. I'm sure the same could be said for the Mini for some, but it's probably not for me.

I vote Chaparral over the Mini Bugout... Cheaper, arguably better slicer, and a real classy EDC.

I know this is a Spyderco forum but the Bugout and Para 3 LW are my most carried knives through the week to the office. They are both absolutely amazing EDC lightweight knives.

But, at the end of the day if I was forced to choose which one to keep it would be the Bugout.

I already have both of the mini Bugouts preordered and can't wait to try them.

Spydergirl88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:28 pm

Buy all the knives!

The unofficial motto of this forum.

nativeleek wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 29, 2020 10:10 am

...better fidget factor due to the Axis lock.

I actually really like the one handed open/close action on bolt action style locks substantially better than back locks, not just for fidgeting. I have much more one handed practice with them and strongly prefer them for ease of closing and putting away.

Hi Dmcblade,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

BMs go in the toilet, NEVER in your pocket!

That's just unsanitary...

Another issue for me is that BM runs their steel soft.