Top 10 Favorite Spydercos - 2025 edition

[vivi]

Every year around this time we do a thread for everyone to list their top 10 Spydercos this year. Hadn't seen one made for 2025 yet so here we go.

------------------------------

My 2025 top ten:



From left to right:

1. Aqua Salt
2. Temperance 2
3. Temperance 1 sprint
4. Street Beat
5. Pacific Salt 1
6. C95 Manix
7. Manix 2 XL M4 DLC with after market micarta
8. Military 2 Salt
9. Police 4 PD1 with after market G10
10. Police 3

My search skills seem lacking when it comes to 2023 & 24, but here are some of my old replies:

2022

1. C95 Foliage Green Manix
2. M4 DLC Manix XL
3. H1 PE Pacific Salt 1
4. H1 PE Pacific Salt 2
5. Street Beat, original run
6. Aqua Salt PE
7. Native Chief M4 DLC
8. DLC Yojumbo
9. Siren
10. (This spot still reserved for the Swick 5 )

Police and Military finally fell from my top 10.


2021


1. Pacific Salt 2 H1
2. Native Chief M4 DLC
3. Yojumbo DLC
4. Manix XL M4 DLC
5. C95 Manix foliage green
6. Police 4 K390
7. Military DLC
8. Aqua Salt
9. Street Beat
10. (This spot reserved for the Swick 5)



2020:

1. Pacific Salt 2 FFG
2. Police 4 K390 / G10
3. M4 Manix XL
4. Aqua Salt
5. Police 4 LW
6. Street Beat LW
7. C95 Manix sprint
8. Military
9. Siren
10. Tasman Salt

2019:

+ Police 4 Lightweight
+ Police 4
+ Pacific Salt 1 SE
+ C95 Manix
+ Manix XL DLC
+ Street Beat
+ Waterway
+ Tasman Salt SE
+ Street Bowie
+ Aqua Salt

Older threads:

2022 - viewtopic.php?t=93954
2021 - viewtopic.php?t=91245
2020 - viewtopic.php?t=88158
2019 - viewtopic.php?t=85435
2018 - viewtopic.php?t=82300
2017 - viewtopic.php?t=76868

[Wartstein]

I´ll play and even try a ranking.
Focus not on how I think they work as a tool and not on pocket time, but just how the "emotional connection" feels.
And of course only Spydies I actually own(ed) and use(ed)!

1. Endela SE K390
2. Endura 4 PE VG10 custom micarta sales
3. Stretch 1 PE HAP40
4. Chaparral FRN SE CTS XHP
5. Endura 4 PE HAP40
6. Wayne Goddard PE 4V
7. Manix 2 LW PE REX45
8. Pac Salt 1 SE H1
9. Waterway LC200N
10. Delica CE VG10

[aicolainen]

Not even sure I've used 10 different Spydercos this year, but I'll start listing them and see how far I get.

1. Dragonfly 2, wharncliffe, k390
2. Native 5 salt, PE
3. Endura TRL, FFG CE
4. Waterway
5. Stretch 1, VG-10
6. Salt 1, PE, H1
7. Salt 2, PE, LC200N
8. Rockjumper, PE
9. Rookie, G10, PE
10. Caly 3, G10, PE, VG-10

I did make it to ten!
I switched to the Manbug salt for my Christmas carry, but otherwise I think the above ten knives are all the Spydercos I've carried this year.
List is approx. by pocket time/belt time, but from pos.4/5 down it's quite hard to do accurate ranking. Caly 3 is a very recent acquisition so the ranking does not reflect how well I like it.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

No particular order or ranking even though the Chap se is in my pocket most everyday

•Chap se CTS XHP
•Native salt pe Magnacut
•SAGE 5 salt pe Magnacut
•Leafjumper pe k390
•Endela pe Cruwear
•Police 4 pe PD#1
•Military salt pe Magnacut
•Resilience ce S35VN
•Stretch 2 XL salt se H2
•Pacific salt pe LC200N

[Red Leader]

Is this a list of top 10 purchased, owned, admired, etc? I could maybe come up with a list for each! But ‘all-encompassing’ 2025…

1. PM2 bumblebee Salt
2. Leafjumper SE K390
3. Chaparral SE
4. Shaman 10V ‘Python’
5. Para 3 15V
6. Canis
7. Stretch 2 K390
8. Sage 6
9. PM2 Crucible
10. Magnamax Mule
Bonus #11. PM2 crucarta

The PM2 Salt makes its way into my pocket more than any other knife. Each one of these has a story. The only knife I don’t have on this list is the PM2 crucarta, and it is on this list because I have handled over a dozen and nearly every single one has been fabulous. Probably Golden’s most consistently excellent knife.

[vivi]

Good to see some Resilience love. It was my main EDC for a time. It's a really good design. I swapped G10 scales on to a black CE lightweight and that made a really nice EDC for me. It'd most likely get back on my list if it weren't for the liner lock,just not wild about those. But I loved the neutral handle, edge up to the handle, and the huge amount of cutting edge.

Also good call on the picture. Gonna add one to my post. Wish I had done that every year.

Is this a list of top 10 purchased, owned, admired, etc? I could maybe come up with a list for each! But ‘all-encompassing’ 2025…

1. PM2 bumblebee Salt
2. Leafjumper SE K390
3. Chaparral SE
4. Shaman 10V ‘Python’
5. Para 3 15V
6. Canis
7. Stretch 2 K390
8. Sage 6
9. PM2 Crucible
10. Magnamax Mule
Bonus #11. PM2 crucarta

The PM2 Salt makes its way into my pocket more than any other knife. Each one of these has a story. The only knife I don’t have on this list is the PM2 crucarta, and it is on this list because I have handled over a dozen and nearly every single one has been fabulous. Probably Golden’s most consistently excellent knife.

Top 10 favorites I suppose. Not based on carry time or anything. Your favorite models to carry and use.

It's fun to reply to these a few years in a row and see how your tastes change over the years.

[Danke]

Jester
Rock Lobster
Sage 5
Kapara
Subvert
Swayback
Shaman
Spidiechef
Techno 3
Stovepipe

[8th_Note]

Every year around this time we do a thread for everyone to list their top 10 Spydercos this year. Hadn't seen one made for 2025 yet so here we go.

------------------------------

My 2025 top ten:



From left to right:

1. Aqua Salt
2. Temperance 2
3. Temperance 1 sprint
4. Street Beat
5. Pacific Salt 1
6. C95 Manix
7. Manix 2 XL M4 DLC with after market micarta
8. Military 2 Salt
9. Police 4 PD1 with after market G10
10. Police 3

My search skills seem lacking when it comes to 2023 & 24, but here are some of my old replies:

2022

1. C95 Foliage Green Manix
2. M4 DLC Manix XL
3. H1 PE Pacific Salt 1
4. H1 PE Pacific Salt 2
5. Street Beat, original run
6. Aqua Salt PE
7. Native Chief M4 DLC
8. DLC Yojumbo
9. Siren
10. (This spot still reserved for the Swick 5 )

Police and Military finally fell from my top 10.


2021


1. Pacific Salt 2 H1
2. Native Chief M4 DLC
3. Yojumbo DLC
4. Manix XL M4 DLC
5. C95 Manix foliage green
6. Police 4 K390
7. Military DLC
8. Aqua Salt
9. Street Beat
10. (This spot reserved for the Swick 5)



2020:

1. Pacific Salt 2 FFG
2. Police 4 K390 / G10
3. M4 Manix XL
4. Aqua Salt
5. Police 4 LW
6. Street Beat LW
7. C95 Manix sprint
8. Military
9. Siren
10. Tasman Salt

2019:

+ Police 4 Lightweight
+ Police 4
+ Pacific Salt 1 SE
+ C95 Manix
+ Manix XL DLC
+ Street Beat
+ Waterway
+ Tasman Salt SE
+ Street Bowie
+ Aqua Salt

Older threads:

2022 - viewtopic.php?t=93954
2021 - viewtopic.php?t=91245
2020 - viewtopic.php?t=88158
2019 - viewtopic.php?t=85435
2018 - viewtopic.php?t=82300
2017 - viewtopic.php?t=76868

Interesting that your past lists included a Tasman

[kobold]

Native 5 MC Salt, HiPolyDesign scales
Native 5 CF S90V
Chaparral Birdseye Maple
Chaparral SE
PITS
Sage 1 Maxamet, cheesewood scales
GB2 M4, yew burl scales
Millie S110V, amboyna burl scales
Native Chief Rex 45 G10
Stretch 2 XL Cruwear Gray G10

Honorable mentions, I used these all summer in the garden just as much as I did the #1 in the list, but I don't want to list so many Natives:
Native 5 LW Spy27
Native 5 LC200N Salt SE
Native 5 Rex45 G10

[SchoonerBum]

1. Aqua Salt
And in no particular order:
Atlantic Salt PE
Pacific Salt 2
Salt 2
Lil Native LW
Manix Salt
Native Salt
Canis
Waterway
Siren

[Ramonade]

Beautiful line-up, like seeing this thread every year. I can't take pictures of my top 10 since I'm on vacation.

1. Native 5 Fluted Ti
2. Native 5 Fluted CF
3. Domino
4. Chaparral CF (customized with Mars Valley fatcarbon)
5. Watu CF (customized with jungle something fatcarbon)
6. One Eyed Jack
7. A.T.R. Ti
8. Military 2 15V (Replaces the Fluted Ti blue Military, even if I love it)
9. Baby Horn
10. Micro-Dyad

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Good to see some Resilience love. It was my main EDC for a time. It's a really good design. I swapped G10 scales on to a black CE lightweight and that made a really nice EDC for me. It'd most likely get back on my list if it weren't for the liner lock,just not wild about those. But I loved the neutral handle, edge up to the handle, and the huge amount of cutting edge.

Also good call on the picture. Gonna add one to my post. Wish I had done that every year.

Is this a list of top 10 purchased, owned, admired, etc? I could maybe come up with a list for each! But ‘all-encompassing’ 2025…

1. PM2 bumblebee Salt
2. Leafjumper SE K390
3. Chaparral SE
4. Shaman 10V ‘Python’
5. Para 3 15V
6. Canis
7. Stretch 2 K390
8. Sage 6
9. PM2 Crucible
10. Magnamax Mule
Bonus #11. PM2 crucarta

The PM2 Salt makes its way into my pocket more than any other knife. Each one of these has a story. The only knife I don’t have on this list is the PM2 crucarta, and it is on this list because I have handled over a dozen and nearly every single one has been fabulous. Probably Golden’s most consistently excellent knife.

Top 10 favorites I suppose. Not based on carry time or anything. Your favorite models to carry and use.

It's fun to reply to these a few years in a row and see how your tastes change over the years.

Yeah if the Resilience was a backlock and magnacut it would never be dethroned…miles of cutting edge right up to the handle and really comfortable in hand

[Holland]

2025
1. Dragonfly 2 Salt SE (bought current knife in Q2 2019)
2. Chaparral 1 (bought current knife in Q4 2015)
3. Mantra 1 (bought Q1 2016)
4. Gayle Bradley 2 (bought Q2 2020)
5. Watu (bought Q1 2022)
6. Junction (bought Q1 2017)
7. Itamae Petty (bought Q1 2023)
8.
9.
10.

Favorite knives have been the same for me over the last few years. Sad to see them slowly get discontinued, had to buy backups for the Mantra 1, GB2, and Chap 1 with hidden screws

2021
1. Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
2. Gayle Bradley 2
3. Chaparral 1
4. Mantra 1
5. Junction
6. Dragonfly 2 K390
7.
8.
9.
10.

Only including knives that I actually used this year


2020
1. Mantra 1
2. Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
3. Gayle Bradley 2
4. Chaparral 1
5. Junction
6. Gayle Bradley 1
7. Dragonfly 2 K390
8. Delica 4 Pakkawood
9. Dragonfly 2 Pakkawood
10. Stretch Hap40


2019
1. Delica 4 vToku2
2. Dragonfly 2 vToku2
3. Junction
4. Mantra 1
5. Gayle Bradley 1
6. Chaparral 1
7. Delica 4 Pakkawood
8. Dragonfly 2 Pakkawood
9. Dragonfly 2 Salt
10. Stretch Hap40


2018
1. Dragonfly 2 Hap40
2. Delica 4 V-Toku2
3. Stretch Hap40
4. Junction
5. Mantra 1
6. Delica 4 Hap40 Pakkawood
7. Delica 4 Hap40
8. Dragonfly 2 Salt
9. Dragonfly 2 Superblue
10. Delica 4 Superblue


2017
1. Delica 4 Hap40 Pakkawood
2. Mantra 1
3. Junction
4. Delica 4 Hap40
5. Dragonfly 2 Hap40
6. Dragonfly 2 Superblue
7. Para3 Cruwear
8. Stretch 2 Hap40
9. Delica Superblue
10. Salt 2


2016
1. Delica 4 Hap40
2. Mantra 1
3. Dragonfly 2 Hap40
4. Chaparral 1
5. Paramilitary 2 M4 Jade
6. Stretch Hap40
7. Caly 3 Superblue
8. Dragonfly 2 Salt
9. Chaparral 2
10. Delica 4 Superblue


2015
1. Chaparral 1
2. Dragonfly 2 Superblue
3. Delica 4 Superblue
4. Chaparral 2
5. Techno
6. Gayle Bradley
7. Dragonfly 2 Salt
8. Caly 3 Superblue
9. Paramilitary 2 M390
10. Manix 2 LW s110v (regret selling)

I'm sure my 2016 top ten will have more Hap40 and M4 goodness in it :D


2014
1. Chaparral 2
2. Dragonfly 2 SuperBlue
3. Gayle Bradley
4. Chaparral 1
5. Caly 3 SuperBlue
6. Delica 4 SuperBlue
7. Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
8. Paramilitary 2 M390
9. Salt 1 SE
10. Dragonfly 2 G10

Looks like my interests have changed a bit :o


2012
1. CTS 20CP Para2
2. S90v Para2
3. CTS XHP Para2
4. Caly 3.5 SB
5. Caly 3 ZDP
6. Dragonfly2 ZDP
7. Military
8. Delica 4
9. Caly 3.5 VG10
10. Para1 Serrated edge

[gk4ever2]

Here's my 2025 ranked list (at this moment, but it's always subject to change ):
1. Mil 1 CF S90V
2. Mil 2 CF S90V
3. Mil 2 G-10 15V
4. Mil 2 Salt Black
5. Police SE C07S
6. Police 4 K390 PE / P4 PD#1
7. Native Chief CF S90V
8. Manix 2 Salt Black
9. Sage 6 (either version)
10. LeafJumper PE (K390 or VG-10)

Yes, I do tend to like larger knives.

Some that deserve honorable mention:
- anything with Rex-121 or Maxamet
- CruCarta models
- the new black Police
- Pattadese
- Endura, Endela
I'm pretty sure the Police 5 will make the list next year.

[Brock O Lee]

Military 1
Military 2 15V
Military 2 CF S90V
Native Chief REX 45
Native Chief Crucarta
UKPK SPY 27
PM2 S90V
Endela K390 Wharncliffe
Delica K390 Wharncliffe
Kitchen K04 SE

[Igi964]

Microjimbo 15V
Native Maxamet
Sage 5 Lw Rex121
Lil temperance 3 K390
Native Salt LC200N serreted
Delica PD #1
Manbug wharncliffe
Native LW S110V
Native Magnacut
Para 3 Lw Magnacut

[CDEP]

I picked mine based on what got the pocket time in '25:

Native 5 CruCarta +(S90V Fluted CF, BBB 15V G10, LW MagnaCut Salt PE, LW Maxamet, LW SPY27)
Para Military 2 CruCarta +(Salt Blackout, BBB 15V, GPK REX76, Maxamet)
Shaman 15V BBB Sprint +(Salt Blackout, TKJ Cru-Wear Forest Green)
Native Chief CruCarta +(LW MagnaCut Salt)
Dragonfly 2 K390
Lil' Native Wharncliffe
Manix 2 XL CruCarta
Bodacious
Tenacious M4
Viele Phoenix Sprint

[Capt'n Boatsalot]

Here are my favorites as a snapshot in time here at the end of 2025:



The 3 fixed blades (Southfork, Waterway, Temperance 2 SE) are my go to for outdoors cooking.

Still prefer the original Military over the M2 because it just feels very light for its length. I like the M2, but don't love it like I do the original. And the Cruwear one was my very first and still an absolute joy.

The Endura and S2XL are both pretty awesome, and interchangeable for me. I like the PD#1 variants in particular, but also enjoy my other steeled versions.

Endela K390 Warncliffe is my favorite WC platform. I didn't like the Endura WC (too bulky overall), and the Delica WC is good but I prefer the extra length on the Endela. Plus K390!

Tenacious in M4 is a sleeper design and steel combo that I was late to. Really enjoy it.

Sage 5 is awesome, my favorite Sage. I'd probably really like a Sage 6, but don't have one yet. The Tenacious and Sage are my "EDC" options for around the house non outdoors specific work.

And then my trusty DF2 in ZDP. One of my oldest Spyderco knives and still my favorite drop in pocket model. Love it.

[zuludelta]

These are my top 10 Spyderco designs of 2025. This list is, as the kids would say, all about the vibes: I didn't go by any strict criteria in terms of inclusion or ranking, although I did use most of the folders in the list as part of my warehouse work knife rotation & I regularly used the one fixed blade & the one hatchet for trail maintenance tasks. Simply put, I just listed the Spyderco models I enjoyed carrying & using the most during the past 12 months.

• MicroJimbo (CPM S30V, CPM SPY27 & CPM 15V)
• Yojimbo 2 (CPM S30V & CPM SPY27)
• Lil' Temperance 3/Lil' Temperance 3 Lightweight (CPM S30V, Takefu VG10 & Böhler-Uddeholm K390)
• Schempp Rock (Takefu VG10)
• Para Military 2 (CPM MagnaCut, CPM S45VN & CPM Cru-Wear)
• Para 3 (CPM MagnaCut, CPM Cru-Wear & CTS Micro-Melt Maxamet)
• Native 5/Native 5 Lightweight (CPM S30V, CPM S90V & CPM MagnaCut)
• Delica 4 (Takefu VG10, Böhler-Uddeholm K390 & CTS Micro-Melt PD#1)
• SpydieChef (Zapp LC200N)
• Genzow HatchetHawk (AISI 5160)

Notes:

• This is the first time in a long while that I didn't have the Yojimbo 2 at the very top of my list, although it was supplanted by another Janich design in the MicroJimbo. Part of that was steel variety—this year, I really wanted to get a feel for how BBB/Spyderco's 15V performs & it was available to me in the MicroJimbo platform but not in the Yojimbo 2. But I also found myself carrying mostly smaller folders at work in 2025, and while the Yojimbo 2 is still a better fit in my hand, the smaller footprint of the MicroJimbo just put it slightly ahead this year.
• Most of the rest of the list are designs that have been staple "users" for me for years—special mention goes to the Schempp Rock, which is my longest continuously-serving woods tool at this point—although there were still genuine surprises.
• One of the things that I wasn't expecting was how much I ended up liking the SpydieChef. I was never really into premium titanium framelocks even when they were all the rage a decade ago but I found a CQI SpydieChef selling for a crazy good price so I figured, why not? While its overall design isn't ideal for my purposes as a work folder, I found it to be a great "around-the-house" carry & because it's so easy to clean, I ended up using it a lot for utility/convenience cutting tasks in the kitchen.
• The Genzow HatchetHawk was also something of a revelation. Not the best striking tool I've ever swung, but it perfectly fits a very specific role in my packable trail maintenance toolkit: that of a lightweight hatchet that fits in a small daypack but still offers reasonable chopping capability & general functionality. That role means having to accept some compromises in pure power but it still out-performed every other hatchet I have in a comparable weight & size range.
• Looking at the folders in my top 10, I think it's safe to say that my model preferences are pretty much fixed at this point. The Yojimbo 2 & LT3 (or its LT3LW variant) have been at (or near) the top of my list for 5 years, give or take. The MicroJimbo might be a newer favourite, but it's still a Yojimbo 2 derivative. And the PM2, Delica 4, Native 5, and Para 3 in some version or another have been mainstays in my work rotation for a long time. And the Kapara is still the most beautifully finished folder that I own. Moving forward, barring the introduction of some revolutionary new design or a drastic pivot in my most frequent use cases, I think most of the folders in this list will stay the same with the only notable changes coming in the way of blade steels (I do think the Bodacious might make it in my top 10 next year as I spend more time using it, though I have no idea what it will kick out of the list).

Past years' replies (I've been inconsistent in participating in threads like this, unfortunately, but I like seeing how my preferences have evolved over the years):

2019:

• Introvert (VG-10)
• Native 5 Lightweight Combo Edge (CPM-S35VN)
• Delica 4 Combo Edge (VG-10)
• Salt 2 Spyder Edge (H1)
• Tasman Salt 2 Spyder Edge (H1)
• Yojimbo 2 (CPM-S30V)
• Dragonfly 2 Salt Hawkbill (H1)
• Dragonfly 2 Spyder Edge (VG-10)
• UK Pen Knife (CTS-BD1N)
• Native 5 Lightweight Salt Plain Edge (LC200N)

Honourable mentions: Karahawk (VG-10), Ronin 2 (CTS-BD1N), Alcyone (CTS-BD1), Waterway (LC200N), Li'l Native Compression Lock Spyder Edge (CPM-S30V)

2020:

• Yojimbo 2 (CPM-S30V)
• Delica 4 Wharncliffe PE (VG-10)
• Li'l Temperance 3 (CPM-S30V)
• Para Military 2 PE (CPM-S30V)
• RockJumper PE (VG-10)
• Para 3 Lightweight PE (CTS-BD1N)
• Native 5 Lightweight PE (CPM-S30V)
• Delica 4 Emerson Wave Opener (VG-10)
• Endura 4 Wharncliffe PE (VG-10)
• Karahawk (VG-10)

[... ]

The most notable change in my list from last year's is the Introvert dropping out of my top 10. That knife was one of my most used and carried knives of 2019 and it is still one of my favourite designs. I changed jobs right at the beginning of 2020 (same company and location, just a different, better-paying position) and the new job has me wearing insulated work gloves (because I'm working in subzero temperatures). Unfortunately, that means the Introvert is out of my work knife rotation since the finger ring isn't big enough to comfortably accomodate my index finger with an insulated work glove on. It still works fine with regular work gloves, of course, and I still carry and use the Introvert outside of work. But since the bulk of my folding knife use is work-related, it had to drop out of my rankings.

The other big change from last year is that my most used knives all have plain edges, whereas last year, six out of ten knives in my top 10 list were either Combo Edge or full Spyder Edge models. Again, this mostly had to do with my new job. My old job had me cutting a lot of industrial-strength synthetic straps and cordage, something that Spyderco's serrations excel at. These days, I cut damp and wet 275 lbs.-test cardboard more than anything, and I've found a keen stainless steel plain edge to be better suited for that task.

As far as knives go, for me 2022 was more about consolidation than exploration compared to previous years. I trimmed down my Spyderco collection a fair amount, and I made a deliberate effort to zero in on what designs & materials really worked best for my uses & circumstances.

[... ]

• Yojimbo 2 (CPM S30V)
• Lil' Temperance 3 Lightweight SE (VG-10)*
• Para Military 2 (CPM CruWear)*
• Endura 4 (ZDP-189)
• Delica 4 (Böhler K390)*
• Caribbean SE (LC200N)
• Yojumbo Sprint Run (CPM S90V)*
• Native 5 Lightweight (CPM SPY27)
• Para 3 (Maxamet)*
• Dragonfly 2 Salt SE (H1)
• Karahawk (VG-10)
• Introvert (VG-10)
• Shaman SE (CPM S30V)
• Siren (LC200N)
• P'kal (CPM S30V)
• Lil' Native Compression Lock Sprint Run (CPM S90V)*
• Chaparral FRN (CTS XHP)
• Manix 2 (CPM S110V)
• Police 4 Lightweight (VG-10)*
• Sage 5 Lightweight (CPM S30V)

* - indicates a model I acquired in 2022

No huge developments for me on the fixed-blade front, as far as Spyderco goes. I only had one new Spyderco fixed-blade on my radar this year, the Swick 5 PE, and unfortunately, that model is still unavailable. My favourite Spyderco fixed-blades for 2022 are my same favourites from the previous two years:

• Schempp Rock (VG-10)
• Ronin 2 (CTS BD1N)
• Waterway (LC200N)
• Street Beat Lightweight (VG-10)
• Street Bowie (VG-10)
• Enuff Drop-point (VG-10)
• A.R.K. SE (H1)