https://everydaycarry.com/articles/knivesThe 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.
Specs
3.55“ Blade length
CPM-D2 steel
Drop point, flat ground plain edge
Ambidextrous dual thumbstud deploy + AXIS lock
Grivory handles with contrast textured grip insert
What we like: Through and through, the Redoubt is undeniably Benchmade design. For something designated as a tactical knife, the Redoubt doesn’t completely look the part — instead of the more aggressive, all-black styling you’d expect, it’s a bit more discreet for everyday use. The ergonomics look to prioritize grip and comfort during hard and fast use as well, with the prominent textured grip portion at the butt of the knife. There’s also subtle pseudo-jimping on the choil and where the last three fingertips grip the handle.
The blade is a nice, usable size for self-defense applications, but the drop-point geometry makes it useful for general utility as well. Interestingly, the Redoubt uses CPM-D2 steel — a slight upgrade from the more common D2 tool steel found on some budget and lower-mid tier knives. The use of the AXIS lock should come as no surprise, but it’s a welcome feature nonetheless (especially for southpaws). Lastly, it’s on the more affordable side compared to many other Benchmade knives and it’s still made in the USA.
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What we don’t like: The Redoubt sits in a puzzling liminal space in the context of the Benchmade library: it’s not an all-out tactical knife by design and features, but it’s not necessarily a civilian urban EDC knife. Its price point makes it a more accessible option for Benchmade fans, but it’s still more expensive than the tried-and-true crowd favorite Griptilian with similar specs and arguably better steel. Still, the Redoubt does offer its own original design taking the best parts of many existing Benchmade knives. And if those design elements, material choices, and price point tick all the boxes on your list, it’s a worthy consideration.
