Best Spyderco Knife for Everyday Carry?

[ninlewis96]

I’m looking for a reliable Spyderco knife for everyday carry (EDC). There are so many great options, from the Para 3 to the Delica 4, and I’m having a hard time deciding. I’d love to hear your recommendations based on durability, ergonomics, and overall performance.

[Michael Janich]

Dear ninlewis96:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike

[vivi]

there's no substitute for getting to a store and handling different models yourself.

We can give you suggestions for what works for us, but that doesn't guarantee it'll be the best fit for you.

When I asked the same question 20 years ago everyone told me to get a Delica 4. Wasn't a fan. Bought a Military as my next Spyderco and I've been hooked ever since.

[WilliamMunny]

IMO for me -

3" Knife - Para 3 LW
3.5" Knife - Manix 2

Really it just comes down to personal opinion and what you are using it for. On the good side there are very few "bad" choices when it comes to Spyderco.


Some questions that may help recommendations:

Price Range? Under $100, $150, $200+???
Knife Size? Small Under 3", Medium 3"-4", Large 4"+
Primary Use? Outdoors, office, carboard, fishing, etc.

[p_atrick]

My Spyderco preferences have changed over the years. For me, the "best" EDC is the Delica. Partly that's because one of them has sentimental value to me. Moreover, I find that it does everything I need and nothing I don't. It isn't the best knife for every occasion, but it is darn near close (for me at least). I think Vivi is right, go and hold them. I bought a Military without holding one. I immediately thought it was colossal (I've since revised my thoughts on larger knives). You never know until you try one. You could end up not clicking with a popular model. For me, its the Dragonfly. It gets lots of love here, but I just don't care for it in hand.

[akapennypincher]

It personal choice, no right or wrong reply.

Rescue Jr is my Choice.

[Aladinsane]

Leafjumper

[Wartstein]

Chaparral SE or/and Endela SE

[petz462]

Native 5 Salt in either LC200N or Magnacut will be easy to carry and fuss free.

Stretch 2 straight spine in K390 for a "one and done" knife, but will require a bit more care.

Warstein's picks above are great if you're ready to dip your toes in the SE water.

FYI...great prices on discontinued Leafjumper or Rockjumper in PE or SE. I recently got the Rockjumper SE and it's great!

[Wartstein]

... and welcome to the forum of course! :)

[Tgmr05]

Personally I prefer to pocket carry without a clip the majority of the time. The dragonfly is my most carried. The chaparral probably second. The delica/native/salt2 are the largest I have used clipless.

For something larger, the stretch 2 in k390 is what I prefer, but the endura/pac salt are pretty close. And the police.

I prefer backlocks, and the seki line seems to fit my hand better, so that comes in to play, as well.

Options are great, and spyderco delivers there.

[Ikhnaton]

In my opinion, it's the Sage 5 LW, on whichever steel speaks to you, mine is the standard one in S30V.

It disappears in your pocket, is easy to deploy and close, has a nice handle for a variety of grips and a blade that's thin enough to cut well but stout enough to be pressed into "bigger-knife" chores. Been carrying mine for more than two years, it's handled everything with aplomb.

I personally don't like the Paramilitary series, mostly because of it's looks, but you can't beat the ergonomics on those. Whenever I get to fondle my friends Para3 or my brothers PM2, I'm in awe of how great they feel in hand. And the Para3 LW is truly lightweight!

[barnaclesonaboat]

I agree with several responses already here about handling them to decide, but I also recognize that there may not be such shops in your area. I haven't handled a Spyderco at a shop for 20 years! There's a number of knives I've purchased that I knew instantly when pulling out of the box were not for me - just a bad fit in my hands. There have also been others that instantly surprised me the other way, like the Military 2 - I thought it would be tooooooo big but turns out it's actually working on becoming my favorite (PM2 is still #1).

You listed the Para3 and Delica 4 in your original post, which gives some indication of your inclination. Based on those, I would suggest you take a hard look at the Para3 Lightweight. It has lightweight/Delica-like attributes, but in my opinion has so many more of the excellent modern advancements Spyderco has engineered integrated into a better package (in my opinion). Super light in the pocket, excellent pocket clip, compression lock, incredible action that beats out a number of G10 models... I typically carry models with longer blades, but the Para3 LW makes it into my pocket a whole lot. Any steel will do for your first rig, just pick a handle color you like. My $.02.

[mikey177]

If you choose the Delica, the sprint run in PD#1 steel is still available at some dealers. There is also a regular production Spy27 variant that is coming out.

Otherwise, the Para 3 and Para 3 lightweight have more steel options if you are looking for better corrosion or wear resistance.

Either model would be a good choice for EDC.

[abbazaba]

Older compare pic of a few contenders


Manix2 LW, Sage 1, Native5 LW, Chaparral, Dragonfly2, Delica4

[JBoone]

I have 20+ spydercos that could compete for “best” edc. I tend to carry one of my various K390 models or recently an FRN sage 5 but that is subject to change. Kind of hard to go wrong as there are so many spydercos in the EDC catagory.

Also the para 3 is more refined than the Delica 4 but I carry my Delica K390 more than my para 3, and the sage 5 FRN is currently getting the most pocket time. Ask me this time next year and it will likely be one of my other models being carried the most

[Wallach]

There's a lot of different answers to this question, because everyone's daily needs are usually pretty different. Just something as simple as whether you use your pocket knife for food prep on the regular would change your feeling on an EDC, I feel.

For me personally, my pocket knives basically never touch food, it's always packages, cardboard, rope/string, tubing, etc. So my favorite knives have either been about comfort/ergos while doing these things or blade geometry & cutting performance. In that context, I'd put the Manix 2, Native 5, Native Chief, Sage 5 and Delica in my top 5. I usually would say I prefer larger knives, but for Spyderco's catalogue, only the Native Chief seems to have the right combination of ergos and cutting performance that I like in that size. The Delica doesn't have my favorite ergos, but the blade is probably the best slicer Spyderco makes that I've handled (though I really want to get my hands on a Chaparral).

[Wartstein]

...
Also the para 3 is more refined than the Delica 4 but I carry my Delica K390 more than my para 3, and the sage 5 FRN is currently getting the most pocket time. Ask me this time next year and it will likely be one of my other models being carried the most

...
You listed the Para3 and Delica 4 in your original post, which gives some indication of your inclination. Based on those, I would suggest you take a hard look at the Para3 Lightweight. It has lightweight/Delica-like attributes, but in my opinion has so many more of the excellent modern advancements Spyderco has engineered integrated into a better package (in my opinion). Super light in the pocket, excellent pocket clip, compression lock, incredible action that beats out a number of G10 models...

While respecting your opinions, I feel like this is the time to offer the op a different one on Delica vs Para 3 (of course just my subjective 2c!):

- To me it is clearly the Delica 4 that is more refined than the Para 3:

The Delica literally comes in its fourth iteration and has been, well, refined again and again over the years.
While the Para 3 basically "just" is a shrunken version of the PM2, that in my view takes over some features that are good in the PM2, but not so much on the smaller Para 3 (thick blade stock; grip area restricting pinky hook....)

- In my experience the Para 3 carries big for a small knife, and is actually pretty heavy relatively seen: The sturdy Delica WITH liners weighs about the same or even a tad less than the linerless Para 3 LW, and the "linerless Delica" (Salt 2) a lot less.
Also the Delica is a nice slim and thin carry, with a rather narrow handle end that lets the hand slide by the knife better in pocket than the bulky Para handle end.

- Furthermore the Delica has a much thinner, slicier blade than the Para 3, while the tip strength (the only place in my experience where a folder blade realistically can snap) could be about the same (due to the "drop" on the Delca tip) - this is admittedly just guessing though.

- Another point for the Delica: It makes perfect use of all the available handle length for actual grip area AND has a ricasso to choke up on.. while the Para 3 restricts the available grip area on the handle due to the pm2-ish pinky hook and pretty much forces hands the size of mine (L to XL) to use the choil.

- Add the backlock of the Delica (better closing bias, so safer in pocket, better usability with gloves and cold hands, no comp.lock cutout) and it becomes clear why I personally would always take a Delica (or Salt 2) over a Para 3...

That said: Many really love the Para 3, and it is not a "bad" knife by any means also in my experience, so you can´t go wrong with it too!
As explained above just for me the Para 3 still is just no match for the Delica 4 (and if I wanted a comp.lock folder in that size range I´d definitely prefer the Sage 5 LW)

[Wartstein]

Older compare pic of a few contenders


Manix2 LW, Sage 1, Native5 LW, Chaparral, Dragonfly2, Delica4

Nice pic!

And rather off topic, but looking at such comparison pics I always find it astonishing how little difference there is in handle length between Chaparral and Dfly, but how substantially much more blade and edge the Chap packs into the handle

Also looking at the pic I wonder again why the Chaparral ergos work so well for me and the knife really locks into my hand... while this is not the case with the Native 5, as much as I wish it would work for me as well (cause I generally really love the design, its overall looks, the no-hump-spine and the great backlock it offers).
Can´t really explain it, the handles don´t look to be that much different, but it just is what it is

[Evil D]

My extremely biased opinion would be the Bodacious. It doesn't require any specific hand size to fit into finger grooves, it doesn't have any snag notches on the blade, it has a very standard shape and blade angle that's as versatile as a blade shape can be made. I think anything "more" than this knife has more to do with personal preferences than actual performance or capabilities, and that's not a bad thing, I'm just saying this is as neutral and well rounded as you can make a folder.

Only two things come to mind that it might not be the best for:

1. Extremely slippery conditions, since it has smooth scales, so if you're getting your hand covered in blood cleaning a deer or if you just like dipping your fist in vegetable oil before using your knife then this might be an issue.

2. If you need to get the blade tip into small tight places? Not something I encounter very often but I guess it could be an issue since the blade is broad.