With the new year right around the corner, there’s plenty of new gear in store for us to look forward to. But until then, now’s a great time to look back on the gear that served us best through 2018. We polled our community in our exclusive Facebook group and asked what their favorite EDC gear was in the past year. In this quick round-up, we’re starting with EDC knives. We’ve narrowed it down to the top three answers among the community — read on to see what your favorites were, and stay tuned for more gear to come in our Readers’ Choice series.
3. CRKT Homefront EDC
First up on the list is the CRKT Homefront EDC, a new addition to their low maintenance line of Field-Strip capable folding knives. This Ken Onion design is specifically geared towards the EDC user, now with a 1.4116 blade steel for added resistance to daily use. Its glass-reinforced nylon handles shave a bit of weight down, coming in at 4.3 ounces, while a deep carry pocket clip keeps it discreet but accessible. And like its outdoors-oriented counterpart, the Homefront EDC can easily disassemble on the fly without needing additional tools. If you use your knife often, you know how important it is to keep it well-maintained. With improvements to its carry options and materials, it’s easy to see why this 3.5″ blade became a crowd favorite.
2. StatGear Ausus
At number 2 is a similarly heavy duty knife in the StatGear Ausus. Its popularity extends beyond our own community too, with a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign. Part of the appeal is its no-frills practicality and sleek yet rugged design. Its unique handles feature micarta canvas for a natural feel with impressive durability and grip, while D2 steel on its 3.5″ blade make it well-equipped to handle tough tasks. At 5.5 oz, this liner lock knife provides a substantial feel in hand and inspires confidence during hard use.
1. Benchmade 535 Bugout Green
Far and away the most popular knife with the community this year is Benchmade’s outdoors-inspired, ultralight 535 Bugout. This more recent release outfits the knife with OD green handles and a black blade to blend in a bit more with urban EDC setups. The 535’s barely there 1.85 oz weight isn’t the only thing going for it, either: it features a versatile 3.25″ drop point blade made of premium S30V steel for all-around utility. The textured Grivory scales are light, slim in the pocket, and grippy in hand even when wet. Other hallmark Benchmade features round out the knife, including its ambidextrous AXIS lock and made-in-the-USA construction.
What was your favorite knife in 2018? Leave a comment and let your fellow EDCers know about knives you think should be on their radar! Stay tuned for more Readers’ Choice picks as we wrap up this year.
