Benchmade in 2022: The 317 Weekender

The Weekender is Benchmade’s second incursion into the world of slipjoints, with their first foray being the premium and popular Benchmade Proper. The Weekender goes a step further and adds a second blade to the package, taking inspiration from traditional two-knife and multi-tool offerings. Case in point: the addition of what likely inspired its name, a bottle opener beside the smaller blade. The Weekender is a fresh hybrid between old and new, and a unique new style for Benchmade to explore, and we’re excited to see if the end product is worth more than the sum of its parts.

3“ Clip point blade
2“ Spear point blade
CPM S30V steel
Non-locking slipjoint opening
Nail hole openers
G-10 or Micarta scales

What we like: While some people might prefer to carry even more functions in a full-sized multi-tool, there’s a niche to be filled by the Weekender’s more minimal option. The two-blade design also allows versatility without having to carry two separate knives, letting you tackle multiple tasks from a single everyday carry. The larger clip point blade is a solid general-purpose option, excelling at slicing tasks with its longer belly. The smaller spear point blade—like its predecessors—is your go-to for smaller tasks like paring or whittling. And while the addition of a bottle opener seems like an afterthought, it’s a unique addition that may come in the handiest (or most refreshing) after a long day of work.

What we don’t like: Despite being a modern interpretation of traditional slipjoint knives, what the Weekender is missing is a way to carry it other than just keeping it inside your pocket or bag. It may be a more accurate representation of traditional slipjoints, but the lack of a pocket clip or even a lanyard hole takes away from its carry convenience. If the traditional design is already going to be modified with the (very welcome) addition of a bottle opener, it seems an odd choice not to include at least one of the previous options for the sake of a sleeker profile.

Its price is another serious consideration. The Weekender rides the line between traditional slipjoint and modern-day knife, but sits at a price point where you would expect a more premium set of materials. While made in the USA construction is a fair proposition, its ask may be hard to justify for both collectors and casual EDCers alike considering its competition from both the knife and multi-tool sides.

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Trending: Streamlight MicroStream

The Streamlight Microstream is a classic AAA-sized design that continues to trend on our charts because of its pocketable size and performance for its price. Two versions of the light remain popular and relevant today: the original MicroStream, a compact, 3.6" long penlight that takes AAA alkaline batteries, and the MicroStream USB, a slightly larger upgrade that runs on a rechargeable li-ion cell. Both lights use the same rubberized tail switch that for operation: a half press gives you momentary on, and a full press gives you a constant and useful 45-lumen output on the original AAA model.

The USB version offers a 50-lumen Low that runs for 3.5 hours and a 250-lumen High with a 1.5-hour runtime. Whichever version you choose, you get an IPX4-rated aluminum chassis with abrasion-resistant Type II Military Spec anodizing. The two-way pocket clip also gives you hands-free operation by letting you clip the light onto your hat. With two options for your needs, the Streamlight MicroStream presents a tough and practical choice for an EDC light. Check them out at the link below.

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Alpaka HUB Pouch

It’s barely begun, but 2022 is already looking to be the year of the EDC pouch. The utility and customizability of the form factor has led to crazy popularity, with brands like Garage Built Gear, Greenroom136, and RoverEDC pushing out releases to meet the immense demand. Alpaka joins the fray with their own take on the EDC pouch, built with the same technical and minimalist design language they’re known for. It fits their futuristic aesthetic, plays well with their modular ecosystem, and offers another versatile option for you to grab a pouch of your own.

The concept of the EDC pouch goes back to the very beginning of EDC. Specialized pouches present a great way to segregate and organize your gear, ensuring the right combinations of equipment are in the right bags or easily switched and moved between them. The most recent version of this pouch comes with two key features that lend to its popularity: it’s a more minimal and pocketable size akin to a caddy you can zip closed, often barely larger than the standard flashlight, knife, and tool combo carried within, and an external loop field on some of the popular models led to the rise of compact RE (Ranger Eye) patches that offer limitless personalization.

The HUB pouch remains on the smaller size at 4.72“ x 3.54”, only slightly larger than a pocket notebook. This size allows it to slide effortlessly into a front pocket or bag compartment while still being able to store a full complement of tools. It opens up clamshell style via YKK reverse coil zippers, allowing it to completely lay flat for ease of loading and unloading.

The pouch dives into two parts. On the left side you’ll find four pockets in a vertical layout, perfect for medium-sized items like a knife, flashlight, or charging cables. Two of these pockets also feature an elastic strap, allowing you to better secure your gear. On the other side, are two wider pockets, are perfect for flat items like a pocket notebook or card and cash essentials that let the HUB be an all-in-one wallet as well. Mirroring the design from their opposite side, one of these pockets has three elastic bands attached as well, handy for storing larger items like your favorite multi-tools.

Alpaka forgoes the loop field in this version of the HUB pouch to make full use of black X-Pac X50 technical fabric for the exterior. This design choice not only gives it an understated, clean look, but it also provides it with abrasion resistance, water resistance, and a light weight. The outside of the pouch also comes with a zippered pocket, perfect for tiny items like spare change, a spare key or an SD card. Thanks to a well-placed loop on the rear, Alpaka’s HUB ecosystem also lets you utilize the HUB pouch to its full potential. The HUB keychain in particular lets you use its modular and magnetic, quick-release system to easily attach and detach the pouch from modular webbing, bag straps and HUB ModPanels.

And the best part of the HUB pouch: its technical versatility comes at a very affordable price point. Pre-order one from Alpaka at the link below.

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G-SHOCK Virtual World Collection

G-SHOCK watches are popular in the EDC community for being some of the toughest timepieces out there, specifically designed for people who spend most of their time in rugged terrain or brutal environments. Aside from their time-telling functionality, watches are still an important part of many people’s EDC as a way to express personal style. You might think you can't find extreme durability and functionality in a fashionable watch, but G-SHOCK beg to differ.

Their new Virtual World collection is yet another example of strong aesthetics without compromising the functionality the brand is known for. Inspired by virtual reality, the collection brings vibrant violet and bold blue accents to three digital-analog hybrid watches in a retrofuturistic theme.

Like you would expect from any watch in the G-SHOCK line, all items in the Virtual World collection are shock resistant as well as water resistant to 200M. They also come with a durable but comfortable resin band and a scratch-resistant mineral glass. And to go along with their brawn, these G-SHOCKS also come with all sorts of thoughtful time-keeping functions, such as world time, a stopwatch, a timer, 5 daily alarms, a fully automatic calendar and even a Super Illuminator backlight, to help with visibility in low light conditions. You can pick any of them up at the link below.

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This is a sponsored post presented by G-SHOCK.

The 5 Best Gift Ideas from Gerber

Through the years, Gerber has been a rock-solid source for EDC gear, from simple but efficient keychain tools like the Shard, all the way to modern pocket-friendly companions in the Prybrids, Armbars, and Lockdowns. Not to mention that they’re continuously pushing themselves to make better products, like the American-made Fastball and a full custom shop to let you built the perfect knife for EDC. In this guide we take a look at 5 of their best-selling products to give you even more gift ideas, especially with the holidays fast approaching.

Trending: Topo Designs Micro Accessory Bag

We’ve all been there: you have a bunch of small essentials like earbuds, plasters, cash, coins and small trinkets that you don’t know where to put. If you carry them in separate places, they usually get lost, and if you just toss them inside your bag, you’re going to have a hard time retrieving them. Sometimes we need a little help to get our stuff in order, and that’s exactly what the Topo Designs Micro Accessory Bag is designed for.

At 4.75" x 3.25", the Micro holds the smallest pieces of gear you might carry in your day to day, keeping them all in one spot for easy retrieval, in colorful designs for easy identification, too. It’s made out of 1000D nylon, which is weather resistant, with an interior lined with 210D nylon pack cloth for easy cleaning. Last but not least, a paracord zipper pull on its YKK zipper makes the bag easy for regular use. You can pick one up at the link below, and be sure to check out Topo Designs’s other sizes for larger storage needs.

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These Gift Ideas From SOG Are Better in Black

These days, EDC gear comes in nearly every color combination you can imagine. But if there’s one color you can bet on, make it black. All-black gear is having its moment (it goes with everything!), but it’s been the go-to color theme for so many EDCers over the years, whether it’s for a tough tactical look or a low-profile minimalist setup. If you know the person on your list is into EDC gear but aren’t sure what to get them, our friends at SOG have lined up some of their best gift-worthy gear for this guide. One thing they all have in common is that they look better in black, and they’re sure to please anyone on your list looking to perfect their “all black everything” carry.

Benchmade in 2022: The 430 Redoubt

The Redoubt debuts in Benchmade's 2022 lineup as another tactical offering at a relatively affordable price point of $180 MSRP. Despite its tactical designation, it sports a more all-around utilitarian design that makes it well-suited for EDC use too. Other than the contrasting textured grip portion of the handle, not much else in the design language of this knife differs greatly from existing Benchmade options, for better or worse. The Redoubt offers a lot of the great Benchmade features and design elements that have made the brand popular with EDCers, but the verdict is still out on whether it’s enough to differentiate it from its brothers.

Trending: Spyderco Endura 4

The first iteration of the Endura was originally released in the 1980’s, gaining immense popularity thanks to its light weight, long slicer blade, and ambidextrous usability. Almost four decades later, the Endura 4 remains one of Spyderco's best selling models. The Endura 4 comes with a 3.75“ leaf-shaped blade made from VG-10 and ground with a saber edge, giving it less friction while cutting and reducing both the amount of drag and the overall weight.

All Endura 4 knives feature Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon (FRN) handles, which help keep the knife down to 3.6 ounces. These handles also come in a variety of different colors and feature Spyderco’s signature Bi-Directional Texturing to give optimal grip. Deployment is via the other signature feature in the Round Hole, offering operation with either hand, and even while gloved. Once in play, the blade is held via a sturdy back lock mechanism. Last but not least, a four-way pocket clip matches the rest of the knife’s ambidextrous carry and use options. Pick it up in a variety of edges and colors at the link below.

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